Phil Dowd Is A Complete Disgrace
Newcastle (4) - (4) Arsenal
Walcott (1′), Djourou (3′), Van Persie (10′, 26′)
St James’ Park, Newcastle
Football is such a ridiculous game sometimes, and yesterday was no different.
Now I’m probably one of the first to criticise Arsenal if they throw away leads or collapse in spectacular fashion, but even I couldn’t fault Arsenal yesterday. They were simply awesome in the first half, and completely deserved to be 4-0 up. And while I was furious yesterday in the cold light of day everything was against us.
Arsenal were probably victims of their own superb start, as referee Phil Dowd had one of the most shocking games I’ve ever seen. Referee’s like to “even things up” and the first penalty was a freebie you give when a team is 4-0. He thought it wouldn’t matter, but how wrong he was. The second penalty decision was a f*cking disgrace but again, the referee probably thought it wouldn’t change the result.
And the incident with Diaby was handled poorly as well. Joey Barton is by far the biggest disgrace the Premier League has ever seen. This guy is an utter scumbag who shouldn’t be anywhere near a football pitch. We know of his shameful background and if he wasn’t a footballer he would be a criminal. But this ridiculous notion that footballers are “higher beings” and immune from fair punishment means he gets away with it. His after match interview where he said he “had no idea why Diaby reacted like that” was probably the most infuriating thing about yesterday. The tackle was completely reckless and with Diaby’s experience of having broken legs (down the road at Sunderland in particular) and you can’t blame him for his reaction, especially considering Phil Dowd let a lot of shocking tackles against Arsenal go unpunished. How was Diaby supposed to react? You’re waiting for the referee to control the game and when that doesn’t happen then what do you wait for, broken legs?
Of course, the biggest problem most Arsenal fans is that with United losing to Wolves, Arsenal could have been just 2 points off top spot, but instead it’s 4. The fact is though, Arsenal are top of the form table, with 14 points from a possible 18 in their last 6 games, with United and Chelsea just behind with 13 points from 18.
And looking on the bright side, Arsenal’s next 3 Premier League games are against Wolves, Stoke and Sunderland which are all at the Emirates, while Manchester United have Manchester City at home, then Wigan and Chelsea away. The next 3 games will probably the most important in terms of where the Premier League title might go come May.
Anyway, here’s something to cheer you up from Arsenal favourite Alan Pardew.
February 6th, 2011 at 2:42 pm
Ha Ha Ha, While Barton is not a nice person its a bit rich to call him the biggest disgrace the premiership has ever seen, what about your own Tony Adams who did a bit of time for being drunk in control of a car, or how about Paul Davis who broke Glenn Cockrills jaw on the pitch I could even mention Cantona who was no saint himself. Your man was sent off cos he thought he cluld take the law into his own hands and any player would be sent off for that.
Also you theory on the two pens is derisory what a joke of a theory, Phil Dowd is a poor ref but he is consistently poor for both sides, you lost cos you lost your bottle, get over it.
February 6th, 2011 at 2:50 pm
Matt you clearly aren’t a neutral and have a vested interest. The refereeing was utter garbage.
February 6th, 2011 at 2:52 pm
let me start by saying i am not an Arsenal supporter. I am however a huge fan of football, and I love watching it played the “right way”. In this respect Arsenal are the team I look forward to seeing, as some of the football on show is simply breathtaking.
But what I hate about Arsenal is the way Wenger (who in my opinion is as good as a football manager gets, the way he runs the club is world class) is constantly moaning about things that go against him and the Arse. Lets look at the Newcastle match.
bartons tackle was robust, but not reckless. Diaby deserved to be sent off for his reaction. The first pen was correct, it was a clumsy challenge. Then Newcastle had a perfectly good goal disallowed for offside. The second pen was no way a pen and the way Nolan grabbed the keeper was no worse than Diarby, he should have gone too.
When Wenger has a decision go against him he crys like a girl, but when one of the Arsenal players goes something wrong he didn’t see it.
Fabregas is one of the top 5 players in the world, but his recent behaviour on the pitch is getting worse. he is too good to behave like Barton.
I wish you well in the season as I hate the Mancs (both teams)
February 6th, 2011 at 3:00 pm
Let’s to the facts Phil Dowd was is and will forever be a shocking referee. He always comes to referee Arsenal matches to screw us over and Steve tell me which manager doesn’t whinge at decisons it’s only the English Media who pick on Arsene Wenger.
February 6th, 2011 at 3:00 pm
GET OVER IT HA ARSENAL WILL BLAME ANYONE THEY CAN PATHETIC YEAH TACKLE WAS STRONG BUT NOT A RED CARD NO WAY BUT THEY WAY ARSENAL HAVE WENT ON SINCE YESTERDAY IS JUST PATHETIC, NO DIGNITY!
February 6th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
Mike have you got Wengers eyesight problem, didn’t I say Dowd was poor and where in mypost did I say I was neutral I’m a UTD fan and should you suggest anything more that’s incorrect or assumed you should know I live 30 minutes north of Old Trafford and I’m a ST holder in the Stretford End
February 6th, 2011 at 3:16 pm
The thing about Dowd his he is arrogant and worse inconsistant.
I don’t rate him either
February 6th, 2011 at 3:31 pm
I think it is you that is the disgrace, how can you say that you agree with Diaby’s reaction?! That was a ridiculous reaction to a brilliant, yes BRILLIANT tackle from Barton. If that had been a tackle from Wilshere (who’s conduct on and off the pitch is becoming worse and worse), would you have had a problem with it? I doubt it! BOTH penalties were correct decisions, Rosicky pushed Willo in the back for the second, so really i don’t see much for you lot to complain about, apart from the lack of commitment and team spirit from the Arse in the 2nd half.
February 6th, 2011 at 3:33 pm
How Phil Dowd could become a referee is a ridiculous. Complete utter crap. Premier League needs better referees than Howard Webb and Phil Dowd.
February 6th, 2011 at 3:34 pm
Matt, to put Adams, a drunk in charge of a car, or even Cantona above Barton is a disgrace, they both had problems but they made the mistake ONCE, let’s not forget Barton spent time for assault, put a fag out on a youth team goalies eye and attacked a team mate in training, probably other incidents but that is at least 3 seperate incidents to prove what a total thug that Barton is and he doesn’t belong anywhere near a football pitch, anybody else commiting those 3 crimes would be in jail still not out doing their day job, just because he’s a talented football shouldn’t make a difference but it does.
February 6th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
Richard wasn’t Adams driving the car, so only good fortune stopped him from injuring anyone, he did crash the car didnt he? I mentioned him and Cantona more from a people in glass houses perspective, ok if you want other examples what about Marlon King or Lee Hughes, thepoint I’m making is not in defense of Barton but show up that life isnt fair and not just good guys play football and not every Arsenal reverse is someone elses fault even if one of the opposition players is a c*nt which I believe Barton is, the tackle was hard maybe worthy of a yellow card but Diaby had only himself to blame for being sent off.
February 6th, 2011 at 4:18 pm
In fairness to Barton I think he is getting his act together, On the pitch he has consistently been Newcastle’s best player. I haven’t heard much about him off the pitch so he must be behaving there too.
As Dan says Wilshire is a worry, that lad will be world class one day if he can behave himself and grow up a little. I think Fabregas is a bigger thug on the pitch than Barton, he is such a brilliant player people don’t see that nasty side he has.
I would also like to comment on the Hughes / King comment from matt.
I live in Coventry a few hundred yards from where hughes murdered that guy and ruined the lives of countless others. He is a loathsome little c**t, King isn’t much better. The world is full of lowlifes, the shame is some of them make a living playing football.
February 6th, 2011 at 4:33 pm
As an Arsenal ST holder I find this article as embarrassing as Arsene Wenger’s weekly whinges. The Barton tackle was hard but fair. Diaby, who is probably the least intelligent player I have ever seen and his reaction cost us the game. The first penalty was a penalty, a real clumsy challenge by Kos, who always goes to pieces alongside Squillaci! The second one was never a penalty but was evened out by the fact they disallowed a good goal when Best was played onside by the dire Tomas Rosicky.
These excuses from some Gooners and especially our manager are pathetic. We have an awful defence when Djourou is not there and this team always folds underneath pressure. Wenger hasn’t got a clue, he really hasn’t
February 6th, 2011 at 4:37 pm
Barton’s tackle was reckless, did you not see the replay? Barton went through and you could see Diaby’s leg bend! Could have easily done a lot more damage, and you can’t blame Diaby for reacting as he’s been victim of similar idiots like Barton who have broken his leg.
Don’t get me wrong, Barton is talented but he’s just a pathetic excuse for a human being. Some of the stuff he’s got away with is unbelievable. Ask his former Manchester City team mate Dabo. And Diaby didn’t do much anyway, he tapped Barton and he fell quicker than his mothers skirt.
February 6th, 2011 at 4:39 pm
Hi Steve, I wasn’t trying to defend Barton as you correctly pointed out, I just found it a little sad that a deluded Arsenal fan uses Bartons character to defend his own players stupidity and to deflect from another example of Arsenals lack of a spine.
February 6th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
Steve, you comment completely fell apart once you stated Fabregas was a bigger thug than Barton! Do you really want me to roll off the incidents Barton’s been involved in?
Don’t forget it was Joey Barton’s brother that got sent down for murdering that young black lad in Liverpool.
February 6th, 2011 at 4:53 pm
It was Joey Bartons half brother and quite what that has to do with Barton I don’t know, Ronnie O Sullivans dad did a stretch for murder to I guess we should make a judgement on the rockets character based on what you say.
How about my comments on King and Hughes, if you want a list of thugs on a football field there are far worse than Barton, in any case none of it explains away Diabys stupidity or how being down to ten men is a reason to lose a 4 goal lead even if we accept the proposal from the blog writer that they shouldn’t have been given, which is in fact the typical blinkeredness of the aggreived fan (not just arsenal fans)
February 6th, 2011 at 4:54 pm
On meant on the pitch WI. Cesc is a nice boy off the pitch I’m sure. Don’t get me wrong I am not a fan of Barton, maybe I was being a little unkind to Fabregas in hindsight.
As a “neutral” I would say Barton’s tackle was ok…just. There is no doubt he is a pathetic excuse for a human being. Hope that clears that up lol.
February 6th, 2011 at 5:07 pm
Understanding the English football is a challenge for any foreigner like me.
I watch with foreign commentary and naturally, they all joke about Refs in the PL every week.
But the English find it normal as it is their culture. Its a bit strange as the laws of football are universal. The Manchester City player, De Jonk was suspended by his FA for reckless challenge in the PL for which he was not even given a card, and for which the English FA never opened an inquiry. The Dutch national coach said that PL refereeing is different from the rest of the world.
Its actually shocking. And you see it at international level when the National team has to play by the book with an international ref. They simply cannot play when they are not aggressive.
I am not implying anything xenophobic here. Just saying its a cultural difference which has grown more important recently. Wenger should move to another league and take all his players where they can be treated in a civilised way.
February 6th, 2011 at 5:22 pm
Well this is all just a massive cry for goal line technology. Regardless of Barton’s history and Diaby’s reaction, why has Nolan’s attack on Sczesny gone unpunished and he gets carded for time-wasting? There is no consistency, the letter of the law says you can’t raise your hands whether you are frustrated that the ref hasn’t stopped the keeper time-wasting or not…Diaby did the same as he thought Dowd should have blown the whistle for the foul, again, whether it was or not is beside the point because it is the reaction that is always penalised. There are enough footie fans who think United get all the decisions at Old Trafford so when will Sepp Blatter resign so we can get someone in who won’t penalise the team that should have rightfully won.
February 6th, 2011 at 5:22 pm
Anil, you can see shocking refs in any of the major leagues in europe, it was only a couple of years ago a german ref was jailed for taking bribes so stop talking like an idiot and while dowd maybe a poor ref he was spot on with sending off and the two pens.
February 6th, 2011 at 7:08 pm
Its your blog, you make the rules. You can even call people idiot if you wish. Nice English education.
Cheers
February 6th, 2011 at 7:15 pm
The ref had no option but to send Diaby off.
However, EPL pundits and fans don’t know the rules of football.
Any tackle that is deemed reckless, i.e could result in harm to an opponent, or the player committing the tackle, is punishable by a red card.
There is absolutely NOTHING about intent, or getting the ball etc.
Barton went through the ball and could easily have broken Diaby’s leg.
Yes, Diaby had to walk for his reaction, no question, but that WAS without any question a red card offense by Barton.
Only the EPL pundits and fans can’t understand the problem because they simply don’t know the rules of the game.
Likewise, Nolan should have been carded as well.
The first penalty was clear even though Koscielny actually got the ball.
The second penalty was not a penalty in a month of Sundays, and one really has to question the referee or linesman’s capabilities on that.
The free kick given against Rosicky was also clear, no excuses.
Likewise the Toon goal disallowed should not have been, and RvP was clearly offside at the end.
We have been on the end of some shocking refereeing recently, maybe it’s incompetence, amybe there’s something more sinister, I definitely think questions need to be asked.
One thing I AM sure of is that the media are out to make life difficult for us, and I suspect it’s easy for referees to fall in line, intentionally or not.
If we are to get the title this season we have to accept we are going to have an uphill battle in our remaining games as the media get more and more hysterical, and more decisions go against us.
February 15th, 2011 at 8:33 am
Barton should have been sent off in the 1st half for his violent tackle on Arshavin. All said and done, Bartons is a bloody prostitute’s bitch son, and Dowd is the rapist father of his mother.