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Andrey Arshavin: It Shouldn't Have Been An Arsenal Penalty
At Portsmouth
The Russian maestro thinks the referee got
it wrong and shouldn't have awarded his team a penalty...
By Zack Wilson
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EPL: Andrey Arshavin, Portsmouth v Arsenal
(PA)
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Arsenal playmaker Andrey Arshavin further endeared himself
to English football fans when he appeared to remonstrate with referee
Lee Mason at Portsmouth yesterday, after the official gave the Gunners
a penalty towards the end of the first half of their 3-0 win.
Sean Davis brought the forward down and Nicklas Bendtner stepped forward
to convert the spot-kick, but Arshavin was seen to wave his finger in
disapproval at Mason's decision.
The Russian also said that he thinks that the red card dished out to Noe
Pamarot, in another incident that occurred 12 minutes from time, was also
wrong and that Mason also erred in a previous fou,l which should, in Arshavin's
opinion, have resulted in a spot-kick.
"The first incident was indisputably a penalty," the 27-year-old
told The Daily Mail.
'The second was at the referee's discretion."
As for Pamarot's red card, Arshavin was clearly not happy about it, adding,
"It is insulting. I didn't want him to be sent off. It would have
been better to let me go one-on-one with the keeper. I would have scored."
At being named skipper for the day, Arshavin admitted it was a surprise,
but felt that things had turned out well, with a comfortable victory for
his men being achieved thanks to a first-half brace from Bendtner and
a 56th minute strike from young Mexican, Carlos Vela.
"Honestly, it was somewhat unexpected," he added.
"[Cesc] Fabregas and Kolo Toure didn't play, nor did some other senior
players. I was the oldest in the team, so perhaps that's why Arsene chose
me."
As far as his first visit to the historic maritime city of Portsmouth,
Arshavin said he was impressed, concluding, "The history of the city
is really interesting. Today I learned that King Richard the Lionheart
paid particular attention to this town. And I was told that Charles Dickens
was born near here.
"I saw the sea and lots of yachts. I didn't see the city, but on
the bus travelling here, I noticed a very beautiful coastline."
Would the Russian be quite as relaxed if he was playing in Arsenal's Champions
League clash against Manchester United on Tuesday?
Probably not.
Goal.com,
3 May 2009
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