- Jan 24, 2016
- 2,526
- 8,390
My take on the penalty is as follows.
Was it handball? Yes.
Should the ref have given the penalty? Yes.
Was it really harsh and unlucky on us? Yes. Non intentional. No advantage sought. Deflected onto arm from midriff. Happened in the first minute when you might expect some common sense and leniency.
Would it have been given at the other end had it been VVD? Imho, no. Feel free to disagree but I feel the ref would have waved it away, been called back for VAR and dismissed the handball as a midriff or some such excuse. He felt very safe giving it against us.
Did it effect the game? Yes. Liverpool were able to hide their obvious rustiness by playing deep and on the counter. We had nowhere to hide because we had to make the game. Force the play. Find space where there was none.etc
Is the penalty an excuse? No. The really good sides would have turned it to their advantage. I can hear Rio Ferdinand now turning to his Man Utd team mates and telling them in no uncertain terms that this was an attempted stitch-up and that they should channel their fury and make the opposition and officials pay for trying to cheat Man Utd out of what was rightfully theirs. We did no such thing, had no such characters. That is something we will need to find. Consistent winners have that.
So, the penalty pissed me off but it wasn't an unreasonable decision and we failed to use it as ammunition.
Hopefully Poch is thinking along similar lines and helps us rediscover our nasty streak. I miss it and we need it if we want success.
Was it handball? Yes.
Should the ref have given the penalty? Yes.
Was it really harsh and unlucky on us? Yes. Non intentional. No advantage sought. Deflected onto arm from midriff. Happened in the first minute when you might expect some common sense and leniency.
Would it have been given at the other end had it been VVD? Imho, no. Feel free to disagree but I feel the ref would have waved it away, been called back for VAR and dismissed the handball as a midriff or some such excuse. He felt very safe giving it against us.
Did it effect the game? Yes. Liverpool were able to hide their obvious rustiness by playing deep and on the counter. We had nowhere to hide because we had to make the game. Force the play. Find space where there was none.etc
Is the penalty an excuse? No. The really good sides would have turned it to their advantage. I can hear Rio Ferdinand now turning to his Man Utd team mates and telling them in no uncertain terms that this was an attempted stitch-up and that they should channel their fury and make the opposition and officials pay for trying to cheat Man Utd out of what was rightfully theirs. We did no such thing, had no such characters. That is something we will need to find. Consistent winners have that.
So, the penalty pissed me off but it wasn't an unreasonable decision and we failed to use it as ammunition.
Hopefully Poch is thinking along similar lines and helps us rediscover our nasty streak. I miss it and we need it if we want success.