Beating Chelsea .. Easy!
Beating Schalke .. Even easier!
As we stroll towards a 19th League title the focus is on beating Barca at the home of football! 3 finals in 4 seasons isnt exactly a bad achievement for what many would have us believe is the weakest United side for a while .. This team has togetherness and spirit that other teams can only hope for.
A 'fair' ref where Barca are involved is a rarity but if we get anything close to one we've got more than a chance!
I'll be there with my team bring it on!
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Saturday, 30 April 2011
As I sit and reflect on the Chelsea Spurs game I just watched on glorious High-Def TV, I can't help but ask myself a few questions.
There has been a lot of controversy about managers coming out post-match and criticising match officials decisions during the game. However on todays showing from the match officials I have real sympathy for Harry Redknapp. As far as I know managers are bound by TV broadcasters to come out and speak to the cameras about the match, but realistically, as demonstrated recently by the FA, are unable to speak truthfully about how they believed the match officials have performed. Spurs took the lead through a genuine piece of magic from Sandro, a player who I believe is underrated on this seasons showings, but what followed will leave most football fans thinking what the game is coming to. Chelsea's equaliser was a combination of terrible goal keeping and a catastrophe of a decision from the linesman. In my opinion the ball wasn't fully across the line and the linesman in all truth had no idea whether it was or it wasn't, he guessed. Unfortunately he guessed wrong. The referee, as he is entitled to do, took the linesman's advice and awarded the goal. Everyone knows a goal just before half time gives a real momentum boost to a team the effects of which I believe were very noticeable during Chelsea's second half performance.
Chelsea's eventual winner came in the dying embers of the game through substitute Kalou. The goal again I believe to be a poor decision from the official Kalou was just offside as he received the ball before poking home. Just offside is offside, no matter how much people say, 'Oh he was only just offside', just is off. Game over Chelsea get the points.
Coming back to my earlier point how does Harry Redknapp come out after the game and not talk about those decisions in a negative way. They were wrong, he knows it, I know it, and when the officials get home and watch Match of the Day, they too will know it. Two decisions have impacted the game and cost Spurs a win. Now I know as well as anyone its hard to say well the second half might of been different had Lampards goal not have stood but if you look at it in its most basic form Spurs have scored one genuine goal and Chelsea have scored two which I believe to be false goals. The match officials must be in line for criticism and cannot and should not be protected against it when they have been wrong.
However whilst todays game has been controversial, we need only look to Wednesday night in the champions league to find a match of even worse decisions. However the decisions on Wednesday weren't limited to the officials, I can easily say that match was the worst game of football I have ever seen, in terms of cheating, unsporting behavior and a downright lack of respect. The match was an embarrassment to football and the best footballing competition in Europe. I hope Madrid and Barca look back on Wednesday and see how they let down themselves and the Spanish FA in what could of, and possibly should of been one of the games of the season. Messi once again got a lot of praise for his two goals, but I can't help thinking where was he until Pepe was wrongly dismissed.
There has been a lot of controversy about managers coming out post-match and criticising match officials decisions during the game. However on todays showing from the match officials I have real sympathy for Harry Redknapp. As far as I know managers are bound by TV broadcasters to come out and speak to the cameras about the match, but realistically, as demonstrated recently by the FA, are unable to speak truthfully about how they believed the match officials have performed. Spurs took the lead through a genuine piece of magic from Sandro, a player who I believe is underrated on this seasons showings, but what followed will leave most football fans thinking what the game is coming to. Chelsea's equaliser was a combination of terrible goal keeping and a catastrophe of a decision from the linesman. In my opinion the ball wasn't fully across the line and the linesman in all truth had no idea whether it was or it wasn't, he guessed. Unfortunately he guessed wrong. The referee, as he is entitled to do, took the linesman's advice and awarded the goal. Everyone knows a goal just before half time gives a real momentum boost to a team the effects of which I believe were very noticeable during Chelsea's second half performance.
Chelsea's eventual winner came in the dying embers of the game through substitute Kalou. The goal again I believe to be a poor decision from the official Kalou was just offside as he received the ball before poking home. Just offside is offside, no matter how much people say, 'Oh he was only just offside', just is off. Game over Chelsea get the points.
Coming back to my earlier point how does Harry Redknapp come out after the game and not talk about those decisions in a negative way. They were wrong, he knows it, I know it, and when the officials get home and watch Match of the Day, they too will know it. Two decisions have impacted the game and cost Spurs a win. Now I know as well as anyone its hard to say well the second half might of been different had Lampards goal not have stood but if you look at it in its most basic form Spurs have scored one genuine goal and Chelsea have scored two which I believe to be false goals. The match officials must be in line for criticism and cannot and should not be protected against it when they have been wrong.
However whilst todays game has been controversial, we need only look to Wednesday night in the champions league to find a match of even worse decisions. However the decisions on Wednesday weren't limited to the officials, I can easily say that match was the worst game of football I have ever seen, in terms of cheating, unsporting behavior and a downright lack of respect. The match was an embarrassment to football and the best footballing competition in Europe. I hope Madrid and Barca look back on Wednesday and see how they let down themselves and the Spanish FA in what could of, and possibly should of been one of the games of the season. Messi once again got a lot of praise for his two goals, but I can't help thinking where was he until Pepe was wrongly dismissed.
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