We were always told two wrongs don't make a right, however, in the strange world of football and the FA it seems they very much do. Last week we had the ridiculous incident at Chelsea where Matic was the victim of a very clever piece of snide play by Barnes who should have been red-carded but didn't even get a yellow and Matic was red-carded for his reaction. The FA , in their inscrutable wisdom, stood by the decision at appeal and the referee adjudicator backed the referee's decision and three other contentious decisions 100%. Yesterday at Stoke, (click on link, it's nasty) Stephen Ireland was the victim of a horrendous tackle by Figueroa, clearly this must have been seen by the ref who didn't even yellow card the player. If the usual line is followed the FA will say no retrospective action can be taken as the ref saw and dealt with the incident in play. Managers are regularly fined for complaining about referees whilst on-field thuggery often goes unpunished by an increasingly inept bunch of officials who give no explanation of their decisions and their governing body which seems to have a very strange interpretation of what is supposed to be them 'protecting' players. Yesterday saw a clear 'mistaken-identity' red card at Old Trafford but the Match Officials body issued a statement backing the referee, it really is getting ridiculous... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...y-after-horror-tackle-by-Maynor-Figueroa.html
The Stephen Ireland one was in retaliation to his own horrendous tackle/stamp earlier in the game. But two wrongs and all that....
I found it depressing to hear Shearer and Gullit on MOTD criticising Vokes for not diving when he was held back. If the referee was doing his job properly he would have given the foul anyway. Earlier they had praised Glen Murray's performance without any criticism of a blatant dive which went unpunished.
Yep it's either a foul or not a foul regardless of whether the player stays on his feet, in this case a definite foul. Glen Murray was an effing disgrace, constant fouling and blatant dives, should have been off before the first goal went in. Also how the hell he can claim the first goal is beyond me.
In the Liverpool v Man City match (currently 1-1), Mark Clattenburg has counted out all his fingers on both hands as warnings and yet Vincent Kompany has still not secured a yellow card, yet Zarate was carded almost immediately after coming on as a sub for an innocuous challenge.
I honestly think there is something more to all of this, although I haven't figured out what it is exactly. I'm not one to go looking for conspiracies where there are none but I do believe at some level the FA or EPL benefits from referees carrying on the way they do. We have seen bigger clubs being given the benefit often. We also see situations where teams coming from behind or struggling in games are often seen as desperate by the referee and are penalised more harshly than the more relaxed team who are coasting along (referees should be taught how to be emotionally uninvolved in a game). Essentially, you can't touch referees. Their decision is final, no matter how stupid it may be. There'd be a much better relationship and feeling between fans, players managers and the referees if everything was transparent and accountable. Everyone knows they are human beings and we do endeavour to respect them. But with the above in mind, they spare themselves from being human and allowed to make mistakes, and we find it harder and harder to respect them. Anyone with authority over others who holds a position where they cannot be criticised immediately loses the respect from those he has authority over.
I am not sure the really guilty party is the ref.It is more the FA who cannot be wrong. They will not allow the "ref" to be wrong...as it undermines their (FAs) authority..because if the ref says I got it wrong, then the FA have to rescind the card..I would love the FA to take responsibility, admit refs are human and we (the fans) would be happier to accept mistakes... However this is a great idealistic idea...but taking this to its extended logical conclusion..... Last Saturday of the season, we need a point at Leicester....bad back pass from Joey to Greeno in the 5th minute. Greeno just gets the ball, but with all the skill of Rudolf Nureyev, Vardy throws himself to the ground. Ref sends off Greeno, we are down to 10, they score the penalty and the match finishes 1-0, even though we are all over them. Every single camera angle shows Green got the ball, the ref says he got it wrong, Vardy with a smile says he just felt himself go ...even Shearer and Lineker say the ref got it wrong. The FA rescind the card, so Greeno can play in our first championship match and Vardy gets a retrospective yellow.. Have we got a case for compensation!
