This weeks man in the middle: Dermot Gallagher
This ref has been around for sometime and is considered to be one of the more lenient enforcers of the rules. This suggestion is supported by the fact that Gallagher has so far this season shown no red cards and only produced the yellow on just 16 occassions.
Gallagher didn't have much to do. He did seem to believe that there was little prospect of a Birmingham player taking the ball off an Arsenal player (or an Arsenal player simply losing control) without BCFC employing foul methods, so there were a few strange free kicks handed out. An uneventful first half passed us by.
Soon into the second half, Pires sent Ljungberg into the area and when Jamie Clapham came across with a sliding tackle, he failed to connect with the ball and seemed to bring down the Gooner. However, Gallagher gave a goal kick.
Which brings me onto my gripe. Diving. If Gallagher thought that the challenge to Melchiot was just, and Clapham's tackle was fair, why weren't these players booked for diving? Celebrating a goal can get you into hot water. Many a card has been produced this season and, as a result, post goal celebrations are limited to shaking of hands. If we can stamp out the shirt raising, the disco dancing and the touchdown jiving, why can't we get rid of one of the more unpalatable aspects of the game?
The only booking of the game fell to Upson for a challenge on Reyes. Bluenoses strained to see in which direction the card was directed as Savage was near the affray and a card for him would have took his tally to five for the season and an automatic one game ban.
Booked: Upson (Birmingham) Unsporting Conduct.
Ref rating: 6/10