I think they can beat them Mick.
Barcelona have a system in which they play short passing incisive football and try to draw you out, they then play that wonderful slide rule pass and cut you apart, or knock it out wide and get in behind you..
This system can be beaten as Mourinho proved when Milan didn’t give them a kick.
Fergie will have done his home work and i fancy them for an upset.
Agree with you on one thing though, let them play and they are breathtaking to watch.
Best ever ? I’ll go for the Brazil 70’s side.

“Milan (Inter that is) didn’t give them a kick”. That was hardly like the way Bayern didn’t give ManU a kick in 1999 – I think Barca had 75%+ possession just didn’t score. Barca had 548 passes compared to Inter’s 67. That’s quite a few kicks.

Arsenal beat Barca at home and I am still 100% convinced they would have got a draw there without RVP’s sending off. They tire at 75 mins – anyone would at the pace they play.

I think Man U will win but not be the better team.

Who cares its a mickey mouse cup anyway haha
(tin hat already on)~clap ~clap ~clap

Lol, COYS

i go to every home game and to be honest some of the displays this season have been painful to watch,i believe valencia coming back has added an extra threat in the last few months and he gave cole nightmares on sunday.the difference between this team and previous years is theres no out and out superstar and the team is more solid for that but at times lack a bit of flair.

@FBlues wrote:

“Milan (Inter that is) didn’t give them a kick”. That was hardly like the way Bayern didn’t give ManU a kick in 1999 – I think Barca had 75%+ possession just didn’t score. Barca had 548 passes compared to Inter’s 67. That’s quite a few kicks.

Arsenal beat Barca at home and I am still 100% convinced they would have got a draw there without RVP’s sending off. They tire at 75 mins – anyone would at the pace they play.

I think Man U will win but not be the better team.

Maybe i phrased that wrong Kieth.
Barca in that game where very inaffective.
Milan stiffled them and did a proper job on them, i know they had plenty of the ball but they did nothing with it.
That’s what i was trying to get across.

ashley cole has been spotted in halfords today trying to buy a map of spain…….he still hasnt a clue where valencia is ~sick

Sporting Gijon did a similar job (to Inter) on Barca and actually beat Real doing the same thing. The trouble is almost every team in the Prem plays like it against the big clubs, which is why man U and Chelsea, as well as Arsenal, have looked less than effective in many games. Man U’s ability to not lose made the difference. Watching Man City tonight, what a cup final it’s going to be on Saturday, neither team being likely to cross the halfway line very much. Apparently City had 4 attempts on target. I missed the first 15 minutes so they must have been in that. I never saw them have a shot.

@FBlues wrote:

Sporting Gijon did a similar job (to Inter) on Barca and actually beat Real doing the same thing. The trouble is almost every team in the Prem plays like it against the big clubs, which is why man U and Chelsea, as well as Arsenal, have looked less than effective in many games. Man U’s ability to not lose made the difference. Watching Man City tonight, what a cup final it’s going to be on Saturday, neither team being likely to cross the halfway line very much. Apparently City had 4 attempts on target. I missed the first 15 minutes so they must have been in that. I never saw them have a shot.

Yeah the Arse used to be able to keep clean sheets and win 1-0 way back when they were good !

Here,s a bang tidy tune for you to enjoy keith …. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAPtTS0TYtU

Not really interested Dodge. I think the fans have voted with their feet though: your biggest game of the year and nowhere near full. Managed two clean sheets against City though…hardly surprising.

47,300 only 400 short of capacity @ Eastlands tonight. Tell Arsene to get £50 million spent on a new back four and a decent keeper ! 1 nil to the City LOL

~clap ~clap

bookie you devious git. envy is hard to bare and clouds your judgement. everyone is saying united have not performed as well as in previous years. has anyone ever thought the other teams have improved tactics wise. there are no easy games this season, mid table clubs have improved no end. take west brom , normaly up and down, this season they,ve suprised people much like blackpool have by being more adventurous. whereas before they would go to chelski and lie down , now they believe they can compete. arsenal have been found out and teams have worked a system of playing against them which works maybe 33% of the time , but that is enough to knock them back from the top. thats where taggert has surpassed even himself by using his squad and battling out results. its difficult to plan against united because you,ve no idea who,s playing. not always pretty but effective over 38 games. city on the other hand have no idea what there best team is and next season they will fork out millions on so called superstars they dont need, what they need is a consistant team week in week out and a game plan. all this is irrelavent as the trophy has already been awarded to liverpool 2011/2012 season and will according to the scouse lead/dominated media be presented in february.

Where is gary the gudgeon he usually has some words to say.

400 short of capacity??????
the stand behind 1 of the goals had loads of empty seats and all round the ground there were spare seats unless the fans all went in fancy dress as blue plastic seats~clap ~clap
the biggest game in your history and you cant even fill the stadium

Ey up Mick how are you matey? Yea i think the spurs board made a massive mistake in january it was plain to see that we needed a top striker because defoe,crouchy and pav were not scoring the goals that they did last season. As for next season i’m not sure that we will lose any of our top players i think harry will have a clearout of the fringe players and hopefully the board will give harry the funds to bring in the players we need, BUT if we fail to get into europe next season we will lose bale,modric,vdv etc.

The trouble we have had this season is dropping too many points against the lesser teams we have took 1pt off blackpool,wigan and west ham 3 teams that will more than likely get relegated but at least we took 4 of your lot haha
roll on next season

Some spurs fans apparently want Harry out because he’s taken them as far as he can lol, charlton – curbishley comes to mind

The mistake Redknapp made was thinking he could win the CL maybe because he’s in the twilight of his managerial career. If you’d asked most fans what they would have wished for this season it would have been top 4 again and to get out of the CL Group stage which we did but then he was daft enough to think he could win it and rested players in favour of the CL. Should have bought Saurez in Jan and I think the Van Der Vart signing overall has had a negative effect.

COYS

Lol

bookie you old tart. i never mentioned barca. they are by a street the worlds best team and also the best paid. but a cold night in the rain at stoke or bolton is not quite as easy as a warm night at valencia. they would struggle because we have players like vidic/terry/scholes biting your legs and english refs bottling decisions on a regular basis especialy at chelski/liverpool. they are the F/A darlings and can do no wrong even when it comes to shooting people, and putting wingers out for a month. there players can handle the ball whenever they want to makes no difference, send one of there players off~naughty never happens~sick

Good thread fellas ~clap ~clap ~clap

People have their own ideas about this years premier league with differing opinions ….for me one thing is certain ….. it has become much more competetive resulting in the league becoming much closer , no team has been able to dominate like in the past which can only be a good thing surely ? Man Utd are still dominant at Old Trafford but have poor form away from home , i am sure many managers will try to exploit this next season plus Utd are going to lose probably the best keeper in the prem in Van der Sar , plus Scholes (deffo retiring) massive summer in the transfer market for United coming up , it will shape their future for sure imho , the glazers deffo have to come up with some serious transfer wedge !
As for Barca in th CL final Utd can absolutley win it …. dont ever think anything is beyond Sir Alex ! he is the master for sure love him or hate him ! He will also be aware of what happened to Chelsea a couple of seasons ago when they played Barca in the CL semi final @ stamford bridge ….. Chelsea were denied at least 4 clear cut penalties that defied belief ….. the ref that night has never been seen again !~think ~think thats what you are up against when you play UEFA,s darlings BARCELONA !

SMOKE AND MIRRORS~naughty ~naughty ~naughty

MAKES YOU WONDER BOOKIE.

Sheffield Forum > General Forums > General Sports Chat > See how the referees are biased towards Manchester United

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PDAView Full Version : See how the referees are biased towards Manchester United

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plekhanov13-01-2011, 19:22
Saw this analysis on United Penalties & Red Cards on Redcade (http://www.redcafe.net/f6/manchester-united-referees-318413/) and in view of some of the hysterical whining here following the United Liverpool game thought it might make for some informative reading:

After the Berbatov penalty decision against Liverpool at the weekend, there was a thread in the newbies asking if we got the rub of the green off referees. A fair few United supporters actually agreed that we did, along with almost every opposition poster. An Arsenal fan was particularly vociferous in his claims, saying that we had been awarded a ridiculous amount of decisions this year. I decided to do a little research on United versus Arsenal this season in terms of penalty decisions and opponents being sent off this season.

Arsenal have been awarded 11 penalties, and have had 7 of their opponents sent off in 31 competitive games.

United have been awarded 5 penalties, and have had 3 of their opponents sent off in 30 competitive games.

Arsenal’s 8 penalties:

1. Walcott v Leeds:
Walcott goes into the area and falls after a slight tug from the defender. This minutes after he dived and the ref awarded a penalty only to reverse it for an offside which he believed had occurred after but had actually occurred before. Arsenal score a last-minute equaliser to take them to a replay and avoid an embarrassing loss.
Verdict: Just about a pen.

2. Van Persie v Partizan:
Van Persie theatrically tumbles after the defender gets a touch on the ball. Arsenal score the opener in a crucial game.
Verdict: No pen. 1 incorrect decision.

3. Djourou v Shaktar:
Djourou leans into the defender and falls over. Pen given and scored.
Verdict: No pen. 2 incorrect decisions.

4. Fabregas v Man City:
Fouled just inside the box.
Verdict: Pen.

5. Chamakh v Birmingham:
Chamakh belly-flops after little or no contact. Birmingham players are incensed to a man and surround the referee and chase Chamakh. Pen given and scored and Arsenal come from 1-0 down to win 2-1.
Verdict: No pen. 3 incorrect decisions.

6. Chamakh v Partizan:
Doesn’t seem to have been much questions by all accounts, I couldn’t find a video.
Verdict: Probably a pen.

7. Nasri v Tottenham:
Nasri tumbles after the slightest touch/tug from Bassong. Harry Redknapp after the game accuses Nasri of diving. Pen given and scored, Arsenal lead 2-1, and then…
Verdict: No pen: 4 incorrect decisions.

8. Chamakh v Tottenham:
This time there is a more definite tug, although Chamakh goes down easily.
Verdict: Pen. Just.

9. Nasri v Sunderland:
Clipped.
Verdict: Pen.

10. Chamakh v Braga:
The keeper commits himself, and Chamakh pokes the ball past him and collapses with no contact. It could be argued that the keeper impeded him, although he could have gone past him and chose instead to dive with no contact.
Verdict: No pen. 5 incorrect decisions.

11. Chamakh v Blackpool:
Chamakh is fouled by Ian Evett, but the foul is clearly outside the area. The referee gives a penalty regardless.
Verdict: No pen. 6 incorrect decisions.

Arsenal’s Opponents’ 6 Red Cards:

1. Zabaleta:
Zabaleta does nothing but get headbutted by Sagna and stand his ground, but he gets sent off anyway.
Verdict: No red card. 7 incorrect decisions.

2. N’Zogbia:
Stupidly leant head into Wilshire and sent off.
Verdict: Red card.

3. Boyata:
Last man, had to go.
Verdict: Red card.

4. Jovanovic:
Ditto. ^^
Verdict: Red card.

5. Cahill:
Ridiculous decision. Foul just about worthy of a yellow, but Cahill saw red.
Verdict: No red card. 8

The above is opinions; referees give decisions based on their opinions of what has happened. Watching on TV is very different. I remember Djiouf being sent off in his Blackburn days, against Boro I think. It was OBVIOUS he dived on telly and to the ref – except from one angle when Schwarzer DEFINITELY got his trailing leg. When I had it re-run at Sky, guess what: he did NOT dive. I’ll even go back to the 1971 FA Cup Final when Eddie Kelly was given Arsenal’s first goal. From every angle Graham never touched it – except I was there, in line, and he diverted it in when it would have rolled wide.

looks like all you glory boys need to buy some new mirrors as most of yours are well old and badly tarnished in need of renewal with youth as your main agent for the future???? so come on who kidding who. long live grass roots cameras and wingeing managers

basement clubs salt of the earth brian ( aldershot fc) especialy~clap ~clap ~clap

what cant speak cant lie keith. arsenal are the preferd club for refs.lol

Arsenal have been awarded 11 penalties, and have had 7 of their opponents sent off in 31 competitive games.

United have been awarded 5 penalties, and have had 3 of their opponents sent off in 30 competitive games.

Refs admit its hard to give pens against the top clubs at home, why? Refs are professionals paid to be impartial and apply the letter of the law. In my opinion its a disgrace the way big clubs are favoured.

Rules of football have now gone mad, you can’t breath on a player outside box but most corners are more like a Scrum and the handball rule is just ridiculous, I think its made up as they go along, how was lampards not handball when his arm is pointing to the sky when a cross comes in. How long before tackles are banned, the playerrs are so fast these days that a tackle that’s a hundredths of a second late looks liike common assault when the camera’s have slowed it down. I used to love football but the commercialization and outrageous wagess payed to playeers who couldn’t give a toss about your club has ruined it for me. I’m trying to work out if sky was the best or worst thing that ever happened to football.

your quite correct the top clubs , united being the exception do get all the breaks. but then again to get to the top you have to spend more time attacking ( man city not included)so therefor must by the law of averages get more penalties. united got less penalties than west ham ~think which team, (west ham or united) would you have thought would have the most penalties~think. like i said SMOKE AND MIRRORS.

on your other point re tackles. i was amazed at the stats in one paper re the united/chelski game. according to them neither ferdinand or o’shay made a single tackle, how can that be~think

“how can that be”

Murdoch’s fault at a guess.

I’m led to believe his journals specialise in lies and spin.

LOL ROB. i blame murdoch for everything even for my missing screwdriver. spect he took it to give to cameron as another sweetner

I love the argies as they burn well. 1982 4-0 the glory days,