I'm thinking it is corrupt

[Pigeonho]

Not sure about corrupt, but even I watched that in astonishment last night and wondered how the fuck it wasn't given. I'd like to give the young ref the benefit of doubt as he's much better than some of his colleagues, but yeah - how that wasn't given I don't know.
I don't agree with the poster who said 'he feared a tongue lashing off Fergie' though. I don't know any grown man who is still scared of being shouted at.
Even United fans know it was a penalty though, as not one of the ones I know last night tried to deny it was, but what made that worse is that they thought it was funny that that decision put them 3 clear, the smug cunts!

 

[Red_fan]

Not many have mentioned the Adam Johnson dive v Fulham that won a penalty either...

It wasn't a dive, soft pen but no dive.

I suppose it depends on what you constitute as a dive. For me, anyone who can stay on their feet and takes a tumble (despite them orchestrating the contact), has dived.

Same with the Welbeck penalty at Chelsea. I wouldn't blame the refs in those instances though as it's easy to be tricked.

 

[tidyman]

Has anyone mentioned that it's not just refereeing decisions?

Steve Bruce has never won as a manager against them. Over 50 games I think. Coincidence that he's good mates with Slur Alex? What about the records of Harry Redknapp or David Moyes against them? Coincidence? Or the managers of the lesser teams who have been benefiting from their loan deals for years?

There is a calciopoli at play here and we just let it happen.

My favourite so far.

We all accept that Bruce would order his teams to lose games ( and his job ) because Ferguson used to be his manager. And also that non of the dozens of players involved, would ever spill the beans on this.

It's also clear that because Ferguson once loaned Everton, Tim Howard, that Moyles would agree to throw every game in the future against United in return. ( Even though Everton actually have a half decent record against them )

I'm just unsure of why 'Arry is in on the big scam?

 

[Nelly's Left Foot]

I don't think it's corrupt, but we would be several points ahead with totally neutral refereeing.

As for the Barry one, looked a pen to me, but difficult to spot (even the TV commentators didn't spot it straight away). On the balance of the game I don't think Stoke could argue that the refereeing cost them the win.

On the Murphy non penalty, it was as obvious as could be, I agree with SBF that the ref just bottled it.

But a loss for us, and a draw for the rags would have been better than what we got.

The Barry one was very hard to spot as the Stoke player had stretched to get to the ball and it looked like that was his problem rather than Barry had caught him. Nobody thought it was a pen at the time and there wasnt an appeal on the pitch so if the ref had given it everone would have been shocked.

The Fulham one was just a poor mistake by the ref as everyone appealled for it and it was nailed on but the ref just didnt think it was.End of story.

 

[Quinny851]

I haven't read all of the thread cos frankly I can't be arsed. It's easy to blame refereeing decisions for costing us the league but if we're honest we haven't been consistently good enough away from home since about Oct/Nov.

Stoke should have had a penalty at the weekend and Barry possibly should have been sent off. Johnson left his foot hanging ala Bale against Fulham at home.

We've had our share of luck (how many times will you see Jonny Evans get sent off at the swamp?)

We as a football club need to grow up and stop looking for excuses.

 

[Jnr Kisby]

the bottom line is they simply dare not play it fair, we are so far ahead of everybody that the league would be over by xmas, then the viewing public would just not tune in, the premier league as a brand would suffer, too much money is on the table for this too happen. now times that world wide. nope, never in a month on sundays can that be allowed to happen.
look at the SPL, shite crowds, shite money deals, shite wages and thats in a two horse race let alone one.

Scary, scary stuff.

The only unjust loss we've had in the Premier League all season was the 1-0 defeat to Sunderland, and even then we deserved a kicking after missing two sitters minutes before their goal. At Chelsea we were poor in the second half regardless of whether Silva was fouled or not; at Everton we were gutless and deserved to lose and at Swansea the same. Maybe, de niro, one day you'll see us lose a game because of ourselves and not just blame the referees.

If you want to use isolated incidents and argue that they influenced the rest of the game then the best example to use is Mario Balotelli's blatant stamp on Scott Parker. Howard Webb (that "Rag" you were all on about) sees the incident and gives nothing, thus allowed Balotelli to play on, win a LAST MINUTE penalty and convert to send us top of the Premier League and stretch away from Manchester United. Why would a "Rag" want that to happen?

Ah somebody speaks sense at last.

Yes there's been some terrible decisions, but look back in history this happens all the time, its the nature of the game. The only thing thats changed is we are now challenging for the title so we see every single one as more and more unjust. We are good enough to win every game regardless of who the referee is and we've got nobody to blame but ourselves for not performing in important games.

 

[Latics Fan SJK]

This agenda nonsense is ridiculous.

Whilst United have had quite a lot of luck on decision this season they've had a couple of incidents go against them.

At the same time City have had some unfortunate decisions go against them this season but also some noteable ones go for you.

Just because the balance in fortune is more with United does not mean there's evidence of corruption/agenda. Yes, maybe certain refs bottle certain decisions. Don't get that mixed up with corruption. It's two entirely different things.

Last season, City topped then charts for penalties awarded for them. I think it was 9-5 in relation to United. Were any of you claiming there was an agenda last season? Nope. Why? Because not only had you been awarded more penalties, the kicker is that last season you weren't involved in the title race so didn't feel as 'affected'.

Now you're well involved in the race EVERY decision is under scrutiny whether it be right or wrong. Barry's tackle the other day. Now Carrick's. Both of which are stone wall pens.

It's just an easy way out to blame the ref EVERY time a weekends games have benefited United whether they've had good luck or you've had bad luck.

There is no corruption. It's just consistently shite refereeing in almost every match. Not just matches involving City & United.

 

[Red_fan]

Not sure about corrupt, but even I watched that in astonishment last night and wondered how the fuck it wasn't given. I'd like to give the young ref the benefit of doubt as he's much better than some of his colleagues, but yeah - how that wasn't given I don't know.
I don't agree with the poster who said 'he feared a tongue lashing off Fergie' though. I don't know any grown man who is still scared of being shouted at.
Even United fans know it was a penalty though, as not one of the ones I know last night tried to deny it was, but what made that worse is that they thought it was funny that that decision put them 3 clear, the smug cunts!

I of course agree that it was a penalty but the only defense I can give the ref is that the ball moved in a direction that would have been consistent with Carrick making contact with it. Carrick kicked Murphy's foot, who then kicked the ball in a direction that makes it look like Carrick had made contact.

The direction in which the ball goes is always noted as a useful method of helping to improve the accuracy of decisions, and it was really unfortunate for Fulham that the ball moved in the direction it did.

Again, not defending the decision, just trying to offer some sort of possible explanation.

 

[moomba]

Stoke should have had a penalty at the weekend and Barry possibly should have been sent off. Johnson left his foot hanging ala Bale against Fulham at home.

We've had our share of luck (how many times will you see Jonny Evans get sent off at the swamp?)

Johnsons was the correct decision, Barry's wasn't IMO. Jonny Evans getting sent off at the sty wasn't luck, it was good play by us, and poor from Evans.

By all means cite the few bad decisions that went our way, but we need to stop talking about the correct ones as evidence that we have been treated fairly by the match officials.

 

[Quinny851]

Stoke should have had a penalty at the weekend and Barry possibly should have been sent off. Johnson left his foot hanging ala Bale against Fulham at home.

We've had our share of luck (how many times will you see Jonny Evans get sent off at the swamp?)

Johnsons was the correct decision, Barry's wasn't IMO. Jonny Evans getting sent off at the sty wasn't luck, it was good play by us, and poor from Evans.

By all means cite the few bad decisions that went our way, but we need to stop talking about the correct ones as evidence that we have been treated fairly by the match officials.

All I'm saying is that history will suggest that 9 times out of 10 Balotelli would have been booked for diving (it was twattenberg who was reffing don't forget).

We all expect consistency but unfortunately human error will always get in the way of this. If we performed to our potential in every match then it wouldn't matter how "bent" the officials are, we'd piss it!