The FA cup 16/17

First topic message reminder :

no thread on this seasons so far so thought id start one, be rude not to gloat a little bit at liverpool

The only ruling I can find regarding that is taken from the US referees handbook, there's nothing mentioning it (as far as I'm aware) in the rules from the FA, UEFA or FIFA.

Hero - I don't think you'll find the specific answer you are after in the laws. My understanding is that the referee has discretion as to what he considers a cautionable unsporting offence. On that basis, the ref was entitled to show a second yellow and especially so since he had just effectively warned the whole United team via him speaking to their captain.

I do regard Oliver having spoken to Smalling as particularly significant. That really then put the onus on Smalling to ensure that his team mates toed the line.

Looking through the FA rules on what warrants a yellow card it's basically quite poor as to what they state regarding persistent fouling:

The FA wrote:Persistent infringement of the Laws of the Game (no specific number or pattern of infringements constitutes “persistent”)

That's it.

Which suggests it's up to the ref's interpretation as to what he deems "persistent"? It could depend on a number of things: how "spread out" the fouls are, how severe, whether they're targeting a specific player, etc. Now I wasn't privy to Oliver's conversation with Smalling, but the likeliest interpretation is him saying that there'd been rather a lot of fouls or words to that effect. With that in mind, for Herrera to commit yet another niggly foul right off the free-kick was staggeringly stupid.

He was consistently cut down. Its not about bad tackles, although plenty left some on him purpose (let him know they were there, some might say), but its the constant actions of doing it.

Hatchet job was planned and the ref was onto it. Herrera made no attempt to win the ball, made full attempt to foul him, deserved the booking in the context of it, especially adding that he had been screaming in the ref's face minutes earlier.

To me it suggests that the FA really need to tighten up on woolly rulings.

Maybe but that doesn't mean Oliver was in the wrong to book him.

Clearly warned Smalling the next niggling tackle on Hazard was going to be a booking. Either Smalling didn't communicate that effectively or Herrera was too thick to listen. Possibly both.

It doesn't mean he was in the wrong though it does mean 'persistent' should be quantified a bit better than 'no specific number' and if it refers to individually or collectively.

Referee's need to be given discretion, it allows them to manage games better. Having too strict and specific rules will only make referee's jobs more difficult and make games less interesting.

This wasn't a particularly interesting sending off, it's pretty straight forward for most people that he should have been sent off. He got two bookable offences.

If someone turns you & you trip them you getting booked. It was just seriously dumb by Herrera regardless of the "persistent fouling" it's a yellow card more often than not that offence.

Fernando wrote:If someone turns you & you trip them you getting booked. It was just seriously dumb by Herrera regardless of the "persistent fouling" it's a yellow card more often than not that offence.

Not actually the rules but anyway.

Anyway awful dive there in the Chelsea game.

Surprise surprise Chelsea a lot better when they have their best attackers on the pitch.

Spurs gonna spurs

Chelsea will deservedly get the plaudits as they won, but for most of the game I thought Spurs played better.

Ent wrote:

Fernando wrote:If someone turns you & you trip them you getting booked. It was just seriously dumb by Herrera regardless of the "persistent fouling" it's a yellow card more often than not that offence.

Not actually the rules but anyway.

Anyway awful dive there in the Chelsea game.

It kinda is though

Arsenal are working like dogs. Been a while.

Highly forgetful season for Pep

Just John wrote:Highly forgetful season for Pep

Could it have gone any worse?

Results don't matter. It's all about the philosophy, apparently...

Citeh have needed a big clearout for a while - and it needs to happen this summer. Zabaleta, Sagna, Clichy, Kolarov, Toure, Fernando, Navas, Caballero - just a few who need to be shipped off

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Citeh have needed a big clearout for a while - and it needs to happen this summer.  Zabaleta, Sagna, Clichy, Kolarov, Toure, Fernando, Navas, Caballero - just a few who need to be shipped off

dont forget the superb bravo