Over the past few weeks,or months should i say,referees have been quite partial against United.
Now,I'm not supporting United or being too critical of the referees either.But if you give it a second look,you will notice that United have been denied quite a few points in the title race.For example,yesterday's match against Chelsea is a good example of bad refereeing.Call it a close call or crowd pressure,Micheal Carrick's handball decision was a hard one.
It was clearly an unintentional foul and his hand too was not raised over his head or outstretched in anyway.It was definitely impossible for Carrick to get his hand out of the way(unless he dislocate it from his socket).
Moreover,he did not deprive Chelsea of a clear goal scoring oppurtunity,Rio Ferdinand was present just behind Carrick and could have provided cover.This supports the case that the penalty was a wrong decision.
In no way was the referee to be blamed in yesterday's case as he had absolutely no chance of calling it a penalty.The blame has to go on the linesman who hastily gave away a title affecting decision.He should have thought twice .
Another example of bad refereeing was in the FA Cup clash between Man United and Portsmouth.The 80th minute penalty was fair,but the sending off was too harsh.Maybe a yellow card would have sufficed since Anderson was standing on the line and Baros was not denied a clear goal scoring chance.Then again,maybe Baros would have scored,but the rule-book states that a red card can be given to a goalie only when he obstructs the striker from scoring what is a sure goal,which might not have been the case since Anderson was there on the goal line.
Having said that,the standard of refereeing has been dismal this season.I dont know whether it is coincidence or biasedness but refs give their worst decisions against United.In the game against Bolton at the Reebok Stadium,United were denied a few clear freekicks and handballs.
Even in the match against Blackburn,a few weeks back,Man United were denied a clear penalty when Ryan Nelsen rose to head the ball away and it hit his hand instead.Now,the penalty was a clear one as Nelsen was almost six feet in the air and in clear view of the referee.That penalty was also not given.
Even teams like Arsenal have had a hard time with the refs this season.A bad decision in the first leg of the quarterfinal of the Champions League saw them being denied what was a clear penalty.
Even though the referee was not a premier league official,I have decided to mention it as it was a bad decision.
It might be due to crowd pressure or media pressure,but the referees cannot get away with these blatant errors.The standard of refereeing has been absolutely dismal in what is being touted as the world's best football league.
Mark Clattenberg has been one of those referees who wilts under crowd pressure,he has consistently been giving bad decisions throughout the season.Such referees must be handled appropriately by the FA.
I am not blaming the referees completely here,they do tend to make mistakes under such immense pressure,but I think,that they must be taught to be calm under such situations and not give decisions in haste.
The Premier League might be the best league in the world now,but in matters of refereeing I think it is one of the worst in Europe this season.This season,somehow,the referees have been especially very harsh on Man United and their decisions have played a big part in the title race.
It maybe yesterday's decision against Carrick or the week before against Blackburn,but the referees have particularly harsh on United.
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2 months ago
The So-called Anti United Referees..
Mike Riley
Steve Bennet
Rob Styles
Alan Whiley
Mark Clattenburg..
2 months ago
It was a tough decision, especially after Ronaldo was man handled at a corner in what was a blatant penalty.
from 2 months ago
It should be a penalty Andrew, but when are such pens ever given?
They had a brief clamp down on man-handling in the box at the 2002 world cup where quite a few good decisions were made (and a few dubious ones) over this issue, but since then it has gone back to being ignored again.
So in that context, then the Ballack-Ronaldo incident wasn't a penalty, because it never (or rarely ever) gets given.
from 2 months ago
I felt it was a stronger case as it wasn't the normal tussle you must admit. But does the ball have to go near them...I duno haha
from 2 months ago
The proximity of the ball is a salient point. Commentators will regularly say when a player is going out of play 'he didn't have control of the ball, so it isn't a foul', why is the ball necessary in these incidents, but not in penalty box scuffles? Thats just a rhetorical question, I have no answers, but FIFA really need to sort out what is a penalty, and what isn't, as there is no consistency at all.
I agree that Ballack was wrestling, but then Ronaldo was giving him some back as well, maybe the ref caught the end and thought it was even? I don't know, but this kind of incident never gets a pen at the moment, and I can see no good reason why, but thats the way it is.
2 months ago
Awful decision. Can't believe it was given. But it's true that United have had a number of decisions go against them in recent weeks.
I'm relieved to hear Ferguson isn't blaming the referees like the way Wenger did though.
2 months ago
It was a bit soft is all. It was down to a judgment call, and he pointed to the spot. If he didn't Chelsea would feel hard done by. It wasn't as clear cut as the one that Arsenal conceded, but it's hard to hold it against him.
The lack of a call for the disgraceful treatment of Ronaldo was flat out embarrassing for the league, I'll admit. To say that the Premier League is one of the worst in Europe with the consistently shite reffing in Spanish and Italian matches which makes them nearly unwatchable is pushing it a bit, though.
2 months ago
It was a hand-ball in the box=penalty end of.
Every team in the world have decisions go against them, it is pathetic to claim Man Utd are harshly treated by officals, some would claim the exact opposite.
from 2 months ago
Exactly Chris, it was actually the ONLY penalty that United have conceded in the league this season, which is hardly suggestive of some vendetta against them is it?
No there are reasons for this, in that they are usually attacking and so the opportunites for the opposition to win pens are few and far between, but nonetheless, if officials were REALLY all against United, then they would have conceded a damn sight more than one penalty all league season.
And, as you say, this one was a DEFINITE pen anyway! Carricks arm was clearly outstretched in an 'unnatural' position, and he made no attempt to move it out of the way, despite the cross being about 10 yards away from him when it was delivered. Anyone who thinks that this isn't a penalty, seriously needs to study the laws of the game.
2 months ago
It was hand-ball in the box=penalty, end of.
Every club in the world have decisions go against them, it is pathetic to claim Man Utd are harshly treat by officials, some would claim the exact opposite.
2 months ago
can't actually believe Man Utd fans are complaining about this.
Start supporting Sunderland then you might know what getting bad decisions against you is actually like!
2 months ago
Mate, you need to actually understand the Laws of the Game before you write about them. The fact that Carrick's handball did not deprive the opposing team a goal-scoring opportunity is irrelevant. There could have been all ten men between Carrick and the net and it would still be a penalty. The whole opposition could have been in their own half and it still would have been a penalty. Those are the Laws.
Everyone moans about having decisions go against them, and that's because they support a specific team and have that bias. The referees in the EPL are probably the best in the world, and if you really think they're that bad watch any lower division matches or other countries to compare. Oh, and take up a whistle yourself, head out to the pitch, and try reffing a game. It's impossible to get every decision right in every game, but that's what EPL fans seem to expect. It's unrealistic and impossible.
from 2 months ago
laws of the game? bollocks. ball to hand and hand to ball are different in the view of the officials. the ref has the final decision with his knowledge of the laws as a guide. this was clearly ball to hand with the player having had no chance to move his hand. if you start saying things like this it just gets silly, ball to hand in the area happens more often than there are penalties given its reasonably common. the laws are negotiable in many circumstances. how could you have the 'advantage' rule if this was not the case.
from 2 months ago
Ilya - Did you not watch the game or something? Essien crossed the ball some 10 yards away from Carrick! To suggest that he didn't have time to move his hand is " Bollocks"...
This is another bullshit article. United lost and rightfully so. Take it on the chin and get over it. You'll probably win the damn trophy anyway.......
from 2 months ago
Our concept of "ball to hand" and "hand to ball" and all those little adages that go with it all stem from what it says in the Law: "deliberately handles the ball". Deliberate. NOT intentional. There is a massive difference.
Carrick was running across and his movement intercepted the ball. He was moving after the ball had been kicked. His arm and the ball made contact. Had he been standing there when the ball was kicked and it struck him, we'd have a different situation and it would have been much less clear.
2 months ago
Fully agree
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