Just seen Spurs Arsenal on MOTD.

Rose follows through on the keeper. Not a card given. But a free kick. And rightly so. But Rose protests his innocence massively. That same Rose is then fouled in similar fashion at the end and draws a red.

Both pens, ridiculously soft.

Almost any slide tackle instantly punished as a foul. Its not unique to this game today, but its the sort of fixture that should have fire and tough tackling.

VAR Aside its the biggest thing ruining the game IMO.


Sad to say but players like Vieira who epitomised this type of fixture wouldn't be half as effective.

So are many of the players. The Palace player who scored the second was lying on the floor crying a few seconds earlier, because someone had pushed him. But rather like very little children, when he realised he wasn't getting any sympathy, he decided it didn't hurt after all and got up and joined in. Unfortunately!

To be fair today, the CP forward could have easily won a penalty, but stayed on his feet to try and score. I turned to the lad next to me and said fair play.

95% of strikers would have made contact and got a pen, he didn't. His actions and honesty need highlighting IMO

cricketfieldclarets wrote:Just seen Spurs Arsenal on MOTD.

Rose follows through on the keeper. Not a card given. But a free kick. And rightly so. But Rose protests his innocence massively. That same Rose is then fouled in similar fashion at the end and draws a red.

Both pens, ridiculously soft.

Almost any slide tackle instantly punished as a foul. Its not unique to this game today, but its the sort of fixture that should have fire and tough tackling.

VAR Aside its the biggest thing ruining the game IMO.


Sad to say but players like Vieira who epitomised this type of fixture wouldn't be half as effective.

Rose was booked for the challenge

Xhaka was extremely lucky to not be sent off. His challenge on Kane was very poor. No attempt for the ball and raked his studs down the back of Kanes leg. I thought Torreiras was very harsh as he clearly got the ball and his leg naturally rose up after he won the ball. Very harsh and unlucky.
Thought Aubamayangs penalty was incredibly soft..and given by Anthony Taylor. How he can give that after not giving the one on Barnes is incredible. Surely the poorest performing ref in the prem at the moment.

Vegas Claret wrote:Rose was booked for the challenge

Sorry - not a red card given it should have read. He then rolled around like he was stabbed when it happened to him. Infuriating. I dont know how or why they can live with it. Its embarassing.

Ask Willian, he has the lowest pain threshold of any human being on the planet.

Brian O’Niel wouldn’t last 5 minutes in today’s game, hard as nails. Ashley Barnes is a bit of a throw back, I love how he plays the game.

I don’t think it’s the players being soft though. They are simply doing whatever they think is going to be of an advantage to them. Apart from Zaha’s skill on the ball he has also mastered the art of winning a free kick. What used to be a criticism of a player, ‘being caught in possession’, now becomes a free kick.

I went up Towneley today to watch a bit of footy, I love Burnley being in the premier league but maybe some pro’s should go and watch how amateur’s play and then work Monday morning!!! Massive respect to all teams and officials, real life and love for the game!

exilecanada wrote:Brian O’Niel wouldn’t last 5 minutes in today’s game

And Colin Blant wouldnt last five seconds...Absolute Animal...I cringe every time I think of him !

cocotheclaret wrote:I went up Towneley today to watch a bit of footy, I love Burnley being in the premier league but maybe some pro’s should go and watch how amateur’s play and then work Monday morning!!! Massive respect to all teams and officials, real life and love for the game!

Or even more, go and watch a rugby match. I was at Keighley Cougars v Coventry today, and it's amazing (1) how many times a players was touched by an opponent and didn't fall over; and (2) how many times a player did fall over with at least two big blokes landing on top of him, and didn't go crying to mummy, he just carried on with the game.

So much ruins the game for you CC I'm surprised you still rock up to watch it.

Every season you add something to your "ruining football" list, it must fill out a few A4 pads by now.

best example is the best player on the planet - Messi gets kicked every game and just bounces straight back up if he cant stay on his feet in the first place. The rest are pathetic human beings imho

GodIsADeeJay81 wrote:So much ruins the game for you CC I'm surprised you still rock up to watch it.

Every season you add something to your "ruining football" list, it must fill out a few A4 pads by now.

But so much does ruin the game. Players trying anything to gain an advantage they don’t deserve.
A player with the ball, going no where, a defender comes in to shepherd him. But he goes down, 99/100 a free kick. Just like Murphy was it at Brighton. Tarks shepherding him away from goal, so decided to go down.. penalty.
A tap on the shoulder with a finger causes you to fly through the air like superman. Two players challenging for a header, the player failing to get the ball will then fall on the deck, and again more than likely get a foul.
A goalkeeper comes charging into a cluster of players, fist clenched, knee up, if he doesn’t get the ball, freekck to him.
For a free kick, you used to have to bring the player down. Not just touch him giving him “the right to go down”
Also the screaming, rolling around with screwed up faces of fake agony. We all know if you are injured that bad, once you’re down you don’t move for risk of making any injury worse.
But fans don’t help. As soon as one of their own goes down, they’re all on their feet screaming for a foul/pen.

VAR? Pift.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^
spot on

RammyClaret61 wrote:But so much does ruin the game. Players trying anything to gain an advantage they don’t deserve.
A player with the ball, going no where, a defender comes in to shepherd him. But he goes down, 99/100 a free kick. Just like Murphy was it at Brighton. Tarks shepherding him away from goal, so decided to go down.. penalty.
A tap on the shoulder with a finger causes you to fly through the air like superman. Two players challenging for a header, the player failing to get the ball will then fall on the deck, and again more than likely get a foul.
A goalkeeper comes charging into a cluster of players, fist clenched, knee up, if he doesn’t get the ball, freekck to him.
For a free kick, you used to have to bring the player down. Not just touch him giving him “the right to go down”
Also the screaming, rolling around with screwed up faces of fake agony. We all know if you are injured that bad, once you’re down you don’t move for risk of making any injury worse.
But fans don’t help. As soon as one of their own goes down, they’re all on their feet screaming for a foul/pen.

VAR? Pift.

I agree with all of that and you're right, the fans don't help.
However if it all ruins the game that much for people just don't bother putting the money into watching it.

RammyClaret61 wrote:But so much does ruin the game. Players trying anything to gain an advantage they don’t deserve.
A player with the ball, going no where, a defender comes in to shepherd him. But he goes down, 99/100 a free kick. Just like Murphy was it at Brighton. Tarks shepherding him away from goal, so decided to go down.. penalty.
A tap on the shoulder with a finger causes you to fly through the air like superman. Two players challenging for a header, the player failing to get the ball will then fall on the deck, and again more than likely get a foul.
A goalkeeper comes charging into a cluster of players, fist clenched, knee up, if he doesn’t get the ball, freekck to him.
For a free kick, you used to have to bring the player down. Not just touch him giving him “the right to go down”
Also the screaming, rolling around with screwed up faces of fake agony. We all know if you are injured that bad, once you’re down you don’t move for risk of making any injury worse.
But fans don’t help. As soon as one of their own goes down, they’re all on their feet screaming for a foul/pen.

VAR? Pift.

Absolutely spot on.

GodIsADeeJay81 wrote:So much ruins the game for you CC I'm surprised you still rock up to watch it.

Every season you add something to your "ruining football" list, it must fill out a few A4 pads by now.

So. Something that have you played and watched since birth. One of your biggest hobbies and things you are most passionate about, you would just give up bothering with because some elements of it now **** you off?

Some of my best memories are as a result of football. Some of my best mates ive met through football. And some of the important aspects of it thse days to me arent actually what goes on on the field.

That doesnt mean that you dont or cant get pi55ed off because some drama queens roll around after being clipped, or VAR changes the whole dynamics of the game.

I don't know if it's been mentioned elsewhere but the one which vexed me on Saturday was the free kick given against Jack Cork for winning a header. No elbows, no reckless jumping, climbing etc. Just two players going up for a header. Because their lad fell down - didn't dive or even ask for a foul - the ref blew straight away.

I watch my local Northern Premier side (tier 8 I think) every now and again, and it's clear there really are two very different sports being played every weekend now. Maybe the governing bodies should make the distinction official so we all no where we stand and have a separate non-contact game for the top league.

Rumpelstiltskin wrote:And Colin Blant wouldnt last five seconds...Absolute Animal...I cringe every time I think of him !

And to think that he was alongside Dave Merrington. Scary!

I'm not convinced that the game is "soft" now, it's the cheats who have made an art form of drawing a foul, creating contact then falling down as if an express train has hit them.

Unfortunately, most Refs are too stupid to see it and go along with the pantomime.

The FA and Premier League Refs know these characters but nothing is done to stamp it out.

Sad and, ultimately, will drive people away from "the beautiful game".

I thought Palace summed this up perfectly on Saturday - their feigning of injury by a number of players, not just the cheat that is Zaha, was a disgrace but Probert made it easy for them to get away with it.

VAR will prove if there was a touch/contact - the ref will still make the same decision.
It will help on offsides and balls out of play.

RalphCoatesComb wrote:I'm not convinced that the game is "soft" now, it's the cheats who have made an art form of drawing a foul, creating contact then falling down as if an express train has hit them.

Unfortunately, most Refs are too stupid to see it and go along with the pantomime.

The FA and Premier League Refs know these characters but nothing is done to stamp it out.

Sad and, ultimately, will drive people away from "the beautiful game".

Diving has only come about because refs don’t give fouls when players are honest. Players began to then gondown and it worked so it’s transitioned into “go down at any form of contact”. It’s also incredibly difficult for the refs. Let’s not forget that.

Goal line technology has sorted one aspect out perfectly.
Hopefully VAR will sort out offsides because again at the weekend the wrong results were given (Arsenal won but didn’t)

The diving won’t stop anytime soon. But do fans want it to enough? I don’t think so. If Barnes dives for 7 penalties next week we won’t be complaining.

Roy Keane wouldn't last many games would he.

Theres one simple answer to this conundrum. The ref was Anthony Taylor and the liner was the same one who in partnership failed to spot the most blatant of penalties on Barnes a couple of games ago

Taylor is an absolute clusterf@#* of a ref and should be nowhere near top flight football

I found it interesting on the TV highlights of the Spurs game where Bardsley kicked Danny Rose on the left leg and he went down clutching his right....or was it the other way round?

THEWELLERNUT70 wrote:Taylor is an absolute clusterf@#* of a ref and should be nowhere near top flight football

Agreed. His failure to see the encroachment for the Arsenal Penalty was a joke, but so was the award of the penalty.

The guy is totally inept! But, still Referees Premier League games!

Found this ont' Internet re his mistakes that game. Does he just "guess"?!

https://www.101greatgoals.com/news/ever ... arsenal-1/