Football Focus

[Keef]

Okay, lets start keeping some sort of count of decisions refs have gotten wrong involving Man U... I am a Liverpool fan, but I am getting fed up with moaning about Man U... We have had plenty of soft free kicks and penalties awarded to us in recent years, even this season, at the end of the day, EVERY team gets decisions for and against them, I reckon it all pretty much evens out.

In times gone by, Man U players were disgraceful (Kean et al getting in the ref's face), but to be honest, I don't think you see anymore of it from United than anyone else these days. (although Ronaldo's sarky clapping thing has to stop!).

[matthew123]

Well the list is endless and I've not been keeping a list but so let us get ball rolling with MANCWATCH from yesterday with these Refereeing "mistakes" :-

MANCWATCH verus Chelsea

=======================

1) No card for Rooney when swiping at Boswinga in first half

2) No card for Rooney snarling at Ref over free kick (see 1)

3) No card for Rooney intimidating linesman after disallowed corner kick goal.

4) No card for Ronaldo after kicking Lampard in ankle

5) Letting the 3rd goal stand after Vidic block

6) No card for Ronaldo when he put ball into net after whistle already blown for offside

7) No card for Ronaldo after diving in box after tusseling with Carvalho in box.

[ratty]

Let's get back to talking about how much of a coont Redknapp is ffs!

[Sandperson]

I, like everyone else, am waiting for the day that I tune into a game being pundited by Jamie Redknapp only to find that his face has fallen six inches and he can only lift his eyelids halfway up his eyes.

I don't like the man (Harry) and I never will. He is a crook and a turncoat. The only thing Appy Arry cares about is keep Arry Appy.

That good enough for you Ratty?

[Rhinestone Cowboy]

The Tottenham captain has warned his team-mates that the club, who lost 1-0 at Wigan yesterday, will be relegated if they do not improve. "We need people to stand up and fight for each other, be counted as men and as players," he said. "That has not been happening enough."

Going down.

[????]

They should sign up McAvennie....he's just got 6 months for fighting outise a club.......I LOVE that bloke

[Jah Lush]

I thnk Harry got his tactics wrong yesterday and is now blaming it on the players. Jermaine Jenas had only been on the pitch for ten minutes and although his marking was poor and led to the winning goal can't be blamed for all of Spurs ills.

Redknapp picked what I thought was a very negative side - three centre halves or four if you count Corluka and no flair in midfield. Just look at the bench, Huddlestone, Jenas, Lennon, Bentley and Bent (although he's about as much use as a one-legged man in an arse kicking competition). Lennon and Jenas and Huddlestone (when fit) have been three of our better this season when selected.

Face it Harry you got it wrong.

[ratty]

Actually it should be "Saggy Face it Harry" :D

He will never take the blame for anything that goes wrong. How many times has he ever spoken about taking the scummers down? Never!

His favourite story line is how he kept Pompey up. Well, the facts are that when Harry took over in December that season we were 17th. And where did we finish that season? Oh yeah - 17th. Thanks Harry!

Spurs fans I know are beginning to see through the man.

Never mind, three points for Harry on Sunday sadly. :(

[mockney piers]

"I, like everyone else, am waiting for the day that I tune into a game being pundited by Jamie Redknapp only to find that his face has fallen six inches and he can only lift his eyelids halfway up his eyes."

I've my own issues with 'arry (though he'll always be a Hammer at heart), but that's a little harsh. Harry looks like that after a bad car crash where Brian Tiler died and Harry wasn't too far off himself.

[Jah Lush]

Well said Piers.

Spurs may well be doing very well in the Cups but it's the league that is our bread and butter. I still have faith in him and I'm sure we'll stay up but any more results like Sunday's capitulation in the last minute against Wigan and we'll be wanting Juande Ramos back before you can say "relegation". No, seriously even I wouldn't go that far.

[????]

Us Irons tend to call Harry "Old Bagpuss"

[Sandperson]

mockney piers Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> "I, like everyone else, am waiting for the day

> that I tune into a game being pundited by Jamie

> Redknapp only to find that his face has fallen six

> inches and he can only lift his eyelids halfway up

> his eyes."

>

> I've my own issues with 'arry (though he'll always

> be a Hammer at heart), but that's a little harsh.

> Harry looks like that after a bad car crash where

> Brian Tiler died and Harry wasn't too far off

> himself.

Fair enough. I feel bad now. He has totally lost his sense of smell too.

[ratty]

Don't feel bad; he is still a coont. My ex bird's dad was with Arry in that accident. He also survived.

[Annasfield]

My point wasn't about making the wrong decision. It was about dissent and the "respect the ref" campaign, which appears to be a completed and utter load of bollocks in the eyes of some clubs.

[Mick Mac]

this respect the ref stuff was never going to apply to man united. Rafa's 'good point well made'.

[Sandperson]

Annasfield Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> My point wasn't about making the wrong decision.

> It was about dissent and the "respect the ref"

> campaign, which appears to be a completed and

> utter load of bollocks in the eyes of some clubs.

And all the discussion on the pitch goes through your captain does it? I can't see any clubs adhereing to the respect policy, I don't think it's just United.

[matthew123]

Until Referees start showing yellow cards to tw@ts like Ferdinand, Neville and Rooney when they charge up to officials spouting their heads off and have the body language that they're going to head butt someone this Respect campaign will continue to be a joke.

We have Ronaldo every other week rolling over and screaming like a schoolgirl trying to get opponents booked - and then when boot is on other foot it's always a sheepish apology to player and ref.

I know all clubs have their moments but it tends to be spontanious and not something worked out on the training field like it seems to be at United. The case in point being Vidic congratulating himself as much as Berbatov for his illegal "Basketball" block for the 3rd goal versus Chelsea.

[Sandperson]

It's getting to the point where all I do is laugh at your posts. You don't know a bloke called Atilla the Gooner do you?

[matthew123]

Sandperson, is that a nervous chuckle we hear as I hammer home the truth of the matter!?

Please tell, what exactly have I said that you disagree with - and I don't want to hear your opinion just FACTS ;-)

[Sandperson]

You speak the truth. My team are a bunch of low life, cheating, robbing, scumbags who couldn't win a football match if they were made to play fair. In fact, you know what? I'm going to change my team to Liverpool. they are so wonderful, genuine and blameless. Now how does the song go? You'll never walk again??

[Rhinestone Cowboy]

Does anyone really like Man Utd.. I can remember back in 1988 when part of the Icf kicking the crap out of the red army now those were the days.

[Sandperson]

Yes, bring it back I say. A good fight on a saturday afternoon. Weren't games much better then? ::o

[Keef]

You don't know a bloke called Atilla the Gooner do you?

Ha ha, funnily enough I said something similar to Anna at the drinks last Friday. To be honest, I think all this anti United stuff just makes other supporters look stupid, and it should stop.

I agree Ronaldo is a bit of a tit, despite being an awesome player. However, I think all the teams are pretty much as bad as each other, and I would rather just have a good race for the title between 2 or 3 good teams without all the finger pointing bo!!ocks. It's playground nonsense!

Note, not just pointing the finger at you there Matthew, but things like

something worked out on the training field like it seems to be at United

are just rubbish.

Liverpool's own Michael Owen admitted openly after winning a penalty for England against Argentina that whilst he wouldn't "dive", he would make the most aof a tackle if he thought he'd gain advantage for his team. It's a bit naff, but it's part of the game, and Stevie Gerrard, who I love as a player, has won more than one penalty by going down very easily! Just ask Shef United about their first ever premiership match!

[matthew123]

Just picking up on that last point. I was at that Sheffield United game, and if Stevie G had not hurdled that scissors tackle he'd have had his leg broken besides defender being sent off and getting the penalty. That for me is a clear penalty - it's bit like saying you only get sent off if your punch connects with the opponents nose.

Yes Gerrard has been given a number of soft penalties most lately against Atletico Madrid, and Michael Owen has certainly done his duty for England. It's probably that hyprocracy that would have seen tabloids demanding the V.C. for Rooney if he'd managed to get Ronaldo sent off in last World Cup in the same manner he was red carded.

Keef do you not think United practice certain illegal maneuvers on the training pitch? and just so people don't think I'm picking on United same also applies to Chelsea under Mourinho. Who'll ever forget Carvalho spinning Barcelona goalkeeper around at corner kick and then Terry nods ball into unprotected goal from 18 yards!

[Keef]

I honestly wouldn't know, maybe they do, and if they do, I'm sure a lot of teams do. I used to play a lot of rugby, and we were taught lots of dirty tricks to use in scrummages that the ref couldn't see, so it wouldn't surprise me.

The fact is though, Man U and Chelsea have been the top 2 teams in recent years, so it's not surprising that you notice it and point fingers. I hate to say it, but part of it is jealousy, and should Liverpool manage to win a couple of titles (God, just one would be nice), I am sure a lot more attention will be paid to our players, and fingers pointed their way.

If West Ham, Spurs, Blackburn, or whoever were the top team, we'd all be saying the same about their players. Everyone does these things, and everyone wants to be top, so it's those teams at the top that are under the spotlight more than most.

You point out a couple of examples, and you may well be right, but 2 examples of planned moves doesn't really say that much to me.