[Football] United v Liverpool

[Vladamir]

Hopefully it'll serve as a good example for future matches.

Although there wasn't many poor decisions in the Chelsea game - the players seemed a lot more collective and didn't badger the ref.

The only one that comes to mind is when Makalele complained after being adjudged to foul Eboue - when infact he should've been showed a 2nd yellow for handball.

 

[Gibbo]

Rubbish.

The guy was constantly badgering the referee the entire first half. On 6 occasions he questioned the referees judgement, 3 of those times he actually approached the referee and he was caught multiple times on camera swearing at the man in black as well. He had to go, no excuses. To make excuses is to condone his behaviour and that is completely unacceptable.

I'll just retype how my post started....

Whilst Mascherano has no defence and deserved to be sent off

Think that makes it clear. All I was saying was a better referee could have prevented the sending off by dealing with it sooner. He didn't, so like a kid Mascherano pushed it and pushed it until the ref sent him off. As I said, no defence.

 

[cHodAX]

I'll just retype how my post started....

Whilst Mascherano has no defence and deserved to be sent off

Think that makes it clear. All I was saying was a better referee could have prevented the sending off by dealing with it sooner. He didn't, so like a kid Mascherano pushed it and pushed it until the ref sent him off. As I said, no defence.

No, the referee did exactly what the rules entail and yet you are saying he is partly at fault. He warned him on more than one occasion and then he booked him. The referee was in no way at fault bud, that is just an excuse to take some of the shit off the players shoulders. The fact is he swore at the referee on numerous occasions and the referee had already marked his card, he continued to badger the referee and got exactly what he deserved. If you want to assign any blame then let us have a look at the Liverpool captain, everyone watching knew that Mascherano was walking a tightrope before the final incident but Gerrard did not fulfill his role as captain and help maintain discipline in his team. When the sending off incident came Gerrard was nowhere to be seen, he didn't appear until Mascherano needed dragging from the field of play. If you want to blame anyone else blame him for not doing his job, Steve Bennett did his perfectly and I would be saying the exact same if it had been Wayne Rooney sent off. Leave the ref alone, people need to start looking at the petulant players rather than blaming the referees when the players throw thier dummies out of the cot.

 

[Gibbo]

No, the referee did exactly what the rules entail and yet you are saying he is partly at fault. He warned him on more than one occasion and then he booked him. The referee was in no way at fault bud, that is just an excuse to take some of the shit off the players shoulders. The fact is he swore at the referee on numerous occasions and the referee had already marked his card, he continued to badger the referee and got exactly what he deserved. If you want to assign any blame then let us have a look at the Liverpool captain, everyone watching knew that Mascherano was walking a tightrope before the final incident but Gerrard did not fulfill his role as captain and help maintain discipline in his team. When the sending off incident came Gerrard was nowhere to be seen, he didn't appear until Mascherano needed dragging from the field of play. If you want to blame anyone else blame him for not doing his job, Steve Bennett did his perfectly and I would be saying the exact same if it had been Wayne Rooney sent off. Leave the ref alone, people need to start looking at the petulant players rather than blaming the referees when the players throw thier dummies out of the cot.

We are in agreement on Mascherano, he deserved it. All I was saying a better ref wouldn't have let it get as far as it did. And you're right Gerrard should have been involved more and noticed what was happening. I could see it from the first booking that Mascherano was a sending off waiting to happen if someone didn't control him.

 

[cHodAX]

We are in agreement on Mascherano, he deserved it. All I was saying a better ref wouldn't have let it get as far as it did. And you're right Gerrard should have been involved more and noticed what was happening. I could see it from the first booking that Mascherano was a sending off waiting to happen if someone didn't control him.

You are still partly blaming the ref though bud and he did nothing wrong, he enforced the rules exactly as they are written down. I am sorry but you cannot condemn him for that, the guy is know as a stickler for the rules anyway so even if Mascherano wasn't aware of that some of his teammates were and should have had a word but none of them did. Liverpool have to take this on the chin and not blame the ref, his actions were spot on.

 

[Golena]

You are still partly blaming the ref though bud and he did nothing wrong, he enforced the rules exactly as they are written down.

It's not a question of if the ref did nothing wrong by the letter of the law.
It's about consistency which is sadly lacking at the moment.

I've seen games Chelsea have played in this season where by the letter of the law 6 of their players should of been sent off for arguing with the ref. Either it has to be done every match or done in no matches. Not just apply the law to one match in a season then point at the rule book and say.. well here it states.

I'm not trying to defend what he did or saying that players should be able to get away with it, but we got punished because one ref decided to apply a rule that no other ref has applied all season. All i'm asking for is the rules for one game to be the same as the rules in the next game. Don't think that's too much to ask for from an official.

 

[cHodAX]

It's not a question of if the ref did nothing wrong by the letter of the law.
It's about consistency which is sadly lacking at the moment.

I've seen games Chelsea have played in this season where by the letter of the law 6 of their players should of been sent off for arguing with the ref. Either it has to be done every match or done in no matches. Not just apply the law to one match in a season then point at the rule book and say.. well here it states.

I'm not trying to defend what he did or saying that players should be able to get away with it, but we got punished because one ref decided to apply a rule that no other ref has applied all season. All i'm asking for is the rules for one game to be the same as the rules in the next game. Don't think that's too much to ask for from an official.

Golena, I cannot disagree about the inconsistency but people cannot complain when a referee enforces the rules. I know Liverpool fans feel hard done by because the feel that the rule is only being enforced since the Ashley Cole incident but the truth is that there are at least 10 yellow cards every week in the top 4 leagues for dissent. The rule is being enforced albiet inconsistently and alot of the reason for that inconsistency is that referees are often too scared to apply the rule because of the backlash.

The FA need to make it nice and simple so there are no mis-understandings.

Anyone swearing at the referee is booked, anyone repeatedly swearing at the referee is shown a second yellow card and has to leave the field of play.

Anyone running towards the referee to remonstrate in any manner is booked, a second instance of this or the above is immediate grounds for dismissal.

Any club who's players surround the official either during or after the match to intimidate an official for any reason will face a £250,000 fine. Two offences of this nature in one season will be fined £500,000 and also invoke a 3 point deduction from the final league standings. Three offences of this nature in one season will result in a £1,000,000 fine and a 9 point deduction from the final league standings. Any further repeat of this offence in the following two seasons by the same club are grounds for relegation to the next league down.

That will stop the problems in one fell swoop, discipline then fine the individuals and clubs, if they don't learn remove points and relegate the very stupid who never learn.

I reckon it will take Wayne Rooney about five sendings off before he learns not to swear at the referees but it is a lesson worth learning even if it costs United alot of points and money.