Premier League clubs are banding together with Arsenal to take PGMOL chief Howard Webb to task.
Arsenal have had their frustrations with Premier League officials in recent weeks.
Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard have both been sent off in recent matches, in each case for kicking the ball away after having conceded a free kick.
Whilst this is a habit that Mikel Arteta needs to stamp out in his squad, he will also feel that his players have been harshly treated when similar offences from opposition players have gone unpunished.
Arsenal were told that Rice deserved his red card against Brighton, and whilst Arteta took issue with Trossard’s dismissal the truth is that the North London club will have to change their behaviour, rather than hold out for officials to alter their own stance on this issue.
Despite this, the Gunners still plan to challenge the PGMOL on their position, and will have the backing of a number of other top flight clubs.
Arsenal part of push back against PGMOL
According to The Times, a number of “angry” Premier League clubs will soon hold a meeting with PGMOL chief Howard Webb, in which they will question him about recent refereeing decisions that they perceive to have been incorrect.
Arsenal will take part in this meeting, after they “complained” about Rice’s dismissal, and Arteta’s unhappiness with the treatment of Trossard.
However, not everyone is on the Gunners’ side. For instance, Michael Owen felt Arsenal were fairly treated by referee Michael Oliver in their recent clash with Manchester City.
In any case it is important for an open and honest dialogue to exist between Premier League clubs and the PGMOL, and this meeting will hopefully lead to progress being made towards a situation that all involved are satisfied with.
Mikel Arteta must prepare Arsenal for clamp down
It is clear that Premier League referees have been instructed to respond strongly to players deemed to have delayed restarts.
Arsenal have been stung twice by this policy now, and it is vital they they swiftly learn from past mistakes.
Regardless of his personal feelings on the matter, Arteta must deliver a clear message to his dressing room stressing that his players cannot afford to interact with the ball at all once the referee has blown his whistle. The stakes are simply too high for Arsenal to go on repeating this mistake.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
