The FA Cup 2014/15 thread

[9 to 5]

Oh fuck off Oliver.

While I agree with you that it was daft, but you can't do something like that without running the risk of getting sent off.

That's true. Just so ridiculous you can get sent off for that.

Is it bollocks. It's a complete lack of respect for the man in charge of the game, you don't take action against Di Maria then what's to stop every player grabbing hold of the referee?

In rugby you'd be looking at a lengthy ban for that

When he's performing this poorly, should he be respected?

Yes. What a stupid thing to bring up when a player has put his hands on the ref like that.

[King Ellis]

This same ref allowed Joe Hart to run 20 yards up the pitch and stick his head in his face without a repercussion too. Just the inconsistency of it all drives me nuts.

He just wanted to show him how flake free he was.

[MDK]

This same ref allowed Joe Hart to run 20 yards up the pitch and stick his head in his face without a repercussion too. Just the inconsistency of it all drives me nuts.

He just wanted to show him how flake free he was.

Hart is head and shoulders above the rest in that regard.

[Sam]

Really do get the feeling some people feel Di Maria has german suplexed the ref 5 times.

[9 to 5]

Really do get the feeling some people feel Di Maria has german suplexed the ref 5 times.

Not at all. But you can't put your hands on the ref no matter what.

[Jimmy]

Welbeck isn't poor at finishing...

I can't tell if this is a joke, but Welbeck's shot conversation rate is lower than 10%

[MDK]

Welbeck isn't poor at finishing...

I can't tell if this is a joke, but Welbeck's shot conversation rate is lower than 10%

As someone who doesn't understand the offside rule, you shouldn't be say that much...

[Liam]

Welbeck isn't poor at finishing...

I can't tell if this is a joke, but Welbeck's shot conversation rate is lower than 10%

As someone who doesn't understand the offside rule, you shouldn't be say that much...

To be fair, Jimmy was born after the 'interfering with play' rule was introduced.

I mean that as a joke, but as I type, I wouldn't be surprised if he was

[TCO]

Really do get the feeling some people feel Di Maria has german suplexed the ref 5 times.

It doesn't matter if he F5'd him, it's still a straight red offence and he was lucky to just get a 2nd yellow.

There's literally no debate to be had.

[FLiam]

I absolutely love Danny Welbeck. What a guy.

On all the talk re red cards and whatnot. I'm baffled that people were arguing that Bellerin should have been sent off. He got booked for his first foul and then people expect him to get sent off for his second? Whereas Fellaini was booked after his EIGHTH foul, then proceeded to commit another two after.

The best Monday in yonks. Absolutely buzzing for a return to Wembley. Hopefully two more.

[9 to 5]

Why two? Is the CL final at Wembley this year?

[TCO]

Semi Final and Final of the FA Cup, no?

Champions League Final is in Berlin and it's a more than a safe bet to say Arsenal won't be in it!

Edited March 9, 2015 by TCO

[FLiam]

No chance of the Berlin final.

But I'd like to think a good chance at a Wembley final!

[9 to 5]

Oh, right. Sorry for being thick. >_>

[FLiam]

To be fair, we shouldn't be going to Wembley at the moment anyway. Should be Villa Park.

[Colly]

The straws being clutched are getting silly. There was clearly more on Sanchez than the hand brush that sent Di Maria spinning, and Bellerin's second foul was nothing by comparison to Fellaini's half dozen or Rojo's shocker in the same bit of play.

Unless the argument is 'the ref should have given incorrect decisions in our favour, boo him' of course.

Edited March 10, 2015 by Ultra Rare Colly

[TCO]

Also, have Man United broken Luke Shaw? Everything I've seen him play this season he looks like a shell of himself from last year.

[Lineker]

I'll echo the sentiment that Oliver had an absolutely fantastic game. Very strong refereeing performance.

[FLiam]

Takes absolute balls of steel to make those decisions. Fair play to him.

Others may have given Januzuj a penalty which would have been incorrect, and he wasn't being bullied into sending a player off for committing two fouls.

[Whisper]

Two fouls which, in the context of the game and other cards given out, were both yellow cards to be fair. I don't think Bellerin deserved to go though, but can see why people are questioning it.

Oliver did have a good game, got more or less everything right which you never say about refs in big games these days.

One thing that did annoy me, and I mentioned it last night, was Welbeck throwing himself to the ground in an indentical incident to Januzaj, only for Danny Murphy to say, "well he had his hand on his shoulder that's a foul". Whereas Januzaj is a dirty, cheating foreigner ruining the beautiful English game".

But that's more a gripe about the quality of the punditry on BBC.

Edited March 10, 2015 by Whisper in the Wind