Match Day Thread Manchester United vs Southampton 11.01.2015

When we got him, he looked like a Prem defender and Palace fans couldn't understand why he had gone down a league to join us. They had expected him to go up. Then we got Lovren and we forgot, just for a few minutes, who our best CB was. Now Lovren and Fonte are both showing their true class

 

Absolutely delighted I decided to fly over for this!Still buzzing! Was funny being the only Saints fan on a flight full of United fans!

 

Since you're responding to any suggestion of bias with ridicule here are two quick finds. Can I be clear, I'm not suggesting deliberate bias. If you can take your "referees are always perfect" glasses off while you read these, it might just improve your knowledge of football refereeing.

Technical: http://ftp.iza.org/dp755.pdf

Easier: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20464371

Vin

 

I would never suggest Dowd was deliberately biased, but the quality of his decision making was affected by the situation. He made a whole raft of weird, one-sided calls first half and seemed intent on ignoring Man Utds crimes. I agree with others that VP's behaviour at the drop ball was nothing short of disgraceful but no one in the press (I've shifted the focus of my response) ever seems to bring up his nasty nature.

 

Interesting too was MOTD's lack of coverage of the same incident, unless I dropped off in a complete dream after watching a fantastic Saints display.

 

The thing I find funny and Wenger is one of the worst for it is that all teams take ages over throw ins through the game but when the result is not the one you want or you find yourself behind all of a sudden every single delay becomes the worst offence ever

Sometimes Clyne takes ages to throw the ball but its only in the latter stages of games that the opposition start complaining like mad.

Tom23 Is there a time limit on throw ins? and does the referee allow for any 'throw in delays' in his added time? And if so does he only start counting when he has been complained at by Wenger a manager or does he tally from the start of the game? And if they don't add on for delays on throws in why the hell not? They do for goal kicks (don't they?)

 

Gary Neville - The perfect away performance:
http://www1.skysports.com/watch/vid...thampton/9641794/the-perfect-away-performance

 

I'll reword it for him then,

"Referee's are getting ****ter by the day"

Tom, you are a decent fella and a referee, so I understand your protectiveness of referees. Dowd was just as poor as most of them yesterday. there were too many stupid things happening. Far too many.

 

Well I seriously hope not. if there was even a smidgeon of that, I'd expect his resignation in the morning.

First time I have heard incompetent called intimidated.

 

Dowd was poor, I agree. He's actually a good referee but he was far from his best yesterday. But too much has been made of this considering we just beat Man Utd on their own turf.

 

I thought the same. If anything, intimidated is worse than biased, as it implies a ref can be bullied by the team who gets in his face the most.

 

It's easy to be intimidated for a second or two when a player's in your face. It's happened to me. But as soon as Van Persie got in his face he should have instantly booked him. As soon as anyone does that to me I go straight to my pocket. I won't stand for that ****.

 

I'll agree with you Tom, but sometimes you should just let the ref protecting go by for a bit. We know you are a ref, but it is pretty numbing if you just defend them all the time and then turn round and admit he wasn't at his best... that's our point. The standard is dropping.

On your next post about RVP, I'd like to think you wouldn't book him, but throw the ball at his giant conk and tell him that the next time he hammers a ball into your stomach in temper tantrum, you'll knock his ****ing lights out

 

This really pleased me

http://thepeoplesperson.com/2015/01/12/shaw-abused-by-southampton-fans-66918/?

 

Totally agree. I said Dowd was a homer yesterday, and I maintain that view. I'm not singling him out over other referees, because to be honest, the vast majority in this division are abysmal. I know you disagree Tom, but the standard, in my opinion, is absolutely dreadful now.

Still, he didn't cost us the game - even though Pelle didn't get a decision all game, and got the most ridiculous yellow card.
Anyway, we won!

 

Don't really agree with insults at Shaw...bit of jeering or humorous chants perhaps, but nothing really nasty. He's a kid and we've moved on as much as him. He was moved when interviewed before the match...obviously thinks of us fondly.

 

It's not dreadful, it's just that there are fewer and fewer top class referees being produced. The main reason IMO is that it is too slow to get promoted to the PL. America has got it right. You can get promoted if you really impress over a handful of games, or even just one. Of course, the shoe's on the other foot - you can get demoted for having an awful game.

 

Not if we finish 5th on goal difference due to Dowd's inability to award us those 5 penalties.

 

I think the standard is pretty dreadful. I've been around a few years, and the officiating now is the worst I have seen.

Please, don't try to counter with the "decisions are magnified now with the use of replays and TV cameras", because televised games have been the norm for years, and I've never noticed the huge number of incorrect decisions that we see nowadays.
Nothing is ever done about it though. Mike Riley and the Referee's association (don't know what it is officially called) do nothing to improve the standard, or to help officials. All they seem to do is reel out clearly inaccurate statistics, about offside decisions being 99.5% correct - which are clearly not true at all, and are happy to see Managers punished and fined for complaining about a wrong decisions, which we all have witnessed.

Anyway, we tread on old ground once again, but it is noticeable how much more we talk about referees now - even when we win.

 

Actually, offside decisions have improved over the years, they are the best they have ever been. Assistant Referee's are getting a very high number right, not as high as 99.5% but certainly over 90%. I don't know how you can say the stats are inaccurate AL, what proof have you got?