Football 2013-2014

[eFestivals]

Massive result for Arsenal that.

I wonder if Liverpool fans will say ' top 4 is more important than winning a cup'.

why wouldn't they? Rodgers has made it clear that the club target for this year is top 4.

I kind of knew Arsenal would win that one yesterday, after the last result. Arsenal might not be the best team at beating the 'top teams', but neither are they a bit of fluff that can be blown away on every occasion. It was obviously going to be a match that was very different.

I can't say that the match had my full attention, but Ozil seemed to found that bit extra again. That could prove to be very important in the run-in.

[pink_triangle]

Thetime is correct regarding diving, a referee cannot wipe out of his mind a players previous reputation and it will have some effect. I have no sympathy for a player who has dived in the past missing out on decisions, as currently its the only real punishment they get. However in this case I think its more down to Webbs leniency than Suarez reputation or evening out decisions.

[eFestivals]

Thetime is correct regarding diving, a referee cannot wipe out of his mind a players previous reputation and it will have some effect. I have no sympathy for a player who has dived in the past missing out on decisions, as currently its the only real punishment they get. However in this case I think its more down to Webbs leniency than Suarez reputation or evening out decisions.

There's diving and then there's diving, tho.

You have the Man Utd dive, where no contact is necessary. But if contact happens, it's often with less force than being hit with a feather.

Then you have the likes of Suarez's dive yesterday - where it's a definite foul and the contact is hard but where nothing of the foul and contact is enough to cause the player to go down. And so the player jumps to the ground.

I'd say that was a penalty yesterday, but I also reckon that Suarez mugged the ref. And the ref got to know that at half-time.

[strummer77]

I'd say that was a penalty yesterday, but I also reckon that Suarez mugged the ref. And the ref got to know that at half-time.

[eFestivals]

Both 'pens' were second half and within a few minutes so I don't think the ref got to know anything at half-time.

was it really? Doh! lol

As Pink Triangle says it is more about Webb's refereeing than anything, The incident was right in front of him too... he just bottled it.

the 2nd was a clear penalty.

The first was too, but Suarez still play-acted for it.

[zahidf]

This pretty much covers it

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/webb-exiled-to-liverpool-2014021783654

[strummer77]

Guardian put this:

"He generally refereed the match with the familiar sense of strutting, celebrified conviction that is just about bearable when he gets the majority of his decisions right, but which can grate horribly when he's off his game".

Which is spot on.

[LondonTom]

"Big club's" fans moaning about bad ref decisions

Edited February 17, 2014 by LondonTom

[strummer77]

"Big club's" fans moaning about bad ref decisions

[eFestivals]

"Big club's" fans moaning about bad ref decisions

some decisions a ref has to take a view over, because there's no clear-cut case either way, and some they don't because there is a clear-cut case.

Get over it, yeah?

Personally, while Webb was totally wrong to not give a penalty for the Ox's foul on Suarez, I don't have too much of a problem with it not being given. As people have said above you reap what you sow, and Suarez took the piss to win the penalty that was given*. Even stevens.

(* it was a penalty, but he still took the piss).

[Essex_George]

Personally, while Webb was totally wrong to not give a penalty for the Ox's foul on Suarez, I don't have too much of a problem with it not being given. As people have said above you reap what you sow, and Suarez took the piss to win the penalty that was given*. Even stevens.

(* it was a penalty, but he still took the piss).

[DomDom1984]

How did the ref get "mugged"? It was a penalty, exaggeration or not. Referees bring that on themselves by waiting for a player to actually go down in the box, rather than realise advantage has been lost anyways.

[eFestivals]

How did the ref get "mugged"? It was a penalty, exaggeration or not. Referees bring that on themselves by waiting for a player to actually go down in the box, rather than realise advantage has been lost anyways.

It was a penalty, I said as much ... tho unlike the ref, I had the advantage of watching it back.

But Suarez "jumped to the ground", he wasn't floored by the foul. He played it up, and by doing so perhaps influenced in his favour the decision that the ref made.

Suarez was trying to con the ref into making a particular decision, rather than letting the ref judge the incident purely on the basis of that incident itself (by the addition of the bit that Suarez contrived onto the end of it).

If a player plays it up and a ref knows they play stuff up, then that ref is going to look on the incidents around that player in a different way than he might an honest player.

You know the story about the boy who cried 'wolf', yeah?

[The Nal]

The problem with Suarez is that he has the same tuck, roll, grab a leg and put the other hand in the air fall regardless if he dives or is genuinely fouled.

I've zero sympathy for him and was highly amused by the typically hilarious "they're all against us, its a conspiracy" over reaction from Liverpool fans yesterday. Like clockwork.

Apart from the Hodgson era, I cant recall a Liverpool loss that was taken by the general support as a fair loss!

LFC fans had no issues with Suarez winning free kicks and penos in the past, getting players sent off and getting away with bad fouls himself. But now hes denied a peno and the FA are out to get them.

P.S. As above, Utd fans had no cause for complaint when Ronaldo wasn't getting free kicks for Utd. As is the case with Ashley young now. You reap what you sow.

Liverpool were the better team mind you and didn't deserve to lose. Bad decision on the peno too no doubt.

Edited February 17, 2014 by The Nal

[The Nal]

Anyone think Agger should have had a penalty for being punched in the face?

[eFestivals]

I've zero sympathy for him and was highly amused by the typically hilarious "they're all against us, its a conspiracy" over reaction from Liverpool fans yesterday. Like clockwork.

a bit like Utd fans and their manager when Young didn't get a pen earlier in the season?

(that time he was demolished by a goalie, I forget which one).

[DomDom1984]

Didn't think that was a penalty. The Agger one. Keeper came and won it first, and legally.

[The Nal]

a bit like Utd fans and their manager when Young didn't get a pen earlier in the season?

(that time he was demolished by a goalie, I forget which one).

[eFestivals]

Utd would be top now if it werent for bad refs!

you are fergie, and I claim my £1.25.

It would have been a fiver, but i think the rest should be invested in the squad.

[thetime]

What a crazy rule that the Hull v Brighton replay has to be played on a Monday night, all because of the Champions League on the Tuesday and Wednesday.

[t8yman]

Thats what happens when they go for the TV money by playing the fixture last night, instead of saturday like all of the rest of the cup fixtures.

[thetime]

Thats what happens when they go for the TV money by playing the fixture last night, instead of saturday like all of the rest of the cup fixtures.

[strummer77]

Can a club refuse? No idea of the answer.

Edited February 18, 2014 by strummer77

[LondonTom]

Get over it, yeah?

[zahidf]

http://www.football365.com/news/21554/9172316/Mata-We-Can-Make-4th

Mata drinks the Kool Aid...