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Ref rant
Apologies in advance to everyone, in case this does get published, but it’s time for another rant about referees. I just saw Mourinho’s rather typical quotes, dismissing the Hull penalty and claiming we didn’t lose. This could just be another case of Jose being Jose, and providing a juicy soundbite when there’s no need to. But, the man has a valid point – Jon Moss was utterly awful yesterday. Terribly inconsistent __with decisions for and against both teams, and not at all a refereeing performance worthy of a cup semi-final. I’m just really glad Mourinho was able to keep his cool and avoid another sending-off, especially given he has previous __with the same ref.
Not to take away from how bad we were (we were terrible). But something clearly needs to be done about the standards of refereeing in English football. It’s been the story of the season so far, almost every game being followed by a dissection of poor officiating, and this is something that kind of kills the joy of watching football. I fully understand and appreciate the element of human error, it’s definitely a sh*t job, and very difficult to do. But these are trained pros we’re talking about, and there is a line, one which seems to have been repeatedly crossed by nearly every referee in the league, at one point or another this season.
I admittedly only watch United games, so can only honestly whine about decisions against us. But I follow the mailbox closely enough to know that fans of nearly every club have had a serious gripe about one ref or another this season. To suggest there is an agenda against any one team is utter rubbish, but I don’t think anyone can deny that the overall refereeing standards have plummeted in the past few seasons. Are the referees really that much worse now than, say, 10 years ago? Or does the amplification of every single mistake on social media just make it seem that way? Moreover, is this a problem just at the PL level, or does the incompetence filter all the way down to League Two? One way or another, something’s broken, and seems to need fixing.
Rant over, and I’m truly sorry once again.
DJ, MUFC (Hull look decent under Silva, a great escape might just be on the cards) India
I’m a United fan and can certainly say we were bloody awful last night but the worse performer on the field of play was one John Moss, If that was a penalty then United should of has 2 themselves, I cannot for the life of me understand what it was given for, two Hull players clattered each other after the usual penalty box jostling the shout of ABU’s that Rojo had hold of his shirt is laughable. That said we have seen an alarming drop off in form from United and it needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. Jose gets stick for slating refs so when he shuts up and says he won’t say what he thinks he still gets slated the fella can’t win. Anyway Cup Final reached so it’s all good.
Paul Murphy
Manchester
I know Jose complained while at Chelsea but as a United supporter I think we getting some shocking decisions not going our way and I’m going to agree with Jose. Maybe the FA are out to get Jose, stats prove it this season. How long before something is done? Numerous penalty shouts all not giving granted one or two of them were soft-ish but other teams in the league got those decisions. Can’t even use the term I’ve seen those given when we not given anything!
I know that we had 3 offside goals giving this season to us which should of been ruled out but those where close calls. Only after second viewing could you see the player was offside and if the ref had any doubt it was offside, I have no doubt it would have been giving offside and rightfully so.
We will have to see what punishment Wenger gets to know if the FA are out to get Jose. Is the water bottle more protected that an officially?
Lynton (The FA out to get Jose! NOT United)
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Complacency or fatigue?
* Well if there was one place to end this streak this was it now everyone can focus on performances without major repercussions.
* That being said that was an abysmal performance everyone looked asleep in the first half if this was because utd had a two goal lead then it doen’t bode well for the europa cup run were they will be teams with the ability to overturn it if this is symptomatic of recent results then I hope the loss wakes the team up because everything could unravel if they keep this up
* The team selection felt like a wasted opportunity why play Ibra and Ppogba for 90 minutes in this game pogba’s first half was so bad Roodney Marsh suggested we bring him on at half time and Ibra needs a rest we have potentially 30games left to play in the next 4 months and there is only one international break he could have sat on the bench in this game only to come on if we need to score one goal to kill the tie, hopefully he stays at home against Wigan.
* It felt like a good day to chose Lingard a game were we are trying to fall back and stop the opposition from scoring unfortunately all he gave was a headless chcckhen performance were he was ineffective on both sides I actually recalll Herrera shouting at him after he lost the ball in the build to the corner that lead to the penalty . I don’t understand why he keeps getting second chances and Martial gets to sit in the stands.Jose also really needs to make up with Blind and Shaw because Rojo is just not a left full back.And Ashley young needs to be the next one out if he’s third or fourth choice in all the four positions he can play.
*Overall I’m happy Utd are playing in another final man management will be crucial we’ve got a big enough squad use them and try and get our form back
Timi MUFC
Fourth place Wenger > second place Wenger
I love Arsene Wenger, i really do. I have defended him against fellow Arsenal fans for years and believe he is a legend of the game. I am convinced his achievements in keeping Arsenal within the Top4 while using the likes of Schillachi, Denilson, Bendtner, Song and Chamakh from 2006 – 2012 were really under appreciated. One journalist at the New York Times this week highlighted that he likes Pochettino, Klopp and Conte because they do not believe in buying players as a solution. I almost fell of my chair – this is the gospel Wenger has been preaching for years on end, yet getting lambasted from left, right and within.
However, since the money became available and he bought Ozil, Sanchez, Cech, Xhaka etc, Wenger has now developed a squad capable of winning the league. I agree with those who, earlier in the season, said this was the best squad in a long time. Not only that, but a squad that has been built over the last 3-4 years without transfer disruptions, must be reaching its peak – in both age and performances.
Like Chelsea, the core of Wenger’s squad are players at their peak age – think Sanchez, Ozil, Giroud, Theo, Kos, Cazorla and Cech but I fear Kos, Cazorla and Giroud (if that is possible) are only going to get slower next year. I look at Spurs, Liverpool and even ManU and see younger cores with potential. Alternatively, Man City’s core (Yaya, Zaba, Kompany, Silva) is old. But for Wenger, the best opportunity has to be now.
My point is that the Wenger that got 4th place consistently in the league got more out of his team than the Wenger who is getting 2nd place with world-class players. The two recent FA Cups may be used as his justification, but surely they reinforce my point – this is the most opportune moment to bag the league. Or maybe he is he just unfortunate, to come up against once-in-a-blue-moon Leicester City and then a Europe-less Chelsea.
Lee, Durban, South Africa.
Liverpool are broken
Anyone who’s been in the football world can tell this Liverpool team is broken. It’s not something so evident as a team fighting for relegation but it’s clear to the trained eye that the dynamic of the team that once thrived has been dented severely if not thwarted completely.
Remember when fernando torres became a broken player at chelsea? This liverpool team looks very much like him.
You tell me how can a team with coutinho, firminho, sturridge, lallana not create a single chance in the first half against soton?
You tell me how could we not score a single goal over two legs against a very disciplined but little talent squad??
So now Claude Puel has the “blueprint” to stifle liverpool as bandwagon idiots like to say??
Of course not. It’s klopp’s team and his message/magic/methods which are broken. I thought after last night’s demise he must have thought of quitting. I think we haven’t won a single game in the past 6 in all competitions… losing twice at home to swansea & soton. That’s beneath liverpool and it’s storied history.
What are we? We were 2nd a week ago and everyone feared going us forward. Next thing you know we can’t score if our lives depended on it. In fact, in the derby against united, hadn’t pogba gifted the dumbest penalty in the history of mankind, we wouldn’t have scored. Anyone could tell that. We’re afraid in front of goal. Last night was the same. The whole crowd screaming for a penalty because we know we can’t score anymore…
A dumb section of our fans saying if only we had mané somehow none of this would happen.. Jesus how much in denial are you? And klopp completes the ridicule by blaming the wind (jesus number 2..) He looks so clueless on the touchline. He’s no fraud god knows. But his heavy metal brand of football -whoever coined that line- is slowly becoming a heavy burden for liverpool fans. Judging by last night’s performance it was better to exit at the hands of southampton than to lose ANOTHER final and of all teams against united which would’ve hurt three times as much. And as a fan, when you say that you’re basically waiving the white flag and rejecting competition, which is the essence of the sport.
Raúl H. García (Props to Claude Puel, decent manager!) LFC 1892-YNWA
Reality check
Please, for crying out loud – Liverpool are 4th, 2 point with better goal difference off of 2nd. Yes we are out of the league cup but we are still in the FA cup. We have had a blip, no one can deny that but are people so caught up in the instant time filling 24 hour news cycle and the yellow Sky Sports News Ticker that EVERY thing is a crisis? Imagine if Chelsea loose in the FA cup this weekend and then loose to Liverpool on Tuesday will the Daily Mail headline be “CRISIS for CONTE”?
I am more than happy with this season as a whole and as rational people point out that every team has dips. The champions elect (the first ones) Man City are now 5th. The Champions elect (current) Chelsea had a difficult start to the season. My team who no one thought had a chance of winning the league let alone finishing in the top 4 sit, and I say this again 2 points with better goal difference off of 2nd.
This is without over the last month or so having our best player, our newest and most dynamic attacker and possibly our best defender. Yes, we are having a dip, but I fully trust Klopp to pull us out. But let us not forget – we are 4th, 2 points with better goal difference off of 2nd.
That being said I think he needs to man up and get rid of Sturridge and find a new forward for whenever Mane, Coutinho or Firminio are not available as it is obvious that Daniel or Origi do not fit into this fluid formation. I would also think that in the summer we need a better passer than Henderson because even though he has done well he does not that that X factor that could take him to the level of Xabi Alonso, Gerrard or a Scholes
However, if at the start of the season I was offered this position I would have taken it.
Ian H
Kloppy just needs new ideas
I can’t say those coming to the defence of Mr. Klopp in the afternoon mailbox was unexpected, but is it justified?
Lets look at the ‘team is knackered’ defence. So far in January, Liverpool have played Sunderland, Plymouth Argyle twice, Southampton twice, Man United and Swansea.
Of these games, the replay against Plymouth could’ve been avoided by winning, at home, against lower league opposition. That would’ve meant more rest time between games (5 days between games instead of 2). Either way, this didn’t directly affect most first team players as Mr. Klopp played most of the kids for both ties.
Sunderland should have been a win, but Liverpool had just come from a tough match against Man City, and it was less than 48 hours apart. Fair enough, pass on that one.
For Southampton, we knew before the first whistle how the opposition would line up. Liverpool had all of the ball, and no idea what to do with it. Complaining of being a tired team doesn’t really hold water when you can walk the ball to the opponent’s 18 yard area and pass it around comfortably. This happened in both first halves of the ties.
Swansea was similar in the first half, all of the ball, none of the creativity. The second half was a humdinger as Liverpool then had to chase the game, and were ultimately found wanting.
I am not saying Klopp out or bring new players in. But he does need to figure out how to break down teams who set up defensively, trust the younger players to deliver when a first team player isn’t, and stick your best players in their positions, leave Mr. Guardiola to the funny positional changes.
Nathan,
Square pegs in round holes
Perhaps I am taking too simplistic an approach that Liverpool’s poor run is due to the new? approach they have when in the final 18 yards of the opposition half.
For the past six or seven games coinciding with their poor run, there is not enough movement off the ball and attacking players are not going at defenders. The player with the ball is simply passing to a player who is already marked or into a crowded area or takes a shot which is destined to strike an opposition player or go wide.
When we were the most feared attacking side (not so long ago at all) our attacking players were taking on and drawing out defenders and passing to players on the move off the ball or finding space to make a decent effort on goal. They were a joy to watch even for neutrals. I cannot put my finger on what happened. Cannot be that they are all knackered. Must be more tiring to keep all that possession and have nothing to show for it.
If management can solve this we will be merrily back to winning ways.
Best wishes
Younus Long Beach CA-wonder if management reads our comments in 365
A Tottenham fan loving cynical fouls
I read the Last Defender article on cynical fouls with great delight and nods of agreement.
Growing up I always thought there was something almost noble about a player sacrificing himself to get sent off for a ‘professional foul’ and am sad it doesn’t seem to happen that much these days (at least the word ‘professional foul’ is rarely heard any more).
But more than that, as Spurs fan, while I’ve no time for the off the ball dirtiness and diving that I will certainly admit our players sometimes get up to (*cough* Alli *cough*), I love how we have become experts at using cynical fouls as a vital part of our tactics. This isn’t just a couple of players either, every player does it exceptionally well. The fouls and yellow cards rack up but, crucially, the reds don’t- we haven’t had a player sent off in a season and a half now. It’s a major reason for the meanness of our defence.
I don’t know why I enjoy this aspect of our style under Poch so much but maybe just because it is another part of how un-Spursy we’re becoming. Lots of strange feelings these days watching Spurs……but I like it!
Tom, Melbourne
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Football books
Are we doing football books?
Decent.
Full Time at the Dell (from Watty to Matty) by Dave Juson and David Bull is a super well researched and well written history of Southampton football clubs history whilst at our proper ground.
You can pick it up on amazon for a penny off music magic and to be honest every time i read the opening chapter on Le God’s last league goal I do a little happy cry. Which obviously is totally manly and cool because it’s 2017 so shut up Dad.
Martin “wet tissues and clear issues” Ansell
If we are doing football book recommendations, and we are, here are mine.
Bill Buford – Among the Thugs.
American academic sees thuggery in the early 80s, decides to witness it first hand for a decade, writes about it.
Simon Kuper – Football Against the Enemy
Bloke travels the world to answer the question ‘Why do people from ‘x’ play footy that way?’ Doesn’t answer the question, really, but writes a fascinating book.
Enjoy.
Alex Stokoe
Newcastle upon Tyne
Throwing my hat into the reading list ring (and let the haters hate the first title!)
“Soccer Men” by the redoubtable Simon Kuper. A number of thumbnail sketches of some of the game’s most influential figures over the years. Great stuff.
Adding my two thumbs up for “Inventing the Pyramid”.
I’d also suggest “Das Reboot” by Raphael Honigstein, or “how German soccer re-invented itself and conquered the world”. Not for the xenophobe, but plenty of insight and lessons to be learned.
I’m going to be a contrarian here, but you’ve got to be really dedicated to read David Goldblatt. I slogged through “The Beautiful Game” because I usually refuse to give up on a book, and I read a lot. “The Ball is Round” however, gave me literary indigestion and I waved the white flag with around 811 pages unturned. I recently had to read the entire 2016-17 budget proposal for the Los Angeles Unified School District and, at 302 pages, I enjoyed it more.
However, the Razzie Award for 2016 for me (Clive) goes to Steve Tongue for “Turf Wars – A History of London Football”. Either he published this himself (always a bad idea), he was paid by the word or his editor was drunk.
Steve (Goldblatt’s New York Times piece on the Bristol City’s “Shed Man” was great though), Los Angeles
Bear-tron
Massively late on this, but I’ve only just caught up on the mailbox. Like Paul (that well known French name) Clement I simply assumed that Ryan (another famously French christian name) Bertrand was pronounced Bear-Tron, and was another off the vast Chelsea production line of young foreign imports.
I was absolutely bewildered when I heard he’d been selected for the England squad.
Jamie Bedwell, Cheltenhamshire