The Round Ball Game

[teamsaint]

Agreed, an absolute shocker. Mignolet should have been off for that handball.

Not convinced by Juricic though. No doubt he'll be after a money-spinning move to "a big club" at the first opportunity.

Agree about the new lad. Certainly talented, but perhaps we have too many like him already ? Certainly should have had apenalty for the second foul though.

Shame that Long didnt get a runout today, and J Rod is such a miss.....

how the pundits can say that Mignolet should have stayed on is way beyond my understanding.Imagine if a defender had done that..... Red card all day long.

[EdgeleyRob]

Rounding up the round up.

Southampton 0 Liverpool 2. Forum derby,Reds unbeaten in 10,Saints on the wrong end of some poor refereeing
Everton 2 Leicester City 2. Foxes much needed 3 points thrown away with a last minute own goal.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Imagine if a defender had done that..... Red card all day long.

Um, but defenders aren't supposed to play with their hands at all. IIRC it's slightly different for goalkeepers in their penalty area!

He came for the ball and he probably didn't know whether he'd got to it inside or outside the area, he took it on his chest so no intention, and it then hit his hand. To me as an ex-goalkeeper (a very, very long time ago) that would have been a really harsh red...

...so great positioning by the assistant referee IMHO

[And I do still sorta support Saints as an ex-Hampshire resident.]

[jayne lee wilson]

Southampton penalty appeals:
First one - a dive.
Second one - high-speed tangle & tumble, referee could not have been sure. My (repeated, slow motion) view: uncertain.
Third: ball to hand. It HAS to be "intentional" for a penalty, remember.

Mignolet racing out - ball to hand, very clearly.
Sterling: yes, Fonte "got the ball", but could be said to have used "excessive force" (according to the laws) - so again uncertain, but at least as giveable as Saints' second.

Few referees could make the correct decision infallibly on all of these. Last week we saw Rooney gain a penalty by a deceit he later admitted to. On Sunday, Harry Kane felt a hand on his shoulder, went down to get the penalty.
So once again: only solution is a 4th official with video. (As MoD panel, refreshingly, made clear themselves). But I think such a 4th official might still have had trouble with some of the decisions today! "Discretion" would still be a factor sometimes...

A great win for us, if a little lucky, but - we are taking our chances now (one Coutinho stunner , one Sterling scrappy) where Southampton are not. The opposite of 3 months ago.
We played too deep after taking a third minute lead, showed a reversion to nervy and desperate defending, and our counter attacks weren't nearly fast or skilful enough; Saints worked hard but were uncreative in the final third.
And the rain-soaked conditions were tricky for everyone on the pitch (referee/assistants included).

[teamsaint]

Um, but defenders aren't supposed to play with their hands at all. IIRC it's slightly different for goalkeepers in their penalty area!

He came for the ball and he probably didn't know whether he'd got to it inside or outside the area, he took it on his chest so no intention, and it then hit his hand. To me as an ex-goalkeeper (a very, very long time ago) that would have been a really harsh red...

...so great positioning by the assistant referee IMHO

[And I do still sorta support Saints as an ex-Hampshire resident.]

I understand your ex goalkeepers view, MLP, but they are supposed to use their hands inside the box. Mignolet knew he was really struggling if he stayed inside his box and deliberately went for it, arms out . Ok the actual contact with the arm was unintentional, but it was as a result of his intention to go for the ball with his body spread as wide as possible. Very, very poor decision.

the Liverpool shout looks a decent one from one angle, but from another Fonte very clearly gets the ball , and not just a touch, a really positive contact. I don't agree that it was excessive force at all.looks a regular strong challenge to me. Never a penalty. And the second foul on Duricic was also a penalty. definite contact, not just a featherlight touch.
I agree that our first shout wasn't a penalty, but I have seen them given for a " pull back" like that.. The lad should have stayed up, and got a shot away

[jayne lee wilson]

Fair enough, ts, but my point is that Fonte took both ball and man, making (very) sure that Sterling couldn't recover his footing quickly enough to regain possession and continue the attack; you could easily see that as excessive, but that's why I said such a decision wouldn't be easy, even for a 4th video-official; some might give it, some not.
In a world where hitting the turf if you feel ANY contact inside the penalty area has become, like "professional fouls" once were, an accepted part of the game, an attempt to gain advantage, refereeing such events has become almost impossible; just guesswork, really. I think that's why the ref - this time, especially in greasy conditions - gave none of them.

I watched all these things live and then again on MoD, and I had to agree with Lawrenson et al, that the law, or the situation, on this is pretty much chaotic now...
As with goal-line tech., the pressure for change is getting critical...

[teamsaint]

Fair enough, ts, but my point is that Fonte took both ball and man, making (very) sure that Sterling couldn't recover his footing quickly enough to regain possession and continue the attack; you could easily see that as excessive, but that's why I said such a decision wouldn't be easy, even for a 4th video-official; some might give it, some not.
In a world where hitting the turf if you feel ANY contact inside the penalty area has become, like "professional fouls" once were, an accepted part of the game, an attempt to gain advantage, refereeing such events has become almost impossible; just guesswork, really. I think that's why the ref - this time, especially in greasy conditions - gave none of them.

I watched all these things live and then again on MoD, and I had to agree with Lawrenson et al, that the law, or the situation, on this is pretty much chaotic now...
As with goal-line tech., the pressure for change is getting critical...

well I agree that the pressure for change is growing, and that refs do have a really tough job. Controversy and disagreement, ( and interpretation) will always be part of the game, and an exciting part of it, but too many games end up being talked about for the wrong reasons ....yesterday was a good example, because it was a decent game, and won by the best moment at least.

A moment like the Mignolet Handball is probably impossible to nail down, and would always , because of its unusual nature, be open to some interpretation. The Goalkeepers union (including the FoR3 forum member !) on one side, strikers on the other .

Saints fans still V grumpy though....you need a break when the goals have dried up !

[Alison]

Poor old Leicester, so near again to picking up three points on Merseyside before the half expected misfortune, this time an own goal in the dying moments. Something rather resigned about Nigel Pearson's after match interviews.

[EdgeleyRob]

Midweek report.

Brighton 2 Leeds United 0. Back to back wins,now 6 points clear of the relegation zone.
Millwall 1 Sheffield Wednesday 3. Win takes the Owls up to 11th but way off the play off places.
Cambridge United 0 Wimbledon 0. Decent point,now in 10th place just 7 points off a play off place.
Dundee United 1 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1. Led through an early Tansey penalty but let it slip,3rd.
East Fife 2 East Stirlingshire 1. Late consolation goal to no avail,now just 2 points off the botton.
Bristol Rovers 2 Braintree Town 1. Late winner,Barnet didn't play so now top of the league by 2 points.
Wrexham 0 Forest Green Rovers 0. A good point v the promotion chasers,11 points clear of the relegation zone.
Stockport County 0 Barrow 1. No match for the league leaders,3 defeats on the spin without scoring.

[Alison]

Poor Stockport.

Well done Wednesday.

Yeah where the heck is Cloughie?

[EdgeleyRob]

Poor Stockport.

Well done Wednesday.

Yeah where the heck is Cloughie?

Not been on here for ages.

Forum interest in the Europa League ended this evening when Besiktas defeated Liverpool on penalties.
Chin up Jayne they can still make the top 4.

[antongould]

Poor Stockport.

Well done Wednesday.

Yeah where the heck is Cloughie?

Yes I miss Cloughie......

[johncorrigan]

Yes I miss Cloughie......

Yeah me too, and I miss Stevie May playing up here - notice he came off the bench to score for the Owls v Millwall!

[EdgeleyRob]

Satdy scores.

West Ham United 1 Crystal Palace 3. Super win.all 3 goals from set pieces,managed to hold on despite playing the last 20 minutes with 10 men,8 points clear of danger.
Manchester United Association Football Club 2 Sunderland 0. Comfortable win,up to 3rd,extraorinary incident when the referee apparently sent off the wrong sunderland player
Newcastle United 1 Aston Villa 0. First half goal enough to seal the win,safely in mid table.
West Bromwich Albion 1 Southampton 0. Conceded as early as the 2nd minute and couldn't find a way back despite an apparent missed sitter,5th and still in touch with the top 4.
Bolton Wanderers 1 Brighton 0. Conceded half way through the 2nd half,recent good run ended but still well clear of the bottom 3.
Sheffield Wednesday 2 Middlesbrough 0.Both goals came in 3 2nd half minutes,great win v the team in 2nd place,10th.
Coventry City 2 plastic dons 1 Scored both goals within the first 12 minutes and held on for a much needed win,1 point clear of the relegation zone.
Hartlepool United 1 Wimbledon 0. Forum derby,2nd half goal sealed it,Dons 11th,Pool now just 6 points adrift.
Motherwell 2 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1. Unexpected result v the bottom team,ICT looked to have earned a point on 76 minutes only to let it slip,3rd.
St Mirren 1 Hamilton Academical 0. Second half goal was enough to earn a vital win,an important 3 points especially as Ross and Motherwell both won.
East Stirlingshire 3 Queens Park 1. A magnificent win v the league leaders,86th minute 3rd made sure,5 points clear of bottom place.
Gateshead 0 Bristol Rovers 1. Win sealed with a 2nd half goal,remain clear at the top by 2 points
Chelmsford 1 Bromley 2. Tough looking game v the promotion favourites,man sent off then conceded the 2nd 0n 88 minutes.down to 8th
Brackley Town 0 Stockport County 1.Goal on 37 minutes ended a run of 3 scoreless and pointless games,still in touch with the play offs
Cirencester Town 2 Truro City 0. Remain in 4th,recent good form seems to have deserted the forum team.

FA Trophy semi final,2nd leg.

Torquay United 0 Wrexham 3. Magnificent win to complete a 5-1 aggregate,Wrexham at Wembley and a possible trophy for the cabinet

No game for Leicester City

Tomorrow...
Possible first forum silverware of the season tomorrow as Chelsea bid to win the league cup

and...Liverpool v another team

[Alison]

Cheers Edgers, nice not be dwelling on another unfortunate defeat for the Leicester.

Jolly well done Stockport. And Wednesday.