Just as Arsenal fans become satisfied with the state of things, someone comes along and ruins it for them.
And that someone often seems to be Stoke City.
Sure, we’re not in the Pulis days, which brought that Ryan Shawcross foul on Aaron Ramsey and – somehow – Seyi Olofinjana scoring a crucial Premier League goal.
Fresh from a 5-1 win at West Ham, and with a chance to temporarily go top of the league with Chelsea playing on Sunday, the Gunners welcomed Stoke to the Emirates Stadium.
But it took just half an hour for the visitors to take the lead, with Charlie Adam converting from the penalty spot, and many considered the hosts lucky to still have 11 players on the pitch.
While we can’t show you the video footage, these stills demonstrate the offence from Granit Xhaka which saw referee Lee Mason point to the spot – but which did not result in a card for the Swiss international.
With Theo Walcott drawing Arsenal level before half-time, and Mesut Özil putting the home side ahead after the break, talk soon turned to whether Xhaka should have been punished more severely.
You’ll either be sure it’s a red card offence, certain it’s not, or somewhere in the middle. Pretty unhelpful, huh?
As commentators would say, it’s ‘one of those’.
To me, that's a red card, or it's not a foul. Xhaka has the ball, Allen runs into him. If he lashed out, red. If not, no foul
— Jonny Singer (@Jonny_Singer) December 10, 2016
Need to see a replay again, but seems Xhaka might have hammered him with his elbow.
— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) December 10, 2016
https://twitter.com/RainManHD/status/807615229685338113
So Xhaka and Wenger weren't sent-off? Typical Arsenal hypocrites all the times they label us dirty!!
— James (@JPreeceSCFC) December 10, 2016
Gutted we couldn't go into half time I the lead but overall a good half, how Xhaka wasn't sent off is beyond me though
— Liam (@_liamkelsall_) December 10, 2016
https://twitter.com/nankpete/status/807614252118904833
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