The Mail Bag
Big bad four
Comments (11)
Does anyone else think that the Premier League (Barwick's lot) have an influence over referees to ensure that the top four remain the top four and whenever one of the minions look like beating them the refs come up with ridiculous decisions or ignore fouls commited?
We all remember the derby, the foul prior to the United corner, now the Arsenal debacle. I am of the opinion that this could be true. It's not possible to get so many decisions against you without there being some sort of hidden agenda.
Mick Mac, Posted 31/12/2007 at 19:09:14
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Dermot O'Brien
2 Posted 31/12/2007 at 21:31:27
2 Posted 31/12/2007 at 21:31:27
There is no conspiracy, just paranoia and bad luck. You always remember the decisions that went against you, not for you, so forget theories of subtle bribing.
Tommy Banks
3 Posted 31/12/2007 at 22:23:04
3 Posted 31/12/2007 at 22:23:04
Part of what you say is true to a point, that is Sky can fix fixtures for their ratings (grand slam sunday) and the media will give top to bottom coverage if any contraversy happens involving the so called big 4, were with other clubs it barely gets a mention, this media scrutney could put some referees under pressure, who the fuck wants days of critisim by some jumed up hack. And finally the G14 do have massive infulence with the shit houses at the FA, Chelsea incidently dont belong to the G14 and have refused offers to join. The bottom line though these 4 win more matches than the rest therfore earn a lot more money and attract more attention.
Kenny Jones
4 Posted 31/12/2007 at 22:35:17
4 Posted 31/12/2007 at 22:35:17
That’s a thing how the fuck did that grand slam come out in the fixtures, must be long odds for them bastards to be drawn together on the same day. Fucking Sky tv I dont pay my 47 quid a month to be cheated its a disgrace sack murdouch.
Robert Carney
5 Posted 31/12/2007 at 23:03:39
5 Posted 31/12/2007 at 23:03:39
There are a lot more issues than referee conspiracies re. Bardwick. Corruption in the game is the biggest. If you want to look at conspiracies look who he has sat with over the last month during premeirship games.
Enough to make your hair curl.
He could spin his way out of a whrlpool.
Remember the two week begging of Manure to drop the clause re. Howard. Gentlemans agreement my arse.
Enough to make your hair curl.
He could spin his way out of a whrlpool.
Remember the two week begging of Manure to drop the clause re. Howard. Gentlemans agreement my arse.
Alan Clarke
6 Posted 01/01/2008 at 09:04:03
6 Posted 01/01/2008 at 09:04:03
We didn’t lose the Arsenal game because of the ref but he was blatantly biased. One of our players had to be hauled over to win a freekick yet they got freekicks for the slightest thing. Also, you can hear a massive shout of handball from the crowd when Eduardo handles it for the second goal. It always amazes me that someone sat in the stands can see it but the ref 10 yards away misses it.
The derby was the most blatant corrupt ref performance I have ever seen. Does anyone remember the ref in the Man U game suddenly becoming very pro United in his decisions after Fergie had a word from the touchline in last season’s game?
Also what the fuck was that Chelsea goal against the barcodes? I fear for the crap we’ll have to put up with in those semi-final games. I’ll have a wager with Dermot that we’ll be on here discussing the ref’s performance after the carling cup games. It’s not just paranoia.
The derby was the most blatant corrupt ref performance I have ever seen. Does anyone remember the ref in the Man U game suddenly becoming very pro United in his decisions after Fergie had a word from the touchline in last season’s game?
Also what the fuck was that Chelsea goal against the barcodes? I fear for the crap we’ll have to put up with in those semi-final games. I’ll have a wager with Dermot that we’ll be on here discussing the ref’s performance after the carling cup games. It’s not just paranoia.
Craig McManus
7 Posted 01/01/2008 at 10:23:33
7 Posted 01/01/2008 at 10:23:33
Clattenberg = either incompetant twat or scared of the ?big uns?. Whichever it is he shouldn?t be in charge of a Premier League match.
Neil Pearse
8 Posted 01/01/2008 at 10:50:04
8 Posted 01/01/2008 at 10:50:04
As Craig just commented, I think that most of the refs are no doubt ’scared of the big uns’. I doubt that there is any active conspiracy, because there doesn’t need to be. Refs must know that if they give a decision against one of the Big Four, all hell will break loose. And it MUST affect them.
Just do a few thought experiments. Carragher is blatantly hauled down by Lescott in the last minute and no penalty is given - depriving Liverpool of a point. Smith scores in the last minute against Chelsea when he is blatantly offside - costing Chelsea all three points. AJ scores the vital second goal against Arsenal by controlling the ball with his arm, and later Fabregas is sent off when he catches Arteta with his arm and Arteta falls to the ground as if he has had his jaw broken - and Arsenal lose and stay below ManU.
See? Everyone knows, including of course the refs, that all hell would break loose. The media have much less interest in Moyes and Allardyce when they are ranting, than in Fergie and Wenger and the Spanish tosser. It is enough, and of course it is biasing referees’ performances.
Just do a few thought experiments. Carragher is blatantly hauled down by Lescott in the last minute and no penalty is given - depriving Liverpool of a point. Smith scores in the last minute against Chelsea when he is blatantly offside - costing Chelsea all three points. AJ scores the vital second goal against Arsenal by controlling the ball with his arm, and later Fabregas is sent off when he catches Arteta with his arm and Arteta falls to the ground as if he has had his jaw broken - and Arsenal lose and stay below ManU.
See? Everyone knows, including of course the refs, that all hell would break loose. The media have much less interest in Moyes and Allardyce when they are ranting, than in Fergie and Wenger and the Spanish tosser. It is enough, and of course it is biasing referees’ performances.
Alan Clarke
9 Posted 01/01/2008 at 11:15:22
9 Posted 01/01/2008 at 11:15:22
You’re right Neil but it’s still corrupt and should be sorted out
Neil Pearse
10 Posted 01/01/2008 at 11:50:06
10 Posted 01/01/2008 at 11:50:06
Agreed Alan absolutely. What needs to be happen is that the current psychological bias towards the Top Four is corrected. And things can be done.
One thing that could be done is for the FA and Keith Hackett to tell referees that they should start booking players who consistently attempt to intimidate them during games. We all know that the worst offenders by far are Carragher, Gerrard, Terry, Rooney, Ferdinand, and Fabregas. This will change the dynamics of Top Four players adding to the bias by intimidating referees during games.
The second thing they should tell them is that they will support refs who make tough calls against Big Four sides, and will not allow them to be dragged through the dirt by Top Four managers.
And finally they should tell refs such as Clattenburg who obviously capitulate to Top Four pressures and intimidation that they will be disciplined and demoted.
This all might help. It is unlikely because above all else the FA are shit scared that at some point the Top Four will break away and form a separate league with their European counterparts. Sky also are worried that this would disturb their current Premiership goldmine. Hence the Top Four get such special treatment by the FA, referees and the media. Power and money talk.
One thing that could be done is for the FA and Keith Hackett to tell referees that they should start booking players who consistently attempt to intimidate them during games. We all know that the worst offenders by far are Carragher, Gerrard, Terry, Rooney, Ferdinand, and Fabregas. This will change the dynamics of Top Four players adding to the bias by intimidating referees during games.
The second thing they should tell them is that they will support refs who make tough calls against Big Four sides, and will not allow them to be dragged through the dirt by Top Four managers.
And finally they should tell refs such as Clattenburg who obviously capitulate to Top Four pressures and intimidation that they will be disciplined and demoted.
This all might help. It is unlikely because above all else the FA are shit scared that at some point the Top Four will break away and form a separate league with their European counterparts. Sky also are worried that this would disturb their current Premiership goldmine. Hence the Top Four get such special treatment by the FA, referees and the media. Power and money talk.
John Andrews
11 Posted 01/01/2008 at 14:49:26
11 Posted 01/01/2008 at 14:49:26
As has already been said you only have to look at the derby match to see what sort of influence the "Top four" exert.
I also fear for us when we play Chelski as I am sure that it will not suit the powers that be to have EFC in a final.
Paranoid ? Most definitely !
I also fear for us when we play Chelski as I am sure that it will not suit the powers that be to have EFC in a final.
Paranoid ? Most definitely !
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1 Posted 31/12/2007 at 21:11:59
The only thing he missed was the handball for one of the goals, none of the back four claimed for it, and I only realised when they showed you the replay. It was just one of those things that players get away with now and then. I think we need to get out of this ?we are hard done by' mentality ? it just sounds like sour grapes. We have had plenty of decisions go our way in plenty of games.