Howard Webb

[TheElephantMan]

Webb having had it wrong doesn't make it a 'corrupted' game IMO. Split second decisions are incredibly difficult to make. He made one and he has to live by it, no matter how many Liverpool supporters are incensed and that doesn't make as if he's cheated also. He's got the whole crowd going manic and I've got to put myself in his shoes trying to make a decision and ignoring all that.

Maybe Rafa should do the same and play Fergie's game, though I think he's started to do that. Still, there were some people criticizing him for his outburst against Fergie in December thinking it had backfired, but he was obviously mindful of how Ferguson does his tricks. All fair game IMO, unless the FA starts banning people doing that.

I've re-read that a few times and I can't make sense of most of it. I'll go the pub and read it again later, I might understand it then.

[Joe King]

I've re-read that a few times and I can't make sense of most of it. I'll go the pub and read it again later, I might understand it then.

If your pub sells crack then yes, you might understand.

[Guest]

Seriously fredo, what are you talking about?

Of course those situations will happen, players WILL run in the box, keepers WILL come out to meet the ball, defenders WILL make tackles.

Are they not meant to defend and play the ball anymore, because it gives the ref the chance to give a penalty?

I honestly think you're just joking now, there's no way you can be serious.

No I'm not joking but maybe you can't see past your biased reasoning!? You can throw stats all night long you aren't going to get away with it mate. United put teams under pressure that's why it's more likely they'll have those kind of situations during games, still it doesn't make it a certainty it will happen though.

We should move over this IMO and try to hope Arsenal will do them next time and we keep on winning. No point in bitching around decisions and how badly they were. They won, **** it.

[Guest]

I've re-read that a few times and I can't make sense of most of it. I'll go the pub and read it again later, I might understand it then.

You're obviously drunk maybe.

People think it's an 'easy decision'. **** me, there's a hell of a lot of pressure on referees and with 70 odd thousand United supporters screaming at him.

It's a high pressure game, where errors are the name of the game. We have to accept it.

[Guest]

Robots should officiate football games. Ok game over.

[DannyMan2006]

For the penalty Webb was quite a distance away. It was showed on Setanta he could see the incident. But Bryan Robson made a good point.

From the angle of Webb he sees Carrick touch it left, and the ball go left. He then sees the ball continue to go left and Gomes take out Carrick.

What it would be difficult to see from his position is the deveation of the ball, instead of continuing diagonal left, it goes fully left when Gomes touches it. But I'm not sure from far behind play he can see that.

What I would say is that a ref has to be 100% certain for it to be a penalty. And from his position I am not sure he can make the call either way.

I personally do not feel there is an conspiracy. I just feel the refs in England can not handle the pressure of big games and big stadiums. All to often the refs make the wrong call in big games and are influenced by the crowd. Players knwo this as do managers. So they all continually hack away at a ref.

For one hour Ronaldo was chipping away at Howard Webb. He got free kicks in good positions that were undeserved for a start.

Aftyer the pen Harry Redknapp was continually having a go at Webb on the touchline. Not because he thought the decision would be changed, but in a hope that he could play on the refs mind and make him think of evening up the score.

Anyone who watches Rugby will know what needs to be done. Only the captain allowed to discuss with the ref. And a microphone for the ref so everyone can hear what's being said. Any back chat and yellow and red cards issued.

[Shanks]

We should move over this IMO and try to hope Arsenal will do them next time and we keep on winning. No point in bitching around decisions and how badly they were. They won, **** it.

[Craig_H]

No I'm not joking but maybe you can't see past your biased reasoning!? You can throw stats all night long you aren't going to get away with it mate. United put teams under pressure that's why it's more likely they'll have those kind of situations during games, still it doesn't make it a certainty it will happen though.

We should move over this IMO and try to hope Arsenal will do them next time and we keep on winning. No point in bitching around decisions and how badly they were. They won, **** it.

What stats did i throw??? I didnt mention stats whatsoever. It's like your responding to a completely different post. Utterly bizarre, i've never come across a stranger internet persona as yours.

What's pressure got to do with a goalkeeper playing the ball and having a penalty given against him??? He played the ball, it's nothing to do with pressure, it was just an absurd decision, that cant even be put down to incompetence. There wasnt even a decision to make.

I'm interested as to why you dismiss the notion of corruption so easily.

Why is it so impossible? We're so naive to this kind of thing in this country.

I'm sure everyone in italy just shrugged their shoulders and thought 'nah, thats silly' at the idea of corruption.

Why cant it happen here too? There's so much money at stake, some things just wont be left to chance.

Pure naivety to dismiss it, if it can happen in Serie A, it can happen here too.

[Vermilion]

What stats did i throw??? I didnt mention stats whatsoever. It's like your responding to a completely different post. Utterly bizarre, i've never come across a stranger internet persona as yours.

What's pressure got to do with a goalkeeper playing the ball and having a penalty given against him??? He played the ball, it's nothing to do with pressure, it was just an absurd decision, that cant even be put down to incompetence. There wasnt even a decision to make.

I'm interested as to why you dismiss the notion of corruption so easily.

Why is it so impossible? We're so naive to this kind of thing in this country.

I'm sure everyone in italy just shrugged their shoulders and thought 'nah, thats silly' at the idea of corruption.

Why cant it happen here too? There's so much money at stake, some things just wont be left to chance.

Pure naivety to dismiss it, if it can happen in Serie A, it can happen here too.

the amount of money involved makes it very plausible it could happen anywhere, especially here, so i wont dismiss it out of hand.

[DannyMan2006]

Robots should officiate football games. Ok game over.

Robots not needed.

Take away the pressure from refs and they'll get a higher majority correct. There will always be human error no matter what, but I think to many come from lack of bottle.

[Craig_H]

You're obviously drunk maybe.

People think it's an 'easy decision'. **** me, there's a hell of a lot of pressure on referees and with 70 odd thousand United supporters screaming at him.

It's a high pressure game, where errors are the name of the game. We have to accept it.

Why do we need to accept it? If most people made mistakes of that magnitude in their jobs, they'd be sacked.

What if the Italians had just 'accepted it'? Then what? A bent league continues to be bent? Great.

In the context of a professional premier league ref, it was an easy decision. If Webb finds that kind of decision hard, he shouldnt be reffing.

For the record, as i alluded to the other day, you're once again displaying strong indications that you dont particularly care.

If Rooney had caught the ball and THROWN it into the Spurs net, winning the game for the mancs, and it had been given as a goal, you'd still not be bothered and suggesting we just accept it and move on. I cant relate to football supporters with such a laissez faire attitude.

[squaddie]

If you're talking about one ref I might be inclined to agree, some overarching FA conspiracy for the scum to win the league on the other hand is just silly.

[Craig_H]

If you're talking about one ref I might be inclined to agree, some overarching FA conspiracy for the scum to win the league on the other hand is just silly.

I'm sure the Italians thought it was silly too at first.

[Joe King]

If its do-able in Spain and Italy, it can happen here too. Referees being far too lenient towards United, all in the name of crowd pressure when its David Gill pressure.

[Shanks]

If we don't win the league it'll be primarily because of a series of poor home draws and not Howard Webb or any Premier League referee.