Anyway amid all the farcical bias against us from northern refs envious of our southern ways (they're only human) perfectly placed to see a player falling over but not the kick that preceded it, it falls upon me to try and restore a touch of levity by pointing out that Notts County have a right-back endearingly named Tootles. It made me laugh a lot especially as he was their Number 2. My son didn't think it was as funny as I did and kept saying "oh shut up, dad" whenever I shouted "played Tootles!". He can be disappointingly dour and disapproving at times - I get enough of that on here.

Looking forward to the game this afternoon - it's tempting to support the underdogs but FA cup wins are just so last season - I'll be cheering for Forest.

Tootles for now!

Regarding Hoy's point about no refs coming from London, whiich I accept looks odd, I'd say this regarding his idea this may go against Arsenal's best interests.

I'd have thought the two sets of supporters most anti-Arsenal were Tottenham and Chelsea fans. Not having any referees from London surely decreases the chances of getting Tottenham or Chelsea fans refereeing Arsenal games. I'd have thought anyway. In the long distant days when we used to compete for the title with Manchester United or Liverpool, I wouldn't have wanted fans of those clubs refereeing our games. But with those past exceptions, I'd much rather fans of north-east and yorkshire clubs, or north west teams at the moment taking charge of Arsenal's matches than Tottenham or Chelsea supporters.

Perhaps Tootles could join my fledgling Drugs XI - so far I've only signed Bong from Brighton.

Perhaps Tootles could join my fledgling Drugs XI - so far I've only signed Bong from Brighton.

I used to sit near Halsey's brother in the Clock End at Highbury. Apparently Mark Halsey is a Chelsea fan. Heard that he was anxious NOT to appear biased which is understandable

Stashley Cole? Kaspar Smackal?

Forgetting penalties, how often have we been bullied at home, bad tackles, roughed up and then had wenger complain about it after? Very rare.

Anyway amid all the farcical bias against us from northern refs envious of our southern ways (they're only human) perfectly placed to see a player falling over but not the kick that preceded it, it falls upon me to try and restore a touch of levity by pointing out that Notts County have a right-back endearingly named Tootles. It made me laugh a lot especially as he was their Number 2. My son didn't think it was as funny as I did and kept saying "oh shut up, dad" whenever I shouted "played Tootles!". He can be disappointingly dour and disapproving at times - I get enough of that on here.

Looking forward to the game this afternoon - it's tempting to support the underdogs but FA cup wins are just so last season - I'll be cheering for Forest.

Tootles for now!

Wanka...........

Benzo Davies

You're kidding right? Wenger complains if other teams dare to set up defensively against us.

The fuhrer is clearly a little bitter ....

Surprised the old man left out the star player, Diego Marajuana.

When it comes to football in England we all know through our own supporter exerience most people north of Watford can't abide Arsenal. For most of living memory we were the biggest and most successful London team and were seen as part of the rich establishment. This got on a lot of northern and midland folks' tits, and still does. We all know this is true by the zeal with which any victory over us is celebrated, or the half-hearted congratulations we get when victorious. Like Australia beating England at cricket, beating Arsenal is much more significant than a sports result. Envy; big time v small time; local pride; tripe and onions v pie and mash or whatever. You can understand why it happens. As time goes by and Chelsea continue to succeed they will probably inherit our role and we will drop back more into the "We beat Tottenham or West Ham, so what?" category. Until then don't be surprised over doubtful decisions by officials who cannot avoid carrying their regional biases into games.

I would like to know why there are no officials from London and the south-east.

Ospina
Debuchy, per, holding
Nelson, Willicombe, elneny, amn
Walcott, iwobi
Welbeck

Chambers plus youth on the bench

Pass to Debuchy on the right hand side.

Grassana Diarra.

What I like most about this piece of insightful analysis is the way you resist any temptations to import your own biases and assumptions into it. Just hard evidence-based reasoning - chapeau, Hoy!

One teeny question, how long does it take this envy transfer to take place? Because by my reckoning Chelsea have won the PL five times since we last did and the ECL once. Is it just that people from the midlands and the north are a bit slow and therefore late to cotton on to the shift in power relations?

That really isn't why I ridicule you though!

I am more likely to TEASE you for a being a little cockeyed and partial at times plus obsessional based on your in-match comments. Mike Dean is a dick and the WBA penalty was ridiculous as pretty much everybody agreed. *%^@ like that really DOES happen to all teams though whoever the ref on the day happens to be.

Pleased that you agree the penalty was a legitimate decision (I don't say it was the only possible one just that it was neither farcical nor evidence of a conspiracy against us), and I'm still not really sure Hazard's "simulation" was quite as bad as people say given that he WAS kicked. It wasn't a dive really, more an exaggerated effort to ensure the ref penalised what he had clearly seen anyway.

So you don't believe Mike Dean to be biased against us, despite a massive statistical disparity over an 18 years sample size (the largest in several decades) that suggest we not only get less preferential decisions from us on average than every other top flight team, but that also we are proportionally over a 3rd less likely with him in charge?

So you don't believe Mike Dean to be biased against us, despite a massive statistical disparity over an 18 years sample size (the largest in several decades) that suggest we not only get less preferential decisions from us on average than every other top flight team, but that also we are proportionally over a 3rd less likely with him in charge?