Liverpool - Arsenal: Post Match Thread

[Yozza]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2560728/Brendan-Rodgers-The-best-team-lost-denied-blatant-penalty.html

The best team lost... we were denied a blatant penalty! Rodgers slams Webb after referee waves away Suarez penalty claim

Brendan Rodgers says Liverpool were denied blatant penalty at Arsenal
With the score 2-1, Luis Suarez was clattered by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Arsenal advance to the FA Cup Sixth Round with victory
Robbie Fowler blasts Webb on Twitter: 'Our best ref apparently...'

Brendan Rodgers was seething after his Liverpool side were knocked out of the FA Cup, insisting referee Howard Webb denied them a 'blatant penalty'.

Arsenal came out on top at the Emirates Stadium in the fifth round, beating the visitors 2-1 in frenetic game.

But Rodgers believes his side deserved to win, or at least gain a replay, especially when Luis Suarez was hacked down by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the box.

Goals from Oxlade-Chamberlain and Lukas Podolski had put Arsenal on their way to victory, before Steven Gerrard halved the deficit from the penalty spot.

But Rodgers felt they should have had another spot-kick when Suarez was felled by Oxlade-Chamberlain.

'It was a blatant penalty. I don’t know why Howard didn’t give it but maybe it came too close to the first penalty. It should have been an easy decision,' Rodgers said.
'First one Luis [Suarez] gets clipped. Second one was clear but I’m not sure if it was because it was just after that. Luis got the ball and Alex has clipped him straight after that, it was strange.

'The best team lost, we deserved at least a replay. It should have been 2-0 in the first 6-7 mins.'

Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler blasted Webb on Twitter: ‘Our best ref apparently...how can you miss that? Shocking decision.’

Wenger added: ‘Maybe we were a bit lucky. I rate Suarez as a player. It is always difficult to know with him if it was genuine contact or if he made more of it.’ **** off Arsene you cunt

Arsenal will host Everton in the next round, after they saw off the challenge of Swansea at Goodison Park earlier in the day.

[Kenneth]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...r-penalty.html

Liverpool are out of the FA Cup because 'weak' Webb refused to award clear penalty

Liverpool were denied a clear penalty and likely equaliser when referee Howard Webb refused them their second penalty in a pulsating Cup tie.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain clattered through Luis Suarez, with Webb perfectly placed to see the offence. Suarez’s theatrical ‘dive’ will not have helped nor did the fact that Webb had already awarded Liverpool a penalty.

Those who have not been in such a pressure-cooker situation would not understand that, but I do.

Webb, of course, with his experience and pedigree, should do better and be above such weakness — Liverpool are now out of the FA Cup because he wasn’t.

Webb contributed well to an absorbing cup tie between Arsenal and Liverpool - but all his good work will be forgotten because of one error. That's the way it works for a referee.

Webb had a clear view of the incident but somehow managed to wave appeals away. Perhaps it was the theatrical way that Suarez went down or his reputation which made England's leading referee hesitate.

One other factor could have been that he had only just given Liverpool one penalty for a much 'softer' foul. I know that, perhaps illogically, that is a factor.

However, Webb was correct to give the first one and therefore his confidence should have been high.

I remember the late, great referee Jack Taylor telling me that he had no hesitation in awarding a second penalty in the World Cup final as he knew the first was 100 per cent correct.

He had been accused of 'levelling things up' by awarding West Germany their spot-kick after giving one to Holland before the Germans had touched the ball.

In a game where Webb did so many good things which helped the game and certainly did not penalise Liverpool, keeping Steven Gerrard on the pitch after his challenge on Oxlade-Chamberlain being one example. It is a real shame that his error will linger in the mind.

'One error' He had a mare throughout.

[McDermotX]

He's such a weak referee..........regularly makes strange decisions and enjoys the limelight, so much so that he lets the occasion govern his disciplinary procedures.

That in itself is enough to dispute his appointment as a referee in the professional game, let alone be wined and dined on the World Cup/CL circuit.

[Shaggy]

"How dare you, a pleb, touch me, a police officer and MBE"

[The Birdman]

Very, very easy to blame Webb.
The truth is we played really well, as well as I've seen us when away to another 'big/top 4' side.

We lost because Brad Jones (who otherwise played really well) tipped over an easy cross for a corner that directly led to the free kick for Ox-Chamberlin's goal.
And because from a combined 6 easy (for them) chances Sturridge and Suarez couldn't score.

Allen played well but Henderson is the heartbeat of Rodgers' Liverpool, we missed him massively.

[Norbs]

"How dare you, a pleb, touch me, a police officer and MBE"

Robocop

[Shaggy]

Very, very easy to blame Webb.
The truth is we played really well, as well as I've seen us when away to another 'big/top 4' side.

We lost because Brad Jones (who otherwise played really well) tipped over an easy cross for a corner that directly led to the free kick for Ox-Chamberlin's goal.
And because from a combined 6 easy (for them) chances Sturridge and Suarez couldn't score.

Allen played well but Henderson is the heartbeat of Rodgers' Liverpool, we missed him massively.

Forgot the goal came from that. WTF was he doing tipping it over?

[BubbaZanetti]

It's funny listening to the reaction from arsenal people this morning. You'd think they'd won the cup rather than scrape a home win in the 5th round.

Because they're genuinely terrified that their season is about to unravel again. I will laugh my nuts off if Neverton knock em out in the next round.

[DeanoUK]

It's funny listening to the reaction from arsenal people this morning. You'd think they'd won the cup rather than scrape a home win in the 5th round.

Yeah that's typical Arsenal fans. They'll absolutely fail to see their shortcomings and declare it an emphatic win.

[DeanoUK]

'One error' He had a mare throughout.

Yeah this is pissing me off. He was awful all game, massively biased. The penalty was just the icing on the cake.

[Yozza]

Forgot the goal came from that. WTF was he doing tipping it over?

Because he's bloody terrible - should be nowhere near our club

I'd be surprised if there wasn't a worse back up keeper in any of the top tier clubs in Europe - he's awful*



*perfectly coiffed hair though

[DeanoUK]

Forgot the goal came from that. WTF was he doing tipping it over?

Yeah that was fecking poor tbh.

[Fosterbloke]

Hold on, didn't you lot say he made some good saves and even kicked well?

It's not like he gave away a penalty is it?

[McDermotX]

Made an excellent save from Ozil (I think) down low.....as good as some of Mig's have been.
Got every ball he came out for (was refreshing to see that I must admit), and while he tipped the ball over prior to the first goal........there are others to take the blame for that goal instead of Jones.

Don't think he done anything wrong yesterday, but not suggesting he should be playing regularly by any means.

[shanks69]

jones is not the first keeper to tip the ball over in exactly the same situation and he won't be the last.