Refereeing decisions no excuse
Tue Oct 27 01:57PM
Alex Ferguson was wrong to again drag the referee into post-match discussions following Manchester United's defeat to Liverpool.
The United boss suggested that Andre Mariner was too inexperienced to handle a game of that magnitude, but how else is a referee supposed to become experienced if they don't officiate those kinds of games?
Mariner didn't have a bad game by any stretch of the imagination, and the only decision he might have got wrong was when he showed Jamie Carragher yellow for his foul on Michael Owen. It could easily have been red.
But even if it had been, it would probably have proved too late for United to salvage something from the game. And the truth is they did not deserve anything from it.
Forget about that brilliant finish from Fernando Torres and all the criticism of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, the match was won and lost in midfield.
Javier Mascherano and Lucas Leiva ran that area of the pitch all game long and United seemed powerless to doing anything about it.
How United missed the presence of Darren Fletcher. The Scot has come on so much over the past few seasons that he is now the first name on the teamsheet for a big game.
Without him, United lacked energy in the middle of the park and both Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes looked laboured. Neither managed to get about the pitch and there was no real zip to their play.
Park Ji-sung is another player who, like Fletcher, can inject some life into proceedings and he was also sorely missed at Anfield.
The team that wanted to win that game the most took the three points. Liverpool badly needed a victory and they got one, deservedly so.
The problem Rafa Benitez faces now is maintaining the standard they set on Sunday.
It is all well and good raising their game for the big clashes, but how will they react next weekend down at Fulham?
They are the kind of encounters that can prove crucial to a club's title ambitions. Three points are still just three points, no matter who you win them against.
It is fair to say that Liverpool's downfall last season was due to their failure to take maximum points off a couple of the 'lesser' sides.
It turned out that draws can be costly and if Liverpool are to truly get their season back up and running, Saturday's game at Craven Cottage is just as important as the one against United.
As for United, there are a few issues that need to be addressed, most notably at the back, where Rio Ferdinand again looked out of sorts.
Being in London for the launch of a film he helped produce in the build-up to such a big game cannot have helped his preparations and by sanctioning such a trip, Ferguson did not help himself.
But the result should not knock United off their stride too badly and talk of a crisis at Old Trafford is ludicrous. After all, they have proved over the years that they are at their most dangerous coming off the back from a bad result.
That cannot be good news for Blackburn, who have the thankless task of visiting Old Trafford at the weekend to face a team who now have a similar mindset to that of Liverpool just days ago.
And we all know how that particular wounded animal bit back.
1st
From levz86 on Tue Oct 27 02:14PMNext week the drunken duffer Ayatollah Ferguson will be complaining that match officials are deliberately scoring goals for opposing teams
Which on the evidence of David N'gog's performance against van der Sar this weekend, is of course entirely credible
From arttidesco on Tue Oct 27 02:20PMNext week the drunken duffer Ayatollah Ferguson will be complaining that match officials are deliberately scoring goals for opposing teams
Which on the evidence of David N'gog's performance against van der Sar this weekend, is of course entirely credible
From arttidesco on Tue Oct 27 02:22PMrubbish
From goonerforlyfesmate on Tue Oct 27 02:27PMGood article Paul. I am die hard Man united fan. We did lose the battle in midfield. Although, I did believe the Carrick incidence was a clear penalty. If that had been given, it could have changed the nature of the game. Also, read that Torres was at 80% and yet he did brilliantly - and although being a Rooney fan, I still believe that he did not do anything noticeable in the whole 90 mins. Berbatov was doing great over the last few games, with his flicks and tricks showing his confidence was high. But after his international (hat trick) break, he came back in his sulky mood. If you noticed, he was permanently sulky through the CSKA moscow match and he was no better against Liverpool. Giggs has been stupendous throughout the season but for some reason was not up to scratch in the Liverpool game.We need Fletcher back quick. Also, Fergie has to think up a strategy against teams that dont allow our team time on the ball. Barcelona Final and against Liverpool, we showed that if we are harried in midfield we give up too easily. We need people with the energy of Rooney and Tevez running midfield. I believe Anderson is the man but he needs experience- give him a couple of seasons. If we want a quick fix, we need a hard man there NOW!
From shahgroupdar on Tue Oct 27 02:32PMtest
From shahgroupdar on Tue Oct 27 02:33PMi'll have placed a bet that paul parker did not write this stuff
From segzident on Tue Oct 27 02:37PMThank you Paul Parker for recognising the role Lucas Leiva played in that Victory. Please educate your fellow blogger Early Doors who seems only to enjoy mocking Lucas and Ngog.
From okoliecd on Tue Oct 27 03:06PMAgree with shahgroupdar - was won/lost in midfield - I was surprised that Anderson did not get on, at least to chase and harrass the Liverpool midfielders in the second half.
From mikeluke on Tue Oct 27 03:07PMPaul - good article, I don't usually agree with you, but this one was constructive. Congrats.
From m_kingswell on Tue Oct 27 03:50PMcould have been a red card??? it was a defining moment and was a deliberate attempt by ther thug carrager to stop a clear goal scoring opportunity....thats why sir alex mentioned the ref...god sake mr parker get off that fence!..GGMU...ready to retain the title that the scouse have NEVER won and NEVER will!
From stuartxland on Tue Oct 27 03:54PMED in my experience is not biased or deferential to anyone
From arttidesco on Tue Oct 27 04:03PMEverything Parker said, I agree with.
But one issue. How could Carra's tackle on Owen be 'easily a red'?
- Owen was going away from goal.
- There were covering defenders.If you ask me, Vidic's challenge on Kuyt was more easily a red than this.
From akilesh_radhakrishnan on Tue Oct 27 04:08PMSure every word of this article is true (which is unlike Parker) but i think i'll be talking to Liverpool fans.
A win against United doesn't guarantee a back on track. I think the Match against Fulham is as important as that against United because it is the same 3POINTS which is at stake. That was surely what led to the failure of Liverpool last season. They gained 14points from the Top 4. Playing the lesser clubs should be as important as playing the top 4. Winning United and loosing to Fulham proves nothing!
On the other hand, i think the Red Devils have got alot to do. Rio Ferdinand and Vidic are one of the best defenders in Europe(and that's when they are playing well and at their best) but that shouldn't guarantee their presence in every game. When they aren't fit, they shouldn't play. It would be better re-placing them than for them being a catastrophe just like against Liverpool. We've got loads of players on that bench..i could go on and on mentioning them. Goodluck UnitedFrom gudy2shoeskol on Tue Oct 27 04:09PMBy the way i think Carragher deserved a red card not yellow..that was crystal clear! Some of the referee's decisions were foul but that isn't an excuse to our defeat. Liverpool were the better team and that was simply because they needed that win more than United atleast, get off from that beachball curse.
I love the Liverpool supporters' action. Throwing those beahballs proved how wisely they took and tackled their woes. They kinda made a fun of it which i don't think any other club supporters might do.From gudy2shoeskol on Tue Oct 27 04:10PMWhy wasn't Carragher given a red card? Maybe because it involved Owen!
From gudy2shoeskol on Tue Oct 27 04:16PMwe hate artidesco, he's a poof, he's a poof!
From pegez on Tue Oct 27 04:21PMfergie the anfield roar scared you
From patriciagilligan62 on Tue Oct 27 04:22PMno excuses sir alex u deserve to lose more points than u have
From kimi_liverpool_2007 on Tue Oct 27 04:33PMyes united had bad decisions against them, but it will even out over the season...dont forget it was liverpool who had to win, otherwise end of season for them.but despite d loss, united still above them...still a long way to go...i dont care if liverpool beat manu ..7-0 at old trafford...as long as prem trophy goes in the rather extended trophy room..poor city..always want beat manu..thats there highlite of the season.mark hughes in gorton market, any any cups for sale, ill give u a good price, we need them for our trophy room, as long as there not red cups..hahahahahahaha
From john_anna2004 on Tue Oct 27 04:42PMto all the blinkered man utd fans that believe that carraghers tackle on carrick was enough to award a penalty and that carragher should have been sent off for the incident with michael owen. several newspapers have enlisted the advice from some top referees concerning the issues.to say there is a genereal consensus is an understatement.all of them agreed that carragher won the ball before any contact was made to carrick - NO FOUL. michael owen was running diagonally away from goal and there were two covering defenders, therefore it did not represent a clear scoring oppurtunity - YELLOW CARD. spot on mr.mariner.stop the excuses guys.we were better than you.
From jndyball on Tue Oct 27 05:25PMWhen I first looked at the starting lineup of MU on Sunday, I did not have a good feeling. Playing Carrick and Scholes togather and without Fletcher, the MU midfield defense was not exist. Carrick is slow while Scholes is old. Without anyone to clear up the midfield, MU would lose the midfield, then the game. Whoever wins the midfield in big game, wins the game. With strikers like Torres or Eto, the best way to defense them is to stop the supply line. Once those strikers get the ball, it will be too late. As simple as this, whenver Fletcher plays in a big game, MU wins and if he is missing, MU loses. You can check the record in the last 2 years. Only Fletcher can do clearing (Hargreaves is still injuried).
From howardso01 on Tue Oct 27 05:31PMWho the hell does Ferguson think he is.....a law unto himself. To the rest of us mortals......we think his attacks on referees is disgraceful.
And isnt it funny.....he only attacks them when his 'flops' fail. What a W***er*.
Heres a suggestion to Ferguson......choke on those sour grapes......cos youre losing your touch beetroot face.
From steven.moser on Tue Oct 27 05:35PMIts great watching Ferguson @#$% in his baggy y-fronts.....ban him for life and do us all huge favour
From steven.moser on Tue Oct 27 05:38PMnumber 25....." The Liverpool Roar "......every time one of the scouse players are tackled or lose the ball just listen to the crowd!! Really,next time Liverpoo are on tv watch it and every time one of their players gets tackled listen to the reaction from the so-called knowledgeable crowd.Knowledgable-i don't know....Sporting Crowd-don't think so.Liverpool roar my *rse...the biggest bunch of bad mouthed biggots in the premiership....vile !!
From n.gummery on Tue Oct 27 05:52PMyour so right paul,your old manager is a horrible pig and that poxbottle of a club is fallin apart and im just lovin it
From andykeegan45 on Tue Oct 27 05:57PMapparently vidic is having a halloween party... people are goin dressed as TORRES... lmfao
From tasha.lawrence19 on Tue Oct 27 05:57PMI observed that Rafa, and some other managers, are wearing those red and green badges on their coats. Forgive my ignorance but can someone tell me what are those for?
From ard_centurion on Tue Oct 27 05:58PMAlex Ferguson should to leave complaing and criticism of referees and concrate on him crises in midfield and back in his team
From b.enginers1969 on Tue Oct 27 06:06PMWell done liverpoo on Sunday, it's a pleasure to hear the un-sporting crowd roar as usual when any liverpoo player gets challenged whether fairly or not.The scouse language is always a pleasure too. The usual swear words chanted over again for everyone watching the game to sit and reflect what a horrible place yours must be. Fair enough if you think it will help you win by trying to influence the ref everytime a liverpoo player hasn't got the ball,then that's up to you, but to this end i ask are you a sporting crowd ??? article 25 " The liverpoo Roar " the most foul mouthed fans in the premiership i think. Hope all you fans of liverpoo partied over the weekend ?? coz it will be a hell of a party come May at Old Trafford The theatre of Dreams....not Screams !! Pathetic scouse fans.
From n.gummery on Tue Oct 27 06:08PM
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