Champions League Games

[Neil Young]

Whether he heard it or not (and only he can say), it was a very marginal call I thought and therefore would have been better if the ref had shown some discretion and not booked him for it.

Similar to the one where Denis Irwin got sent off at Anfield when Man U were leading (2-0 or was it 2-1) and Ince scored the equaliser in injury time.

[ronanm]

You can't take Barca on at their own game. You need to have a different approach or at least a plan B. Rafa would have managed Arsenal a lot better than Wenger last night.

[ronanm]

If he didnt hear it why did he shoot from that angle when clean through, on his weaker foot?

The whistle is pretty clear on the TV and every other time it went the players heard it

Even if he did hear it, very harsh to get a second yellow for it. A first yes, but one that means a red? Ridiculous. A warning would have been enough.

[Exiled_red]

Even if he did hear it, very harsh to get a second yellow for it. A first yes, but one that means a red? Ridiculous. A warning would have been enough.

The problem is rules are rules, if something is deemed a booking it doesn't matter whether it's a first booking or a second. I don't particularly like the rule though because if you compare it to something like persistent fouling, if you are already on a booking you have to commit alot of fouls to earn a second yellow. IMO this and taking your shirt off after scoring shouldn't be automatic yellow card offences, they should be one 'strike' towards a persistant misconduct booking.

[ronanm]

The problem is rules are rules, if something is deemed a booking it doesn't matter whether it's a first booking or a second. I don't particularly like the rule though because if you compare it to something like persistent fouling, if you are already on a booking you have to commit alot of fouls to earn a second yellow. IMO this and taking your shirt off after scoring shouldn't be automatic yellow card offences, they should be one 'strike' towards a persistant misconduct booking.

Following the letter of the law, it is the rule but isn't there something the refereee being allowed to have some discretion over their application? If not, there should be. Having said that, refereeing is getting worse imo so perhaps there should be rules for every facet of the game.

[Chazza]

Even if he did hear it, very harsh to get a second yellow for it. A first yes, but one that means a red? Ridiculous. A warning would have been enough.

I agree, the ref should have had a word and told him he was in last chance saloon.

Having said that he probably should have shown Koscielny (sp?) a second yellow when he gave away the penalty

[Fernandinho]

Come on Shakhtar!!! [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rPc5T7eVzE"]YouTube - Master Talents - Fernandinho Highlights Shakhtar[/ame]

[Shaggy]

Xavi made 10 more successful passes than Wilshere, Diaby, Fàbregas, Rosicky, Nasri, RVP, Bendtner and Arshavin put together. So did Iniesta

[Rudo]

Xavi made 10 more successful passes than Wilshere, Diaby, Fàbregas, Rosicky, Nasri, RVP, Bendtner and Arshavin put together. So did Iniesta

[Neil Young]

The problem is rules are rules, if something is deemed a booking it doesn't matter whether it's a first booking or a second. I don't particularly like the rule though because if you compare it to something like persistent fouling, if you are already on a booking you have to commit alot of fouls to earn a second yellow. IMO this and taking your shirt off after scoring shouldn't be automatic yellow card offences, they should be one 'strike' towards a persistant misconduct booking.

The law may be clear-cut but, like many of them, when it comes to how it's implemented, it is in practice open to interpretation and that allows referees discretion. It was designed to punish dissent, deliberate time-wasting (something we're all expert on), stopping the opponents taking a quick free kick, etc.

As I said earlier it was a very marginal call. Van Persie didn't turn round, look at the ref and then boot it away and it's not like a Barcelona player was right there and in a position to take a quick free kick and it's not like the free kick would have been in a dangerous place with Arsenal badly out of position. It may have been frustration, it may have been time-wasting but any advantage gained was insignificant.

In those circumstances to book him for it was harsh and the resultant red card disproportionate and I think not entirely in line with the intention of the law. The referee didn't need to book him as he could have chosen to judge it wasn't a clear offence, especially given the crowd noise.

[Exiled_red]

Following the letter of the law, it is the rule but isn't there something the refereee being allowed to have some discretion over their application? If not, there should be. Having said that, refereeing is getting worse imo so perhaps there should be rules for every facet of the game.

The law may be clear-cut but, like many of them, when it comes to how it's implemented, it is in practice open to interpretation and that allows referees discretion. It was designed to punish dissent, deliberate time-wasting (something we're all expert on), stopping the opponents taking a quick free kick, etc.

As I said earlier it was a very marginal call. Van Persie didn't turn round, look at the ref and then boot it away and it's not like a Barcelona player was right there and in a position to take a quick free kick and it's not like the free kick would have been in a dangerous place with Arsenal badly out of position. It may have been frustration, it may have been time-wasting but any advantage gained was insignificant.

In those circumstances to book him for it was harsh and the resultant red card disproportionate and I think not entirely in line with the intention of the law. The referee didn't need to book him as he could have chosen to judge it wasn't a clear offence, especially given the crowd noise.

As I said in my post above I don't agree with the rule but if that is the rule there is little the referee can do, as he has to enforce the rules. It is my opinion that the rules should be changed as I mentioned above. I know why the rule is there, but there is a difference between incidents were there is a question as to whether the play is stopped or the offence occurs almost immediately after the whistle (as in last night) and in cases where the offence is committed when play has clearly stopped to waste time etc. I believe that the rules should be changed so as to distinguish between the two.

In this case the decision was very tight, I think Sky claimed there was 1 second going between the whiste and RvP kicking the ball, so that clearly falls into the first catagory where the referee may believe the player heard the whistle, but the offence had no real effect on the game, that shouldn't be a yellow card.

[RichC]

harsh red on LDP for me, did it alter the outcome probably not - Barca weren't even at their best last night and made Arsenal look very, very ordinary.

Pedro, Xavi, Inestia, Villa and of course Messi is just an awesome 5 to call upon - christ imagine us playing them when the Bodge was still in charge!

[Shaggy]

LDP red card?

[Exiled_red]

[Rudo]

Don't rule out an upset at White Hart Lane tonight