Nice vs. Nasty on the Ref

[peter123]

Clearly we are stronger than last season but what about the pressure piled on the ref today?

Dont get me wrong i dont approve of these dirty tactics, but fergie and the other top 4 managers seems to be drilling this into their team.

Surely now its a case of if we cant beat 'em join 'em?

Proof in the pudding today that you cant beat top 4 teams with all the decisions running against you at key times.

 

[Legend10]

The reason we lost this game wasn't down to the referee.

However it has to be said that UTD players basically refereed the game, The ref was like a naughty schoolboy constantly being told off and shown what he should be doing. Unfortunately unlike a nughty schoolboy he soon fell into line and done as he was told.

So much for the respect campaign.

 

[3Dnata]

I have sympathy with the original post but does this mean we would behave like A.Cole at the Lane a couple of seasons back?
It does seem right that if you don't bully refs you won't get on though and it will cost you.

 

[TheChosenOne]

It doesn't start on the pitch, it starts a few days before any game when Fergi,Wenger, Benitez and others make statements before the game about difficulties with previous refs/decisions and asking for protection for certain players putting the ref and his assistants under pressure before the match starts.

They then get in the officals faces during the game to sway/terrify the officals and then rip them to pieces after a match during interviews and in the press for days afterwards.

Job done.

 

[markiespurs]

The reason we lost this game wasn't down to the referee.

However it has to be said that UTD players basically refereed the game, The ref was like a naughty schoolboy constantly being told off and shown what he should be doing. Unfortunately unlike a nughty schoolboy he soon fell into line and done as he was told.

So much for the respect campaign.

He was'nt the sole reason we lost yesterday, but he was partly responcible for our loss with his dodgy decisions and the way he caved in to utd's bullying tactics.

For me, the constant bullying of the ref by the likes of Utd is something which urgently needs to be tackled by the F.A and Fifa.

 

[Legend10]

He was'nt the sole reason we lost yesterday, but he was partly responcible for our loss with his dodgy decisions and the way he caved in to utd's bullying tactics.

I agree. I think especially Rooney and Scholes behaviour in constantly asking for players to be booked was really distasteful, so much for respecting your fellow pro's!

The ref was sadly just very very weak and was bullied throughout, interesting to hear Stoke fans complaining that Chelsea players constantly challenged and bullied the ref at the Britannia yesterday.

UTD and Chelsea in particular are out of control with officials and the FA don't seem to care.

 

[Midostouch]

I have a lot of sympathy with your view Peter. I remember when the ridiculous Mendes 'goal' happened, Martin Jol was so incredibly dignified and shrugged it off as ' some go for you, some go against - it evens itself up over the season'. At the time I was proud of him, but the next day I thought 'that's why we'll never get into top 4 (amongst other things) because we don't have that dirty mentality.' Old red nose would have kicked up merry hell if that had happened to him.

Yesterday the ref was totally out of his depth and caved in. It makes our players feel that they are playing against him too and must affect the way they go for tackles etc to some extent.

 

[hooty]

I'm going to be honest and say I don't think the ref was that bad yesterday. Generally gave fouls when fouls were committed, sent off one of their players. Not to mention we got lucky with quite a few of the offside calls (though that was more the linesman).

 

[3Dnata]

Bloody hell! Ferguson is quoted on ceefax "raging" at the ref for sending off Scholes. Fergie doesn't miss a trick!

 

[spursgirls]

Yesterday the ref was totally out of his depth and caved in. It makes our players feel that they are playing against him too and must affect the way they go for tackles etc to some extent.

Definitely. The man behind me said "come on Tottenham, they've only got ten men", and I turned round and said, "no, eleven, don't forget the ref!". I'm sure the players felt it too. I was surprised that the fans weren't singing "You've only got twelve men" in the first half!
No matter what we did, Utd got a free kick, no matter what Utd did, Utd got a free kick. It was crazy.

 

[spursgirls]

I'm going to be honest and say I don't think the ref was that bad yesterday. Generally gave fouls when fouls were committed, sent off one of their players. Not to mention we got lucky with quite a few of the offside calls (though that was more the linesman).

Can't agree. Our players got shoved in the back every time they went up for a ball, and very few were given as fouls. Evra should have been off after kicking Corluka and then head butting him, and we were almost 4 down when the officials didn't spot Rooney 2/3 yards offside and he ran through on goal.

 

[nightgoat]

Bloody hell! Ferguson is quoted on ceefax "raging" at the ref for sending off Scholes. Fergie doesn't miss a trick!

Mike Phelan on MotD said they thought it was 'harsh'... Of course, if the shoe was on the other foot... Just as well Vidic wasn't booked for the cynical trip on Lennon in the first half, or given anything for leading with his elbow on Crouch in the second...

While we were architects of our own downfall, the free kick Giggs scored from was never a free kick... Palacios made no contact with Berbatov, who threw himself to the floor theatrically, all the Man Utd players surround the ref and tell him to book Palacios, and all of a sudden we're back at 1-1...

 

[Krafty]

Referee's in general need to grow a set of balls and man up. They cave into pressure from players, managers and fans far, far too often. All you want is consistency, and there was absolutely no consistency yesterday.

I would rather we behaved and teams like Utd got the book thrown at them. They should have had at least half a dozen yellows for dissent yesterday, Fletcher being a prime culprit.

I really tire of the standard of refereeing in the league

 

[Jonboy]

I blame the FA and FIFA for not punishing this behaviour.

 

[raf18]

palacios wasnt getting booked for their goal and then they crowded the ref and then he brought the card out. fletcher wouldnt stop harassing the ref. At least with keane being captain, we know he wont hold back whereas king isnt so aggressive with the ref.

 

[markiespurs]

palacios wasnt getting booked for their goal and then they crowded the ref and then he brought the card out. fletcher wouldnt stop harassing the ref. At least with keane being captain, we know he wont hold back whereas king isnt so aggressive with the ref.

Agree, if you look at Keane though when he has a go he does it respectfully towards the ref, whereas the utd players constantly got into the refs and linesmans face to intimidate them and generally acted like thugs.

 

[Leachie]

I fully believe we need to do this more because the FA are too weak to stamp it out. Whilst the constant ref badgering wasn't the only reason we lost, it 100% gave them a competitive advantage.

Spurs need to get nasty. Might be worth doing a poll on this?

 

[markiespurs]

Definitely. The man behind me said "come on Tottenham, they've only got ten men", and I turned round and said, "no, eleven, don't forget the ref!". I'm sure the players felt it too. I was surprised that the fans weren't singing "You've only got twelve men" in the first half!
No matter what we did, Utd got a free kick, no matter what Utd did, Utd got a free kick. It was crazy.

Loads of people, including me, were saying the same thing where i was sitting.

I lost track of the amount of times a utd player held Crouch, only for the ref to award Utd a free kick.

Thought it was funny in the 1st half when the stadium erupted in a round of applause for the ref when he finally deciided to award us a free kick.

 

[Dundalk_Spur]

I thought I was the only one, and just being a bad sport.

The referee was shocking, at one stage in the first half two mancs climbed all over Crouch who managed to flick it on to Defoe who then had Vidic climb all over him and force him to the ground. Result : play on Man U possession.

Its the first time since the game at OT that I have been so upset at the officials. Total twanks.

 

[Petyr]

The truth is that Man U were much better yesterday. All this talk about the referee reveals bitterness and delusion. If he was half as bad as some fans seem to think, he wouldn't have red-carded Scholes with 30 min to go.

Personally, I think that it was a bad day at the office. The difference between both teams isn't as big as it was yesterday. Last season the game was much more even with no King in the team and Woodgate injured in the very first minutes. Yesterday, Palacios was tired, Modric didn't play, King was back from an injury etc. Hopefully, things will be different against Chelsea but it's not very realistic to expect even a draw IMO. I reckon that Spurs are the 5th best team right now, probably better than City who were a bit lucky to win vs Arsenal. It's too early to say whether a top 4 finish is within reach. It's worrying that the defence looks a bit shaky ATM. Maybe Woodgate could change some things.