Official Premiership 2008/09 thread

[Scott McFly]

And I've seen plenty of refs release statements when they've made a mistake to admit they were wrong and apologise for it. Sure, they don't go on TV and do interviews and whatever, but that's probably down to the FA not letting them and having to clear statements with them before releasing them since the FA are their employers. That's why you see people like Dermot Gallagher on Sky Sports explaining why a ref would've made a particular decision.

[FireDoughnut]

And I've seen plenty of refs release statements when they've made a mistake to admit they were wrong and apologise for it. Sure, they don't go on TV and do interviews and whatever, but that's probably down to the FA not letting them and having to clear statements with them before releasing them since the FA are their employers. That's why you see people like Dermot Gallagher on Sky Sports explaining why a ref would've made a particular decision.

Have you? Where?

[Baddar]

Yeah, I understand that they might not be allowed to come out in some instances, but I just think that forcing them to do so would put everyone on a level playing field.

All PL managers must give their reasons for giving the referee abuse during a game, so I just think it should work both ways. That's my view on it and I don't think it'll change.

[Scott McFly]

And I've seen plenty of refs release statements when they've made a mistake to admit they were wrong and apologise for it. Sure, they don't go on TV and do interviews and whatever, but that's probably down to the FA not letting them and having to clear statements with them before releasing them since the FA are their employers. That's why you see people like Dermot Gallagher on Sky Sports explaining why a ref would've made a particular decision.

Have you? Where?

If Sky or the BBC are going over a game from the previous day/week or whatever and reviewing a bad decision they'll say that the ref involved has since gone on record to say he got the decision wrong. The most recent example that comes to mind is that Wigan player that got sent off for 2 yellows (against Newcastle?) when he clearly got the ball on the second one, but you could only see the ball changing direction from a different angle.

But the ref has to report to his superior in the FA and if he gets decisions wrong then it'll be dealt with in there. Post-match interviews wouldn't work since he'd have to review the game as a whole first and see what his performance was like. I think releasing statements is fine, but perhaps just a better way of presenting them would help since it's never really "announced" as such and only really brought up briefly on highlight shows.

[therockbox]

Referees being forced to apologise for a mistake would be the end of any chance they'd have of ever getting respect from players and fans. Imagine Mike Dean coming out tomorrow and apologising for Van Persie's goal, you can guess what'll happen if he makes another contentious decision next week. Everyone will bleat on about "well, he mistake last week so..."

The majority of referees' positions would become untenable.

Besides, you won't hear Scolari apologising for his team to make one meaningful attack, or Mark Hughes say sorry for essentially throwing the first half away? Of course not.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Why moan about Wayne Rooney shouting at the referee? It's not his fault if the referee doesn't do fuck all about it, so blame the referee.

That Ronaldo red card was another Benni style red, although I don't know if I agree with this one or not. It looks like for once Ronaldo wasn't lying and did feel he heard a whistle, but as people keep pointing out, rules are rules right? Like Shearer said, certainly harsh and if it was me, I'd never have sent off somebody for something like that. Then again, in todays game you can get sent off for breathing on a player and fans then claiming it was a deserving red, so oh well.

Great victory and wow, how do Arsenal keep doing that? Couldn't believe they beat United and couldn't believe they beat Chelsea yesterday. I've never liked them much but outside United, I really hope they do start a little come back after so many people have shit on them. Never thought I'd sat that.

Here's hoping Liverpool lose tonight, although I won't be surprised to see them score in the 90th minute and win

[Matt]

Why moan about Wayne Rooney shouting at the referee? It's not his fault if the referee doesn't do fuck all about it, so blame the referee.

That Ronaldo red card was another Benni style red, although I don't know if I agree with this one or not. It looks like for once Ronaldo wasn't lying and did feel he heard a whistle, but as people keep pointing out, rules are rules right? Like Shearer said, certainly harsh and if it was me, I'd never have sent off somebody for something like that. Then again, in todays game you can get sent off for breathing on a player and fans then claiming it was a deserving red, so oh well.

Great victory and wow, how do Arsenal keep doing that? Couldn't believe they beat United and couldn't believe they beat Chelsea yesterday. I've never liked them much but outside United, I really hope they do start a little come back after so many people have shit on them. Never thought I'd sat that.

Here's hoping Liverpool lose tonight, although I won't be surprised to see them score in the 90th minute and win

You're correct in a sense, but it still doesn't make it right. Nor is Rooney the only player to do it, he's not even the only one in Scum's team *cough* Ferdinand *cough*.

As for whether he heard a whistle, it's still not a normal reaction to double palm the ball away from you. If he'd caught it, I could understand his argument. Besides that Sky turned the pitchside sound right up and there was no whistle, certainly not a clear one.

Should he have been sent off? Yes, absolutely, 2 yellow card offences (the first one may not have been correct, but he certainly deserved one for his response anyway). If it wasn't Ronaldo there'd be no fucking debate about it.

And Fergie gets treated like God on Earth by the FA. Like you say, he gets punished all the time by the FA (although not nearly enough, but that could be said for lots of managers) - hence they should impose a stronger penalty for repeat offences, but they don't. His players pull out of Internationals, no questions, Gerrard and Terry pull out but they have to report for physio checks. He taps up players (ala berbatov) and no action is taken.

[Baddar]

Talking of the FA, they've decided not to punish Scolari for his comments. It must be because they know they're wrong, because Ferguson has said less and got fined/banned for it. He's about to start his touchline ban now. :/

And about Ronaldo's yellow card offences, yes the second one was a yellow (a very stupid one), but he wouldn't have reacted to the first one if the right call was made, which was no call/play on. I don't really think it was from behind, more from the side. Even if it was seen as from behind by Webb, there was no malice in it whatsoever.

[Marcos]

On the first tackle when I seen it during live play, I thought definite yellow, him bringing SWP down and a tackle from behind and all. However, we get the benefit of something the refs don't which is replays from every angle on the pitch. To me the ref's position has made him unable to see the change in the ball direction of the tackle, and he doesn't get much help from his assistant on that side, who I think flagged for a City throw.

However, people get dodgy bookings week in, week out. I've seen bookings given for much less than that. But you would think a player of Ronaldo's footballing ability would know that if you are on a booking then the last thing you should do would be to stick your hands out to hit the ball away. I don't care if he says he heard a whistle or a beep or whatever he believes he heard, put the ball in the net with a header and ask questions later.

The only good thing about this weeks football was Tugay scored a goal. Everybody loves a Tugay goal, no matter who you support, they are things of beauty.

Edited December 1, 2008 by Marcos

[Matt]

I don't. He's Turkish.

[Summers]

I don't. He's Turkish.

Racist comment. Warn warn warn.

[Matt]

Xenophobic, actually.

[Summers]

Smartarse too, double warn.

[Marcos]

I think if we were to warn all the smartarse racist members on here then we would have no members left.

[Crybaby Bunting]

To be perfectly honest, if the referee figured it was a deliberate handball it should have been a straight red not another yellow.

It's confusing but seems to be as if the referee figured he'd done something wrong during the incident but couldn't work out how to correctly judge it. So he just figured a yellow card was in order.

Then again it's really not something you'd do anyway. Do you see players picking up balls with their hands if they think they're offside? Of course not, you see them punting the ball away if they're really annoyed but not something as stupid as that.

Anyway what did Ronaldo think it was anyway if he'd heard the whistle being blown? He must have assumed he was onside and that he wasn't doing anything up until the incident so why wouldn't the referee allow play on to let him score?

[Matt]

lol, liverpool without Torres.

[therockbox]

Liverpool with Gerrard.

TWAT

Wide

TWAT

Wide

TWAT

Over

TWAT

Moan at Babel

TWAT

Wide

And fuck Setanta as well.

[therockbox]

Whoops, missed one:

TWAT

Hit defender

[Crybaby Bunting]

Gerrard is only rated higher than the likes of Lampard (and Barry) because for every 30 ridiculous shots one goes in.

He's turning into the next generation David Beckham

[The Future]

Hey at least Beckham is sexy beyond sexy.