Arsenal’s tense 1-0 win over West Ham has added another major talking point to an already dramatic Premier League title race.
Leandro Trossard’s late goal looked to have secured a crucial victory for Mikel Arteta’s side, but the match exploded into controversy deep into stoppage time when Callum Wilson appeared to equalise for the Hammers.
After a lengthy VAR review, referee Chris Kavanagh overturned the goal, ruling that Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya had been fouled in the build-up.
The decision protected Arsenal’s lead, kept them five points clear of Manchester City, and sparked fierce debate over whether the correct call had been made.
Carragher shares opinion on latest Arsenal controversy
Jamie Carragher offered a strong view on the controversy during his Sky Sports analysis.
The former Liverpool defender argued that Arsenal are not necessarily treated differently by officials, but he believes they have developed a reputation for pushing the limits in several areas of the game.
Carragher said Arsenal’s aggressive approach to set-pieces, touchline behaviour and penalty-box battles has made rival fans feel they regularly “get away with it”.
Speaking on Sky Sports, he said, as reported by The Standard:
“This all started with Arsenal two or three seasons ago putting 15 players in a six yard box and the reason people are annoyed with Arsenal, and feel they’ve got away with it, is that this is a football club who push the boundaries in every area to try and gain an advantage – that’s why they are disliked.
“The manager stands on the edge of the touchline, putting the opposition’s left wing or right back off, screaming down his ear. Gabriel going down on the floor anytime someone breaths on him.
“The goalkeeper being the first one to take the atmosphere in a stadium to another degree and what they do at set pieces. That’s why there’s this feeling ‘they do it every week, how are they getting away with it’. But that doesn’t mean this isn’t a foul.”
Arteta is getting closer to league title
Arteta, unsurprisingly, defended the officials and praised the referee for making what he saw as a brave decision under huge pressure. West Ham, meanwhile, were left furious after believing they had earned a valuable point.
Arsenal may view the West Ham win as another sign of champions finding a way through difficult moments, but the controversy will not disappear quickly.
Arsenal are admired for their intensity and detail, yet disliked by many rivals for the way they test the boundaries, as per Carragher.
What matters most for Arteta is the result. With only two league games remaining, Arsenal remain in control of their title destiny.
But if they do go on to lift the Premier League trophy, this dramatic VAR escape at the London Stadium may be remembered as one of the defining moments of their season.
Gary Neville issues important advise to Mikel Arteta ahead of the Champions League final
As an Arsenal fan, I can agree that we do play some agressive boring football at times and some of my fellow supporters can be a–ols at times with their bias blinkered views. So I understand why most premier team fans think that we are just another lucky Leicester City team that cannot even compete with Bournemouth let alone PSG or Man City who always Cain us every game.
But that doesn’t dismiss the obvious foul on Raya and the fact that “boring defence” Arsenal have a world class defence team.
It is not attractive football but this “world class defence team” can win both the league and the European cup despite the average strikers we have when not constantly injured, they all give 100% for the team in the hope of one of them getting a goal, enough to win “one nil to the Arsenal”.
I know that like the Leicester season, every team apart from Man City and Arsenal have been playing strangely below par this season.
But as an Arsenal fan, I will take the hatred and the “boring defence” calls, if it means winning a double trophy due to our world class defence team that can only improve once we get stronger back up strikers to back up Gyokeres rather than the constant injured forward back up players we have at the moment.
Arsenal will improve on sideways attacking play and buy new players to give us another great season next year where we will get more praise by neutrals for our improved attacking play next year to be a more attractive playing team not just a world class defensive one. Our defensive style will change to be more balanced, but for this season, it’s winning trophies that count and like the Leicester season, take advantage of other teams not playing well.
The future is bright. Come on you gooners!
Fair play to Jamie Carragher for telling the truth about the Arsenal haters.
I think they prefer an attacking team with flair players like ManC winning the league instead of a more defensive team set pieces team like Arsenal, that’s why they chant “boring boring defence” and we mockingly chant “one nil to the Arsenal”.
The defence system worked for George Graham who also had a world class defence playing the off side game and having a set piece winning formulary, whilst scoring the odd goal without dominating like the then Liverpool team.
Our attack may be not judged as world class and only average to most, but our defence definitely is world class, which is still part of the football tactical game.
If it worked for George Graham, it can also work for Arteta.
Not the best TV viewing for neutrals but who cares when History will hopefully remember how many trophies Arsenal won more than how they were won.