SCG/CIV match, Rodriguez [MEX]

[MassachusettsRef]

9 cautions, 2 send offs (both in stoppage time) and 2 penalties from Rodriguez.

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/match/38/mr.html

Can't say I'm shocked. Unfortunately, even though I told myself this was going to be the better match for a neutral, I wanted to see who won the group, so I kept the ARG/NED match on in the office. Has anyone watched/reviewed this game? I heard he had a re-take for a penalty on encroachment and a friend said he danced around on the second penalty, almost making a mockery of himself. And the caution for the dive? The send offs? The penalties themselves? Any report would be interesting.

[Ismitje]

I probably won't be much help as all I did was follow the game on the BBC. The match commentary seemed to agree with the calls, even the retake of the first penalty kick. I was hoping to come here to learn more, to tell the truth! ;)

[Englishref]

I did the same, but turned over just as the clock hit 45 in the ARG game, and saw him send off the Serbian, then heard he'd also booked 6 others, so I watched the 2nd half. This is what I thought:

Can't comment on his overall performance, having only watched the 2nd half, and seen the replays of the main 1st half incidents.

He wasn't that bad in the 2nd half. He's still the worst of the 21 though. He had no real control throughout the 2nd half, and if what Jon Champion said at HT was correct, it didn't sound like he did in the 1st half either. There were quite a few niggles off the ball, which he missed. Kept giving free kicks against Eboue despite him being clearly 'obstructed' to use the old phrase. Should have booked the Serbian for his foul off the ball. As for the 2nd pen, I'm not entirely sure it was intentional, but I'll give Rodriguez the benefit of the doubt on that. Nevertheless, if he thought it was intentional, he had to be cautioned, given it was a shot at goal, and with him being on a caution, would have meant Serbia going down to 9. Then he messed up with the Ivorian red card, by not realising he'd already been cautioned, though thankfully he eventually realised before he restarted play.

He did play lots of good advantages though, and wasn't too fussy in the second half.

From the 1st half, it was a great decision for the penalty. Just as with Marquez earlier, for no reason he's stuck his arm in the air to handle the ball, and it was a great spot, and a correct decision. As for the retake, it was harsh to say the least. Also, an excellent spot for a dive. And as for the Serbian RC, well the first yellow was correct, the second I think the player got the ball, but the replay isn't very good, so I'd have to go with Rodriguez for now.

He definitely looked to me to be suffering from a lack of confidence, which may be due to the criticism, and I'm sure the assessment, he got after the England game, and knowing this was the last chance saloon. But IMO, there are absolutely certainly at least 16 referees better than him deserving of their place in the latter stages.

[usatowin]

9 cautions, 2 send offs (both in stoppage time) and 2 penalties from Rodriguez.

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/match/38/mr.html

Can't say I'm shocked. Unfortunately, even though I told myself this was going to be the better match for a neutral, I wanted to see who won the group, so I kept the ARG/NED match on in the office. Has anyone watched/reviewed this game? I heard he had a re-take for a penalty on encroachment and a friend said he danced around on the second penalty, almost making a mockery of himself. And the caution for the dive? The send offs? The penalties themselves? Any report would be interesting.

:mad: I wanted to see Chuiqidracula again. I just looked at the teams and figured the other one would be the better game.

How many TIs were called?

[KMJvet]

The rain poured down all game. So, players were on the ground a lot. It didn't take much contact to bring them down so sometimes they seemed to get in the mood once on the ground and look to the ref with disappointment as if he somehow could make it stop raining. Or he ought to call a foul even though it was legal contact that ended them up there.

I thought all the major decisions were right. The first pen was a reach your arm up to prevent someone getting a header on the cross and into goal handball. So yellow card and pen was correct. The white-haired guy for IC went in before the kick and a couple of Serbian's went with him, so Tommy Smyth had a fit the first try should have been allowed to stand anyway because Serbians were there; but he's nuts.

Rodriquez carded an in-box dive on IC which Tommy also took exception too since the forward made a cut back on wet grass and thought he slipped. But I'm okay with MR's decision because the guy threw his arms right out in front of his head and then turned to look for the call. If you just slipped, don't beg for a penalty.

There was another appeal for a pen in the first half where Smyth went on endlessly it was in the box, except the contact started outside. It was one where the shoulder-to-shoulder started outside but the lower body contact which was what brought him down occurred inside. I think you could argue it either way. Seemed wise to me to err on the side of out since there had just been another pen.

He gave a 2 reds for two sets of legit double yellows.

There was lots of diving and begging for calls and claims for elbows on both sides all game long. The people lacking confidence were players who didn't have confidence in their play and were wanting presents.

The 2nd handball in the box was less clear cut. The guy tried to pull his hand back, but not entirely with conviction, so I think it was probably intentional. Glad I didn't have to make the call.

Because of the weather it was a hard game to call. He was better than LMC on this day though.

Tommy Smyth criiticized him all game long to the point I wanted him FOAD, but I know it's just the poor man has more microfibrillary tangles now than neurons. For example on the 2nd yellow for the 2nd red, it was for an elbow. Smyth tried to tell viewers it must have been a late tackle, only problem with that was that he was the guy with the ball and he elbowed the guy comging up from the back to try to nick the ball.