Yes I'm repeating a thread title I've done at least twice before ---------------------------- 1. Chelsea deserved to win. Let's just get that out the way first - Drogba was unplayable today and the first goal was amazing. 2. The 'not a goal but given as a goal' goal was ridiculous and if Atkinson doesn't get pulled up for that then that's insane. The FA/referees are basically above the law at this point in time. A ref might get 'demoted' to the Championship for a while (something I'm sure those clubs are thrilled at ) but it's not a worthy punishment. 3. On the second goal - John Terry celebrates yet stated after the match he knew it hadn't gone over the line. This, in my book, makes him just as much a cheater as the rest, if not more so. IIRC Arshavin (yes an Arsenal player) when he joined the club protested strongly against a penalty or something given FOR Arsenal because it was incorrectly awarded. It was a while back but that behaviour is what the game misses. 4. Bale/Cech/Adebayor - should Bale have missed to get Cech sent off? No imo. 2-1 is better than 2-0 with Chelsea packing 10 behind the ball. You might not get another scoring opportunity to make it 2-2 (and lo and behold we didn't). 5. The game changer - not the phantom goal. We played better after that. No the game changer was bringing Defoe on and switching to 4-4-2. Understandable given our situation yet our revised shape gave Mata far too much space and this led instantly to their 3rd (well taken btw). In truth, Defoe was non-existant from his introduction to the final whistle and VdV shouldn't have been subbed. 6. Cudicini - a few solid saves but so so poor from him for their 4th. If it had stayed 3-1 we might've had a chance - 4-1 = goodnight Vienna. 7. Gallas/King - past it. King especially has been an amazing player for us but he's looked well below par in this latter half of the season unfortunately. 8. Mikel - should've been sent off. Yes the game was up but he still shouldn't seen red. -------------------------------- There's more points I'm missing but those are the ones off the top of my head. (I wonder if a thread entitled 'Refereeing bias for Spurs' on the Chelsea board (something like that anyway) - I wonder if a 'Refereeing bias for Chelsea' will be written by their fanbase - somehow I doubt it). Regardless - we didn't deserve it and yet again we bow out of the cup with our tails between our legs. I seriously doubt if Harry can pick the players up to resurrect our quickly fading bid for the CL.
im going to blame Harry and his england love in and be done with it as far as analysis goes...he hasnt got the know how to take us to the land of dreams im afraid...and i fear the dismantling of one of the best squads we have had...due to this.
You'd never see it happen but if he had a shred of decency he'd tell the ref. The faces of the Chelsea players were that of a child who'd stolen cookies from the cookie jar and gotten away with it.
Mata was the one celebrating wildly, despite knowing that the ball didn't cross the line, by the way. Players aren't helping the officials, though Atkinson shouldn't have needed help today.
I agree with all that you've written. The only thing I would add is that I am about as f@cked off with Harry as I could possibly be, at this moment in time. His refusal to either (a) resign or (b) confirm that he won't be taking the England job has really screwed us up. It's not just the relegation-standard run we've been on, or the fact that the goals have dried up (yet again - as per last season), or that we have been left woefully short on cover in key areas, or that he has shown time and time again is tactical ineptitude, or the fact that he has effectively touted the likes of Bale and Modric around the market place when Levy has made it clear that they are not for sale at any price, or his inability to accept that anything is wrong let alone shoulder his share of the blame. It's all of these things. I've said it before, but it's worth saying again, if only to ease my frustration a little, that I want him gone at the end of the season, whether or not he's offered the England job. And, I've got to say, that if he gets the England job, god help England!
Ok, can I add my 2 cents worth and add a Point 9...? Redknapp - lost the respect of the players because they know he is going to bugger off when the FA come calling. It's no coincidence that our form has gone off a cliff since Capello left the job. How can Redknapp try to rescue a situation that is swiftly going south? The players know he is going. He has never committed his future to Spurs so Harry has no idea how to rescue our form. It's all gone t**s up and so he is panicking, hence his bad tactics, poor decisions in key games and strange substitutions. Yes this has been said a million times but I'm really angry after that shambles of a game so it's rant time. Our league season is sadly going to go the same way now and I predict a 6th place finish. Chelsea 4th. Newcastle 5th. Yes.... that hurts to have to admit that but I think that is the most realistic possibility.
No it won't - it's an 'in an ideal world' sort of statement. The refereeing in this country - this season more than most has dive-bombed. It's so much worse this season. All clubs have been screwed at one point or another (some more than most - and I would include us in the 'some' without a doubt).
ive said it before and ill say it again...we should have hounded the ref ala United and not let go...yes the decision wont have changed but refs dont like ruffling such feathers ask chelsea and united they been doing it for years.
Have to agree about Redknapp. The side we have should have achieved 3rd with ease and brushed aside Chelsea. The team spirit that was evident before the court case has been shattered and he has done nothing to repair it. The FA and Harry between them have ****ed up the best chance we have had of achieving something for years. It will take years for us to get into that position again; The side will break up and if we sign the likes of Moyes to replace Harry ( I will be royally pissed off he doesn't **** off to England now) we will not attract new players, especially without a Champion's League spot (which seems likely.) Not until we build a new ground will we compete again.
You know what the worst part is? The phantom goal has given HR the perfect scapegoat for our loss. Not the way in which we defended, not in his tactical substitutions - it'll be the goal and just that.
Totally agree, it is no coincidence that since Capello resigned we have not been the same. The players know he is going and so does Harry (and Levy also no doubt hence why no money in Jan), and its taken away the players focus and Harrys for that matter.
Aside from Atkinson making a bollocks of their second "goal" (and with both Terry and Mata celebrating before it was given, is tantamount to fraud) and not booking Mikel in the first half for a chest-high kick on Parker, what was utterly maddening was the way we were caught napping at the substitutions- Ramires scored immediately after Defoe came on, and Malouda scored the moment after Sandro came on. We were caught napping on all the goals, especially the opener, but to be caught out after like-for-like substitutions instead of changing the system is the sort of thing that simply should not happen.
Agreed Mikel could have gone but Parker did his classic late challenge in frustration and should have been booked earlier in the game so both could have been sent off (Adebayor also, type of one you've seen given as reds). That aside, very fair view of things. Though I have to say I think with VDV on the pitch it was like you had 10 men unless he happened to have the ball. The guy is so fukin lazy. How many times did he allow Terry/Luiz to stroll into midfield with the ball? Gallas is finished, King not far behind. Modric, well that's 40 million saved. Nice passer and good touch but just doesn't hurt teams. Positives...Walker is class, Parker was a steal and Adebayor is one hell of a player when in the mood. You've got to keep him.
Good post Moorph. would only like to add 2 things. 3. - terry then having the cheek to do n interview saying that it wasn't a goal after the game. The bloke just continues to show us all why he's such a F*cki*g C*nt. 6. - cudicini. - felt he did as best he could. made some outstanding saves that kept us in it, it's point "7", that is the reason he conceded so many.
Terry didn't think it crossed the line, so what?? He was honest in his interview but players in every game claim for things they maybe shouldn't get. In every single game players will put their hands up to single a throw in, corner or offside decision should go in their favour when they know it shouldn't. It's for the ref to make the decision and not be influenced by players. FFS I do it out of instinct when watching or playing myself. There are only 2 people to blame for 'that' goal, the ref and whoever stops video tech coming in.
Got to agree with that. Players will be players and (lets include the ground/crowd and manager here) should not affect the refs decision. Shame we know it does and evenly matched teams will be separated come the end of the season as much by refs decisions as ability, and the pundits will continue to trot out the old cliches about how certain teams know how to play at this stage of the season... well its easy to know how to play at this time if you know you're going to get a load of dodgy decisions... and its also more subtle than just dodgy penalties awarded for olympic diving class incidents, its for example like in our away game at Sunderland. There was a lot of persistent fouling that went on unpunished for a long time. My contention is that for certain teams an early yellow card would have been awarded which changes the entire balance of the rest of the match. We have this inbuilt idea that somehow it all evens itself out over the season, but believe me it doesn't.
