Refereeing rears it’s Ugly head
- Updated: September 21, 2014
I can’t abide the non-calls by supposedly experienced referees in the Prem.
Did Leicester City play a good game? Yes! But did they have two players that should have gotten second yellow cards and be sent off? Yes! Mark Clattenberg the referee for the game overlooked several bad fouls, one of which allowed Vardy of LC to continue, eventually gaining a (questionable) PK call in the box. It was a soft and contrived foul, as Vardy moved into Rafael then bungled over. I disagree with Kyle Martino (nothing new) that Vardy was shoulder to shoulder with Rafael so he didn’t have a problem with the first push and non-cal. However, Martino made up for it by agreeing that the PK should not have been called. He said if the first push wasn’t called, then neither should the foul against Rafael. He saw it the same way I did. Mark Clattenberg allowed LC back in the game.
Ask Manuel Pellegrini what he thinks about Mark Clattenberg’s refereeing.
I’m mad as Hell! Last season Manchester United were simply bad. The squad was their own worst enemy, and played uninspired, lackluster soccer. But I didn’t feel the opposition was getting help from the referees. Manchester United were simply horrible; porous in the back and lacking creativity to score at the top.
This season I have seen many fouls allowed where defenders go for the player and not the ball; knocking them over and gaining possession. ‘Shoulder to shoulder’ is greatly over rated! The referees seem to have conferred and decided that these moves are allowable. Why? They don’t add anything to the game and could possibly result in injury to the other player, and possibly allow for scoring opportunities that they shouldn’t.
Leicester City should have been playing with ten men, possibly nine between the fouls by Vardy and De Laet who both played on yellow cards. Could they still have pulled a win out? Possibly. But at least it would have been truly earned and not referee assisted. After all, it wasn’t as if Manchester United were perfect…hardly! But they were leading and had the game in hand on goals by Di Maria, Van Persie and Herrera. Theirs to lose…without the help of the ref.
Rooney let loose on the squad after they allowed the tying goal (3-3), and well he should. Poor defending again. It was the first real ‘captaining’ of the squad I’ve seen from him. However, he also then was playing with lots of emotion, which has seen him get into trouble in the past. I hope someone else starts to shoulder some of the leadership on the pitch with Rooney. But there are still lots of problems which the genius of Van Gaal still hasn’t gotten right.
Yes, they’ve spent lots of money and those players are showing they can play. Di Maria, Falcao, Ander Herrera, Rojo… Do I agree with the commentators like Robbie Mustoe who constantly and gleefully utter the mantra…’welcome to the premier league’, alluding that the new players lack pace and fitness? Seriously? The premiership is now full of foreign players who consistently play for big clubs in Europe, and these guys think they’re not prepared. BS!
Kudos to Leicester City. I’m going to spend some more time brooding about this game But I’ll take solace in the more creative and inspired looking play that is emerging for Manchester United. And hope that Mark Clattenberg gets demoted.
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