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I found it very interesting, when watching the United game on tv - that about 30 seconds after the commentator says "Fergusson is hounding the 4th official about Everton time wasting"..... Tim Howard was booked for time wasting!
I believe that the 4th official has radio communications with the ref. I can see how this all works now..... I reckon if you were to bug this system, you would hear something like this going on at Old Trafford:
4th Official: Erm, Peter. Sir Alex thinks that Everton are starting to get into the game and he's looking a bit stressed... his cheeks are turning purple. You couldn't just play centre half for United for a few minutes, make an interception or two to help nip this in the bud?Peter Walton: No problemo, tell Sir Alex I'll make sure those cheeky scousers don't get anywhere near the United penalty area. How dare they come to Old Trafford and try to score.
......
4th Official: I know that big oaf from Everton has just absolutely done the England Captain on toast, made him look completely shite and devoid of pace, forcing him into committing a very clumsy foul in the box, but it is NOT a penalty... I repeat, Sir Alex says this is not a penalty!
Peter Walton: Looks a blatant pen to me ? but if Sir Alex says it's not then it's not. I can just say I was unsighted as I couldn't keep up with play ? I didn't realise that Anichebe kid was so quick... usually only see him rolling on the floor!
......
4th Official: Hi Peter, sorry to bother you again, but these Toffeemen just don?t look like they?re going to give up the points here. Me and Sir Alex have just been having a quick chat though, and we think United are due a goal from a corner. Sir Alex has asked if you wouldn?t mind giving United a couple of extra ones.
Peter Walton: Consider it done. Anything that goes behind and was within a meter of a man in blue, I?ll give the corner.
......
4th Official: Me again Peter. Sir Alex thinks Tim Howard is taking too long to take his goal kicks and he's not very happy about it.
Peter Walton: No worries, tell Sir Alex I'll book Howard, that will stop this nonsense. Be sure to tell Sir Alex not to worry though - if United take the lead, I'll still let Edwin take as long as he likes over his goal kicks.
......
4th Official: I?m going to put up five minutes injury time on the board.
Peter Walton: Can you please just check with Sir Alex if that is the five minutes where I can blow for time as soon as it passes four minutes ? or the one where he threatens to kill me if I blow up before 5 minutes 59 seconds?
4th Official: So long as United are ahead, just go for anything in the low fours. Blow even earlier if Everton are about to shoot, however unlikely that seems right now.
Jamie Sweet, Posted 26/04/2011 at 03:17:25
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Obviously I'm not sure it goes down quite like that, but there is a lot of evidence of United benefitting from decisions as opposed to opposition benefitting from decisions. I think they send him to the stands for a couple games each season to try and create the illusion of equality and non-bias, but you will notice he still has his handy shoe-phone so he can bitch to whoever he likes, and I think it may be wired directly to the Ref's headset. And anyway, what difference does it make where he sits in the stadium?? He just chews gum and looks angry in a slightly different spot.
They may be a pretty quality team, but without a fair amount of help from the referees,United wouldn't be sitting so pretty at the top of the table, and I doubt they'd really even be in the title race at this stage.
I don't know all the facts and figures to back this up, but undoubtedly there's some budding statistician out there who has it all jotted down.
Those incidents were all fouls and had they been committed anywhere else on the pitch they would have been given. It's hard enough being up against the best team in the league but it does not help when the officials are clearly biased to one side playing in red.
Moyes: Whatever the boss says.
Still, 4 years without a penalty? That's a bit ridiculous.
As per normal, the officials were like like the Three Monkeys: See no evil, Hear no evil... and definitely See no evil at Old Trafford. Oh and the 4th official was watching Harry Potter on his iPhone!
Best fans in the country!
A real shame, as we really had nothing to lose. Can't understand why we didn't just have a go at them instead of the usual 'defend for your lives' approach away from home.
No win away to them since 1992 is shocking ? don't know if any other prem team has a worse record than us at Old Trafford??
We need to change this soon if we are to be great again and the manager is the one who should be giving them the belief and ego boost to go out there and take 3 points. We would've been ecstatic with a point, which says everything really.
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1 Posted 26/04/2011 at 15:38:08
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The corner were it missed everyone by about 2 yards summed up Old Trafford for me.