Arsenal News 24/7Writer: Rocky7 
Date:Monday December 31 2007
Time: 11:28AM
UK time is: 08:06:36
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Arteta Lambastes 'Sh*t Decision'
Everton's Mikel Arteta says it was the referee's 'shit decision' that led to anger over his sending off rather than Fabregas' so called play acting.
Arteta was dismissed after pushing his elbow in the face of Arsenal's young Gunners.
However the fellow Spaniard blamed the referee for making a mistake rather than Cesc making the most of the situation.
'I don't blame Fabregas for a mad decision by the referee,' said Arteta. 'He tried to get an advantage for his team, and that's normal.
'I can't think of a game where I haven't done that before, raised my arm a little to stop a player making a tackle.
'It is the same for many players and the refs do not produce cards
'But this one said to me 'you did the same thing a few minutes ago - now you're off'. It was stupid. It was a s*** decision.
'It's not like I tried to kick someone or deliberately elbow someone in the face. I never do that, especially a good friend like Fabregas. There were fouls and dives he did nothing about, but for this he gets out the red card.
'You expect referees to allow some contact, especially in England but if I was guilty of a bad foul I'd be the first to say sorry.'
I'll be the first to say that I don't think Arteta was overly malicious, BUT his actions, by the letter of the law, warranted a sending off so it was quite clearly a good decision.
I'd also like to remind Arteta that one of each of dives and fouls that went unpunished that he makes reference to, were down to him.
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Your Comments
It isn't correct for Arteta to say that it isn't an offense that is usually punished. It might not be punished often enough but is is punishable. A few seasons back Bergkamp got sent off against West Ham for a similar foul on Steve Lomas, Campbell was sent off against ManU for elbowing Solksjaer. I remember Vieira being sent off against Sunderland away for a fairly innocuous flick of the hand and also for an elbow that didn't even make contact with Redfern away to Charlton some seasons back. You don't have to throw your arm across someones face to fend them off. The fact that Arteta, and others have got away with similar actions is due to good luck and bad refereeing, but there is no doubt that it is a foul that could break a nose, cheekbone, eye socket or dislodge some teeth. It is quite right that it is an offense that should be punished with a red card.
Amos.
Is Arteta stupid, or is he just incredibly naive ? He seems to think that he needs to kick someone or DELIBERATELY elbow someone to get a red. Arent footballers supposed to know the rules for which they can be punished ? I like Arteta - he is a very good player but this was a ***** statement from him, and not a ***** decision from the ref.
prits
If it's his style to "raise his arm a little to stop a tackle", then perhaps he needs to alter his tactics to fall within the laws of the game. During the match I observed Arteta use this move in four seperate confrontations - two of which landed both Clichy then Fabregas square in the face and on the pitch. Play acting or not, there has to be some level of contact to make a player go down regardless. Lescott also used that flailing arms technique in the air to direct a header...also tends to be a common maneuver for some players, but he landed a solid forearm to Eduardo's jaw....not even a free kick. Yes the ref missed a host of calls against both sides, but for Arteta to argue being sent off for one of at least four similar incidents in the same game is nonsense...he just finally encountered a ref who recognized what he was doing - getting away with it for so long doesn't make it right. Sometimes players need to see red once or twice before they realize they need to change a part of their game....I think Bendtner's probably going to take one or two proper tackling lessons after his!
SUX2BU
I thought the way Eboue behaved when his face struck The classy gentleman Arteta`s arm was a disgrace and never a red card and should of been a yellow card for assimilation?
cockeril
Funny, Eboue wasn't on the field or the bench yesterday dumb@$$
SUX2BU
It was defo Eboue you Dumb*ss! no one else fakes it like Eboue...come on we see it every game cheating, diving, crying, Getting players booked and injured. I have never seen Fabregas fake before, the usual Arse whinge yeah! but not acting.
cockeril
Yes and spud players are nothing but sulking, whinging sore losers like your so called "the prem's hottest striker" Berbatov, you spuds are claiming. I guess, he's sick of being in a tiny club.
BMF
First of all, cockeril, Arteta was elbowing our players all day. He did it twice to Clichy. It was a matter of time before he got sent off for being careless.
BMF
Anyway, apart from Arteta elbowing, there is also him and Neville diving for a penalty. Why don't you comment on that? I guess, you just look for an opportunity to troll here and show your hard on for Eboue once again, cockeril. Well, looks like I'll be heading off in spud vital to retaliate and rile you spuds up. I got you to thank for that.
BMF
Arteta mentioned himself that the ref told him it was the second time he did it, why is he complaining now?
CoastarianGooner
blind gunners fans.i saw the game and i think it was an unconscious reaction fabregas made the most out of it. if this had happen to an arsenal fans i am sure all you guys who are quick in judging this lad would have a different opinion. take that gunnerslove screen off your face lads.
kaybee
Unconscious or not, he would have been sent off even in Rugby League! You cannot elbow people in the head, unsless you are Manure, than you can do anything. Well done to Arteta for not blaming Cesc, who crumpled like a sack of spuds in obvious pain.
darinb007
All of that said, Eboue is a horrendous diver. I think it was a little harsh, personally, it is an attempt at shielding the ball, but it's too high, and he's clocked Fabregas, or that was my view of it. I would've booked him. Having said that, i didn't see these other incidents that apparently happened, but i still put it down to bad refereeing there, because if Arteta's claims are true and he said "this is the second time" why not book him for the first one? Doesn't make much sense to me, and seems inconsistent. By all means berate me, but i am rather fond of Arsenal, and not biased at all (being a villa fan)
Carlosio
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