Chelsea/Liverpool .. best game I have seen so far this season .. what would Chelsea do without Kanté, Mr Perpetual Motion .. Mané should have been sent off .. but of course, if he had been, we would not have had the game we had
That’s true about the game it became. But that can’t be a reason not to send him off.
Imagine in other sports if we saw the referee or man in charge change the rules just to try to make the event more entertaining. People would be up in arms. I mean, imagine the outcry if that happened in, say, formula 1?
Chelsea/Liverpool .. best game I have seen so far this season .. what would Chelsea do without Kanté, Mr Perpetual Motion .. Mané should have been sent off .. but of course, if he had been, we would not have had the game we had
That’s true about the game it became. But that can’t be a reason not to send him off.
Imagine in other sports if we saw the referee or man in charge change the rules just to try to make the event more entertaining. People would be up in arms. I mean, imagine the outcry if that happened in, say, formula 1?
Oh, hang on…🤔
I agree entirely, Mané should have been sent off and then banned for a few extra games for a cowardly and dirty piece of foul play against Azpilicueta who is generally a very fair player .. this adds to the the impression (if not fact lol) that referees and VAR invigilators appear to bend over backwards to give the Manc clubs and Liverpool more than a fair benefit of the doubt and it was really no surprise that he got away with a yellow ..
am I right in thinking that if VAR took no action and a yellow was given that there can be no retrospective action taken against Mané ?
With every top flight game being covered by multiple camera I'm becoming more and more against the very idea of in-march sanctions.
Referees have proven time and time again they can't be trusted to enforce the rules accurately, fairly or consistently in the admittedly high pressure and high stress in-march environment.
If bookings were taken away from match day officials and an independent panel awarded penalty points for infringement (obviously the match officials report would have to be consulted for bad language, etc.). Then on a regular schedule clubs would receive monetary and points penalties based on points acrrued.
Wouldn't be perfect, but would prevent games being ruined by red cards, the never ending yellow card lottery, etc. Plus there would be real punishments for yellow and red card events. Points deductions would hurt teams far more than player bans, and might actually promote better behaviour. It would also lessens players surrounding refs and the scourge of player brandishing imaginary cards. In fact it could greatly reduce players trying to get each other booked full stop.
With every top flight game being covered by multiple camera I'm becoming more and more against the very idea of in-march sanctions.
Referees have proven time and time again they can't be trusted to enforce the rules accurately, fairly or consistently in the admittedly high pressure and high stress in-march environment.
If bookings were taken away from match day officials and an independent panel awarded penalty points for infringement (obviously the match officials report would have to be consulted for bad language, etc.). Then on a regular schedule clubs would receive monetary and points penalties based on points acrrued.
Wouldn't be perfect, but would prevent games being ruined by red cards, the never ending yellow card lottery, etc. Plus there would be real punishments for yellow and red card events. Points deductions would hurt teams far more than player bans, and might actually promote better behaviour. It would also lessens players surrounding refs and the scourge of player brandishing imaginary cards. In fact it could greatly reduce players trying to get each other booked full stop.
Rugby League has the concept of 'on report' .. that applies if a ref knows a player did something heinous but he's is not sure what. The match tapes are checked for proof of any foul play and retrospective action can be taken .. your plan ? .. i m o would be a licence for even more anarchy in what is increasingly an anarchic game .. the VAR system needs tightening up with more emphasis on foul play and perhaps less on marginal offsides
The thing about this Mané situation is that refs are, I believe, genuinely trying to do the best they can. But consciously or subconsciously, they know they’ll be absolutely slaughtered if they send a player from a big side off incorrectly. Especially after 6 seconds. So they err on the side of caution.
Last week there were pretty good cases for Chelsea’s Rüdiger and Liverpool’s Matip (I think it was him, can’t remember) getting reds. Now this week it’s Mané. I’m sure you could list a bunch of close calls for Man City, Man U and even Arsenal and Spurs too. I’ve noticed recently there does seem to be a lot of aggressive elbow throwing from players from the big sides - maybe because they just don’t get punished enough.
The thing is, the teams that will pay are the smaller teams - Brighton, Burnley, Norwich etc. They’ll probably see a couple of early red cards in the next few games now, because now it’s been highlighted the refs will look out for it and the media don’t give a shit about the smaller teams. This is why the top managers bleating about bad decisions grinds my gears so much. Klopp and Tuchel in particular can go fuck themselves if they really think they get shortchanged on refs decisions over the course of a season.
At the end of the day, although they could do better, I have some sympathy for the refs. They’re in a no win situation sometimes, and it must be difficult to be impartial in the face of such pressure, knowing that if you send someone from a big side off cheaply, the media will then blame you for “ruining the game” or even “affecting the title race”. Ludicrous. The responsibility is with the players and managers. End of. If they don’t play the game fairly, that’s not the refs fault.
Phil Jones making his first start for Man United after 2 years out injured. Fair play to him. Gained huge respect for him after his sit down interview he gave last year.
If a player dives and wins a free kick then commentators are quick to say that the ref got it wrong but never very quick to say the player is a cheating diving scumbag.
Chelsea/Liverpool .. best game I have seen so far this season .. what would Chelsea do without Kanté, Mr Perpetual Motion .. Mané should have been sent off .. but of course, if he had been, we would not have had the game we had
That’s true about the game it became. But that can’t be a reason not to send him off.
Imagine in other sports if we saw the referee or man in charge change the rules just to try to make the event more entertaining. People would be up in arms. I mean, imagine the outcry if that happened in, say, formula 1?
Oh, hang on…🤔
I agree entirely, Mané should have been sent off and then banned for a few extra games for a cowardly and dirty piece of foul play against Azpilicueta who is generally a very fair player .. this adds to the the impression (if not fact lol) that referees and VAR invigilators appear to bend over backwards to give the Manc clubs and Liverpool more than a fair benefit of the doubt and it was really no surprise that he got away with a yellow ..
am I right in thinking that if VAR took no action and a yellow was given that there can be no retrospective action taken against Mané ?
Sorry, are you suggesting that Chelsea are somehow victims of officials?
Chelsea/Liverpool .. best game I have seen so far this season .. what would Chelsea do without Kanté, Mr Perpetual Motion .. Mané should have been sent off .. but of course, if he had been, we would not have had the game we had
That’s true about the game it became. But that can’t be a reason not to send him off.
Imagine in other sports if we saw the referee or man in charge change the rules just to try to make the event more entertaining. People would be up in arms. I mean, imagine the outcry if that happened in, say, formula 1?
Oh, hang on…🤔
I agree entirely, Mané should have been sent off and then banned for a few extra games for a cowardly and dirty piece of foul play against Azpilicueta who is generally a very fair player .. this adds to the the impression (if not fact lol) that referees and VAR invigilators appear to bend over backwards to give the Manc clubs and Liverpool more than a fair benefit of the doubt and it was really no surprise that he got away with a yellow ..
am I right in thinking that if VAR took no action and a yellow was given that there can be no retrospective action taken against Mané ?
Sorry, are you suggesting that Chelsea are somehow victims of officials?
On this occasion. But only because it was against another top 6 side. They’re well in credit for the season. 😎
Phil Jones making his first start for Man United after 2 years out injured. Fair play to him. Gained huge respect for him after his sit down interview he gave last year.
I know plenty of people have highlighted how much he’s earned since he last played, but you’d need a heart of stone not to be pleased for him and I say that as someone who doesn’t like Man U at all
Phil Jones making his first start for Man United after 2 years out injured. Fair play to him. Gained huge respect for him after his sit down interview he gave last year.
I know plenty of people have highlighted how much he’s earned since he last played, but you’d need a heart of stone not to be pleased for him and I say that as someone who doesn’t like Man U at all
Wolves had 15 attempts on goal in that first half at Old Trafford to United's four! What odds United end up winning 1-0 with the goal coming in added time?
No matter how many times I see Adama Traore play, I’m still always surprised by how a professional footballer can be built so much like a brick shithouse.
No matter how many times I see Adama Traore play. I’m still always surprised by how a professional footballer can be built so much like a brick shithouse.
They used to say that about Jonah Lomu at rugby 'til it became the norm for a back to be so heavily built. And of course sprinters in athletics have gone that way too from the physique they might have possessed some 50 years ago. Trouble with Traore is that his end product can be somewhat woeful at times.
Wolves had 15 attempts on goal in that first half at Old Trafford to United's four! What odds United end up winning 1-0 with the goal coming in added time?
As I said. Wolves will end up scoring the winner in the 82nd minute
No matter how many times I see Adama Traore play. I’m still always surprised by how a professional footballer can be built so much like a brick shithouse.
They used to say that about Jonah Lomu at rugby 'til it became the norm for a back to be so heavily built. And of course sprinters in athletics have gone that way too from the physique they might have possessed some 50 years ago. Trouble with Traore is that his end product can be somewhat woeful at times.
If he had an end product he would be one of the best players in the world!
Man U is a club in great turmoil. The owners want to stop fecking about and appoint a proper manager and managing director .. ones who can get rid of all the dead wood, the arrogant and lazy wasters and then sort out the remainder of what is obviously a talented squad that has had no on field discipline for months, has too many over inflated egos and has been poorly managed, to say the least, for the last five years or so ..they missed a big opportunity in not appointing Conte
i m o although he is still a terrific player on his day and is still scoring goals, it was a BIG mistake to re-sign Ronaldo, he has unbalanced the squad and has (I suspect) upset a lot of the other players ..
Man U is a club in great turmoil. The owners want to stop fecking about and appoint a proper manager and managing director .. ones who can get rid of all the dead wood, the arrogant and lazy wasters and then sort out the remainder of what is obviously a talented squad that has had no on field discipline for months, has too many over inflated egos and has been poorly managed, to say the least, for the last five years or so ..they missed a big opportunity in not appointing Conte
i m o although he is still a terrific player on his day and is still scoring goals, it was a BIG mistake to re-sign Ronaldo, he has unbalanced the squad and has (I suspect) upset a lot of the other players ..
It’s easier said then done. Let’s take Declan Rice IMO the best player outside top 6 in England. Even if it was Conte was the manager why would he sign when Chelsea or City, both serial winners, he could sign for them.
The glazers haven’t taken much care about the on field success and are now miles behind their nearest rivals. Could easily end up 40 points behind City. United are just like Arsenal & Spurs. Trying to finish 4th and get the champions league riches.
Man U is a club in great turmoil. The owners want to stop fecking about and appoint a proper manager and managing director .. ones who can get rid of all the dead wood, the arrogant and lazy wasters and then sort out the remainder of what is obviously a talented squad that has had no on field discipline for months, has too many over inflated egos and has been poorly managed, to say the least, for the last five years or so ..they missed a big opportunity in not appointing Conte
i m o although he is still a terrific player on his day and is still scoring goals, it was a BIG mistake to re-sign Ronaldo, he has unbalanced the squad and has (I suspect) upset a lot of the other players ..
It’s easy said and done. Let’s take Declan Rice IMO the best player outside top 6 in England. Even if it was Conte was the manager why would he sign when Chelsea or City, both serial winners, he could sign for it.
good question .. a while ago Man U was the holy grail for many/most top players, the club that was synonymous with success, great attacking play and almost guaranteed medals and silverware .. but now, as you say, post Ferguson, the other top clubs can offer as much money and the promise of a settled and coherent career with even more promise of professional success than Man U can currently offer I do remember that Man U spent a year in the second tier (1974/5) and this just after the Busby years and the great Law, Best, Charlton era .. fings aint always been rosy at Old Trafford
Comments
Oh, hang on…🤔
this adds to the the impression (if not fact lol) that referees and VAR invigilators appear to bend over backwards to give the Manc clubs and Liverpool more than a fair benefit of the doubt and it was really no surprise that he got away with a yellow ..
am I right in thinking that if VAR took no action and a yellow was given that there can be no retrospective action taken against Mané ?
Referees have proven time and time again they can't be trusted to enforce the rules accurately, fairly or consistently in the admittedly high pressure and high stress in-march environment.
If bookings were taken away from match day officials and an independent panel awarded penalty points for infringement (obviously the match officials report would have to be consulted for bad language, etc.). Then on a regular schedule clubs would receive monetary and points penalties based on points acrrued.
Wouldn't be perfect, but would prevent games being ruined by red cards, the never ending yellow card lottery, etc. Plus there would be real punishments for yellow and red card events. Points deductions would hurt teams far more than player bans, and might actually promote better behaviour. It would also lessens players surrounding refs and the scourge of player brandishing imaginary cards. In fact it could greatly reduce players trying to get each other booked full stop.
The thing is, the teams that will pay are the smaller teams - Brighton, Burnley, Norwich etc. They’ll probably see a couple of early red cards in the next few games now, because now it’s been highlighted the refs will look out for it and the media don’t give a shit about the smaller teams.
This is why the top managers bleating about bad decisions grinds my gears so much. Klopp and Tuchel in particular can go fuck themselves if they really think they get shortchanged on refs decisions over the course of a season.
At the end of the day, although they could do better, I have some sympathy for the refs. They’re in a no win situation sometimes, and it must be difficult to be impartial in the face of such pressure, knowing that if you send someone from a big side off cheaply, the media will then blame you for “ruining the game” or even “affecting the title race”. Ludicrous. The responsibility is with the players and managers. End of. If they don’t play the game fairly, that’s not the refs fault.
😉
Only Norwich have scored fewer.
Only Man City have conceded fewer.
He's been a better politician than footballer since 2019.
i m o although he is still a terrific player on his day and is still scoring goals, it was a BIG mistake to re-sign Ronaldo, he has unbalanced the squad and has (I suspect) upset a lot of the other players ..
I do remember that Man U spent a year in the second tier (1974/5) and this just after the Busby years and the great Law, Best, Charlton era .. fings aint always been rosy at Old Trafford