Mikel Arteta calls out time-wasting inconsistencies with Tomiyasu ‘harshly’ sent off at Crystal Palace

Mikel Arteta calls out time-wasting inconsistencies with Takehiro Tomiyasu ‘harshly’ sent off at Crystal Palace on Monday night.

The Arsenal boss said he ‘loved’ how his side got a narrow Premier League win at Selhurst Park, but says a stopwatch may be needed to iron out inconsistencies in time-wasting.

It comes after Takehiro Tomiyasu was punished amid new rules introduced, with fans critical of referee David Coote for giving marching orders.

Japan defender Tomiyasu was got a red card, a soft second yellow for a foul on Jordan Ayew, seven minutes after being cautioned for perceived time-wasting at a throw-in.

Arsenal saw off Crystal Palace courtesy of Martin Odegaard’s second-half penalty despite playing the final third of the game with 10 players.

A closer look at Tomiyasu’s red card…🤔👇 pic.twitter.com/AOIWLzlGqx

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 21, 2023

Asked about the rule changes, the Spaniard replied: ‘For me it is not an issue. The referee makes that call.

‘And we are consistent with that. They explained it. The only thing we are asking for is consistency. If not we need to play with a stopwatch to understand what is it and what is not.’

Arteta didn’t agree after beingtold Tomiyasu had waited 23 seconds to take the throw-in before being cautioned – replying: ‘It wasn’t. I think it was eight seconds. We might have to play with a stopwatch.

‘This is the standards.’

Crystal Palace: Johnstone (7), Ward (6), Andersen (6), Guehi (7), Mitchell (6), Lerma (6), Doucoure (7), Ayew (7), Eze (6), Schlupp (6), Edouard (6).

Subs: Ahamada (n/a), Rak-Sakyi (n/a).

Arsenal: Ramsdale (7), Tomiyasu (5), White (6), Saliba (8), Partey (7), Odegaard (8), Rice (8), Havertz (7), Saka (7), Nketiah (6), Martinelli (7).

Subs: Gabriel (6), Kiwior (n/a), Jorginho (6), Zinchenko (n/a).

Player of the match: Declan Rice.

Arteta adds: “The celebrations at the end showed how much we wanted it. And when you see the players on the bench, the way they want to come here and help the team, they were magnificent and they changed the dynamic of the game. I thank them so much because they really contributed to win the game.

“I was very impressed with the performance. This is what we want, to keep developing. It was really difficult, Palace are really good at frustrating you, at shifting across and being really good in transition. We didn’t allow much of that. So we are growing, we are better.”

🗣️ “I understand everything”

Mikel Arteta reacts to Tomiyasu’s red card after Arsenal make it two wins from two despite going down to 10-men 🟥 pic.twitter.com/mIYLYtmfaR

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 21, 2023

🗣️ “The referee makes that call and we are consistent. They explain it. The only thing we are asking for is consistency.”

Mikel Arteta says referee’s need to punish all time wasting after Takehiro Tomiyasu was sent off for two bookings, one of which was for time wasting. 🟥 pic.twitter.com/FHSS7zEkyz

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) August 22, 2023

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson:

“I thought we gave a very good account of ourselves, I thought the shape of the team was good, I thought the team discipline was very good as well, we worked very hard.

“When we had a chance to take the ascendancy when they went down to 10 men, I thought we took that opportunity and piled players forward and got the ball in and around their goal and their penalty area as many times as we possibly could.

“But of course we paid a price for the goal and the quick free-kick where we complain that the player who was going to defend that space was blocked off and could not get in there – but the referee and the VAR thought differently.

“I think it tells us the direction we need to get to, we need a little bit more help in terms of the forward areas.

“But we are working on that. I thought the Arsenal players have fought for it and they fought that extra yard, they gave it so much.”

“You just have to rely on the referee to see that there’s a block there, that’s NOT allowed in the law of the game…” 👀

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has his say on Arsenal’s penalty 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/2hOmBQcWrs

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 21, 2023

Here’s what fans are saying as Mikel Arteta calls out time-wasting inconsistencies with Tomiyasu ‘harshly’ sent off at Crystal Palace…

@AFCTomLTFC: Two soft yellows. Never a red card. Terrible refereeing

@ReeceJ2004: If we all stick together on this, every fanbase we can get these refs sorted, they’re absolutely abysmal at the moment and the only way they’ll get checked is if everyone makes a statement

@lanigan001: Second week into the season and there’s already so many mistakes from the refs absolute joke

@1983AshB: On that basis, how did ayew get away with the foul on Saka, if he’s going to ref to that standard, be consistent!

@josh14951078: Ref’s handing cards out for fun this year. They get worse every year

@DavidJKaye: What’s the point of watching football anymore if officiating is this bad even in the prem? Yellow card should be rescinded and given to the Palace player retrospectively for diving

@GoonerHillsy: I think the most important lesson to learn is that clubs must be allowed to appeal second yellow cards. It’s a clear and obvious error, but clubs can’t challenge that mistake. Tomiyasu will now be suspended, which is a complete travesty of justice.

@JonBooth_74: Sorry, not sure how you can defend that as a 2nd yellow! Ref completely changed the flow of the game. Ridiculous decision. Obviously you won’t mention Ayew on Saka though…..

@EccyHealy: Great that Howard Webb and the @FA_PGMOL got their live example 🙄… But we won’t see that consistently given for the rest of the season. In fact Ayew held Saka back on a yellow, and not even a free given.. Refereeing is not consistent anymore, it’s just feels….

@JonnyLaverty: No one is complaining about the first 1, it’s the 2nd one where he doesn’t really touch him or pull him back it’s the absolute farce of a decision. If that’s the ‘bar’ then why wasn’t Ayew sent off for a 2nd yellow 10 mins before, what about the 2/3 cynical fouls after as well?

@MarkLundy99: Two red cards this weekend for absolutely nothing

@Clivemerritt: Man just gave him a second yellow for basically nothing. The referees are trying their very best to ruin games on a weekly basis. They’re succeeding !

@BobsterDrumhead: PGMOL have been itching to do it since the start of the season. Two of the softest yellows you’ll ever see. Ridiculous to reduce a side to 10 for those (& yet Ayew got away with fouls on a yellow)

@Yorktswana: As a neutral, I don’t understand how he got a second yellow here when Ayew didn’t. Ayew grabbed Saka and prevented him from getting to the penalty area – ok, the free kick lead to the penalty but the level of inconsistency is ridiculous.

@kyle_grindell: The fact 2 palace players have done the exact same thing and haven’t been booked proves that it’s not the right decision. If a challenge like that is a yellow then fine, but be consistent. If not, got and get a job somewhere else.

@rdrew86: How can Ayew bring down Saka when one a yellow card and not get booked?! Tomiasyu barely touches Ayew and gets a second yellow?! There’s just no consistency

@Patient62482: Aeyw gets away with a clear pull back on Saka that leads up to a pen. Surely that’s more of a booking than this? The first yellow shouldn’t have been given to Tomiyasu. He had the ball for all of 8 seconds. 3 points is 3 points though.