OK, we're rubbish... but

[Zoob]

The refereeing decisions that have gone against us this season are fekin outrageous.

 

We've had 3 players receive straight reds when red cards when none were red card offenses. - and then we continue to suffer the consequences in the games where they're suspended.

 

We've been denied 2 of the clearest pens you'll see (admittedly only the one against Spurs could have changed the result).

 

We had a double kick pen scored against us at West Ham, that thankfully didn't cost us the win

 

We've had a beach ball score against us at Sunderland because the ref didn't know the laws of the game.

 

Portsmouth's first goal today - 2 players in an offside position. 1 standing in front of our keeper which resulted in Johnson's panicked but poor header that falls to the other player who was offside who then scores.

 

In midweek we managed to win despite the ref doing absolutely everything in his power to make sure we didn't.

 

It's just obscene.

 

When we're playing rubbish and battling for 4th place spot (which is sad enough as it is), the difference between draws and losses - those few extra points - can actually make all the difference.

Edited December 19, 2009 by Zoob

[Andy @ Allerton]

Referees are bent. When referees are bent and you aren't playing well the results become obvious.

[Cobs]

that was not a good challenge from Masch today, over the top of the ball = red card

 

and the ref was not responsible for that insipid, gutless pile of schit from us today

[Earl Hafler]

  Zoob said:

The refereeing decisions that have gone against us this season are fekin outrageous.

 

We've had 3 players receive straight reds when red cards when none were red card offenses. - and then we continue to suffer the consequences in the games where they're suspended.

 

We've been denied 2 of the clearest pens you'll see (admittedly only the one against Spurs could have changed the result).

 

We had a double kick pen scored against us at West Ham, that thankfully didn't cost us the win

 

We've had a beach ball score against us at Sunderland because the ref didn't know the laws of the game.

 

Portsmouth's first goal today - 2 players in an offside position. 1 standing in front of our keeper which resulted in Johnson's panicked but poor header that falls to the other player who was offside who then scores.

 

In midweek we managed to win despite the ref doing absolutely everything in his power to make sure we didn't.

 

It's just obscene.

 

When we're playing rubbish and battling for 4th place spot (which is sad enough as it is), the difference between draws and losses - those few extra points - can actually make all the difference.

 

 

And throw into the mix the outrageous goals scored by crap players.

 

However, none of that excuses the poor decisions made by the manager and the lack of effort shown by some players. Gerrard was a disgrace to the captains armband today and he can't blame fitness for it.

 

This has been the worst season i can remember since 1989.

[FC Showster]

  Zoob said:

The refereeing decisions that have gone against us this season are fekin outrageous.

 

We've had 3 players receive straight reds when red cards when none were red card offenses. - and then we continue to suffer the consequences in the games where they're suspended.

 

We've been denied 2 of the clearest pens you'll see (admittedly only the one against Spurs could have changed the result).

 

We had a double kick pen scored against us at West Ham, that thankfully didn't cost us the win

 

We've had a beach ball score against us at Sunderland because the ref didn't know the laws of the game.

 

Portsmouth's first goal today - 2 players in an offside position. 1 standing in front of our keeper which resulted in Johnson's panicked but poor header that falls to the other player who was offside who then scores.

 

In midweek we managed to win despite the ref doing absolutely everything in his power to make sure we didn't.

 

It's just obscene.

 

When we're playing rubbish and battling for 4th place spot (which is sad enough as it is), the difference between draws and losses - those few extra points - can actually make all the difference.

 

Add to that the challenges on our players that the ref just blindly ignores such as

 

Valencia on Aurelio

De Jong on Babel

Midweek on Gerrard

 

All two footed lunges that were ignored (sorry, Dowd had quiet word midweek)

[Chili Palmer]

  Cobs said:

that was not a good challenge from Masch today, over the top of the ball = red card

 

and the ref was not responsible for that insipid, gutless pile of schit from us today

 

 

Think it was a yellow tbh Cobs, but the sad thing is they would have beat us even if we had all our men on today, it was pathetic.

[Cobs]

  Chili Palmer said:

Think it was a yellow tbh Cobs, but the sad thing is they would have beat us even if we had all our men on today, it was pathetic.

 

straight leg over the ball - he's lucky he didn't break his leg

[Billy Dane]

I thnks Javier's suspension might help the team as it will force Rafa to bring in a bit more creativity. Would have been better if it was Lucas sent off but he will now either have to play Aqualani or move Gerrard into the middle and put someone else alongside Torres.*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* = the sound of desperately clutching at straws

[Zoob]

  Earl Hafler said:

And throw into the mix the outrageous goals scored by crap players.

 

However, none of that excuses the poor decisions made by the manager and the lack of effort shown by some players. Gerrard was a disgrace to the captains armband today and he can't blame fitness for it.

 

This has been the worst season i can remember since 1989.

 

As I mentioned before, it's like the perfect storm - gutless players, overcautious team selections, horrible luck (freak goals, own goals etc) terrible refereeing decisions...

 

It's just horrible.

[stressederic]

If Mascherano doesn't go in like that then he doesn't give the referee a decision to make either way.

[FC Showster]

  Cobs said:

that was not a good challenge from Masch today, over the top of the ball = red card

 

and the ref was not responsible for that insipid, gutless pile of schit from us today

 

As a slightly separate point (not necessarily related to us but refereeing in general), do you think it is acceptable for the ref to hold up the game and tell players that if they continue to do what they're doing then it's a penalty? I personally think that is atrocious but that's what Mason did today

[Zoob]

  FC Showster said:

As a slightly separate point (not necessarily related to us but refereeing in general), do you think it is acceptable for the ref to hold up the game and tell players that if they continue to do what they're doing then it's a penalty? I personally think that is atrocious but that's what Mason did today

 

Who did he do that for?

 

Mason had another horrible game today.

 

And the linesmen - how is a player not active if they're off-side and standing infront of a keeper when a shot re-bounds? and then the goal scorer surely becomes active when he scores the freakin goal. It's just a fundamental law of the game. Yes we were turd again, but who knows what would have happened if we'd not gone a goal down to a goal that never should have stood? exactly the same as Sunderland.

[anfieldgaz]

thought he got the masc decision right .........if masc doesn't go in like he did no decision to make!!!

[windy city red]

  Cobs said:

straight leg over the ball - he's lucky he didn't break his leg

 

I actually thought it was more the follow up. Masch essentially gave a punch to his neck. So silly.

[Cobs]

  windy city red said:

I actually thought it was more the follow up. Masch essentially gave a punch to his neck. So silly.

 

 

didn't see that, tbh

 

 

either way = 4 game ban, Aquilani might get a start now though

[Rocheteau]

You can only go so far with this excuse, over the season so far I've seen poor decisions go both ways. Its a poor excuse, our results are because our form is so bad and Benitez is struggling to get us out. Really and truthfully everything else is peripheral

[abc]

  Earl Hafler said:

And throw into the mix the outrageous goals scored by crap players.

 

However, none of that excuses the poor decisions made by the manager and the lack of effort shown by some players. Gerrard was a disgrace to the captains armband today and he can't blame fitness for it.

 

This has been the worst season i can remember since 1989.

 

Surely you mean 1999?

[Zoob]

  ChaoticPrimate said:

You can only go so far with this excuse, over the season so far I've seen poor decisions go both ways. Its a poor excuse, our results are because our form is so bad and Benitez is struggling to get us out. Really and truthfully everything else is peripheral

 

I don't accept that for one minute. We got a dodgy pen against Birmingham. What other poor decisions have gone our way?

 

(compared to 2 clear pens not being given, 3 goals scored that clearly shouldn't have been allowed and 3 dodgy sendings off - and one of the dodgiest things about today's one is it looked like the 4th official saw a replay and told the ref to send him off, which again is not in the laws of the game)

[Nebraska Red]

the refs have contributed to our poor results, not the way we have played.

 

FFS, these are grown men being paid millions to play footy, not sulk and pout when something goes against them.

 

what we are seeing is the "perfect storm" working against us. Poor refereeing decisions, crazy goals given up or scored against us and s**** displays from our team. Plus the opposition generally raising its game when they play us.

 

no idea how we get out from under this mess.

[abc]

Zoob, the first goal should not have been allowed. The presence of the offside player was the exact reason the ball was headed out hastily to Belhadj.

 

As I mentioned on the game thread, I thought we were doing well up until then.

 

The offside rule needs to be tightened.

[Pam]

we have some class players who seem unable to play to their ability - whether it is fitness/confidence or attitude the big players are not standing up to be counted. The players need to take a long hard look at themselves.

 

the owners have left Rafa in an impossible situation re funding and squad depth and we've had a catastrophic run of injuries - but regardless we should have the quality of players to beat a relegation fodder team like Portsmouth

 

watching liverpool is like picking an open wound at the moment - it just keeps hurting. Tomorrow will be a media witch hunt - i believe in Rafa but it is getting harder and harder - we have had some shocking luck and ref decisions (tho Mascherano's tackle today was dangerous and i could understand the red) but we should still be able to pass the ball to another player on our team. i'd like to see him get some funds in jan and buy some decent first team level players to prvide the goal threat we desperately miss when Torres & Gerrard arent performing and then give Rafa the rest of the season. We can't afford to sack him and even if we could what decent manager would come in with the Yanks starving the club of funds?

[windy city red]

  Pam said:

i'd like to see him get some funds in jan and buy some decent first team level players to prvide the goal threat we desperately miss when Torres & Gerrard arent performing

 

And I thought I was an optimist...

[Gomez]

  Cobs said:

straight leg over the ball - he's lucky he didn't break his leg

 

It wasn't a red. It was a yellow at best. And the referee's posturing when it was clear he was injured showed what kind of a man mason is. He just wanted the limelight.

 

Even if it was a red, which I don't think it was, it wasn't an obvious one, in which case a sensible ref lets the sub be made and avoids the controversy.

 

Mason is a pr*ck, and his linesmen need to learn the offside rule.

[Zoob]

  abc said:

Zoob, the first goal should not have been allowed. The presence of the offside player was the exact reason the ball was headed out hastily to Belhadj.

 

As I mentioned on the game thread, I thought we were doing well up until then.

 

The offside rule needs to be tightened.

 

or the offside rule just needs to be enforced. It's a no brainer when someone shoots and the ball bounces up to a player standing infront of goal who was offside. By being there and challenging for the ball, he becomes active. I don't really see how the linesman could think anything else. I expect he just completely missed the fact that he was offside rather than thinking he wasn't active.

 

We weren't playing particularly well, but we'd had all the pressure and possession until their goal

[Pam]

  windy city red said:

And I thought I was an optimist...

 

 

i just don't understand how the yanks think failing to invest in us and us falling out of the top 4 is a good idea - they have to come up with some cash or the consequences could be dire. is just ludicrous.