Officiating

[Leo No.8]

Honestly, how long have we been on the end of bad decision after bad decision with barely anything coming in our way in return? Its like since we've been down the officials we've had have been determined to keep us there. That c*nt Atkinson, who we seem to have every other week absolutely hates us. Against Wolves he was doing everything in his power to bring them back into the game, he was reffing it the way I'd ref Liverpool in reverse - seeing all the 50/50s one way.

 

I think he gave about 17 fouls against us and 6 against them, and booked 3 of our players and none of theirs in a game where Torres was subjected to some pretty physical stuff and I saw at least 2 pretty heavy tackles from behind go uncarded. Mason hates us, Dowd is just a c*nt. That guy Probert last night was horrific, not much different to Atkinson in his approach. Webb is always eager to please Ferguson at Old Trafford, even though I don't think he's a bad ref in general.

 

And seriously, that offside decision to rule out Torres' goal early on last night was one of the worst decisions I've ever seen. We were playing some lovely stuff at that point and had we scored I think it would have been a totally different game - instead of us getting the boost of a fantastic early goal like that, Fulham managed to weather the early storm, dug in and got a foothold and we could have easily dropped points in the end - because of the utter incompetence of that linesman.

 

We sit not far from being in line with where Torres made his run in the Main Stand. It never looked offside in a million years in real time - the reason I don't understand how the hell he can get that wrong is not only did Torres time his run so that he was behind the defender when the ball was first played, he actually ran alongside him for a spell when the ball was travelling into his path. It was only when he was actually getting to the ball that he accelerated past and got his body in between the defender and the ball.

 

I spent the first half saying I thought that was one of the worst decisions I'd ever seen from a linesman, and on getting home and watching it again it really was. I do have sympathy with liners - I think the hardest ones to get right are when the defender steps out for offside and the forward runs the other way and top speed, the timing of it all must make it incredibly tough to judge. That last night was a totally different story, the way they ran together for several paces; it was so easy to read the guy must be horrifyingly incompetent.

 

In fact, one of the best decisions I've seen from any liner all season was for our first goal against Wolves from the now famous Sian Massey. I thought for all the world in real time that was offside, but she was absolutely spot on - I'd rather she ran the line on more of our games whatever Keys and Gray think! I honestly feel that the current group of referees has quite a few that don't like us. I'm not saying they are bent, but more inclined to go against us if the opportunity presents.

 

I think its symptematic of Ferguson's influence on the selection of referees and on the FA in general, and that in itself is defined by perennial Old Trafford penalty awarder Mike Riley. Head of refereeing Riley has shown the way to the top of your profession - by 'hanging out the back' of Alex Ferguson to quote our friend the ex presenter chimp. Hopefully we're just starting to push on again, hopefully with Kenny in charge referees will start to give us a bit more respect and be a bit more even handed in their decision making.

 

Its ridiculous what we've had to put up with over the last 18 months or so in terms of decisions; we have a stable of Ferguson approved referees now the best and most even handed ref in the country Alan Wiley has retired with Ferguson's outrageous and unpunished abuse about his fitness ringing in his ears and tarnishing his reputation. Money might not change hands, it might not be as blatant but in some ways out league is just as corrupt as Serie A was when there was all the controversy.

 

We have a guy selecting referees in the same way the Juve people were, its just done by allowing Ferguson free reign to tarnish referees reputations as he pleases.

Edited January 27, 2011 by Leo No.8

[PLY]

I agree about the offside decision but I think we will probably learn a lot more from the game we had than one were we we romped home after an early goal. Fulham gave us a good test in the end and it was interesting to see how frail we still are mentally, but holding out for the win and the clean sheet will have done us good.

[Leo No.8]

I agree about the offside decision but I think we will probably learn a lot more from the game we had than one were we we romped home after an early goal. Fulham gave us a good test in the end and it was interesting to see how frail we still are mentally, but holding out for the win and the clean sheet will have done us good.

 

Yeah true - good point that. We did go into full on panic mode at the end, the confidence is still lacking. I don't think Skrtel helps in that situation - he's so poor in the air and tends to pick up one of the opposition's better headers of the ball so when its thrown into our box he invariably loses the challenge and we're in the sh*t. Also on a general basis he's incredibly jittery and gives an air of panic off even at times he shouldn't - I think he has to be replaced urgently.

 

Agger is class though, he's striding out of defence with the ball confidently since Kenny took over - think with him as our manager Danny will be one of the players to really flourish if he can stay fit (and that is a big question).

Edited January 27, 2011 by Leo No.8

[richwilks]

Yeah true - good point that. We did go into full on panic mode at the end, the confidence is still lacking. I don't think Skrtel helps in that situation - he's so poor in the air and tends to pick up one of the opposition's better headers of the ball so when its thrown into our box he invariably loses the challenge and we're in the sh*t. Also on a general basis he's incredibly jittery and gives an air of panic off even at times he shouldn't - I think he has to be replaced urgently.

 

Agger is class though, he's striding out of defence with the ball confidently since Kenny took over - think with him as our manager Danny will be one of the players to really flourish if he can stay fit (and that is a big question).

 

 

Yep, a quality dominant centre back in there last night and everything that was coming in to the box would have been smacked up field.

 

It didn't help that all our midifielders dropped off too far which gave us no way out though. s*** decision by the lino though.

 

 

[Cooldude]

Was celebrating the goal hard already and found it a bit strange that Torres wasn't doing the same, before realising the linesman flagged, which left me dumbfounded

 

Bring back the female linesman

[PLY]

Agger is class though, he's striding out of defence with the ball confidently since Kenny took over - think with him as our manager Danny will be one of the players to really flourish if he can stay fit (and that is a big question).

 

I may be going against the grain here but defensively I'm not that keen on young Daniel either , he lacks heading and tackling ability in a defensive situation IMHO and although he's good at running out of dfence with the ball his passing from defence leaves a lot to be desired. There's a fine line between coolness and being lackadaisical and Danny crosses that line too many times for my liking.

 

Anyway apologies for hijacking your thread about officials. For professionalsI think too many are too poor.

[badtodabone]

Was celebrating the goal hard already and found it a bit strange that Torres wasn't doing the same, before realising the linesman flagged, which left me dumbfounded

 

Bring back the female[b linesman][/b]

 

i think you mean linesperson