’When you don’t turn up – nobody takes that easily’
• Referee Marriner admits mistake over Gibbs red card
• Referee Marriner admits mistake over Gibbs red card
Arsène Wenger admitted his 1,000th game as Arsenal manager had turned into “a nightmare” after a remarkable 6-0 trouncing at Stamford Bridge that will be remembered for José Mourinho‘s biggest ever win for Chelsea and the extraordinary moment when the referee, Andre Marriner, sent off Kieran Gibbs in a case of mistaken identity involving Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Arsenal have never lost by a heavier score to Chelsea and Wenger was so aggrieved he did not appear at the post-match press conference. “I don’t believe it is the time to talk too much about [what went wrong],” he explained. “It was a nightmare and I take full responsibility for it. The players are deeply disappointed, as we all are. When you don’t turn up in a game of this stature – nobody takes that easily.”
Chelsea rushed into a two-goal lead inside the first seven minutes, through Samuel Eto’o and André Schürrle, and went further ahead before half-time via Eden Hazard’s penalty and Oscar. Two more goals in the second half, from Oscar and the substitute Mohamed Salah, left Arsenal’s aggregate score in their away games at Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool this season as 17-4.
“It was 10 amazing minutes,” Mourinho said of Chelsea’s start. “In 10 minutes you can win a game. In 10 minutes you can show anybody you won’t give any chance to any opponent. I am so happy with the approach. We came to kill and, in 10 minutes, we destroy. After that, easy.”
The Chelsea manager added: “My analysis is all about those first 10 minutes. To play against 10 men is easier, obviously, because you are more comfortable and relaxed but the way we started there was no doubt. After 10 minutes, this game is over.”
The game’s controversy arrived after a quarter of an hour when Oxlade-Chamberlain’s handball gave Hazard the chance to make it 3-0 from the penalty spot. Marriner was alerted to it by one of his linesmen and showed the red card to Gibbs despite Oxlade-Chamberlain owning up to the offence.
“The referee made a mistake because he missed the identity of the player,” Wenger said. “He has not seen what happened at all. He gave a corner. I don’t know who told him that it was a penalty. Maybe it was a penalty. But it was not Gibbs.”
Marriner admitted later it was a mistake via a statement from the Premier League referees’ body: “Andre is an experienced referee and is obviously disappointed that an error of mistaken identity was made in this case. Incidents of mistaken identity are very rare and are often the result of a number of different technical factors.
”Whilst this was a difficult decision Andre is disappointed that he failed to identify the correct player. He expressed his disappointment to Arsenal when he was made aware of the issue.”
Arsenal have grounds to appeal and Mourinho said it was time for fourth officials to be given access to television monitors. “The sending-off is big ammunition for people like me who think that one little screen in front of the fourth official is a big help against this kind of mistake.
“The important thing is the penalty was a penalty and there was a red card, even if they didn’t know who. After that, it would be nice for the referee to have technology and for the players, too. It was Chamberlain, not Gibbs. It is the kind of mistake no referee wants to make.”
Wenger had to face chants of “specialist in failure” from Chelsea’s crowd as his team were left seven points off the top, albeit with a game in hand. “It leaves us in a very bad situation,” he said. “But we want to respond.
“We had two difficult away games at Tottenham and Chelsea. If we had played two draws we would have two points. Having won one, we have three points. But today is a huge disappointment, of course.
“What is important is to give a response [against Swansea] on Tuesday night and that is it. We have to win the next game. That is what we have to focus on now and give a strong response.”
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