Football referee Mark Clattenburg has weighed in on some of the key decisions taken during Tottenham Hotspur's 3-0 win over Arsenal in the Premier League on Thursday night.
Spurs secured a vital win in their bid for a fourth-place finish and now sit just a point behind the Gunners in the league table with just two games remaining.
The sides contested another lively north London derby but it was fraught with decisions that didn't go down well with the visitors, starting with a penalty.
Cedric Soares shoved Son Heung-min inside the area, conceding a spot-kick which Harry Kane converted to put the hosts in front.
Clattenburg, who's officiated almost 300 Premier League games, felt it was soft contact but Paul Tierney was still right in giving it a penalty.
In his column for Sportsmail, he wrote:
"This was a defining decision in a match with so much riding on the result and I'm not sure I would have given this. Technically, Paul Tierney wasn't wrong."
"We were shown a replay of what the referee could see from behind and it looked like a nudge in the back from Cedric Soares on Son Heung-min."
"But if we're going to give this as a penalty, I could find plenty of other examples when the same 'foul' has occurred in the box in other games."
Implying that such decisions don't always lead to a penalty, he further added:
"The inconsistency is frustrating because when this happens next week in another Premier League game, will it be given? Maybe. Maybe not. Unfortunately for Arsenal, Tierney considered it a clear foul and Harry Kane said thank you very much."
Clattenburg felt Arsenal star was rightfully sent off
Arsenal's night went from bad to worse after Rob Holding was sent off in the 33rd minute when they were already trailing 1-0.
He first went into the books for dragging down Son and then quickly saw a second yellow for a cynical block on the Spurs star.
Both seemed legitimate calls and Clattenburg slammed the Arsenal defender for his stupidity. The 47-year-old added:
"Holding had already been fouling Son prior to receiving his first yellow, almost targeting the Spurs forward in a running battle."
"Although referees allow a degree of feistiness in these derbies, Tierney finally lost patience with Holding and booked him for his third foul on Son, this time for pulling back his opponent."
Reflecting further on Holding's "naivety", he wrote:
"Given he was already on a yellow, it was therefore stupid of Holding to block Son's run using an elevated arm."
"Antonio Conte's teams love making it so that the referee has decisions to make. Holding fell for it hook, line and sinker, and his naivety sank Arsenal."
The Gunners are away to Newcastle United on Tuesday for their penultimate match of the season, while Tottenham host Burnley on Sunday.
Wizabelp
1
Holding is the last of the Wenger seeds that needs to be uprooted
besbiklny
0
Arteta is to be blamed for that loss. he should have just play 3-4-3 formation and woul have held the to a draw or win.
henabcdiks
0
Arteta is to blame 100%. I and others had advised to play 3 at the back with wing backs to checkmate Son and Kane. He is technically deficient. Conte at home played 3 at the back-- a defensive set up and Arteta went with 4 at the back ! ๐ณ With the wing backs of Tottenham Arsenal was outnumbered in tge middle of the park and in the defense as the wingbacks of Conte moved to defend or attack from midfield. Arsenal, the usual great youngest team in the EPL don't have the calibre of players ti play 4-3-3 like Liverpool. Did Arteta see how TOTTENHAM shut out Liverpool with 3 -2-3- 2 at Annfield? Couldn't he remember how Liverpool was shut out in our Carabao Cup at Anfield by Arsenal with 10 men? He came back to play 4 at the back at the Emirates and got beaten by the same Liverpool when we had 11 men on the pitch. The 4-3-3 formation requires mobile footballers from defence to attack that can run for 95 minutes! Arsenal don't have them. It took Liverpool over 3 years to get thise type of players and coaching them before they could win anything. Check โ๏ธ the records! In Arteta's first 6 months pragmatism of playing 3 men at the back made us beat Liverpool in the League, beat Mancity and Chelsea at the FA Cup semi-final and Final respectively. Does Arteta keep records and watch tapes of past matches of his team and the opponents before making decisions before Arsenal matches? Arteta need to improve his management skill very fast. Management of a team is different from coaching a team.
then go and manage arsenal...if you see its easily done like that
veaklmrt
0
Arteta is to blame 100%. I and others had advised to play 3 at the back with wing backs to checkmate Son and Kane. He is technically deficient. Conte at home played 3 at the back-- a defensive set up and Arteta went with 4 at the back ! ๐ณ With the wing backs of Tottenham Arsenal was outnumbered in tge middle of the park and in the defense as the wingbacks of Conte moved to defend or attack from midfield. Arsenal, the usual great youngest team in the EPL don't have the calibre of players ti play 4-3-3 like Liverpool. Did Arteta see how TOTTENHAM shut out Liverpool with 3 -2-3- 2 at Annfield? Couldn't he remember how Liverpool was shut out in our Carabao Cup at Anfield by Arsenal with 10 men? He came back to play 4 at the back at the Emirates and got beaten by the same Liverpool when we had 11 men on the pitch. The 4-3-3 formation requires mobile footballers from defence to attack that can run for 95 minutes! Arsenal don't have them. It took Liverpool over 3 years to get thise type of players and coaching them before they could win anything. Check โ๏ธ the records! In Arteta's first 6 months pragmatism of playing 3 men at the back made us beat Liverpool in the League, beat Mancity and Chelsea at the FA Cup semi-final and Final respectively. Does Arteta keep records and watch tapes of past matches of his team and the opponents before making decisions before Arsenal matches? Arteta need to improve his management skill very fast. Management of a team is different from coaching a team.
I don't talk after matches. If you followed me on our various YouTube on Arsenal and on this Platform ,you should have known. What I do is do the SWOT analysis of every match vis-a -vis the opponents. Do you know what that is ? I advised Arteta to use the 3-2-3- 2 formation to contain Kane and Son. He didn't until the damage was done and we were reduced to 10 men. You read the statistics and matches I mentioned in my previous post? I am not a person that get carried away with any win ,I focus on the next match and I write as regards the formation that will work for our Club. No matter the preparations, wrong TACTICAL formation will lead to defeat from a good team .Arteta had to change to three at the back against Chelsea in the second half to stave off incessant attacks after domination of the midfield because Tuchel plays 3 at the back. Read people's contributions with open mind.
Huobdeikny
0
Arteta is to blame 100%. I and others had advised to play 3 at the back with wing backs to checkmate Son and Kane. He is technically deficient. Conte at home played 3 at the back-- a defensive set up and Arteta went with 4 at the back ! ๐ณ With the wing backs of Tottenham Arsenal was outnumbered in tge middle of the park and in the defense as the wingbacks of Conte moved to defend or attack from midfield. Arsenal, the usual great youngest team in the EPL don't have the calibre of players ti play 4-3-3 like Liverpool. Did Arteta see how TOTTENHAM shut out Liverpool with 3 -2-3- 2 at Annfield? Couldn't he remember how Liverpool was shut out in our Carabao Cup at Anfield by Arsenal with 10 men? He came back to play 4 at the back at the Emirates and got beaten by the same Liverpool when we had 11 men on the pitch. The 4-3-3 formation requires mobile footballers from defence to attack that can run for 95 minutes! Arsenal don't have them. It took Liverpool over 3 years to get thise type of players and coaching them before they could win anything. Check โ๏ธ the records! In Arteta's first 6 months pragmatism of playing 3 men at the back made us beat Liverpool in the League, beat Mancity and Chelsea at the FA Cup semi-final and Final respectively. Does Arteta keep records and watch tapes of past matches of his team and the opponents before making decisions before Arsenal matches? Arteta need to improve his management skill very fast. Management of a team is different from coaching a team.
you guys must understand game preparation not just to talk afterwards ,you sound like you prepared the game yet it was the very coach that we were celebrating winning against man u & Chelsea. so stop pretending like you got players for your system
dotabopu
0
I think VAR is not doing it work because Tierney was to be call by VAR to view the incident before awarding the penalty.
Tierney was on a mission to assist Spurs by all means last night. But the God of soccer will disgrace them because Arsenal is going to beat both Newcastle and Everton.๐๐
Cotbknty
0
if arsenal attacked it would have been different. They've been playing great attacking football up to this point. our defence is very lack lustre , pressure them and mistakes flow but there was nothing. Artetas descition to play this way was to blame in my opinion.
Huocklmz
5
referee n VAR official is always controversial arsenal ๐ crucial match
veaklmrt
1
Arteta is to blame 100%. I and others had advised to play 3 at the back with wing backs to checkmate Son and Kane. He is technically deficient. Conte at home played 3 at the back-- a defensive set up and Arteta went with 4 at the back ! ๐ณ With the wing backs of Tottenham Arsenal was outnumbered in tge middle of the park and in the defense as the wingbacks of Conte moved to defend or attack from midfield. Arsenal, the usual great youngest team in the EPL don't have the calibre of players ti play 4-3-3 like Liverpool. Did Arteta see how TOTTENHAM shut out Liverpool with 3 -2-3- 2 at Annfield? Couldn't he remember how Liverpool was shut out in our Carabao Cup at Anfield by Arsenal with 10 men? He came back to play 4 at the back at the Emirates and got beaten by the same Liverpool when we had 11 men on the pitch. The 4-3-3 formation requires mobile footballers from defence to attack that can run for 95 minutes! Arsenal don't have them. It took Liverpool over 3 years to get thise type of players and coaching them before they could win anything. Check โ๏ธ the records! In Arteta's first 6 months pragmatism of playing 3 men at the back made us beat Liverpool in the League, beat Mancity and Chelsea at the FA Cup semi-final and Final respectively. Does Arteta keep records and watch tapes of past matches of his team and the opponents before making decisions before Arsenal matches? Arteta need to improve his management skill very fast. Management of a team is different from coaching a team.
BIG-Timmy
3
Mr Clattenburg is right
Dreamzx
0
I think VAR is not doing it work because Tierney was to be call by VAR to view the incident before awarding the penalty.
Brov not all obvious incidents are to be reviewed. If an incident is complex thatโs where VAR needs to be used.
Becaelorz
3
the way and manner at which the Epl official are officiating against arsenal is not good on several occasions when it comes to arsenal VAR is not efficient why why why
mizbcdn
2
Shut up Clattenburg, no wonder you're not selected to officiate at the WC
vakctyz
3
But for sure such referees should be stopped from officiating like such crucial games
piebcost
6
I think VAR is not doing it work because Tierney was to be call by VAR to view the incident before awarding the penalty.
Wikcelnrt
4
I don't like that stupid Tierney to be selected for Arsenal games ๐๐
Duncarlos
2
Holding actually held Arsenal back. I saw his sending off from his first clash with Son. He didn't trust himself to handle Son 'legally'. The referee had an agenda. Awarding such penalty in a Derby with so much at stake was wrong. He should have given Holding the final warning and not a red card to make up for the very soft penalty he awarded to spurs if he was fair.
Lodceikmsu
5
Mr. Writer,Arsenal are going for away match with Newcastle on Monday night and not Tuesday