Premiership MD 5: Fulham 0-3 Arsenal

[Will317]

Another great win takes us to 5 wins out of 5 games so far, and after Chelsea's goalless draw away to Villa we're now two points clear at the top! Also, Manchester United only scraped a 2-2 at Bolton! And now in that 5 games we've conceded 5 goals but scored 19! No sign of us weakening yet and the unbeaten run rolls on smoothly...

BBC Sport - 11.09.04
Fulham 0-3 Arsenal
Three goals in the second half kept Arsenal's unbeaten run alive but Fulham were livid at two refereeing decisions.
First Mark Halsey changed his mind about awarding a first-half penalty for Ashley Cole's tackle on Andy Cole, then he disallowed a Stern John header.
But Fulham's anger turned to despair after the break when Freddie Ljungberg slid home the opener.
Zat Knight's own goal made it two and Jose Antonio Reyes' sweet strike completed Arsenal's fifth straight win.
The game began benignly enough, with Arsenal, who welcomed back captain Patrick Vieira after injury, immediately into their stride.
Dennis Bergkamp presented Ljungberg with two difficult early chances but the Swede could convert neither.
But Fulham, looking for their first home win over Arsenal in nearly 39 years, gradually forced their way into the game, prompted by the hustling figure of Mark Pembridge in midfield.
Luis Boa Morte caused havoc on the left wing against his former club and his cross was almost met by Pembridge, while Ian Pearce directed his header from a corner straight at Jens Lehmann.
But the game erupted just after half an hour when Andy Cole burst through on goal and was brought down by England defender Ashley Cole.
Referee Halsey pointed to the spot, but as Arsenal's players gathered to complain he ran over to his assistant and following a brief conversation, indicated a drop ball.
Fulham's players were incensed by the referee's decision
That prompted outrage from Fulham's players, with manager Chris Coleman beside himself on the bench.
As the boos continued to sound around Craven Cottage, Arsenal had their own penalty appeal turned down when Thierry Henry was tackled by Moritz Volz.
And to cap a frenetic final 15 minutes of the first half, John jumped between two Arsenal players to head home and was still celebrating with the home fans when Halsey made yet another controversial decision.
The referee was inevitably a man in demand as he walked off the pitch at half-time, but it was Fulham's imaginative play that caught the eye as the second half began.
John was quickest to a loose ball in the penalty area and toe-poked a shot which Lehmann stuck out a leg to save.
But the introduction of Jose Antonio Reyes dramatically changed the game in Arsenal's favour.
Two minutes after coming on, the Spaniard found Henry who slid a perfect pass for Ljungberg to convert from an angle.
And with Fulham crushed by the disappointment, Arsenal showed their ruthless streak just two minutes later.
Bergkamp and Henry linked up to free Ljungberg and though Knight just beat him to the ball he could only poke the ball past Edwin van der Saar.
Bergkamp was again involved as Reyes completed Fulham's misery, latching onto the Dutchman's pass and despatching a sweet strike into the corner.
Fulham left the pitch still ruing their luck in the first half as Arsenal celebrated a fifth straight win and their 45th game without defeat.

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Fulham: Van der Sar, Volz, Bocanegra, Legwinski, Knight, Pembridge, Cole, Boa Morte, John, Pearce, Diop. Subs: Crossley, McKinlay, McBride, Radzinski, Goma.

Arsenal: Lehmann, Cole, Vieira, Pires, Ljungberg, Bergkamp, Lauren, Henry, Cygan, Toure, Silva. Subs: Almunia, Reyes, Fabregas, Pennant, Clichy.

Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire)

[Will317]

BBC Sport - 12.09.04
Players Influence Halsey
Referee Mark Halsey revealed the reaction of the players caused him to overturn a penalty decision he had awarded for Fulham against Arsenal.
"Initially, a challenge came in from Ashley Cole on Andy Cole - my initial reaction was 'Penalty'," he said. "But the players' reactions from both sides put a little bit of doubt in my mind. I thought 'Have I got this decision correct'?
Fulham boss Chris Coleman said afterwards: "The referee was crap."
Both Coleman and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho - who criticised Rob Styles for not giving his side a penalty at Aston Villa - could face disciplinary action from the Football Association.
An FA spokesman said: "We will be giving due consideration to the comments made by both managers.
Halsey was also criticised for failing to give Arsenal a penalty when Moritz Volz looked to have brought Thierry Henry down during an incident-filled match for the official.
But the decision to award Fulham a spot-kick and then go back on his decision was the main talking point.
Halsey added: "If I gave the penalty, I then had to think about whether to dismiss Ashley Cole for denying a goalscoring opportunity.
"I needed to buy a little bit of time so I went across to my assistant, Dave Bryan, who had a great view.
"He informed me that Andy Cole had played the ball into Jens Lehmann's hands. The TV replays clearly show that."
Asked what would have happened if Arsenal had not complained, Halsey added: "You can look at Andy Cole as well, banging his fist on the floor, as perhaps he's missed a golden opportunity.
"You don't know. If none of the players had argued it then maybe you could say that, but player reaction put a doubt in my mind."
A disgruntled Coleman saw his team lose 3-0 as Arsenal took their unbeaten league run to 45 games.
Coleman said: "At half-time the referee came off the field and told me that he had called the penalty decision wrong.
"But he explained what his mistake was and he says it was in giving the penalty in the first place, not changing his mind.
"He says the reaction of the players made his decision and that they put doubt in his mind. But he can't expect my players to run up to him and say, 'Don't give it.'"

:D :D :D