Premiership 2007/08

[therockbox]

Descent from Chelsea players, there was no foul but they were moaning Torres should've been booked for diving, which he didn't, he just ran into Ben Haim (I think it was).

So it's an indirect free kick then. The hand signal from Rob Styles was to indicate an indirect free kick. He just still had the card in his hand!

Edited August 19, 2007 by therockbox

[Hobo]

My God Rob Styles reffed that horribly. A non-penalty, vague yellow card and denying Liverpool a corner too.

Oddly on MOTD2 whilst Rafa is calling it but Jose isn't commenting.

[cmb211087]

For the people that just watched motd, the stuff I said earlier did happen in the rovers match, it even showed Flaminis handball on the line in the little highlight packages they do at the start of the show, but didn't show it in the match highlights itself (neither was Van Persies tackle on nelsen). I hate motd

[Thomas]

Descent from Chelsea players, there was no foul but they were moaning Torres should've been booked for diving, which he didn't, he just ran into Ben Haim (I think it was).

So it's an indirect free kick then. The hand signal from Rob Styles was to indicate an indirect free kick. He just still had the card in his hand!

[Matt]

Descent from Chelsea players, there was no foul but they were moaning Torres should've been booked for diving, which he didn't, he just ran into Ben Haim (I think it was).

So it's an indirect free kick then. The hand signal from Rob Styles was to indicate an indirect free kick. He just still had the card in his hand!

Have you seen it yet? There was no way he was just holding up a hand to indicate it's an indirect free kick. He said something to Essien because he wasn't moving away from the ball, told him to go away then held up the card. Essien's reaction also said everything, he thought he'd gone. He also claimed he was just clarifying he'd booked Terry. If it was because it was for an indirect freekick then why not just say that?

The Match of the Day edit backed up my story. If it was your way, then he never gave the indirect signal, and they never do that. You can tell if you don't watch it in slow motion. He still should've came out and said it though, I bet he didn't even realise until after the game.

Watching Hanson talk about it now.... and he made no sense at all.

Gerrard or whoever shot from the freekick though, which you can't do from an indirect, unless I'm confusing the two up.

[Thomas]

Nay sure, can't remember. But a free kick for dissent is definitely indirect.

[Matt]

The referee indicates an indirect free kick by raising his arm above his head. He maintains his arm in that position until the kick has been taken and the ball has touched another player or goes out of play.

- The FA.com

He certainly did not keep his arm raised until the kick was taken. And you can't shoot from an indirect (which thinking about it only makes sense), therefore he didn't give one.

[Zaz]

Mourinho:

"I think I have a naive team," he said. "They are clean, we don't have divers, we don't have violent people, we don't have nasty tackles, we don't have people diving into the swimming pool. It is a pure team.

"Overall, I think Mr Styles had a positive game. So many times you are unfortunate, especially in this stadium. It is a difficult game for the referee, not every player on the pitch is trying to help the referee.

"If the referee sees a foul it is immediately a penalty. So when Malouda opens the legs to let the ball go to Didier Drogba and is kicked from behind, I think it is a penalty."

[IAceI]

I love Jose. His take on the Malouda penalty incident is fantastic.

EDIT: Just to shed some light on what I thought happened, when I watched it in real time as it happened on TV I thought it looked worse than what actually happened. However after the benefit of 15 slow motion replays we could all conclude it was definately a non-penalty. Not sure what it would have looked like on the actual pitch where you get once chance only to get it right, but I'm sure with his computer tricks and 15 different replays all slowed down, Andy Gray knows best...

Edited August 20, 2007 by IAceI

[Thrilla]

Rob Styles ruined that game yesterday and the worst part of it is, he won't be held accountable by anyone but the fans, the players and the pundits, i.e., nobody that can actually change things. There was no justification for the penalty whatsoever, Styles made an awful decision that I doubt he will be able to explain, which changed the course of the game and cost Liverpool the win. Chelsea escaped by the skin of their teeth there as they deserved nothing from that match they were lacklustre in every area of the pitch, not that Liverpool were much better barring Torres' moment of excellence. Styles was awful from the outset, his lack of control on the pitch turned the game into a farce at times. Free kick just outside the box, where should the wall be? Just outside the six yard box. Where were they? Just in front of the penalty spot. From that close in, those few yards make all the difference and he did nothing to make sure the wall was where it should be, and then the same thing happened a few minutes later. If the FA had any sort of balls about them, referees would become accountable for their actions like players are. Decisions like the ones Styles consistently made yesterday cannot go unpunished, Styles should be suspended from refereeing for a few games, have his wages docked, something, anything. Because if nothing happens he and all the other referees are going to continue to make rash decisions that affect the outcome of the games they're involved in.

Elsewhere, I really enjoyed City's performance against United and while they didn't deserve the win I was glad to see them get it. Richards played a blinder, incredible performance from him he was everywhere on the pitch. Kasper Schmeichel continues to look great, although he is only mistake almost cost City all three points. I didn't understand the praise Hamann was getting though, the last twenty-five minutes he was completely out of the game and seemingly going in slow motion. Something nobody really seems to have picked up on, which I thought was an incredibly random piece of tactical nous, was the decision to Mpenza mark Evra for most of the second half. Really seemed to nullify one of United's main first half threats. Few brightspots for United and they seem to lack any real quality on the bench at the moment.

Only got to see the highlights of the mighty Rovers against Arsenal. Didn't look like a fantastic game but a point against Arsenal is a good result for us. I enjoyed Hansen's comments on Wenger's comments about the rough football we play though, I mean seriously grow a set of balls, football isn't a non-contact sport. Also, Jens Lehmann... lol.

[9 to 5]

Also, Jens Lehmann... lol.

Well, a fuck up like that is the only way ever David Dunn was gonna score.

[R.W.]

Dunny is awesome!

Is this going to be like our age-old Emerton / Thompson comparison?

You know who won that one!

[9 to 5]

Dunny is awesome!

Is this going to be like our age-old Emerton / Thompson comparison?

You know who won that one!

Yes it is. Sorry. >_>

[Baddar]

I love Jose. His take on the Malouda penalty incident is fantastic.

EDIT: Just to shed some light on what I thought happened, when I watched it in real time as it happened on TV I thought it looked worse than what actually happened. However after the benefit of 15 slow motion replays we could all conclude it was definately a non-penalty. Not sure what it would have looked like on the actual pitch where you get once chance only to get it right, but I'm sure with his computer tricks and 15 different replays all slowed down, Andy Gray knows best...

Yeah.

Me and my mate were both talking on MSN when the incident happened, and both said "penalty" the second it happened. As soon as replays were shown, it was clear that it wasn't a penalty.

They're saying on various sites that Styles won't be reffing next week - Good.

[Liam]

The only thing that can save him was if it was an indirect free kick, since he'd then be supposed to raise his arm like that (he could say he forgot the card was in his hand or whatever). I can't remember what the foul was though, so.... was it?

That was the excuse given by Keith Hackett, the head of the refs (I think thats his name). He made a signal for something else and he hadn't put away the card.

As someone else said, he isn't refereeing next weekend, nor is the linesman for the Fulham - Boro game, and their performances will be reviewed tomorrow, I believe.

And as for Rovers/Arsenal, I agree with NBT, Wenger needs to grow some balls and realise that football isn't a non-contact sport. Sure, Blackburn do occasionally cross the line into being too physical, but as I read in the Mirror and agree with, Arsenal sometimes ask for it with the arrogance that sometimes seeps through from the club about how they play and how teams sometimes play against them. The way Wenger acts sometimes suggests that he'd like to see the slide tackle done away with.

[Sam]

Must admit Lehmann does a great job of adding entertainment to the premiership. Cannot wait until Chelsea play Arsenal this season and the next antics between him and Drogba!

Seriously though you would expect him to be dropped for the next game after that clanger. Why he didn't parry it rather than go for a catch is beyond me.

[fineintent]

While its not a non-contact sport, its sad to see one team kicking lumps out of another, particularly one with as many talented footballers as Blackburn. Arsenal do need to grow a backbone, as teams now know they can physically threaten them, but I think its sad when players are briefed to be overly physical as it just makes the game boring.

[Liam]

Personally, as much as Arsenal play 'beautiful' football, I prefer whatever is effective. Blackburn are good at being a physical team, and when done well, I enjoy watching it as much to be honest. I even used to like watching Bolton play under Allardyce, as it was commited and effective for the most part. Weird, maybe but meh, tis what I like.

Wenger just doesn't like it because Arsenal can only do what Arsenal do with time and space, and the best way to stop that is non-stop pressure and harassment, which is what Blackburn did, and Bolton used to do.....if it works, and is within the letter of the law, than why shouldn't they be told to go out and be physical?

[Buford Ripley]

Personally, as much as Arsenal play 'beautiful' football, I prefer whatever is effective. Blackburn are good at being a physical team, and when done well, I enjoy watching it as much to be honest. I even used to like watching Bolton play under Allardyce, as it was commited and effective for the most part. Weird, maybe but meh, tis what I like.

Wenger just doesn't like it because Arsenal can only do what Arsenal do with time and space, and the best way to stop that is non-stop pressure and harassment, which is what Blackburn did, and Bolton used to do.....if it works, and is within the letter of the law, than why shouldn't they be told to go out and be physical?

[fineintent]

I just find direct, long ball, physical football boring. I don't watch Premiership football to see things a pub team could do. We could have a really good balance of technique and an English footballing, physical mentality and avoid being lightweight like South Americans, but when 7 year olds play on full-sized pitches all they learn is to hoof the ball and the biggest players prevail.

Blackburn have McCarthy, Pedersen and Santa Cruz who are good footballers they could play a bit of football if they wanted to. Nelsen and Friedel in particular give them a really solid spine, they could be more adventurous. Even Bolton under Allardyce allowed Diouf and Anelka freedom. But I suppose it gets results. Mark Hughes has built a really good team and, if I were a Blackburn fan, would be delighted to have him as a manager.