Sport Liverpool Football Club

[V3zna]

If Masch had just walked over to the ref and spoke to him from a proper distance it would have been fine, but instead he runs over and gets in his face, which after doing the same at least 2 times previously is bloody stupid. Benitez should bollock his entire for team for not one of them dragging him away from the ref.

Watch the replay, Alonso tried to but nothing was stopping Mascherano from getting himself sent off.

[Reidles]

I think thats really where Gerrard should of come in. I don't mean to exclusively blame him either, but if we could all see what was brewing...

[DC]

Ferdinand was moaning and committing fouls all day. One yellow. Kicked Torres to pieces. Rooney should be sent off constantly if complaining to the ref is taboo. Why wasn't Ronaldo booked for *another* of his fairy like dives today? Was it misinterpreted as him scouting for the man love his appearance and outrageously camp demeanour suggests that he seeks?

Maybe the same reason Torres wasn't booked for *another* of his fairy dives.

We just want some fucking consistency. You know what? At least Mascherano showed some fucking passion, which our "captains" Gerrard & Carragher were sorely lacking today. In fact, the only thing he did wrong was naively believe that the referee would treat him the same as he did the Man Utd players. Torres was guilty of that moments before, too. They'll now know that referees are expressly told by Premier League head honcho Sir Alex Ferguson to protect his team, and are paid accordingly.

What a load of bollocks.

Incidentally I'd like to know why Benitez took off Babel - your best player up til that point?

[lampkin]

I didn't see the game but it sounded like we were going to lose from the start on the radio...

[ras el hanout]

I do think there's some xenophobia with the refs. Carragher, Gerrard, Ferdinand, Terry etc could scream anything they wanted into the face of a referee and wouldn't get booked.

If any of those dirty greasy foreigners try it they get booked.

I think Mascherano is now my favourite player after yesterday. I don't think Gerrard should be captain.

[SPE]

It's been over two years since I've read a UK tabloid, but even I've been aware that since Cole's potential leg breaker and ref-strop, the main topic in the back pages this week has been player discipline and respect. How the hell anyone can blame the ref, or claim 'lack of consistency' for the idiotic way Mascherano behaved in light of this is beyond me. He was patently going to be sent off from the moment he picked up his first yellow. None of his teams mates seemed to pick up on the whole new found 'ref respect' movement either, letting him act like a twat. Alonso's half hearted attempt to stop him was almost as funny as Mascherano's crazy, wild-eyed mental breakdown after being shown red.

[V3zna]

Incidentally I'd like to know why Benitez took off Babel - your best player up til that point?

He alledgedly can't last 90 minutes. I would have taken Kuyt off personally.

[Das]

WHAT A CUNT!

[V3zna]

I think Mascherano is now my favourite player after yesterday. I don't think Gerrard should be captain.

Who else is there to be captain?

Carragher will not be first choice when Agger finally gets fit. It will be Agger and Skrtel as our centerbacks, I can guarantee you that. Mascherano has surely damaged his chances of captaining the team any time soon after yesterdays nonsense. Alonso? Too quiet?

None of the forwards are captain material or any of the full backs.

Gerrard's the best option for sure. He didn't play that well yesterday but then again who did?

[V3zna]

WHAT A CUNT!

Eh?

He's 100% right. Mascherano lost the plot and Man Utd where set to win with or without a full quota of Liverpool players to play against.

[Das]

Eh?

He's 100% right. Mascherano lost the plot and Man Utd where set to win with or without a full quota of Liverpool players to play against.

Well, yeah. It's just the way he's talking, this bit especially:

"It was such a tense game with so much at stake and I think it tells you a little bit about the player.

Maybe he couldn't cope with the pressure on the day and I think it tells you a little bit about Liverpool as well because they had a problem with trying to deal with that."

I just fucking hate United more than ever at the moment. A lot of it probably is jealousy, jealous of their position rather than their players (all cunts).

[lampkin]

Well, yeah. It's just the way he's talking, this bit especially:

I just fucking hate United more than ever at the moment. A lot of it probably is jealousy, jealous of their position rather than their players (all cunts).

Aye, it's games like this which make me think it's going to be a long long time before we ever see the title again. I'm not sure what the deal is with how we go into games against other big clubs in the league.

[DeNeo]

The reserves won the Dallas Cup last night - winning 3-0 against Tigres in the final. Nemeth scored 2 goals

Did something else happen yesterday?

[Warszawa]

Eh?

He's 100% right. Mascherano lost the plot and Man Utd where set to win with or without a full quota of Liverpool players to play against.

No he's not. Ferdinand and Rooney say far worse to the referees in every single match. Ferdinand should have been sent off yesterday, Rooney booked at the very least for his cynical attempt to break Reina's leg and both have carté blanch to moan at referees.

But we all know why it happens and we all know that corruption is rife, just as it is in Italy. The Italians were brave enough to uncover it though. Afterall, if you referee a match at Old Trafford and annoy Premier League head honcho Alex Ferguson you don't get to be involved in any games there for a few years as punishment. You know to be on your very best behaviour towards your wealthy overlords the next time you're allowed to step onto their pitch so that you don't lose high profile assignments at the home of the richest and biggest club in the country for another large block of time.

I can guarantee you that it won't be another three years before Steve Bennett is allowed back to Old Trafford by Ferguson and his cronies at the Premier League.

[lampkin]

No he's not. Ferdinand and Rooney say far worse to the referees in every single match. Ferdinand should have been sent off yesterday, Rooney booked at the very least for his cynical attempt to break Reina's leg and both have carté blanch to moan at referees.

But we all know why it happens and we all know that corruption is rife, just as it is in Italy. The Italians were brave enough to uncover it though. Afterall, if you referee a match at Old Trafford and annoy Premier League head honcho Alex Ferguson you don't get to be involved in any games there for a few years as punishment. You know to be on your very best behaviour towards your wealthy overlords the next time you're allowed to step onto their pitch so that you don't lose high profile assignments at the home of the richest and biggest club in the country for another large block of time.

I can guarantee you that it won't be another three years before Steve Bennett is allowed back to Old Trafford by Ferguson and his cronies at the Premier League.

I'm not really sure how to feel about how the tone of this thread has gone, are we Liverpool fans so bitter about being so inferior to United, or do people genuinly believe there's a problem with refs? Are you referring to a particular ref that wasn't allowed back to Old Trafford?

Like I say, I never saw the match so I don't know how much difference the ref made, it didn't sound like much to me..

ed: I must say normally I'd expect United fans to blame the ref and anything but their own team. I'm assuming we all accept we wern't good enough but perhaps the ref did have an iffy day?

[El Pibe]

No he's not. Ferdinand and Rooney say far worse to the referees in every single match. Ferdinand should have been sent off yesterday, Rooney booked at the very least for his cynical attempt to break Reina's leg and both have carté blanch to moan at referees.

But we all know why it happens and we all know that corruption is rife, just as it is in Italy. The Italians were brave enough to uncover it though. Afterall, if you referee a match at Old Trafford and annoy Premier League head honcho Alex Ferguson you don't get to be involved in any games there for a few years as punishment. You know to be on your very best behaviour towards your wealthy overlords the next time you're allowed to step onto their pitch so that you don't lose high profile assignments at the home of the richest and biggest club in the country for another large block of time.

I can guarantee you that it won't be another three years before Steve Bennett is allowed back to Old Trafford by Ferguson and his cronies at the Premier League.

Surely your tongue is in cheek here?

You were beaten by the better team, on the day

Regarding the sending off, Mascherano behaved bizarrely yesterday. Everyone else on the pitch and most people watching could see it coming a mile off. Alonso even tried to pull him back. Mascherano is still young, mind, and he'll learn from yesterday.

[Warszawa]

I'm not really sure how to feel about how the tone of this thread has gone, are we Liverpool fans so bitter about being so inferior to United, or do people genuinly believe there's a problem with refs? Are you referring to a particular ref that wasn't allowed back to Old Trafford?

Like I say, I never saw the match so I don't know how much difference the ref made, it didn't sound like much to me..

ed: I must say normally I'd expect United fans to blame the ref and anything but their own team. I'm assuming we all accept we wern't good enough but perhaps the ref did have an iffy day?

I genuinely believe that the game is rotten to the core, just like in Italy. I'm thinking of two clubs in particular who get a massive amount of magic decisions and these clubs are also allowed to badger and abuse referees to the extent they choose, rather than that deemed okay by the supposed authorities. Punishment is meted out with incredible rarity. I honestly do not think our club is corrupt, but who knows what an investigation would reveal.

Steve Bennett annoyed Premier League kingpin Alex Ferguson a few years ago. Yesterday's match, conveniently enough, was his first game there for three years, despite him being one of the more high profile Premiership referees the entire time. He knew he had to be on his best behaviour to avoid being banned by the boss for another lengthy period of time.

[DC]

[Warszawa]

Surely your tongue is in cheek here?

You were beaten by the better team, on the day

I'm no denying that. But decisions play a large part and there are certain alarming traits and trends that become apparent if one pays closer scrutiny to the way officials act when taking games involving certain clubs.

Roma & Inter fans were routinely laughed at for suggesting something was amiss a few years ago. Inconsistent decisions, more magically going the way of certain high profile clubs. And to watch the games, there is nothing between the sort of perks Juventus used to and Manchester United consistently receive. So it does ask serious questions at the very least.

[dam_aks]

Seems to me like both really... Man Utd were the better side. Steve Bennett is a bad ref but I'd say him being paid off for being an idiot may be a bit much.

[Warszawa]

People thinking the richest league with the most money spinning club in the world has no chance of being corrupt, despite plenty of anecdotal evidence to the contrary.

Naivety is a beautiful thing though. But honestly, no one can say that there is definitely corruption. But I honestly believe that there are indications that something is seriously amiss, as I do not believe that it is possible to be a professional and be as routinely incompetent as a lot of these men are. And if it exists in Italy, who is to say that it cannot exist elsewhere? That is just blinkered and arrogant.

As I said, we shall see if Steve Bennett has to wait another three years before he goes back to Old Trafford.

[DC]

Warszawa yesterday

[Warszawa]

Just some food for thought:

"Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi had conversations with several officials of Italian football to influence referee appointment."

That pertains to the Serie A match fixing scandal. There are plenty of examples of media comments made to exert pressure on visiting officials and indeed the appointment of referees in the first place. But we're in Britain so we turn a blind eye, particularly when it comes to our wealthiest and highest of profile. Whether it involves corruption at the highest levels of the game or just a bizarre fear of certain individuals and a consequent desire to bow to their whims I'm not sure. Something is either rotten or the referees and their governing body are bullied into behaving in a certain manner towards certain sides.

[Nate Dogg III]

This presumably is only the case because Liverpool got deservedly humped by a superior team and had a player sent off for dissent, after a week of hand-wringing over dissent being underpunished and the FA launching a specific initiative to ensure referees get the respect the position deserves.

Mascherano was stupid to the extreme and Liverpool weren't good enough. Nay fucking conspiracy there.

[Sng]

Any ref bias towards Man Utd at Old Trafford is only rivaled by any ref bias at the Kop end of Anfield.

[Warszawa]

This presumably is only the case because Liverpool got deservedly humped by a superior team and had a player sent off for dissent, after a week of hand-wringing over dissent being underpunished and the FA launching a specific initiative to ensure referees get the respect the position deserves.

Mascherano was stupid to the extreme and Liverpool weren't good enough. Nay fucking conspiracy there.

Okay, fine. Ignore all of the dodgy decisions received in far greater numbers by certain clubs, ignore the fact that players of certain sides are always allowed to hound and badger referees and will be allowed to for years to come, ignore the fact that Ferguson is seemingly allowed to hand pick referees for his matches and criticise them to his heart's content while seldom being punished.

This is not about who was the better team yesterday, that's irrelevant. It's about seeing the same depressing sort of incidents time and time again.

[Nate Dogg III]

Were you similarly furious at the sendings off suffered by Inter in the last round of Champions League matches? I can't imagine your mouth was quite so afroth.

[Warszawa]

Were you similarly furious at the sendings off suffered by Inter in the last round of Champions League matches? I can't imagine your mouth was quite so afroth.

They were (heavily) debatable dismissals, for certain. However, you can see why they might be given depending on how the ref saw it. No reasonable person can see why Mascherano cannot question a ref while Rio, Wayne et al can tell them to fuck off all game long without a single reprimand.

Phil Dowd is another referee who, as far as I can see, hasn't been to OT since 2005.(1-2 loss to Blackburn).

Here's another thing:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn41...08/ai_n16188291

"Wenger has vowed to revert to a two-man attack at Old Trafford despite the success of a five-man mid-field against Real Madrid and Juventus. He will perhaps be less than enamoured to hear that Graham Poll, Ferguson's favourite referee, has replaced the beleaguered Phil Dowd at Old Trafford tomorrow."

I just think that they have far too much sway. And why can Ferguson get away with persistently commenting on individual referees, often rudely? If he was punished as consistently as he should be he would spend nary a match on the United touch line. He'd have been in the stand for more games than he's been in the dugout over the past decade.

[ras el hanout]

It was the booking for Torres which was inexplicable.

[V3zna]

Warszawa mate, you really need to look at some of the stuff we've got away with at Anfield. The amount of bad refereeing and decisions that go our way evens itself out over a season in the games we have to play elsewhere. I'll not even mention the fact that Carragher has been getting away with rash tackles in the box, handballs etc for years.

I have no problem with the ref on Sunday. Mascherano had to go and if he gets a further ban then that's fair enough. As for Torres getting hit with the rough stuff he dished it out a few times and I certainly remember one incident where he flattened Vidic. Rooney could have had a penalty as well but he stayed on his feet when Carragher blatantly took him out.

Ultimately all this whinging about the ref is futile as we looked on course to lose no matter how many men we had on the pitch. Still, I don't think you'll see a vastly changed Liverpool team play in the corresponding fixture next season. Agger at centerback and a replacement for Kuyt and I think we'll compete much better. We have a settled formation and first 11 and we just need to build on that. If Rafa has £30 million to spend in the summer then he should just blow it all on real class, Sergio Aguero for me, as we are certainly currently on the right path.