2007/2008 Fa Cup Thread

"I completely agree with Blatter...although I think he has gone over the top a little. The refereeing standards in our country are not as good as those in Europe. Quite simply they are not as good. Their tolerance level is much higher [than] in Europe. You see it with Ronaldo: foul, foul, foul and you get fed up watching it."
The grass is always greener elsewhere. But any regular watchers of European football may quibble with Ferguson's viewpoint. Pernickety and whistle-happy, referees in Europe can be officious beyond the point of irritation. Ferguson may have grown "fed up" with "foul after foul" but fans may quickly become equally exasperated with the number of whistle-borne interruptions.

And nor, of course, is infallibility in their decision-making guaranteed. Ferguson himself still goes red in the face whenever someone mentions Paul Scholes' 'goal' against Porto in 2004.

Nonetheless, the Manchester United manager is not alone in calling for the introduction of European referees. Graham Poll made a similar demand this weekend, and even claimed: 'The Treble-winning Manchester United squad once explained to me that because Champions League referees are the best in Europe they have the players' respect."

Perhaps the Manchester United squad (every one of them, Graham?) really did say as much. But it's a racing certainty that such an outlook wouldn't survive a season of co-habitation. Familiarity has a nasty habit of breeding contempt.


"But we didn't need to worry about referees given the number of chances we had... We were careless at times. And with so many chances today, you have to say it was our own fault."
True enough, but isn't this summary at odds with Ferguson's previous declaration that "the game was decided when the Ronaldo penalty was refused"?


"And another thing about added time today. Four minutes? Five substitutions, wasting time as they did, and the penalty kick. You are trying to tell me that there was only four minutes injury time? It's ridiculous. The problem for referees...is that they should have nothing to do with timekeeping. The fourth official who is standing by the side should be doing that."
Ferguson's lament is valid. The inadequacy of the amount of injury time generally added on is a scandal - and only serves to further encourage the plague of time-wasting which is infesting the English game.

With post-match studies revealing that the ball is rarely in play for more than 25 minutes, it shouldn't be unusual for an additional ten minutes to be signalled. Instead, due to a corrosive mixture of timidity and convention, it is unusual for more than four extra minutes to be played regardless of what has (and hasn't) actually occurred in the previous forty five.

"It was a penalty kick. No problem with that. The lad has done his best but the guy has beaten him fair and square and after that there is only one decision I'm afraid. You would rather he wouldn't bring the boy down and give them goal as you would still have eleven men, you know?"
Despite agreeing with the decision to dismiss Kuszczak, Ferguson has inadvertently and eloquently revealed the flaw in the rule which made it mandatory. To wit: dismissing a player for denying a clear-goalscoring opportunity even though the opportunity has not been denied. With a penalty awarded, the opportunity was merely delayed.

And once it was converted, the penalty for ManYoo became three-pronged: the loss of numerical equality, the loss of a goal, and the loss of a suspended player for the rest of the month.

A harsh punishment for a millisecond misjudgement
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There is the rest of it :)
 
aggg does not matter

sometimes in a game you do everything u can to score and then watch in horror as a clear penalty is not given 2 line clearances, hit the wood work

sometimes u just have to sit back and say it was not our day :)
 
hj2k_x said:
I am from Portsmouth.
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Aah, that explains... you were prolly quietly cheering for Pompey during the last ManUSA encounter!
Please tell me you're not a fairweather supporter... so many ManUSA supporters are... they pick their team based on the no of wins at the time of entry to the sport as a supporter. :D
 
Yeah, wigan gave better than portsmouth, but Wigan didn't score :D
And did you see the reffing in the game... lol... both were shocking.
 
yup i dont think united will be 2 worried though because when u exit a cup like they did, u just know u did your best to win

maybe united where pushing a lil to hard for the win towards the end but then thats how they play :)

aggg well no biggie still in 2 comps and should be leading the prem shortly
 
It's never a biggie for United fans when they lose lol! hey Killa, your bias is showing... or is it...:
Killadoob said:
i still think chelsea going to sneak the title

beat united and arsenal who will drops points at liverpool and possibly draw with each other

i still think THE arsenal will finish 3rd and not second
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Nooit bru - who do you support... please tell me YOU'RE not a fairweather supporter! i.e. you wait till the last game and put your colours on... pick the one that suits you from the drawer of 4 :D
 
no i support united but im not going to say they will win the prem league if i think chelsea have a chance
im not blind i can see that chelsea can easily win the prem league so can united
arsenal dont have a chance

no its not a biggie when u have 2 line clearances shot off the post clear penalty not given and basically dominate a team u walk off the pitch thinking what more could we have done :)

not your day you move on

its better than getting beaten 4-0 and basically being mauled by the opposition
 
Bradbowlllama said:
Aah, that explains... you were prolly quietly cheering for Pompey during the last ManUSA encounter!
Please tell me you're not a fairweather supporter... so many ManUSA supporters are... they pick their team based on the no of wins at the time of entry to the sport as a supporter. :D
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Do I look/sound like a fairweather supporter? I have supported United and only them since 1993. (before we had won anything major) ;)
 
killadoob said:
no i support united but im not going to say they will win the prem league if i think chelsea have a chance
im not blind i can see that chelsea can easily win the prem league so can united
arsenal dont have a chance

no its not a biggie when u have 2 line clearances shot off the post clear penalty not given and basically dominate a team u walk off the pitch thinking what more could we have done :)

not your day you move on

its better than getting beaten 4-0 and basically being mauled by the opposition
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But it sucks when you're being behind the whole season ne! :D
 
being in front the whole season and finishing 3rd must suck :)

newcastle being relegated is also going to suck
 
yea i never get week to week stuff but my end of season's predictions go well

cannot wait hahah :)

wonder if liverpool will catch arsenal to finish 3rd
 
yea i hope you do :)

going to awesome seeing how my predictions works out at the end of a season :)

o yea 5 more days woooooooohooooooooooooooooooooo well 4 if you count qualifying :)
 
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