Author Archives: keenosafc

Rebounds from penalties will NOT be scrapped for 2019/20

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Bit of fake news floating about this morning concerning the International FA Board (Ifab) rule changes.

Yesterday Sky Sports reported that there will no longer be rebounds for penalties.

“Play will stop for a restart if a penalty is saved or hits the post, meaning there will be no chance to follow up and score from rebounds, meaning players will no longer need to line up on the edge of the area.”

Sky Sports News went as far as having former referee Dermot Gallagher on their shot to discuss in detail the new rule, amongst others.

This report is completely incorrect, with only Spanish newspaper Marca now reporting the “no rebounds” on their website.

Sky have since re-written the article on their website on the changing rules, removing the “no rebound” content:

“The first edition mistakenly referred to a rule in relation to penalties which will not come into effect.”

Having read the press release on the IFAB Annual General Meeting, all the rule changes are mentioned bare the “no rebounds” one, highlight that reports of this change are erroneous.

1. Accidental handball goal won’t stand

2. Substituted players can leave the field anywhere

3. No attacking players in the wall

4. Coaches will receive cards

5. Drop ball if the ball hits the referee

6. Goalkeeper only required to have one foot on the line for penalties

The “no rebounds” rule change was merely a proposed rule change; not an actual one.

Keenos

Study finds Arsenal have “cheapest tickets in Premier League”

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I hate the BBC’s Price of Football.

it does not give a fair reflection of the actual price of football, and is often used by lazy journalists to bash Arsenal for season ticket prices.

My biggest gripe is that it ignores that Arsenal fans get 26 matches for their season ticket cost, whilst every other Premier League club get just 19. That is 35% more games. It is unfair to compare them.

You would not expect Arsenal to have equal season ticket prices to Tottenham, Chelsea or Liverpool when they get 35% more games.

When you break it down per game, Arsenal cheapest season ticket is actually cheaper than those previously 2 mentioned clubs.

What is also ignored is that you can pay just £26 for tickets to Arsenal games.

A Fulham fan recently did a study on ticket prices.

They picked “behind the goal” tickets and looked into the cheapest and most expensive. A seat behind the goal for Category C games at Arsenal is the cheapest ticket in the Premier League.

At £26, Arsenal’s cheapest ticket behind the goal is half the price of one for Chelsea. It is something that the media would not talk about as it would not get the hits, clicks and advertising revenue.

I have always been a fan of the way Arsenal categorise games.

The lesser games are Cat C, providing a cheap opportunity for people to go to games. The big games are Cat A.

It suits those who are happy to go to any game just to watch The Arsenal no matter the opponent. Anyone who pays game by game for every match pays an average prices. The only fans who are “punished” are those who decide only to go to the big games – Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City.

I am always of the opinion that you can not really moan about Cat A prices if you do not want to go to Cat C games. Go to both and the prices average out. Go to just Cat A and it is clear you only have an interest in big games.

Of course, the argument is easily (and rightly) made that Cat A is too expensive.

The research by the Fulham fan shows that Arsenal’s most expensive “behind the goal” ticket is £90 – although this is upper tier. The most expensive lower tier “behind the goal” ticket is £64.

I am all for reducing ticket prices. They are across the board, not only at Arsenal or in the Premier League but down through the leagues.

For example Arsenal’s £26 is just £4 more than it would cost to pay on the gate to stand behind the goal at a Colchester United game in League Two.

My personal opinion has always been that the Cat A ticket prices subsidise Cat C, the League Cup, etc. That without Cat A, you could then not have the cheap Cat C tickets. And if someone only wants to go to Cat A games; that is their problem.

Manchester United do not have category tickets. Prices are the same no matter the opponent – £36. An Arsenal fan, on average, would pay £40 a ticket behind the goal if they went to every Premier League game. A difference of just £4.

So you could (and many do) make the argument that Arsenal should scrap category pricing and just charge a stand price for all games – in this case $30 to sit behind the goal in the lower tier.

Personally I would rather keep our system, have Cat A, B & C and offer the cheapest adult tickets behind the goal in the Premier League.

Keenos

Response to draw highlights expectation gap between Arsenal and Tottenham

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Upon leaving the ground on Saturday, Tottenham fans were celebrating the 1-1 draw with Arsenal as if they had won the game. Meanwhile in the away end, fans left disappointed, frustrated. You would have thought they had just seen their team lose.

With Tottenham fans and the media so often trying to talk about a power shift from the red side of North London to the white corner; the response of the fans shows how far off the mark these claims were.

Arsenal fans were disappointed with a draw
Tottenham fans were ecstatic with a draw

Spurs fans were celebrating not losing a game, ignoring the fact that this year they had failed to beat Arsenal in the league. Had take just 1 point from a possible 6.

Arsenal fans were frustrated about not making it 2 wins from 2, 6 points from 6.

Whilst Tottenham still strive for top 4 finishes, and put a lot of weight on finishing above Arsenal; Arsenal strive to win trophies, to be successful.

Mauricio Pochettino recently said it could take another 10 years to build a title challenging team. Most will expect Unai Emery to build one within 3 years.

And ultimately it is the expectation of both teams, their supporters and the media that shows that their is no power shift.

Tottenham have failed to win a trophy this decade, yet it is deemed a decade of success.
Arsenal have won 3 FA Cups this decade, yet it is deemed a decade of failure.

There will not be a power shift in North London whilst the minimum expectations of both clubs differ so much. There will not be a power shift in North London whilst one side deems a draw a good result and the other deem it a poor result.

Saturday just confirmed what we all know. That Tottenham are in Arsenal’s shadow.

Keenos