On the Ball (new Football Focus)

[Atila Reincarnate]

Now I know what Le Boss means by Old Traffordish, 4 minutes miracuosly becomes 6. Stiil I don't see past the noveau riche Chavski to win the league, Man Ures defensive frailities will come home to bite them on the back side and Citeh didn't look th real deal.

[matthew123]

Maybe if the Ref had applied the same logic for the original 90 minutes as he did for having additional injury time minutes we'd have had another 30 minutes of exciting football. What it comes down to Declan is that the Ref does want he wants regardless of rule book as demonstrated by Howard Webb in the United v Spurs match last season.

Bottom line is United were by far the better team and needed a little favour from the Ref to finish the job.

[Narnia]

Maybe the solution is what they do in rugby and have a timekeeper who stops the clock on the instruction of the ref and restarts likewise. At least we know where we stand as the time remaining on the clock is literally just that.

[Annasfield]

Naughty Bellamy

http://www.b3ta.cr3ation.co.uk/data/gif/bellamyslap.gif

[Mick Mac]

Don't see much naughty about that Anna, Brian Clough might have hit him a bit harder.

[matthew123]

Anna it looks like to me the dirty Manc has spat at Bellamy - I don't think you can castigate Bellamy for pushing him away.

EDIT: Good point Declan that would certainly be good for Football.

[Mick Mac]

Have just seen the Manc derby on MOTD - fantastic stuff, and I have never seen Fergie so animated as he was at the finish - Man City have really gotoon under their skin.

Great finish by Owen.

Looks like being the best Premiership for years, lots of teams playing well.

But I really wish I had seen that game live, must have been fantastic for anyone watching it on Sky. Family has to come first some times though.

[Annasfield]

Yeah it does look like that Matthew, but why does he even go near him?

[matthew123]

It was interesting that City responded very positively each time they went a goal behind. I guess their lack of leadership played a big part in being dominated for most of that second half.

Although it was a bitter pill to swallow seeing that trademark Owen winner I do wonder what Voronin or Ngog would have done with the ball for Liverpool - what ever Rafa says about not taking Owen back to Anfield he looked a gift horse in the mouth.

[matthew123]

I suspect Walter Wadsworth would have dropped the Manc on his knee - but to answer the question I think Bellamy probably just wanted to give him a volley of foul and abusive language, is that so bad when you've just seen the guy who was probably your idol as a Liverpool fan scoring the winner for the enemy?

[Mick Mac]

Have to say watching the Chelski Spurs game live I though from the first 20 mins that Howard Webb looked like he was not going to give much to Spurs, obvious fouls on Defoe and Keane not given.

Some people are just career referees and in our working lives we all seek to impress the most important people, Howard Webb knows the teams/managers he should not upset.

I don't rate him at all and not sure he can be objective when the big teams are playing at home.

[matthew123]

I agree with you Mick. Howard Webb made a number of blunders today. Firstly not giving the pen when Carvalho brought down Keane. Secondly stopping advantage from being played just as it looked like Lampard had broken through for 1 on 1 with keeper, and subsequently not spotting the deliberate handball in the wall from the resulting Chelsea free kick.

To cap it all Steve Bennett was the 4th offical (after I'd been misled to believe he'd now taken up a career in cricket) - another official who is not fit to Referee a Football match. I just hope we're not talking about Premiership medals again for Referees come what May!

For me top Referees are: -

Alan Wiley

Mark Clattenburg

The worst in the history of PL would be: -

Philip Don

Andy D'urso

Mike Riley

Martin Bodenham

Steve Bennett

Uriah Rennie

Rob Styles

[Atila Reincarnate]

If you've forgotten Graham Poll, I'll forgive but if you genuinely believe he was a decent ref, you need to have a word with yourself.

Watching Man ure at old stratford is like watching Dr. Who, both have rifts in the space/time continuum.

[Keef]

I'd say Bellamy had absolutely no business going anywhere near that idiot fan. Fair enough, if the guy had got to him, give in a slap, but to make a point of going over to the guy is just stupid, even if all he was planning was some verbal. So what if Clough did it, he was a complete mentalist! Shame because we should be talking about his 2 great goals.

[Keef]

You make a good point about Liverpool's support strikers though Matthew. I'd rather have Owen to send on with 10 minutes to go, than either of them.

[matthew123]

Not heard anything from the resident Mancs on the EDF - perhaps they refuse to recognise that a Scouser bailed them out and thus in their books it was actually a demoralising 3-3 draw! :))

We all know Owen is not the team player of his younger days and in open play it's like being a man short but his goal poaching abilities are not to be sniffed at, especially at international level. Capello has to ask himself, World Cup semi final with seconds on the clock and needing a goal what does Carlton Cole or Emile Heskey do with the ball?

[red devil]

Well, what can I say, yesterday was fooking brilliant, fantastic atmosphere all day and not a plastic flag under a seat in sight, and what an ending, Stretford End exploded, never seen anything like it in years...nice one Michael, and Giggsy just gets better and better...oh, for the uneducated Woolwich supporters amongst us, Stratford is in East London...

PS to answer your question matthew...as soon as Michael signed for us he became a Manc...:))

[????]

Now...not long ago Owen was a washed up scouse reject and Giggsy was well past his sell by date according to some on the EDF...

[Sandperson]

Fergie time in full effect I hear? :))

Just back from Turkey and what a result against City. Delighted to be back in blighty and can't wait to see the highlights.

[red devil]

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Now...not long ago Owen was a washed up scouse

> reject and Giggsy was well past his sell by date

> according to some on the EDF...

Spoilsport Quids, I was saving that for laters...

[Tony.London Suburbs]

What a revelation Giggsy was!!

United fans agreed with me close season that he should go but he was awesome!...Anderson impressive. United looked good going foeward. Wouldn't like to be Rio this morning after that howler...

[????]

Chelsea still look the team to beat, transfer ban or no transfer ban - as long as Essien stays fit and Drogba not out too long

[Atila Reincarnate]

red devil Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Well, what can I say, yesterday was fooking

> brilliant, fantastic atmosphere all day and not a

> plastic flag under a seat in sight, and what an

> ending, Stretford End exploded, never seen

> anything like it in years...nice one Michael, and

> Giggsy just gets better and better...oh, for the

> uneducated Woolwich supporters amongst us,

> Stratford is in East London...

>

> PS to answer your question matthew...as soon as

> Michael signed for us he became a Manc...:))

Old stratford for the uneducated amongst us is piss take of your hole in Stockport. Sam old Man Ure need the ref to help out.

[red devil]

Atila Reincarnate Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Jah Lush Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Same old Arsenal. Always cheating.

>

>

> Don't cha wish yout team was hot like ours, don't

> cha wish your manager was class like ours, don't

> cha?

>

> Looks like the belgian lad could turn out to be

> the signing of the season.

From Ladyboys to Pussycat Dolls...priceless own goal...:))

[Sandperson]

Tony.London Suburbs Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> What a revelation Giggsy was!!

>

> United fans agreed with me close season that he

> should go but he was awesome!...Anderson

> impressive. United looked good going foeward.

> Wouldn't like to be Rio this morning after that

> howler...

No United fan worth his salt would have agreed with that sentiment Tony. I'd have him on the bench if he'd had both his legs amputated, the guy is a legend and can stay at the club for the rest of his days as far as I am concerned...I have felt like that since the day he jinked through the Arsenal defence ar Villa Park. :))