Football Focus

[Sandperson]

That'll do nicely. That was a lesson for Chelsea today. As I was in the pub I couldn't hear half-time comments but I'm betting that a combination of Murphy, Carragher and Redknapp on Sky weren't totally United friendly.

Now onto Wigan on Wednaseday.

[ratty]

Kells Wrote:

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> I give up with them! Glad I stayed in and

> listened to it on the radio now, saves being

> laughed out of a pub! It's absurd though, had we

> won we could have been 11th. So I'm telling

> myself not to give up just yet............

>

> PS Poor Pompey, being nagged for a loyalty bonus

> as well. Have to admire Defoe's cheek though!

Spurs were stupid enough to pay him it.

Not looking forward to next Sunday. I can see myself getting arrested again! ;)

[Kells]

Fair point ratty. And our stupidity......

I never thought that Spurs v Pompey would be a grudge match. Come on you Spurs >:D<

[matthew123]

Murphy - you mean McAllister.

Oddly 5 of the 6 pundits from the 2 big games this weekend on Setanta and Sky all played under Houllier at Liverpool.

There is so much football on TV that they've even found work for likes of Don Hutchison and Dominic Matteo.

How dumb is Wayne Rooney for not signalling to the linesman what he was doing at the fake corner kick. Up until then it was a great game that was pretty even but then once United got their noses in front United played like a steam train.

I know the third goal was just the icing on the cake for United but it was a clear foul and I'd imagine Chelsea fans want to hear it being called as a foul back in the studio - not Jamie Redknapp saying it was like a block in Basketball as they slow-mo Vidic congratulating himself for the illegal block.

[Sharon_H]

Just being nosey Matthew123 but where did you watch the Liverpool game? There was a bloke in the CPT yesterday with his head in his hands and I kept thinking it may have been you.

[Sandperson]

You knew who I meant Matthew. :-$

The corner seemed to work. Even if the first one didn't it broke their concentration for the next corner. It reminded me of the free kick that Giggs and Scholes worked a few seasons back, both making a run up to take the kick, stopping as if to let the other take it and they'd made a mistake and beginning to walk away and then Giggs whipping round and sending the ball into the box. Personally I thought it was pretty clever and there didn't seem to be much wrong with it.

I've just seen the 'foul' you are talking about again on the news and I can't see it, if the Chelsea defenders wanted to get around Vidic it wouldn't have been difficult they just didn't look very committed . Great to have Evra back. He makes such a difference for us with his pace, crossing and those overlapping runs.

[Annasfield]

What are your thoughts on the way that Rooney spoke to the linesman after "that" corner?

[Keef]

Seen players get a yellow for that sort of behaviour, but plenty get away with it.

[Annasfield]

Mascherano was sent off after receiving two yellow cards at OT last season. The first was for a foul, which was not disimilar to Anderson's a few miutes beforehand (for which no action was taken). The second was for questioning the ref "what's happening?" after Torres asked for protection from the ref.

He shouldn't have done it and therefore should have been sent off, no arguments from me there. However when you see Rooney effing amd blinding at a clearly petrified linesman, you do wonder where Man United sit in terms of their agreements with the FA.

Still think Rafa was ranting?

[SimonM]

>>as they slow-mo Vidic congratulating himself for the illegal block.:D

[ratty]

Kells Wrote:

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> Fair point ratty. And our stupidity......

>

> I never thought that Spurs v Pompey would be a

> grudge match. Come on you Spurs >:D<

It's always been a grudge match - we never bloody win it! :)

[ratty]

Annasfield Wrote:

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> What are your thoughts on the way that Rooney

> spoke to the linesman after "that" corner?

I thought it was hillarious. The linesman - who had made a complete fook up, looked like he was about to cry!

Cannot blame Rooney for screaming at him imo. Perfectly good and well executed goal disallowed for nothing against Chelsea. I'd scream too!

[Keef]

I think Rooney was a bit of a tit, but have seen plenty of players screaming at refs and getting away with it, don't think it's just because he plays for United.

Makes no odds really, Man U properly beat Chelsea yesterday, and I am feeling nervous.

[Sandperson]

Annasfield Wrote:

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> He shouldn't have done it and therefore should

> have been sent off, no arguments from me there.

> However when you see Rooney effing amd blinding at

> a clearly petrified linesman, you do wonder where

> Man United sit in terms of their agreements with

> the FA.

>

> Still think Rafa was ranting?

I think there's two of you ranting now.

It seems the pressure might be getting to a few people. ;-)

As Ratty says, perfectly good corner disallowed against Chelsea, I'd have been annoyed and let's face it he rants and raves at everyone. Do I like it? No. But there's not a lot I can do about it and I love everything else about him (except where he comes from :-)) and I love his passion.

[matthew123]

Technically it was a perfectly good corner, even if it was gamesmanship, but Rooney should maybe have indicated to linesman his plan as it was unusual and hence did not register with linesman.

Frank Lampard took a kick at the ankle from the already booked Ronaldo in the second half, fair play to Lampard he just grimaced and waved away Ref... wonder what the reaction would have been if it's been the already booked Lampard on Ronaldo or is that a silly question?

[Sandperson]

I watched the highlights last night and saw an almost identical kick from Lampard on Ronaldo in the first half.

I'd also be interested to hear what you thought of Balletti's challenge on Ronaldo towards the end of the game? Lashed out once, didn't stop him, so scythed him down two footed, from behind.

[matthew123]

Belletti should have been given a straight red card - it was a cowardly challenge. I'll not be making any comments over the conduct of Wayne Rooney.

I don't have a problem with Spurs, but oh dear it is not working out with Harry Redknapp is it... Spurs fans welcomed Harry with open arms when he took over from Ramos but I think it's fair to say if he'd taken over in the summer there'd have been running riots outside the Lane... are Spurs going down?

[david_carnell]

ratty Wrote:

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> Annasfield Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > What are your thoughts on the way that Rooney

> > spoke to the linesman after "that" corner?

>

> I thought it was hillarious. The linesman - who

> had made a complete fook up, looked like he was

> about to cry!

>

> Cannot blame Rooney for screaming at him imo.

> Perfectly good and well executed goal disallowed

> for nothing against Chelsea. I'd scream too!

Sorry, but no. This is the problem. Petulent little sh*ts (not just Man Utd by any stretch) who, when a decision doesn't go their way, go off the deep-end. I shudder to think what a lip-reader would have made of it!

Compare this to rugby, and how decisions and discipline are dealt with and the difference is clear. I'm aware of the "pressures" of the modern game (somewhat alleviated by ?80k a week salaries I should think) but this sort of behaviour is one of the biggest turn-offs of the modern game.

[matthew123]

A lip reader would have rang the police and reported that the linesman had racially abused Wayne Rooney.. or at least that is what happened few years back to Steve Finnan when he walked past Patrice Evra with his imaginary pitchfolk..

[Keef]

Was watching a thing about Alan Sugar on BBC last night, was quite interesting hearing him talk about his silly 10 years at Spurs, and what he thinks of a lot of footballers!

[lard]

Annasfield Wrote:

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> Jamie Carragher "Should have listened to Rafa and

> gone zonal" >:D

> How Rooney didn't get a booking there I will never

> know. Come on Chelsea.

Carra is brill. If that was a Liverpool defensive error Monkeyhands would have banged on about zonal marking for a good ten minutes.

Rooney above the "respect" campaign. What a surprise. A 30 yard dash in full fury and a blatant curse at the linesman..nothing done. "Fact"

In all what a depressing weekend. The worst performance by Liverpool of the season. We miss an on form Alonso. Rafa still frustrates me at times the stubborn legend. At no point during the game did we look threatening, yet he still plays with the two defensive midfielders. In a long time we havent changed a system mid game to try to create something different. Previously when we did we won the game (albeit often against 10 men). I would take 2 wins and 3 losses over 5 draws.

So many players ineffectual against the lumps that are Stoke. Still, we will see. Derby is now massive.

Wigan could do us a favour, but Bruce will no doubt rollover for them again. I wonder has any ex Utd player ever beaten Utd whilst managing??

[Sandperson]

Ha, ha. More Liverpool conspiracy theories. It's looking more and more like Benitez isn't the only one who can't take the pressure.

[Keef]

I don't think any Prem manager is going to roll over for anyone (unless it's the end of the season and there is nothing to play for. Ha ha ha ha ha Shef U). Surely one of Fergie's ex players would love to get one over on their old gaffer wouldn't they?

Once I was the student, now I am master! >:D<

Whilst I can see Matthew's point about making the refs look a bit harder at United, I think this whole thing has actually made Rafa look a bit silly. He got no support in the press (except for maybe a couple of through and through reds), he then goes and loses. After the match he should have refused to talk about it, and just talked about the match, but instead talks about "Mr Ferguson" again (is that also a dig saying Mr instead of Sir?). Fergie's team then trash Chelsea, and he gets to take the "moral high ground" by saying just a couple of lines (which he knew would get headlines - DISTURBED!), before saying he'd rather just talk about the match.

Rafa 0 - 1 Fergie

That's my view of it anyway.

Stop farting around, forget everyone else, and just concentrate on the games in front of you. Everyone knows Fergi likes a mind game, so just don't listen to him, or just send him a private death threat! ;-)

[lard]

Sandperson Wrote:

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> Ha, ha. More Liverpool conspiracy theories. It's

> looking more and more like Benitez isn't the only

> one who can't take the pressure.

Just asking a question. In fact I can't recall any of Bruce's sides ever even getting a point. Just asking about facts.

Regarding Rafa's "rant". His little smile half way through showed he was totally doing it for sport. Hardly a Keegan losing it.

And for Meester Ferguson, he hardly has "won" mind games in the past anyway. Wenger got under his nose and made him lose it one year, and Mourinho outdid him on many occasion. To rattle Keegan was hardly difficult....he could often do that of his own accord...see what happened when he was England manager.

So this talk of him being some sort of mind gaming genius is way off the mark. If anything, his continuing petulance in not giving interviews to those who have ever written anything negative towards him, shows he is still the belligerent old classless thunderous nob he has always been. He may be a great manager, but he has always shown to be quick to lose control of his temper etc. Just ask Beckham, Stam, reporters etc.

I'd rather have Rafa any day of the week, even if we don't win as much. I would quite easily be able to have a drink with Rafa and a nice conversation. Same even with Mourinho and Wenger. There is a warmth to all of them, it looks like they can "play the game". I can tell that Whiskeynose would get on my nerves in 10 mins flat.

[matthew123]

Rafa wants to put pressure on Referees taking charge of United - mission accomplished.

The bit about Rafa being disturbed, cracking under pressure, losing the plot is a sideshow and it's the trivial reaction to be expected from commentators and journalists who are more partizan than credible.

If United play football that merits victory then great they'll deserve the honours but Rafa just wants to make sure it's no longer aided by Referees who make cowardly decisions - even if it is at the cost of his personal reputation.

Rafa YNWA.