We Go Again! The Premier League thread

[Crimey]

First topic message reminder :

This would be a huge day for Leicester if it stays like it is.

[Hammersmith harrier]

He's been terrible for getting the two big decisions absolutely spot on.

[compelling and rich]

not much in that one

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

That one wasn't a penalty

[Ent]

He's been terrible for getting the two big decisions absolutely spot on.

Vardys dive was an easy decision - he got 3 penalties wrong.

[compelling and rich]

yeah first major mistake really

[NickisBHAFC]

Yes Leciester!

What a game, what a season. What a football club!

Cresswell what a strike, should be England's left back.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Weak refereeing, bowing to the pressure.

[Ent]

Weak refereeing, bowing to the pressure.

Thought he got the big decisions spot on...

[Hammersmith harrier]

He got the two big decisions against Leicester right then ruined it with a shocker.

[Ent]

Just some anti Leicester sentiment really, good to see.

[Hammersmith harrier]

It's not anti Leicester sentiment at all, everyone wants to see them win but you seem to be of the opinion that decisions can't go against them.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Can I complain about the ref? Or am I being bitter?

[Ent]

It's not anti Leicester sentiment at all, everyone wants to see them win but you seem to be of the opinion that decisions can't go against them.

You seem to think a ref is good for giving decisions against them when really he was poor.

Like I said, nice to see some anti Leicester stuff going on - variety is the spice of life.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Ent being typical as ever. Even gonna mention that Leicester's goal shouldn't have stood for the foul in the box? And the equaliser is never a pen. But it's cos we're no good that these decisions affect us, not incompetence

[Ent]

Can I complain about the ref? Or am I being bitter?

Loses its effect when you do it after every game

[Ent]

Ent being typical as ever. Even gonna mention that Leicester's goal shouldn't have stood for the foul in the box? And the equaliser is never a pen. But it's cos we're no good that these decisions affect us, not incompetence

Already said the ref was crap.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

It's not anti Leicester sentiment at all, everyone wants to see them win but you seem to be of the opinion that decisions can't go against them.

You're spot on HH

[Ent]

Decisions need to be correct, the direction they go in is neither here nor there. There were lots of incorrect decisions today.

[Fernando]

Why is anyone surprised by what Jon Moss does?

I mean really most weeks there is a team complaining at him being incompetent

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Basically just got scared. No bottle and shouldn't be back in the Prem. All he was doing was levelling it up

[Ent]

Throughout the game he got things wrong, look at Vardys first yellow for example.

[Ent]

Didn't notice the ref warning Huth and Morgan, they can't complain to be fair.

I will say that is definitely a dive from Reid, not moving at much speed and minimal contact.

[JDizzle]

- Vardy dive was definitely a dive. Correct.
- West Ham penalty was a penalty (Reid has milked it though), but you have to be consistent on these things. Seems nonsense that he's been letting them go all game and then suddenly gives one.
- Leicester penalty is soft. Carroll should never give him the opportunity to go down there, but it still isn't a penalty.

[Guest]

There was contact, the West Ham player had a hand on Vardy's shoulder then arm.  There may have also been contact with the feet, they were very close.  But it looked like Vardy could have run on and scored but he seemed to launch himself upwards a little into what looked like a dive.  So there was contact but there was nothing in that contact that looked like preventing Vardy from staying on his feet and scoring.  I think as refereeing decisions go it was a defendable yellow card - and not a big deal.  It was only a big deal in the context of the game and in the context of the rest of the season.  Vardy will miss the next game against Swansea.

PS The Referee was behind the action so would not have been able to see the precise nature of the contact (in particular if there was a tanglement of feet) - so he was working on overall shape of the falling over - and this did seem to be dive like.

[Ent]

- Vardy dive was definitely a dive. Correct.
- West Ham penalty was a penalty (Reid has milked it though), but you have to be consistent on these things. Seems nonsense that he's been letting them go all game and then suddenly gives one.
- Leicester penalty is soft. Carroll should never give him the opportunity to go down there, but it still isn't a penalty.

They were just all dives plain and simple in my opinion.

It isn't something I agree with but the ref has told huthcand Morgan to stop holding and they've kept doing it. They can't really complain.

[Guest]

Very classy post match interview given by Claudio Ranieri:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36067721

He certainly gives the appearance of calm and appreciation of their position and this probably rubs off onto his players.  He focuses on the facts of the game, the now and the future - rather than moaning on the should haves and might haves.

[Guest]

Arsenal 1-1 Crystal Palace - Bolasie

[Ent]

Cechs dropped that in.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

One of the most Arsenal performances ever

[NickisBHAFC]

Arsenal following there season script once again. What a boring club.

[Ent]

4 points behind both city and arsenal.

Their remaining fixtures look straight forward but they do play each other in the penultimate game.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

We should be right in that. Ridiculous. 

No idea how you can say Reid dived. He runs and is shoved whilst running at pace. Most importantly, Morgan has fouled him because he shoves him.

[Stella]

Not another dodgy penalty decision?

So, we will be seeing a new name on the trophy this season. Tottenham need a point tomorrow, with Leicester having Swansea next plus Everton, who's league form has been patchy.

[Corporalhumblebucket]

From the highlights it looked like ref completely lost control of the game, though it was initially a good (and brave) decision to book Vardy. Leicester's equalising penalty at the end ridiculously soft - looked to me like the ref capitulated to the pressure of the situation. Could and should have been several other penalties earlier, at least one of them to Leicester.

[Crimey]

Should lose his job by that logic.

A ref is either impartial or he isn't.

Sorry Ent, that is a nonsense comment.

Shall we only recruit referees that hate football. As long as referees are kept clear of games they could be perceived to be biased, then theres no real issue.

It is basically doubting their character, they can either ref games or they can't. I'd have left him on that game, he's a professional.

It isn't really to do with that. I don't think they are doubting the referee's professionalism, they are doubting the football media and fans' ability to acknowledge the referee can be professional. If he had to make a big decision in that game against Tottenham, it would create a furore that is easily avoidable if he's just swapped games. It puts unnecessary focus on the referee.

[Ent]

However they are the ones creating the media attention by withdrawing him.

Also the fa are not here to bow to the media, they are here to run the game.

[GSC]

They are withdrawing him to avoid it. Can you imagine if Friend gave that penalty yesterday and pictures emerged of him at a Leicester game for example.

Itd be an absolute ****storm.

They took any and all potential controversy out of it with a sensible move. I really don't get the issue here. To 99% of the world its just a sensible thing to do on multiple levels.

[GSC]

I mean the FA routinely avoid putting refs in games where fandom may give rise to bias claims. Its only a story now its at the end of the title race.

[Scott is Back]

They are withdrawing him to avoid it. Can you imagine if Friend gave that penalty yesterday and pictures emerged of him at a Leicester game for example.

Itd be an absolute ****storm.

They took any and all potential controversy out of it with a sensible move. I really don't get the issue here. To 99% of the world its just a sensible thing to do on multiple levels.

I dont think the problem is the fact he is not refereeing the game, its the way its played out. This could have all been avoided by not allocating him the game in the first place. The fact they give it to him, and then removed him, almost looks like the FA question his integrity, and automatically makes people suspicious.

If he hadnt have been given the game in the first place, nobody would be any wiser for it!

[GSC]

I would imagine the FA filter out known affiliations (I.e a ref who grew up supporting Newcastle could not ref Newcastle or Sunderland games). As the Spurs "rivalry" is pretty ad hoc, it probably got added last minute. Dunno how long in advance refs get assigned to games tbh.

But still. I really cant see any real reason to be suspicious. The FA are protecting themselves and their refs against accusations of bias,and with the amount gambled on the PL, these things can quickly spiral.

[Fernando]

When becoming a ref you have to put down clubs you support or have an affiliation to. you'd have thought the FA would have known not to put him on a spurs game tbh with leicester going for the title.

This just opens a big hole up for a lot of complaints tbh in future over ref assignments.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

He's not a Leicester fan. He's a Bristol City fan. He just went to a Leicester game this year with some friends.

The FA have shown no balls, and it's sad people would actually kick off.

[GSC]

I think the FA just took the safe and sensible approach to remove any chance of anything coming out of it. At no cost to anyone.

Its sad the conspiracy theorists are out to try and make something from nothing.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

Well thats what it is. The FA have bowed down because theyre scared someone will make a big deal out of it. However, a statement about the integrity of their referees would have shown some faith

[Fernando]

It was Spurs fans on social media that brought it up in the 1st place.

If you judge a ref on by where they live then your going to run out of refs very quickly for certain games

[Ent]

Vardy charged with improper conduct.

[Fernando]

Doesn't surprise me the FA are idiots, What they were expecting him to do when the ref sends him off for diving. He's hardly going to ok you got me. It was hardly the worse reaction to a red card, Chelsea players do worse then that when one of their teammates been sent off.

[Dolphin Ziggler]

He screamed in his face, aggressively jabbing his finger at him, calling him a f***ing c**t. Whats he supposed to do? Not that.

[Hammersmith harrier]

Rugby players don't react like that so it's a crap excuse Nando.

[Fernando]

You see players every week swearing at the ref. So just cos he pointed at him he gets an extra game ban. Sure why not.

I suppose we're start seeing more bannings for people going f**k off ref? I doubt it. You either ban the lot or ban no one. It doesn't matter weather he's call the ref a c*nt,W**ker or tells him to f**k off it's still swearing and it's still an red card offence that gets often wrongly overlooked.

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