I couldn't even watch the last 10 minutes of my beloved NUFC for 30 years during today's season finale. Ref, Phil Dowd blatantly changed the course of the game in minutes with two nearly identical set pieces for Liverpool outside the 6 yard box thereby setting up two goals. If that wasn't enough, how about TWO RED cards in the second half. Ameobi received two yellows for dissent within seconds of each other. It is sad to see a team like Liverpool "given" a game like that and not earning the chance to win it on their own. Having a ref manage a game like that is a travesty. I lost all respect for Dowd as I imagine many fans around the world will as well after seeing that game. Final Score: Newcastle 1 Liverpool nil, Dowd 4 (two goals and two red cards). Congrats to Manchester City for a job well done. They earned the title and thank goodness their ref didn't control the result.
Yeah; hope you liked todays game because thats what you will see a lot of next season with Pardew still keeping his job. But Im sorry you're just really wrong about the match and sound just like Alan Pardew,...wait are you Alan Pardew in disguise? Our plan was to go out, nick a goal then hold on and smother the game until the end. To frustrate them. It worked kind of for the 1st 60 minutes until 'Pule played their plan "B" when it became apparent they couldn't break us down and we weren't trying to attack them. They then frustrated us; and we lost our heads. Watching this at a local pub surrounded by neutrals it became painfully obvious from the start that our tactics were shite ugly football; Chelsea without any sort of flair. Remy wasn't even at the match and with a dearth of strikers, goals were not going to come from anything but a surprise long ball thru to Shola; or an own goal (Tks Skrtl, your chcks in the mail...). Even the offensive players on the pitch were defending and counterattacking from midfield deep with their backs to a high defensive line. Don't get me wrong, there was nothing else for the Toon to go out and do; especially against a team with a poor defensive record; and they did it well until Liverpool changed their shape and fought frustration with frustration. Shola was an ass for mouthing off to the ref, and Dummet's tackle was super late and completely unnecessary. They gave Dowd no other choice...as far as the free kicks, maybe...but they hardly did themselves any favors that would make me, or anyone else believe the we deserved anything more. we went out with a bang though...
Yes, the Shola red was BS. You give him the yellow and let him finish. He's earned it at that point. If there had been a championship to play for at that point, it would have been a disgrace to decide it on a technicality. Despite the bunker ball, I thought they played hard and kept possession pretty well. They've got talent, and yet I have this feeling there is nothing to hope for next year.
Nonsense. A caution is exactly that: a warning that if the behavior continues, you will be sent off. He was cautioned, ignored the warning, and continued. The send off is his fault.
We played well in the first half, then we tried to hold on and couldn't do it. Typical Newcastle game.
Respectfully disagree. If Dowd wants to show 'em who's boss, he can pull the card out after every foul that's called the wrong way. See that player yelling and gesturing at the ref that he blew it? Put him in his place with a yellow card. We see real fouls let go 'til the third or fourth occurrence. How is one yellow not sufficient for dissent? That is an extraordinary response, but you're talking like it happens every week. No way that's not a verbal warning. The prideful refs are the worst. Dowd can **** off.