Deliberate handling only really needs a caution in two cases: • deliberately handles the ball to prevent an opponent gaining possession • attempts to score a goal by deliberately handling the ball di Maria did neither of these. He caught it, as noted above, with nobody nearby, thinking that he was about 3-4 feet further out of the field than he actually was. No attempt at concealing the handling either. It was a nice Wide Receiver's catch.
Jones should have been cautioned in the 21' and wasn't. The caution in the 56' would have been a dismissal. Likewise, Mario, on a caution, should have been given a second for the sideline nonsense that required fans to hold him back. He grabbed Smalling and pulled him in to the pit. Luckily, Smalling wasn't hurt. Both are lucky to remain on the pitch. I disagree as to Rooney Rooney is knocked to the left yet kicks out low to the right with zero chance to play the ball. (Looking for a good replay) The PK was argued. But it was shoulder to shoulder and nothing more. As to DiMaria, he catches the ball while on the pitch. I explained myself already. Ignoring it makes Atkinson look disinterested. Addressing it would not make him look like a tyrant. No where did I suggest four reds. Where you see calm, I see disinterested. At one point, Liverpool had a free kick and we're trying to move quickly. A Man U player kicked the ball away which did, in fact, delay. The Liverpool players all pointed. Atkinson did nothing. I think the lack of reaction to the PK and other incidences late in the game weren't because they were not questionable, but because the players simply realized it was pointless.
Ignoring it? Last I checked the AR flagged, the referee blew the whistle, and play restarted with a DFK for Liverpool. Anything more is over refereeing. There is nothing to address. If there were a Liverpool player challenging for the ball then maybe, but there isn't one within 20 yards and the ball is going out anyway. Common sense will help you in life, and refereeing.
As a mod, I cannot put you on ignore. But I refuse to address you or get sucked in to your game of insults
Then what are you suggesting? You're saying Jones and Balotelli were lucky to stay on the pitch. You're equating Rooney's foul with Gerrard's and I can't imagine you're actually arguing Gerrard shouldn't have seen red. And you also (rightly) implied Skrtel should have seen red. Hmm, actually that's 5 reds. I don't understand this critique. You really think Atkinson was disinterested in one of the biggest games of the year? This isn't like a Grade 7 who is irritated he is only working U14s. He's an established world-class referee who had a handle on the proceedings right from the beginning and avoided demonstrating any volatility that could escalate a tense encounter. Pointless to dissent because the referee was measured and had a firm grasp of the proceedings? Oh, the horror. But seriously, PK at home against United after they are already down a man and had comeback to make it 2-1, with a chance to possibly steal a vital point back. PK gets almost not protest. I can't believe you refer to it as "soft." Everyone seemed to accept it as a foul. I'm sorry I feel I have to harp on you so much here. But Atkinson had a brilliant performance. If we can't objectively recognize that here, then I don't know what we're doing.
Leaving aside whether the last part was meant as an insult, he's right. Doing anything other than simply blowing the foul on Di Maria is bad refereeing. You're advocating for bad refereeing and people--four in a row now--are telling you that.
It's a perceived insult at best. I've heard assessors say that exact line on multiple occasions as a constructive critique. I agree with GDG that this is a case of applying common sense. But let's end that part of the discussion here then. I remind you that you used much more direct language with some of our visitors last week--whether they deserved it or not--so it's just not worth going down this path.
Let's just start with the Phil Jones in the 21st minute supposed yellow. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that challenge and every player knew there was nothing wrong with it. The later tackle was a yellow. Mario might have been sent off for 2ct but Atkinson is producing an event here and letting that one go was prudent. You want DiMaria to get a yellow for misjudging the touch line with no one around him? If Gerrard was foreign born, the English would be up in arms for what he did. The penalty was a penalty.
And a Liverpool player made a comment about it, probably questioning why no yellow, and Atkinson shakes his head with a little smile, saying in essence, 'Definately not'. No further complaint from the Liverpool player. An example of calm, in control refereeing.
I thought catching gerrard was a nice bit of refereeing- ball was away and I'm sure gerrard would not have done it had he not though he'd get away with it. I'm glad he's owned up to it since the game (not the least bit due to tons of obvious video evidence), but I find it so obnoxious that he, upon being shown the red card, acts incredulous and points to himself asking "me?", as though the referee had lost his mind. I guess it's a small thing, but to me symptomatic of a player mentality that it is ok to be utterly dishonest with the ref, even when caught dead to rights.
That is true, but if he had a different color shirt on the reaction would have been different, too. There was little reaction to Skirtel's stamp.
I have no idea what you mean about the shirt. Are you saying Liverpool is well liked therefore he gets a pass? Well liked in Norway.
You mean every play he's involved in? Never seen anyone so dirty get away with so much, especially elbows. Other than Peter Crouch. That guy gets away with murder on a regular basis as well.
There were two very similar cases of potential handling in different matches last weekend. Stoke v. Crystal Palace was one, I can't quite remember the other match. In both cases, a defender slides feet first, in an attempt to block a shot. The defender was roughly 3-4 yards away from the shot. In both cases, the defender's arms are bent at the elbow and raised around chest to head level. Andre Marriner was the man in the middle for the Stoke match. A Stoke assistant manager was quoted in a newspaper as saying he asked Marriner about that decision right after the match. Marriner's response was he didn't see the handling, though his AR did, and he felt the defender was too close with the ball simply hitting the defender, so no call was warranted. I always thought the "proximity to the ball" argument was more to do with a defender not having enough time to react and get out of the way. In this particular case, a defender actively launched his body in front of the shot in an attempt to block it. With that, he was very successful. And at this level, he knew exactly what he was doing.
I'm no expert and still learning, but for the reasons you state, I felt it was handling as well. The position of his arms was unnatural and made his body bigger than it normally would have been. He knowingly hurled himself into the path of the shot and basically caught the ball with his arms, effectively blocking a shot that otherwise would have been on target.
This - As a non-ref and relatively neutral observer (I wanted a draw) I think the consensus from other neutrals is that this was probably the best referring job all year.
The wide receiver catch - i also saw where a Liverpool play said something to the ref (presumably asking about a card) and the ref addressed in a quick gentle way. almost like the ref was thinking with a smile "well this ia a first " well handled, good game by the ref all round. the herrera yellow was nice as well. he could have said something i thought when the United player kicked the ball away in MF after Liverpool had a FK. but other than that everything was pretty much spot on.
verdict is a 3 match ban: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/liverpools-skrtel-serve-three-game-ban-134635975--sow.html
Taylor for Arsenal - Liverpool. East returns to Old Trafford for Man Utd - Villa, just over a month after incorrectly sending off Wes Brown instead of John O'Shea. Elsewhere, Moss for Chelsea - Stoke and Dean for the Tyne-Wear derby.
Good thing you gents, and you are gents right? sorted out amongst yourselves. Any more of this and We throw the book at you. O Wait, we are just Members. Anyone know if we members could do a citizen's booking?
This was a disagreement between two posters that I stepped in to mediate and it ended amicably. It was over nearly two weeks ago and there was no need to quote the posts to take the EPL thread back of course again. No one here likes it when players tell them how to referee on the field. It might be time for the non-moderators to realize the same principle applies with this forum. We deal with reports, PMs and exchanges like the one above on nearly a daily basis. The last thing we need is to be repeatedly questioned in public. If you have a genuine concern, send us a PM. Otherwise leave the moderating to the moderators because @La Rikardo, @IASocFan, and I are going to start sanctioning people who tell us how to moderate. Thanks.