*Official* English Football Season 2013-14

[sledger]

I don't think there's a place for this sort of behaviour anywhere tbh, whether it's in a sporting context or elsewhere.

 

[wpdavid]

Honestly it really wasn't that gentle either. It would be one thing (I guess) if he just put his hand on him while they were talking or something, but it was pretty aggressive even if it wasn't exactly like he punched him or anything. Like I said at the time, should really be a straight red every time. Touching the referee should be completely out of line, the way it is in basically every other sport in the world.

I've seen people supporting the decision on the grounds that Sterling is young, which is just silly. You wouldn't give him a pass for lashing out at another player in frustration, so he shouldn't get one here either.

It's a natural consequence of allowing footballers to get away scott free with the most appalling dissent every week. Of course Sterling should have walked for that, but he knew full well that most refs haven't got the balls to do the right thing. Maybe because of this ludicrous set-up whereby they are assessed by the EPL managers, which continues to be a blight on our game. No wonder so many people are drifting out of the game at kids' level, when even at professional level refs allow themselves to be treated like vermin, with the obvious consequences elsewhere.

Rant over..

 

[Furball]

It's about time they mic'd up the refs like they do in rugby. Reckon players would be much less keen to give referees abuse if it was being broadcast to the nation.

 

[Uppercut]

The stats that prove Howard Webb bottles big decisions - Telegraph

Burn. That article should be a career-ender.

 

[Furball]

Nor does it prove that he's a bad referee. What it does show is that since 2010, he has become a lot more wary of influencing a game.

Er, not giving decisions influences games just as much as giving decisions does.

His career should be over after Sunday anyway. For the Suarez non-penalty, he's either blind or deliberately bottled a decision. Neither quality is especially good in a referee.

 

[Uppercut]

He talks about that earlier in the article. It's called Omission Bias. People err on the side of inactivity when they're under pressure.

 

[sledger]

He's basically just the human embodiment of the precautionary principle, in other words. Not exactly a stellar recommendation.

 

[Cabinet96]

Sledger to comment on City playing two fullbacks to cover for Clichy

 

[Eds]

Haha, it's because Barca play with two wingers on the right.

 

[Pothas]

Refuse to believe this is going to be a let down.

 

[GIMH]

Crawley, an even bigger joke than us

 

[Pothas]

Yeah, not sure how they are going to finish the season tbh.

 

[GIMH]

Seen pictures of the pitch on twitter, ridiculous that they left it until tonight to call it off. Proper gutted for the fans who travelled down there

 

[Cabinet96]

Props to ITV for the buildup btw.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Think we went the first 15 minutes without completing a pass.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Dani Alves has the kind of face you'd just love to smash repeatedly into pavement.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Have to say I think Kolarov is a bit lucky there. Didn't look too clever on replay.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Negredo has been good but sooooo wasteful.

 

[Uppercut]

Don't think it's a red card but it's shocking technique, will get sent off quite a bit tackling like that.

Really not a lot happening. Shutting out Barca is easier than it used to be.

 

[Tom Halsey]

That half got a bit better as it went on. First 15 minutes were the sort of boring spell that can happen with Barcelona occasionally, them being unable to break down a defence and just passing sideways from left to right and back again for ages. Got a bit better once City came more into the game.