Thought MIke Dean had a great game,shame he bottled it for Matic second yellow - he went to his pocket,but overall no complaints.great game.
Dean had a good game. Matic could have been sent off but it wasn't a should have been sent off so no complaints with that.
Heh. Well Mane's a foreigner and he got one today despite having taken a couple dives himself (though he seems to have cut it out).
But yeah, I do think that Ivanovic's reputation preceded him on that one. I doubt either the ref or the linesman saw the clip anyway, but I think they were set that if they don't clearly see it, he's not getting the call.
Dean had a good game. Matic could have been sent off but it wasn't a should have been sent off so no complaints with that.
Heh. Well Mane's a foreigner and he got one today despite having taken a couple dives himself (though he seems to have cut it out).
But yeah, I do think that Ivanovic's reputation preceded him on that one. I doubt either the ref or the linesman saw the clip anyway, but I think they were set that if they don't clearly see it, he's not getting the call.
Oh Tom, just for once, take your "I'm a ref" glasses off. You'd have given him a yellow every day of the week for that second one..... why do you think Jose took him off.... because he knew it was a booking and that he wouldn't get away with it again..
Ivanovic got on my nerves at St Mary's when he fell over every time the massive beast that is Matt Targett went anywhere near him. He is a bloody good footballer, but he needs to have a serious word with himself.
Well, perhaps. But if so I still think that was an okay outcome. I don't mind a little official discretion.
I also believe in trying to keep 11 men on the field if possible. I think refs should call it mostly straight, but if there's a little flex to be given I don't mind pocketing the second yellow. Same thing with a foul near the end of the game. It's okay to call things a bit more tightly early on to keep the game under control, and then relax a little if players have been playing clean.
In this case, the first yellow was also borderline-ish. If I look at the two fouls, and Matic's play overall... it just doesn't quite add up to a red card. I wouldn't argue that a red card would have been unjust, but I could go either way with it.
So if the upshot is that if Mourinho knows Matic is getting his marching papers the next foul he gets, that forces a sub which is still a punishment. But to me seems more fair than being down 10 men. And then Schneiderlin gets a freebie for a tackle similar to Ivanovic's so it evens out. If that's how that went down, I think that's fine officiating.