2024-25 EPL Season

[Savant]

I don't have any kind of massive ref conspiracy theory, unlike some Liverpool fans in the past. But I do think Michael Oliver is specifically biased against us based on decisions from multiple games.

This is what I think the difference is. Views are my own.

 

[phisherman]

Haaland threw a ball at Gabriel's head and nothing was said about it.

 

[Brunkmeister]

Haaland threw a ball at Gabriel's head and nothing was said about it.

Oh haven’t you heard? It’s open season on Arsenalplayers. God forbid if they repay though.

 

[phisherman]

They changed the rules on set pieces this season after Arsenal's success last season.

They released a statement on the Oliver threats after the Arsenal game but not when Man U fans threatened him weeks ago.

No bias at all though and every club is treated equally apparently to some here.

 

[KJS14]

This is what I think the difference is. Views are my own.

Maybe combine them:

Man City
Everyone else
Arsenal

Haaland threw a ball at Gabriel's head and nothing was said about it.

Not only that. Man City celebrated a last second equalizer against 10 men at home and talked shit to us with no issues. Arsenal celebrated an absolute battering of Man City where we stepped on their throats, but the celebration police came out in full force.

 

[S E P H]

It's the corruption I have been talking about here. Wenger came in, revolutionised the sport, and broke the English barrier in football, especially for the wave of international players. You can see this as most of Arsenal's best players are foreign blokes. On top of that, Arsenal is easily the most popular team in London, which is the main capital of one of the most eccentric and energised footballing nations on earth. It's not a Mecca like in South America, but it is very close to it. Wenger broke it in England and now we have to suffer the payback from pro-nationalist BREXIT English people who are in high power positions that got their tactics from the FBI/CIA/MI6. I told you lot this before.

 

[Savant]

Maybe combine them:

Man City
Everyone else
Arsenal


Not only that. Man City celebrated a last second equalizer against 10 men at home and talked shit to us with no issues. Arsenal celebrated an absolute battering of Man City where we stepped on their throats, but the celebration police came out in full force.

I wouldn’t combine them. I don’t think Arsenal have it worst. I think every has at worst besides the ones at the top. It’s a Manchester problem. It’s not an Arsenal problem. But when you are going head to head with that, it makes its hard to feel otherwise

The celebration stuff is dumb as hell for everyone. Impossible to draw a sensible line there

 

[koyvoo]

They changed the rules on set pieces this season after Arsenal's success last season.

They released a statement on the Oliver threats after the Arsenal game but not when Man U fans threatened him weeks ago.

No bias at all though and every club is treated equally apparently to some here.

I’m willing to accept that clubs aren’t treated differently. I’d just like to hear a specific reason why this stuff is happening only to Arsenal, in your opinion.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

And there is the point. Unlikeable cause we have something that other clubs wish they had.

If I had to hazard a guess, he's probably referring to attitudes like this.

 

[KJS14]

I’m willing to accept that clubs aren’t treated differently. I’d just like to hear a specific reason why this stuff is happening only to Arsenal, in your opinion.

I don't have a good grasp on all of the intricacies of the English media, but to me it seems like there is media bias against Arsenal (for whatever reason), which then bleeds into decisions made by on-field refs. For example, the media has pushed this "dark arts" narrative this year, which has seen us receive the most yellow cards for time wasting / delaying restart in the league. However, when we actually watch the games we see the same time wasting / delaying restart actions being used against us and often going unpunished.

Now if we want to get into Michael Oliver specifically, then here's the most clear evidence of bias you'll ever see/hear. He reffed our game vs City last year in which he self-admitted to not giving Kovacic a second yellow card because he didn't want to "ruin the game." Mind you that VAR also reviewed his first yellow card tackle for a straight red card, which would have been deserved, but Michael Oliver deemed it a yellow card and then refused to give a second yellow for another tackle 5mins later. Whereas in the game he reffed between us at the Etihad this year, he sent off Trossard for a time wasting / delaying restart second yellow card because Trossard tried to pass a ball to Martinelli half a second after his whistle. So apparently he doesn't mind "ruining the game" when it's at Arsenal's expense.

 

[koyvoo]

But it would have to go deeper than that. If it’s that’s obvious, the FA itself must be aware. They must’ve at heard the complaints.

Can one or two referees actually go rogue to that degree without repercussions?

 

[KJS14]

But it would have to go deeper than that. If it’s that’s obvious, the FA itself must be aware. They must’ve at heard the complaints.

Well they did hear the complaints about the most recent incident (MLS red card), and then PGMOL defended Michael Oliver and criticized Arsenal for instigating fans to threaten him. And then cherry on top, the FA charged Arsenal for players surrounding Michael Oliver after making that terrible decision even though the red card had already been rescinded.

So yes, maybe it does go deeper. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but I know for sure Michael Oliver is biased against us and should not be allowed to ref our games.