Source: SKY_Sports
Bruce laments Wiley call
Wigan boss Steve Bruce reserved his scorn for referee Alan Wiley following his side's 4-1 defeat to Arsenal at The JJB.
Bruce felt Wiley got it badly wrong when he showed Arsenal full-back Kieran Gibbs only a yellow card on the stroke of half-time, when he appeared to commit a professional foul on Antonio Valencia, with Wigan leading 1-0 at the time.
Wiley claimed that he felt Valencia was not in complete control of the ball when Gibbs challenged him, but it is not a perspective shared by Bruce.
"I cannot go with the referee thinking Antonio wasn't in control of the situation and that he would not get the ball first," he told Sky Sports.
"He was probably the quickest player on the pitch, so he was going to get the ball first.
"If he gave the yellow card he has to give a red in my opinion. There's only one person that's going to get the ball and that's Valencia. It is the turning point in the game because they go to ten men. They are key decisions.
"That's a couple of times we've had Alan Wiley and big key decisions. He maybe has something against Mr Valencia. He sent him off at Anfield and today - they are the big decisions.
"It could have changed the game, who knows? It might have been different had he sent him off.
"If he thought that he impeded him and he gave a foul, then he impeded him. And the letter of the law says he's denied a goalscoring opportunity.
"I would have to disagree with him but that's how it goes."
While of the opinion Wiley's decision was the game's turning point, Bruce was willing to concede his side's defending for Arsenal's second and third goals was not up to scratch.
"Up to 60-65 minutes we were in the ascendancy. The second and third goals were schoolboy stuff. At this level you can't do that," he added.
"The one thing we did in the first half, what we've done all season, is not give anything silly away.
"And it's brought Arsenal back into the game. Not their real good play, although the additions of (Robin) Van Persie and (Emmanuel) Adebayor helped, but rather our rank defending.
"Everyone who has seen the game today will probably leave thinking how did that end up 4-1?"
