Arteta Has a ‘Massive Library’ of Shirt Pull Clips After Isak Row

• Mikel Arteta says he has a “massive library” of clips showing shirt pulls and grabs by teams across the league, per the Guardian.
• Jurriën Timber pulled Alexander Isak’s shirt inside the penalty area in Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Liverpool on Sunday, and referee Andy Madley did not award a foul.
• Arteta made a similar claim last month about managers who leave their technical areas without a yellow card.

Arteta Reaches for the Clips Again After the Anfield Decision

Mikel Arteta says he has the footage, and plenty of it. Asked on Tuesday whether referees could now change tack and start punishing shirt pulls, the Arsenal manager pointed to his archive. “I have a lot of clips about shirts, pulls, grabs. So I have a massive library that we can talk about,” Arteta said. He then spoke about the complaints from Liverpool. “We’re talking about one in particular. I have a massive library that we can throw there to remind everybody what every team is going through.”

The Tug Nobody Punished

The row started at Anfield on Sunday. Timber tugged Isak’s shirt as the striker went to head the ball. Madley did not award a foul, and VAR decided against recommending an on-field review. Arsenal won the game 1-0, and the decision has been widely scrutinised.

Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola and captain Virgil van Dijk were outraged that no penalty came. Pundits had their say too, including Carragher’s verdict on VAR.

Liverpool’s own players joined in, with Dominik Szoboszlai asking whether they should dive. Arteta dismissed the idea that his side are uncommonly guilty of shirt pulls.

A Second Archive From the Same Manager

The library is not the first Arteta has claimed to hold. Last month Arteta was booked in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Everton, and he claimed his touchline behaviour is punished far more harshly than that of other Premier League managers. “I do have to be careful, and we need to have good sensors there,” he said. He said some managers hold the league record at “36 times in 10 minutes leaving the touchline, no yellows”.

His evidence, in his own words: “I’m clipping all of that. I have a massive storage of images.”

Saliba Back and a Selection Puzzle

Arteta also spoke about Saliba in Prague. William Saliba, 25, travelled with the squad for the Champions League game against Slavia Prague. The France defender has not played for Arsenal this season after a back injury he sustained at the World Cup, where France lost to Spain in the semi-final in July. He played 45 minutes in a match behind closed doors last week and has returned to full training.

“Now he’s in a really good place. He’s built the capacity that we needed, and now it’s about giving him minutes,” Arteta said. Of the demands on a defender, he said: “A centre-back normally has to be able to play 90 minutes.”

Arsenal have coped well in his absence. Summer signing Ezri Konsa has formed a partnership with Gabriel Magalhães, and the pair were outstanding at Anfield. The Gunners have conceded five goals in nine Premier League games, the best defensive record in the division. Arteta admitted that Saliba’s return is likely to give him a selection headache. Konsa can also play at right-back, where he would face competition from Ben White and Timber.

Dowman Waits for His Chance

Max Dowman, 16, is also in contention to play in Prague. He is serving a domestic suspension, the three-match ban that followed his red card against Fleetwood. He could break Cesc Fàbregas’s record as the youngest Arsenal player to start in the Champions League. “That’s a chapter that is gone. It’s a moment of learning from all of us, and we move on,” Arteta said of the red card.

Arsenal face Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Wednesday, with Saliba and Dowman both in contention to feature. Arteta now has two archives to his name, one on managers who stray from their technical areas and one on shirt pulls and grabs by other teams.

WRITTEN BY

George Howson

George Howson is a Futbol Chronicle contributor and accredited journalist with over 20 years of experience following international football. A member of the AIPS International Sports Press Association, George has covered matches at stadiums around the world, bringing deep knowledge and first-hand insight to every match report and analysis he writes.

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