Match Day Thread Southampton v West Ham United Saturday 6th February 2016 KO 17:30

I think we all appreciate it is difficult.

What makes it MORE difficult for referees is the fact that a lot of players now will roll around acting and the referee has to differentiate between those that are genuinly hurt from a bad tackle, and those who are faking it to try to get the other player a yellow/red card.

The problem is, that they are basically being encouraged to do so by statements such as 'he should have gone down'. It's that sort of thinking that has brought the problem into the game.



Agree that it is very difficult, but that's why none of us bog-standard watchers of the game could just step in and referee a Premier League match. In the same way that I couldn't have stepped in and kept Andy Carroll quiet for the 2nd half like Van Dijk did so well.

But Premier League refs are paid to be better than that. They are trained to be better than that. They are paid to see past the acting and the pretending to have just suffered a career-ending injury, or to see when a foul has been committed and the player is honest enough to not roll around.

Yes human nature plays a part in every decision made, but the top referees are paid to stop that affecting their judgement and to make a calm and calculated decision based on the actual events they saw. That's what makes them a top Premier League ref rather than a League 2 ref.




Meanwhile I don't know about anyone else, but I was far more concerned for Adrián than Payet after VW's tackle. He looked like he was having smoe sort of fit as he made his way towards the half way line, arsma dn legs flailing all over the place.

 

Changing the subject on to a far more pressing issue:

Anyone have any idea wear Alex Song got a pair of 1980's West Ham away shorts? They must have fetched a fortune on Ebay.

 

It's always been difficult to be a referee (fond memories of watching my dad ref local games in local parks during the 70s, threats of serious physical harm being quite common) but I think expectations of their performance have altered over the years, and certainly in the circus environment of the PL.

I like to see/hear all the perspectives on Saints games (where's Trixter when you need him) so don't stop giving yours and throw the scoff back at the scoffers. The one thing that struck me again yesterday is the criticism officials get after Mr Thicky Pundit has looked at the slow motion replay 6 times and changed his mind twice before saying with authority "refs got that one wrong".

Can't say I enjoyed the last half hour of yesterday's game. Got completely stressed and managed to drink most of a bottle of red between Vic's exit and the end of the game. Paying for it now.

 

I'm willing to bet that if no Southampton players were involved, most of you wouldn't blink at Victor's red card.

 

To be fair Fran, a few of us have said similar, just annoyed by the fact West Ham got away with two possible reds and the reaction of their players.


..anyway, what about Song's 80s shorts??

 

I actually thought Wanyama had already been booked so I wasn't remotely surprised when he was sent off.

Anyway, back to the pool. Tenerife is lovely this time year.

 

My Dad has just got back. Said weather was excellent.. You lucky beggar!

 

Regardless of the referee and regardless of the play acting, that was a seriously bad tackle by Wanyama. I said,"red card" instantly.

Having said that I genuinely don't think it was intentional. He got in a decent position to get the ball but somehow just missed it.

 

Odd someone saying Vic had been fouling all of the time leading up to the sending off, if that is correct why was he not pulled up for them?
There were some "firm" challenges, not sure that they were actual fouls.

 

3 weeks today the wife and I will be in Spain

 

Perhaps he just has big thighs

 

It is. Forecast wasn't great but apparently it'll hit 29 degrees today.

Bit too hot really.

 

Very true, but at the same time I don't think there would have been much uproar at a yellow card, which is why the actions of the West Ham players tipping the balance has been so pertinent.
Tadic helped get a Norwich player sent off earlier in the season. We're not a team full of angels when it comes to whinging at the refs even if it's not done in the same pack mentality of other sides

 

Someone mentioned before about Bilic's interview.

Just watched the match back on footballorigin. At the end it shows Bilic standing at the entrance to the tunnel, shaking the hand and congratulating each Saints player as they walk by. Well done him, not sure Wenger or Van Gaal did the same....

 

Forecast has never been great.

#prayforTommy

 

Thought it was a red at the time and I hope that we don't contest it. If we do, at best we would only have to deal with the same ban later on when Vic next gets sent off- too many games left to believe that he wouldn't- and at worst end up with a longer ban. At present we have the cover so let's take it on the chin.

 

He gave away 3/4 free kicks and on the last one the ref clearly (as a TV celeb would ) signaled that was it - no more.

 

look at the build up to the Cedric chance... very short shorts

 

What a difference a few weeks can make. Before our good run I was looking to teams behind us to drop points so we didn't drop further down into the pack. Now I find myself hoping United lose, not for the usual reasons, but so that we remain close to them. I have my sights set on 5th....don't want any of that waiting for a club above us to win a Cup.

No, please don't wake me up.

 

What do you mean?

He'd given away 4 or 5 fouls already, and Clattenburg appeared to have talked to him at least once. I felt almost certain his next foul was going to earn him a yellow for persistent fouling and was surprised he hadn't gotten one already.