Arsenal’s Frustration: Were They Denied a Clear Penalty?

Despite having the opportunity to extend their lead in the Premier League to seven points on Saturday, Arsenal’s goalless draw with Nottingham Forest left many supporters pondering yet another chance squandered.

With Manchester City suffering a 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford, Arsenal could have surged nine points ahead at the top of the standings. However, Mikel Arteta’s team found themselves stymied for the second consecutive league match.

After a 0-0 stalemate against Liverpool the previous week, this marks the first time since the start of the 2012-13 season that Arsenal has recorded back-to-back draws in the league, reminiscent of their opening fixtures against Sunderland and Stoke City.

Arteta highlighted that his players generated “four significant opportunities” while Nottingham Forest failed to register a single shot on target. Yet, winger Noni Madueke expressed his feelings of regret, stating it felt like “a missed opportunity” for the team.

Penalty Controversy

One of Arteta’s key frustrations stemmed from the absence of a second-half penalty awarded for a handball committed by Forest defender Ola Aina.

Arteta remarked, “I’ve just seen the replays – I think it’s a clear intention to clear the ball inside and it’s a clear penalty, so I don’t understand why it’s not been given.”

The handball incident involving Aina transpired with roughly ten minutes remaining in the match. The Forest right-back attempted to control a bouncing ball in his penalty area while being challenged by Gabriel Jesus and inadvertently nudged by teammate Elliot Anderson.

As Aina turned, the ball struck his shoulder before making contact with his arm, prompting intense appeals for a penalty from Arteta and Arsenal, though their cries fell on deaf ears.

The Premier League Match Centre on X confirmed that VAR reviewed the referee’s decision to deny Arsenal a penalty, concluding that the ball had initially struck Aina’s shoulder and that his arm was in a natural position.

While Arteta maintained that his team was denied a “clear penalty,” Forest manager Sean Dyche offered a differing perspective. He stated, “I think if these start to get given we’ve all got to leave it. I think that’s ridiculous. We’ve got to be careful with those.”

Contrasting Views and Analysis

Dyche added, “You might as well cancel football if you’re going to give that [as handball]. The rules need to be careful. You know what they should focus on? Players feigning injury. That’s the new diving.”

Retired Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann shared his opinion with BBC Sport, asserting that the officials made the right call, noting, “The arm is close to the body and is in a justifiable position.”

The decision has sparked debate among pundits, with former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin suggesting on BBC Radio 5 Live that Aina’s arm “moved towards the ball,” while ex-Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard argued that awarding a penalty for the incident would have been “soft.”

Only nine penalties for handball were awarded in the Premier League last season, a stark contrast to other European leagues, where 34 were given in Serie A and 37 in Ligue 1.

This season has seen some correction, yet the English top flight still records the fewest handball spot-kicks among the top five leagues, with just 15 awarded at a rate of one every 15.13 matches.

VAR has intervened to award six penalties for handball in the Premier League, each time involving arms that were well away from the body or clear, intentional movements towards the ball.

The crux of Arsenal’s appeal for a penalty against Forest’s Aina lies in the notion of deliberate handball. Since the ball struck Aina’s shoulder and his arm remained in a defensible position, it is difficult to argue that mere contact constitutes an offense.

Referee Michael Oliver was unable to witness the incident clearly as it unfolded amidst a crowd on the goal line. Consequently, VAR’s Darren England was tasked with determining whether the failure to award a penalty constituted a significant oversight.

Anderson’s involvement is pivotal to this discussion. Was Aina’s movement to handle the ball a deliberate act, or did it result from the collision with his teammate?

There are valid points on both sides of the argument, yet the same considerations apply to a defender challenged by an attacker. It would be illogical if this did not extend to situations involving teammates.

Given that Anderson collided with Aina prior to his arm’s movement towards the ball, it is reasonable to conclude that the subsequent action stemmed from this impact rather than being a conscious effort.

As such, it is unlikely that the VAR’s decision not to intervene will be deemed an error.

Looking Ahead

Currently, Arsenal holds a seven-point advantage over both Manchester City and Aston Villa, who are set to face Everton on Sunday. However, according to former Arsenal defender Martin Keown, Arteta’s squad must elevate their game to secure their first title in twenty years.

Keown stated, “You have to find that extra from somewhere, that inspirational moment. If you want to be champions you have to do something special.”

He added, “If Arsenal were more clinical in front of goal, there are three points there… That’s where they will look to improve, because they are creating the opportunities, that’s not in doubt.”

The recent weeks have raised questions about Arsenal’s lack of a consistent goal scorer, with Viktor Gyokeres and Leandro Trossard, the joint-top scorers, having netted only five times each in the league.

Arteta acknowledged, “We could’ve been better, but this is happening all around the league for every single team. We have to improve and be better, especially when we create four big chances – you have to put them away.”