Mascherano

[Guest]

Please explain why so many Chelsea player's have been doing it for years en mass, not a word. Was there a rule change last week.


The fact is if Bennett wanted to send Masher off he had opportunities. The time and place he chose to do it was not only wrong but egotistic.

He's a towell, a ****wit and we are now the bad boys of the EPL.

We aren't the bad boys of the EPL because of that, but Mascher will certainly feel the full brunt of the 'tougher' approach of the FA. The thing I was pointing at is that fact they said they were gonna crack down on it. Add to that Fergie's comments during the week when it rumbled on. We shouldn't have raised to it simple.

These type of games are all passion and the ability not to lose our cool. Mascher lost his and the game was lost from the moment he did it.

I fully understand your point, but we only (Mascher) have ourselves to blame for failing that particular test in that particular game under these circumstances.

[Skillz]

Bill****, the FA should have set the scene from the beginning of the season not reacting after an incident which one of their ref's showed no ****ing backbone.

[Guest]

No mate this is rediculous. You cannot set new rules with 8 games left in the season. We see players say all types of things to refs the entire year then with 8 games left a player gets a yellow card for saying 'what happen'?

The FA is showing an extreme lack of consistency and leadership, if you want the rugby rules then fine but it must be at the start of a season not in the middle or near the end of it.

Bill****, the FA should have set the scene from the beginning of the season not reacting after an incident which one of their ref's showed no ****ing backbone.

I think 'dissent' is something figuring in the rules for a long time mate. No matter how wrong is a ref, you shouldn't mouth your frustration off. It's a ****ing harsh rule, but it has to be implemented. If not you'll see players cornering refs each and every game.

But you're right saying it's something Chelsea players and others have been doing for a long time ... In that context, it's unfair that Mascher is gonna pay for that.

[kemm1]

I think 'dissent' is something figuring in the rules for a long time mate. No matter how wrong is a ref, you shouldn't mouth your frustration off. It's a ****ing harsh rule, but it has to be implemented. If not you'll see players cornering refs each and every game.

But you're right saying it's something Chelsea players and others have been doing for a long time ... In that context, it's unfair that Mascher is gonna pay for that.

Yes I agree and this my point if the FA and the refs had made it clear that this is not acceptable from day one of the season then fine send off Mash and ban him for 10 games if you like, but to suddenly 'crack down' with 8 games of the season left because of Mike Riley and Cole.

[Skillz]

Yes I agree and this my point if the FA and the refs had made it clear that this is not acceptable from day one of the season then fine send off Mash and ban him for 10 games if you like, but to suddenly 'crack down' with 8 games of the season left because of Mike Riley and Cole.

Crack down on it! LOL, watch Chelsea next week.

[barnes10]

In my day this game would have gone very differently. If Souness were captain, El Jefecito would have been too scared to mouth of at the referee, or he'd suffer the consequences.

Likewise Souness had his own way of 'refereeing'. You can be sure that Rio & Vidic would have got the message on the next corner at the very least a light raking of the studs down the calf would have let them know to leave Torres alone, or else.

But unfortunately we have no-one like that and hence are easily intimidated.

spot on. said it many times before, stevie is not a leader of men. this was a time that a leader of men was requried and we didnt have one. wouldnt have happened to keane or souness or terry. gerrard was anonymous and then didnt act as a captain should. another reason why he shouldnt be our captain.

either way tho. i want our team to not rise to sh1te like this or if anything, the captain have a word either during or at half time. nothing more than that. no wingeing on the pitch or in the manager's interview. rafa should only say 'some referees are better than others' whenever asked to comment and leave it at that.
there's just no need for this nonsense.

[lfcruleus]

After what had gone one with Cole - the players should have KNOWN that there would be a crackdown. Masher let himself, the team and the club down.

Is the right answer.

[AFII]

No mate this is rediculous. You cannot set new rules with 8 games left in the season. We see players say all types of things to refs the entire year then with 8 games left a player gets a yellow card for saying 'what happen'?

The FA is showing an extreme lack of consistency and leadership, if you want the rugby rules then fine but it must be at the start of a season not in the middle or near the end of it.

Bill****, the FA should have set the scene from the beginning of the season not reacting after an incident which one of their ref's showed no ****ing backbone.

The FA is a complete joke.

You should set a level at the start of the season and then every ref in every game should stick with it week in week out.

If a ref don't do that, ban him, it's as simple as that, no problem whatsoever.

[AFII]

Is the right answer.

No, it's isn't because you can't suddenly start to use "different" rules at the end of a season.

[Guest]

No, it's isn't because you can't suddenly start to use "different" rules at the end of a season.

It's not using 'different rules' AF. The rules are there, but they've not applied it properly. Call it double standards or whatever, but it's written black and white that dissent is a bookable offense.

[AFII]

It's not using 'different rules' AF. The rules are there, but they've not applied it properly. Call it double standards or whatever, but it's written black and white that dissent is a bookable offense.

It's "different" rules simply because you don't use it in every game, week in week out just as you point out.

I even pointed that out before the season and have moaned about it time after time.

All refs should apply the rules in the same way, week in week out. It's not difficult, it's very, very easy.

Give me a spanish ref every day of the week, they may give out a lot of bookings but every player know when they will get one because all the refs apply the rules in the same way.

[Guest]

It's "different" rules simply because you don't use it in every game, week in week out just as you point out.

I even pointed that out before the season and have moaned about it time after time.

All refs should apply the rules in the same way, week in week out. It's not difficult, it's very, very easy.

Give me a spanish ref every day of the week, they may give out a lot of bookings but every player know when they will get one because all the refs apply the rules in the same way.

I totally agree with this. But I won't 'excuse' Mascher for cocking up and not keeping his emotions in check. The first yellow card shouldn't have been given IMO, despite it being a bookable offense too. But it was the first tackle of the game and Bennett should have warned him off. I think Mascher would have understood it and got on with the game afterwards. He was pissed off because of that.

[lfcruleus]

The rules are down to the individual interpretation of the ref, Masher didnt get sent off for that one question he persistantly was at the ref for the entire time he was on the pitch, and ive already stated, the players should have been told before the match by Rafa to be careful as someone was goin to be made an example of because the Cole thingwas ****ed up.

[Guest]

The rules are down to the individual interpretation of the ref, Masher didnt get sent off for that one question he persistantly was at the ref for the entire time he was on the pitch, and ive already stated, the players should have been told before the match by Rafa to be careful as someone was goin to be made an example of because the Cole thingwas ****ed up.

We don't know if he hasn't given them instructions anyway, so it's a bit harsh making Rafa the culprit for that. I just think that these type of games brings a government health warning because of the sheer passion between both sets of players & supporters, therefore needing strong players to handle all the pressure.

That's why also I won't blame Stevie for not overreacting. He tried to get on with his game, even though he wasn't playing his best game.

[carlton]

It's not using 'different rules' AF. The rules are there, but they've not applied it properly. Call it double standards or whatever, but it's written black and white that dissent is a bookable offense.

thats exactly right. the refs have not applied the dissent rule consistently this season and then they pick one of the biggest games of the season to apply a stricter application. Riley should have sent that co*ksucker off the other night no question-turning your back to the ref after a shocking tackle and he gets away with it.

This has its genesis in the eduaordo tackle imo and the FA want the refs to have a zero tolerance approach with dangerous tackles and dissent. They want the players to know they will get the book thrown at them in certain situations except after a few weeks everything will calm down and the same old inconsistencies will reappear.

The aftermath of the next time certain chelsea players surround the ref will put this dissent business to the test and I bet nothing will happen.