I try not to diss Fletcher but he really needs to sort out the lack of dicipline with our players. Having players sent off constantly just isn't good enough. It's no use talking about getting this player and that player in January if we can't keep the ones we already have on the field. Without trying to state the obvious, we are at a distinct disadvantage every time a player is sent off. Fletcher himself is sometimes lacking in this but really he needs to sort out this problem with some urgency!
I'll reserve judgement until I see the offence: the Radio Devon commentary made it pretty clear play-acting by the Hereford player contributed to the card and the crowd obviously thought so too. Only the 2nd of Bhasera's card offences against Bradford was shown in the BBC video clip and I certainly thought that deserved a yellow card for cynicism if nothing else. Whether the first one did, I can't say. Statistically though we must be one of the most ill-disciplined teams in the whole league and that's not just bad luck and bad refereeing; something's amiss somewhere. Maybe it's just a mixture of inexperienced players and the pressure of being bottom of the league that boost the stats. As the pundits say, being carded for a tackle will rarely draw criticism from the manager: being carded for dissent or getting involved in a fracas usually will.
it was a harsh red card, the opposition were avoiding every booking when hourihane got booked for winning the ball; and purses challenge may have been mis-timed, but wasnt malicious or bad. the ref made plenty of mistakes today, especially when it came to double standards for booking.
It's not just about todays match though is it? We are a dirty dirty team and must surely have this reputation with others.
A straight red from one of the most experienced players is a disaster.........he will miss three games.........the one player we can't afford to lose........how many reds in the last twelve months..........we'll be in the Guinness Book of World Records the way we're going........why do we have to penalise ourselves to such an extent so often. So disappointing that we can't beat struggling teams in the lower half of the league.......is'nt that where we pick up the points ?
Not kidding when I say I missed the Red. I went for a pee just before the end and heard a load of jeering cheering and thought somebody had missed a chance. Got back to the touchline and everyone was talking about Purse being red carded. From what I gather from my son, there was a bounced ball where the opposition pushed ours out of the way and Purse then went straight through him. My son reckoned he knew it was going to be a red straight away. The one thing that is sure is that we will miss this player more than any. We are now back to the same inexperienced back 4 or rather one lacking in leadership that we had before when things were going so swimmingly well (not). Whatever the provocation was if there was any then the one thing you can say is Purse of all the players on the park should know better. The Ref today was a shocker but it wasn't his fault that Purse was reckless. I was looking at the results when I got home and there were numerous Red cards today in league 2. That says a lot about the Refs and the laws of the game to me perhaps rather than the players suddenly becoming thugs. Obviously I have no idea why most of them were carded in the first place but it seems easy to get sent off now whereas a year or two ago it wasn't. You wonder if it has more to do with the Refs than the players. Some of the decisions today were bizaar and that was against both sides to be fair. The same seemed to be the opinion of Argyle's last match V Bradford. All I ask is where is the commonsense by the officials? It seems to me that there is no room for any of that and the rules set down for them are too rigid by far. That is not to say that Purse was hard done by in any way as I have said I never saw it to judge myself. Some of the Reds we have had have seemed somewhat harsh in the circumstances. We are not a dirty side by a long way despite the red card tally we have accrued. I have not seen one single career finishing tackle that stands out by an Argyle player this season. Some silly challenges and some silly behaviour maybe but nothing that malicious at all. I suspect many suporters would say the same thing about their own red cards. I wonder if there is a betting syndicate involved here which does that online betting stuff where you can get odds on the number of red cards in a match. Having watched football in the 70's you cannot tell me that players have suddenly got worse than they committed. If it continues we will be watching ballet rather than football when players will be afraid to go within a yard of an opponent let alone tackle them.
Well, from the brief clip, it was a red, certainly under today's interpretation of the rules and probably under any interpretation in the past 30 years +! However, the Hereford player should certainly have been booked for his pathetic play acting. Why do the authorities not disgrace players like that as they deserve? Not sure it was a penalty BTW, the defender was just clearing the ball when Feeney jumped in front of him from behind, didn't he?
Feeney went past the player albeit in the air and would have taken the ball. The defender clipped him and he went down. Bit softish but to coin the phrase you used, in this day and age it was a penalty and the defender knew it. Instantly head in hands before the refs whistle was heard. As for the Hereford players who was assasinated by Purse well it is funny to watch isn't it. It was always a Red anyway but the spin on the ground was impressive don't you think. I thought he was break dancing. Perhaps his pain tollerance is low.
Well, as an ex very amateur defender of some repute myself [bad repute that is], I'd be a bit peeved if just as I was taking a swing at the ball, an attacker came whistling past my right ear from a position behind me where I couldn't even see him and the ref gave a penalty when he inevitably connects with my foot. Still, we can do with every little bit of good luck that's going that's for sure........ Do you see what I mean though Sensible, if you were a ref and some **** went down like that Hereford cheat, who would you give a card to? I'm afraid if someone tried to con me like that, I'd suddenly suffer complete amnesia about how he got on the floor in the first place. I know refs can't do that in the real world but it would be justice if the cheat got the card wouldn't it?
There was a Hereford poster on PASOTI who said it was embarrassing. I do know what you mean even if it was a red with or without the triple salko and double loop. The sad part about it is the card was always going to be that colour without him being a dick. How though as a Ref do you determine what is over acting. The temptation would be to book him as well for simulation but it would be contested I'm sure. What the Ref should do is try showing him up on the pitch by making it clear the thing was over acted and embarrass the bloke. Call him over, demonstrate the act and wag a finger under his nose for all to see. If he fouled after that then book him straight away as punishment also.
Darren Purse has come out today and said he was an idiot for the tackle and he should have known better,ok he is only human,but I fear his absence in a easily breached defence as witnessed on Saturday is very worrying-he was the one who inevitably cleared the ball away as it was bouncing around the penalty area.Ok poor refereeing was a factor and I really am not being biased here,but the Hereford players did themselves no credit by their constant feigning of injuries.At least Purse owned up,but our disciplinary record will cost us games and points and ultimately league survival,unless sorted.Over to you Ro and Fletch.
Well he could hardly do anything else really could he akagreengull. If you look at our reds of late it isn't as if it is the kids is it. They are all seasoned professionals as every one of them should know better. This is the example being set to the youngsters and that part of it is not good. But, what is a Manager suposed to do once these players cross the touch line. They already know how easy it is to be carded and yet they still become idiots. The only thing the club can do is fine players which no doubt they do. I have already said that of all the players to lose over this period, the one we cannot afford is Purse and yet here we are once again up **** creek without the paddle. I genuinely fear for our matches in the next three because the defence we had before him was crap and nothing has happened since to persuade me that it isn't still crap. There is nothing we can do about it now it's too late except maybe cross everything again and pray to some god somewhere.
I've just been reading the Herald website and BBC and both report that Fletcher is considering an appeal against Purse's sending off. Message to Fletcher "DON'T DO IT".
I don't think Fletcher will appeal,having looked at it again it's not pretty,even allowing for the Hereford player looking like he is auditioning for a part in a stunt movie.I think Purse will end up with a 4 game suspension if they appeal.Agree Sensible,lets get to the point are defence is still crap-even with Purse present, which is why I posted that I don't feel confident of survival from what I saw on Saturday.Thanks for being the sole reply to my post can only assume others don't want to recognise that the table (almost at xmas) tells us we are indeed in deep doodoo.
To be fair the defence is looking better but the sad thing it is only because Purse has been clearing up the cock ups of the others to make it look better. I think given the next 3 games we might just know which way the season is going to go. Unless there is a sudden drafting of better players into the squad, which I can't see somehow then we have another season of same old Argyle. I will still be there but it sickens me to see it and listen to the same old stuff trotted out afterwards.
I think the next three games will determine our league future-unfortunately there is a grave danger of us being cast adrift at the bottom of the league if we don't at least get a draw and a win out of those games.Heres hoping.
I agree with you sadly. I'm a little surprised we are not cut adrift already and that is only because several teams are as bad as we are. If one of them picks up, well, we need that like a hole in the head. I have to believe that somewhere along this horrible line we have been travelling there is a cut off point when fate says ok that's enough.
I've just read a thread on PASOTI about the Purse red card and cannot believe what some people see or rather don't want to see. People have accused me of having green tinted specs but I have nothing on some. At least half the posters on it seem to think firstly it was the Ref's fault or secondly Purse didn't either touch the player or he played the ball first. Which way were they looking for F*** sake. I didn't see it first hand myself but have watched it several times since. It was a bloody stupid challenge and was going to be red all day long. I can understand people being biased and partisan on the day and at the time. Give the Ref a bit of stick and all that but afterwards when they have settle down and looked at it again which most will do then it shows some people who attend matches should do so with their guide dog. Or maybe there really is a Fergie/Wenger affliction where things suddenly become invisible and they can't see for a few seconds.
A definate red for Purse.......literally took his legs off (just like little Beau's)............glad to see that there will be no appeal.............. would have ended up with a four game ban with no bother.............how could Fletcher judge a good or bad tackle............already served two bans himself.
