*Official* English Football Season 2008-2009

[Uppercut]

Yeah, that was a bad decision, outweighed by about five shockers in the other way.

Mmm there was a free kick given outside the box that was blatantly inside it. But i didn't think it was a foul. One between Yaya and Drogba that could have gone either way- unlucky for Chelsea perhaps but hardly a shocker. An excellent tackle from Pique (i think) that i think you may be referring to. One shocker of a blatant handball a short while after Abidal's red. And a handball that was quite rightly not given in the fifth minute of injury time.

Are they the five you had in mind?

I'm finding it strangely bizarre that none of the four Chelsea fans i was with shared your sentiments remotely but everyone on CW does. Their view of it (and mine) was a bit of a "things didn't go our way", as opposed to "Chelsea waz robbed".

 

[Tom Halsey]

I don't care how undeserved it was, that was ****ing hilarious.

 

[grecian]

Am really not going to get into this, it's just how I saw the match, and it's coming from someone who desperately wants Barca too take the thing out. Just thought it was poor in the extreme.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Geez, i didn't expect this extent of pro-Chelsea feeling. None of the Chelsea fans i was watching it with thought they were cheated at all, and Anelka's dive was pretty shocking.

I wouldn't have minded a Chelsea win because i'd fancy our chances moreso against them than Barca, but i can't agree that they deserved a win. Only one team tried to play football for 180 minutes (+3).

Whaaat?

Find that really hard to believe, tbh. Any fan is going to be outraged because they've been absolutely robbed.

Suffice to say my Chav following acquaitances somewhat less than philosophical about it judging by their texts.

 

[GIMH]

Mmm there was a free kick given outside the box that was blatantly inside it. But i didn't think it was a foul. One between Yaya and Drogba that could have gone either way- unlucky for Chelsea perhaps but hardly a shocker. An excellent tackle from Pique (i think) that i think you may be referring to. One shocker of a blatant handball a short while after Abidal's red. And a handball that was quite rightly not given in the fifth minute of injury time.

Are they the five you had in mind?

I'm finding it strangely bizarre that none of the four Chelsea fans i was with shared your sentiments remotely but everyone on CW does. Their view of it (and mine) was a bit of a "things didn't go our way", as opposed to "Chelsea waz robbed".

I just plucked five from out of thin air, but I'll give it a go.

The free-kick outside the box, yeah, penalty
The one between yaya and Drogba - was that where Drogba got his shirt pulled and then tripped? How that isn't a shocker is beyond me
The Pique handball - definite
The handball at the end - I posted at the time that I wouldn't have given it, watching it again, I'm 60-40 in favour of it being given, the whole team of analysts on sky said it should have been given. He puts his arm up, you can argue that he didn't intentionally handle it but he knew there was a risk of doing it when he stuck his arm up so there could be no complaints had it been given. That being said I wouldn't have given it in real-time, but I think "quite rightly" is going a little far.

The tackle I'll give you, so there, three or four penalties they should have had. One is bad enough, two is atrocious, three is a dead set disgrace!!! And the Drogba one was a shocker, I would be interested in what argument there could be for that to not be given!

Of course, Barca were shafted by the red card, and the poor guy will miss the final, but in all honesty it's a final they shouldn't be in.

 

[Uppercut]

Whaaat?

Find that really hard to believe, tbh. Any fan is going to be outraged because they've been absolutely robbed.

Suffice to say my Chav following acquaitances somewhat less than philosophical about it judging by their texts.

*Shrugs*

I guess it doesn't really matter.

I'm pretty keen on Barca because in my view they're everything that's good about football. They're effectively run by their own fans, they never sold their shirt to some ****ty company and only sponsor a charity, they always try to play the sport in the most beautiful way possible (and do so successfully). They run an excellent youth system and turn locals like Xavi, Iniesta and Valdes into top-class players. They're chock full of the most likeable footballers under the sun- Messi, Eto'o, Xavi. Even their spoiler, Yaya Toure, is hard to hate. And they're managed by the coolest man in the world. I'd support them against anyone bar United, tbh.

While feverishly supporting United i'm still acutely aware that they're often ****s. Barca to me just seem as close to the idealistic football club as exists. They're exactly what every fans wishes their club would be like.

 

[GIMH]

The last line isn't particularly true, fair enough on the rest though

 

[GIMH]

Hiddink fuming

 

[Uppercut]

I just plucked five from out of thin air, but I'll give it a go.

The free-kick outside the box, yeah, penalty
The one between yaya and Drogba - was that where Drogba got his shirt pulled and then tripped? How that isn't a shocker is beyond me
The Pique handball - definite
The handball at the end - I posted at the time that I wouldn't have given it, watching it again, I'm 60-40 in favour of it being given, the whole team of analysts on sky said it should have been given. He puts his arm up, you can argue that he didn't intentionally handle it but he knew there was a risk of doing it when he stuck his arm up so there could be no complaints had it been given. That being said I wouldn't have given it in real-time, but I think "quite rightly" is going a little far.

The tackle I'll give you, so there, three or four penalties they should have had. One is bad enough, two is atrocious, three is a dead set disgrace!!! And the Drogba one was a shocker, I would be interested in what argument there could be for that to not be given!

Of course, Barca were shafted by the red card, and the poor guy will miss the final, but in all honesty it's a final they shouldn't be in.

The Drogba one- it may have been a penalty by the law, but it didn't look like a penalty so i think it's harsh to criticise the ref for. There was a bit of a tangle of legs, but he didn't go over until it was clear that he wasn't getting the ball. And while it was still a foul, in real time with only one look at it, i reckon most refs would have made the same decision. Wrong decision? Probably, yes. Shocker? Harsh on the ref IMO.

The handball at the end hit his armpit. Technically that's a penalty, but how's he supposed to make the call of whether it hit his armpit or ribcage when the ball was blasted at him from two yards? Again, it's harsh on the ref to call that a shocker, whether it was a technical foul or not.

The other handball was the only inexplicable horrendous decision. Apart from, of course, Anelka's dive. And as far as "deserving" to win goes, it's worth noting that none of the dodgy decisions against Chelsea were a direct result of a Barcelona player's blatant cheating- and none of them put a player who had done nothing wrong out of what should be the biggest game of his life.

 

[GIMH]

Hiddink defending Drogba; he says that he understands how his players feel and as long as they don't touch the ref he's no problem! Fair one!

The UEFA conspiracy theories flying about, can see fines being handed out like England Test caps tomorrow

 

[Tom Halsey]

Not seen all the incidents, as I wasn't watching most of the game, but I've just seen the Pique 'handball', and IMO it was never a penalty. So accidental it's untrue.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Having seen them (on poor replays admittedly), ball hits arm on both handball shouts, imo. On the second one the Barca player is trying to get his hand away from the ball ffs.

 

[GIMH]

The Drogba one- it may have been a penalty by the law, but it didn't look like a penalty so i think it's harsh to criticise the ref for. There was a bit of a tangle of legs, but he didn't go over until it was clear that he wasn't getting the ball. And while it was still a foul, in real time with only one look at it, i reckon most refs would have made the same decision. Wrong decision? Probably, yes. Shocker? Harsh on the ref IMO.

The tangle of legs may not have been obvious but he had hold of his shirt! It was obvious, I saw it in real time, posted that it should have been a pen before the replay, and I'm not paid to make these decisions. At the end of the day, he's probably earned more than I will all month to referee this match, so yeah, missing that one is a shocker. If I made a mistake like that in my job I'd be up on disciplinary.

The handball at the end hit his armpit. Technically that's a penalty, but how's he supposed to make the call of whether it hit his armpit or ribcage when the ball was blasted at him from two yards? Again, it's harsh on the ref to call that a shocker, whether it was a technical foul or not.

Well tbf in the post you quoted I did say that you could give that one either way. As for how's he supposed to make the call? Again, isn't that what he's paid for???

The other handball was the only inexplicable horrendous decision. Apart from, of course, Anelka's dive

Look, I hate Anelka as much as the next man. He used to play for the filth, can't stand the bloke. Not convinced he dived. Not completely convinced there was no contact (wouldn't have given the foul or the red but reckon there may well have been contact, watch it slowed down) and I really don't think he took a deliberate tumble.

And as far as "deserving" to win goes, it's worth noting that none of the dodgy decisions against Chelsea were a direct result of a Barcelona player's blatant cheating- and none of them put a player who had done nothing wrong out of what should be the biggest game of his life.

Well I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on how pulling an attacker's shirt isn't cheating? Because that is EXACTLY what it is. Shirtpulling is just as bad as diving, it's so cynical, it's a clear indication that you aren't trying to play the ball but to stop your opponent by unlawful means. I think Pique handling the ball pretty much counts as cheating as well, but it's obviously harder to prove that he fully knew what he was doing there. But shirtpulling is blatant cheating, Anelka's fall is questionable and certainly not a definitive dive.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Not seen all the incidents, as I wasn't watching most of the game, but I've just seen the Pique 'handball', and IMO it was never a penalty. So accidental it's untrue.

Apart from scooping the ball away from Anelka, yes. Entirely accidental.

I didn't honestly have any strong feelings as to who I wanted to win before the game, but really Chelsea have been stitched up.

 

[GIMH]

almost feel like supporting United in the final because I just don't think Barca should be there

 

[Tom Halsey]

Apart from scooping the ball away from Anelka, yes. Entirely accidental.

I didn't honestly have any strong feelings as to who I wanted to win before the game, but really Chelsea have been stitched up.

Are we talking about the same incident? Didn't see Anelka in the frame tbh in the one replay I saw.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Are we talking about the same incident? Didn't see Anelka in the frame tbh in the one replay I saw.

It was Anelka who played the ball Pique handled, so don't know how he couldn't be. Maybe you are talking about something else.

 

[Uppercut]

Look, I hate Anelka as much as the next man. He used to play for the filth, can't stand the bloke. Not convinced he dived. Not completely convinced there was no contact (wouldn't have given the foul or the red but reckon there may well have been contact, watch it slowed down) and I really don't think he took a deliberate tumble.


Well I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on how pulling an attacker's shirt isn't cheating? Because that is EXACTLY what it is. Shirtpulling is just as bad as diving, it's so cynical, it's a clear indication that you aren't trying to play the ball but to stop your opponent by unlawful means. I think Pique handling the ball pretty much counts as cheating as well, but it's obviously harder to prove that he fully knew what he was doing there. But shirtpulling is blatant cheating, Anelka's fall is questionable and certainly not a definitive dive.

The clincher for me was that as soon as he fell he turned towards the referee and threw his arms up in an appeal. You don't do that if you slip while running through on goal.

 

[GIMH]

Hmm, fair point in a way but it still doesn't mean he dived. It just doesn't look like a dive, in all honesty. If you're Nicolas Anelka, and you fall over, then you are enough of a **** to milk it and think, maybe I'll get something here. That being said, i still think there might well have actually been contact. Honestly, watch it again slowed down.

 

[Uppercut]

Well tbf in the post you quoted I did say that you could give that one either way. As for how's he supposed to make the call? Again, isn't that what he's paid for???

I don't really agree with the principle that because he's a professional referee he should have superhuman eyesight. Whatever he gives, he's going to be upsetting someone, and there'll always be supporters somewhere who'll look at it on replay and still think it's not a penalty.

I'm giving him a fair shot because from his point of view it was a hard penalty to give. I'd have done the same, i suspect. I was no different with regards to Fletcher's sending off- from the ref's point of view, it was a fair decision. (The flaw is in the system's refusal to reverse his decision- supposedly protecting referees, but instead leaving him open to massive amounts of criticism when otherwise it would be shrugged off as inconsequential.)

Even look at the Anelka decision- the entire bar cringed in unison when they showed a slo-motion replay of that one, but still you're saying there's contact. I would have called that a completely inexplicable shocker, and there's someone else around who thinks it may have been the right decision even after multiple replays. The guy can't really win.