Hey there, happy Sunday to everyone tuning in.
Not much is stirring in the Arsenal camp right now, but something caught my eye thanks to our familiar foe, Michael Oliver. During the FA Cup clash between Crystal Palace and Millwall, there was a shocking moment involving Millwall’s keeper, Liam Roberts. He came out to challenge Jean-Philippe Mateta and ended up catching him on the side of the head with his studs. If you haven’t seen the video yet, it’s pretty brutal.
The incident was serious—Mateta needed oxygen on the field and ended up in the hospital with a ‘severe laceration to his left ear’ that required 25 stitches. He’s going to be sidelined for a while. Astonishingly, when it all happened, Oliver didn’t blow the whistle. He just let play continue. And considering his clear view, it’s baffling.
Thankfully, VAR stepped in and corrected the oversight with a red card for Roberts. But imagine if this incident had unfolded in an earlier round without the benefit of video technology? It raises serious doubts about Oliver’s decision-making abilities. At best, he might need an eye test; at worst, he’s blatantly neglecting player safety, especially in Mateta’s case.
To veer a bit towards the Arsenal angle, it’s puzzling how the same referee spots Myles Lewis-Skelly’s minor trip on Matt Doherty as worthy of a red card for ‘serious foul play,’ yet sees this incident as less severe in real-time. This discrepancy feels neither right nor acceptable.
I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve mentioned how today’s PGMOL refs seem to ignore blatant fouls and dangerous challenges that could lead to serious injuries. Even though Mateta ended up with 25 stitches, one could argue he was fortunate that it wasn’t worse. The real risk of such a challenge—with studs at head or eye level—is far more alarming.
Challenges like this, though rare, are symptomatic of a football environment where players think they can skirt the rules on physicality and get away clean. For Roberts, it might have been a momentary lapse, not a deliberate attempt to harm. However, under Howard Webb’s guidance, officials have been informally instructed to set a high bar for labeling anything as violent conduct, except seemingly for Arsenal’s younger players. Roberts will serve a three-match suspension (it deserves to be longer), yet Oliver is likely to officiate another top-tier game shortly.
Seeing incidents like these, where the so-called “best referee in England” barely reacts to something so egregious, is deeply concerning. Coincidentally, on the same day we hear about a new rule allowing a corner for keepers holding the ball too long, it feels ironic. This emphasis on trivial infringements over crucial decisions is maddening, but it gives refs an easy way to flex their ‘authority’ without consistently excelling in their roles.
You can bet PGMOL refs are raring to be the first to penalize a keeper for holding the ball a fraction too long, yet they keep ignoring blatant dangerous tackles. Whether it’s enforcing minor rules or introducing new ones then forgetting about them, it’s frustratingly inconsistent.
I recognize refereeing is no walk in the park, and snap judgments aren’t easy. Still, some calls are straightforward, as this one should have been. If referees are ready to give a red card for a trip but ignore a dangerous challenge like this, questioning their judgment is not just reasonable, but necessary. A lot of scrutiny should be directed at Michael Oliver and Howard Webb following this debacle.
Sending my best to Mateta—wishing him a swift recovery. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, everyone.
