Arsenal 1 - Liverpool 1

Premier League

Emirates Stadium

21/12/08 16:00

Attendance: 60,094

Referee: Coward Webb

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Arsenal	1 - 1	Liverpool
Robin van Persie 24		Keane 42

Venue: Emirates Stadium		Attendance: 60,094

The Teams
Almunia		Reina
Sagna		Arbeloa
Gallas		Carragher
Djourou		Agger
Clichy		Insua
Denilson		Riera	71
Fabregas	46	Gerrard
Song		Lucas	88
Nasri	90	Alonso
Adebayor	62	Keane	81
van Persie		Kuyt

Substitutes
Fabianski		Cavalieri
Diaby	46	Hyppia
Vela		Plessis
Ramsey		El Zhar	81
Silvestre		N'Gog	88
Wlishere		Benayoun
Eboue	90	Babel	71

Game Statistics
6	Goal Attempts	13
3	On Target	5
2	Corners	2
0	Offside	5
15	Fouls	18
3	Yellow Cards	3
1	Red Cards	0
42.2	%	57.8
Comments...
Liverpool passed quicker more frequently, more accurately, created more and better chances than we did. We tackled almost as often and more successfully than Liverpool and also dominated territorial advantage (54.4% to 45.6%). We were able to show that we have determination and spirit but not yet the confidence and experience to win games that are winnable. Much will focus on the refereeing decisions. Maybe one simple stat will add some more perspective to this issue. Adebayor committed two fouls for which he received a yellow card for each. Moments after Webb had booked Adebayor for his first foul he awarded a foul against Lucas. He spoke to Lucas at the time and theatrically indicated 3 or 4 other areas of the pitch in which Lucas had committed fouls and demonstrably insisted he would allow no more. Lucas went on to commit 3 more fouls before he was finally booked after the 80th minute of the match. Lucas committed 8 fouls in total, almost half of Liverpool's total for the whole game. If this point, won somewhat against the odds against a good side, helps restore some much needed belief and confidence it will be a valuable one.

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Writer: Amos

Date:Sunday December 21 2008

Time: 9:29PM

Your Comments

It's not about the number of fouls a player commits, it's about the type. Adebayor stamped on Insua's foot for his first yellow card, deservedly given in my opinion, while Lucas fouls were more of the niggling verayity.

JohnDoe

Webb had given Lucas a warning about his fouls, some of which were more than niggling, early enough in the first half. He then allowed him to commit as many again before he finally booked him. There was no intent on Ade's part in either tackle. You couldn't honestly claim the same for Lucas in all of his 8 fouls some of which were quite cynical.

Amos.

One has to be suspicious about the previous here. Webb wrongly sent Adebayor off instead of Eboue in the 2007 Craling Cup Final and then pointedly and demonstratably lied about Adebayor throwing a punch, which television evidence shows was thrown by Eboue. Webb's integrity has been in tatters ever since but I can only deduce Adebayor's over the top fury at being sent off in Cardiff planted a seed in Webb's mind. I can't honestly think of another explanation for what was a disgusting decision. Particularly as Gerrard was allowed to get away with an appalling dive some three minuteslater.

Little Dutch

How would the ref know the intent of a player? He can only go with what he see's in front of him. He saw Adebayor stamp on Insua's foot for the first yellow, and he saw him going over the ball, with studs showing, for the second. I know that the replays show that Adebayor made little contact with Arbeloa and was harshly sent off, but the ref doesn't have that luxury. I agree that Lucas should've been yellow carded earlier than he did however.

JohnDoe

There was no contact. Adebayor put his foot behind the ball and there was no danger to Arbeloa at all. If this were the other way around and had a defender shielded the ball in the same way as Adebayor did would Webb have given a penalty? Not a chance.

Amos.

JD, you touch on a decent point, The fact is, Webb has obviously not played the game of football. If you play it, you understand entirely that there was no malice whatsoever in either of Adebayor's challenges.

Little Dutch

the sending off got you back into the game, you lot sj=hould be grateful in a way!

EZLFC

I know Arbeloa's made the most of it but there was contact, and Adebayor did come over the ball with his studs showing. That's what the ref saw and I understand why he sent him off even if it was the wrong decision.

JohnDoe

I wouldn't grumble too much about the result but that doesn't make Webb's actions any more tolerable. Maybe the sending off did inspire greater comitment maybe we would have done so anyway. Liverpool played well and are an efficient effective side. That little bit of good fortune is what makes the difference when it comes to winning titles.

Amos.

Adebayors foot was on the ground behind the ball before Arbeloa got to him the only contact was when Adebayor got his body across Arbeloa. He had a pretty good view of it and that was what he saw. Even if he gave the foul which he needn't have carded him. he could have treated him with the same leniency he gave Lucas. Once agin had it been the other way round and a defender shielding the ball from a forward the referee wouldn't have given anything.

Amos.

That's the way it goes, Amos. When I saw it the first time, I thought it should have been a second yellow. to Adebayor, as I'm sure did many people. When I saw it again, I realised it probably shouldn't have been a yellow but the referee doesn't get the benfit of Sky's many angles. I'm sure if that was given as a first yellow to an unbooked player, people wouldn't have been complaining.

Aamir

And can I just say that I think the argument about the red is taking credit away from what was a very good match with two superb goals. (By the way, you lot BADLY need a right winger!) I've got a pair of footy boots and shinpads if you'll take me on. :)

Aamir

Adebayor hit Arbeloa just below his left knee with his studs. I know it was minimal contact but he did touch him, and he didn't have posession of the ball at the time and wasn't shielding it from him.

JohnDoe

Juts watched the replay. Adebayors studs didn't make any contact with Arbeloa. The most you can say is that the back of his heel made contact with the Arbeloa's leg but even that was the action of the two coming together. As I said before - imagine that as a defender shielding the ball from a forward and nothing would be given.

Amos.

if you guys watch the replay again for the second challenge, you will find that both players were fighting for the ball and ade's arm swung into arbeloa's face which i think it was what the ref saw.

chopstah

AMos, as I said that's the way football is played. Defenders can get away with so much but if it's Adebayor or Robbie Keane who do something like that, they're always gonna get penalised.

Aamir

Why accept it as inevitable? If a defender could have got away with the same action we shouldn't allow referees to distort a game by reducing one side to ten men. I can accept Ade's sending off if Lucas hadn't been allowed 8 times as many fouls for every yellow card he received. We allow referees to become celebrities in their own right and Webb is now suffering the same delusions as Graham Poll, Jeff Winter and Paul Durkin did.

Amos.

Amos, don’t waste your breathe or time. the bin dippers struggle to accept criticism and will never see any wrong doing in their own players. Gerrard and Arbeloa cheated, plain and simple. The ref was terrible and Lucas should have been sent off. But hey, we are used to getting crap decisions against the mickey's...

LondonGooner

London Gooner, do you ever stop whinging? All I read from you is 'don't waste your breath', 'decisions always go against us', 'pity us'! Amos, you're right. Why accept it as inevitable? The only problem is that there is nothing we can do about it.

Aamir

Ade's studs werent showing, and there was no intent. Contact of Ade's hand in Arbeloa's face was exaggerated. Neither merited a yellow. Nor did Ade's 1st foul. The sending off was a joke, and the ref was inconsistent, as Lucas should have been booked much earlier.

prits

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Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1. Man Utd	38	28	5	5	43	89
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