Arsenal: 3 reasons why Watford win was extra special

2. Some Dreadful Refereeing From Kevin Friend

The Arsenal conspiracy theorists were served up a three course meal with hors d’oeuvres to kick things off on Sunday as Kevin Friend flat out refused to book any Watford player despite the plethora of fouls they committed.

In total the visitors made 19 fouls. They received three yellow cards.

Arsenal made six fouls. They received four yellow cards.

The sheer volume of kicks, pull backs and tackles from the visitors that went unpunished was astonishing. It got to the point where Watford players knew they could avoid cautions and could make the same foul multiple times without fear of going into the book.

Of all the examples none are more clear cut than Danny Rose. The former Spurs player got away with four fouls, all of which could easily have been yellow cards although there is some leniency for the first one as it’s early into the game, but escaped without a single one. That includes the penalty, which some feel he could easily have seen red for.

If there is consistency in the calls then it would be more palatable, but both Takehiro Tomiyasu and Albert Sambi Lokonga got booked for their first fouls of the game. It’s not the first time that refereeing inconsistency has been on show in Arsenal matches this season.

But it’s not a conspiracy, as much as many would like to believe it is. The quality of refereeing is just bad. Thus, to to have navigated through all of that and come out with three points makes the win extra sweet.

(might have got away with one for the goal)

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