Referees/Officials

[Terra Passenger]

I actually dont think he was a cheat, I just think that certain (mainly historically the more successful) teams in the upper echelons of European football get more protection and favourable calls from referee's, just as united seemed to do in the league for many a year.

What I must disagree with though is Sterling didnt commit 1 foul in the second half never mind any he 'could' have been booked for!

Agree with regard to potential unconscious favoritism for continental sides - after all, most refs are not from the PL.

With regard to Sterling in the 2nd half - he absolutely fouled at least twice - maybe more times (I"d have to review the game) - and given that he was already on a yellow, a supposedly corrupt ref had (at least) two opportunities to send him off but somehow failed to do so.

 

[gazinho]

Agree with regard to potential unconscious favoritism for continental sides - after all, most refs are not from the PL.

With regard to Sterling in the 2nd half - he absolutely fouled at least twice - maybe more times (I"d have to review the game) - and given that he was already on a yellow, a corrupt ref had (at least) two opportunities to send him off but somehow failed to do so.

The ball hit his hand once from about a yard but even this clown couldnt book him for that, like I say I dont think he was a cheat just gave Barca every 50/50 (and 60/40 in our favour) Sterling was also offside once but they were the only 2 indiscretions he managedd after half time

 

[Terra Passenger]

The ball hit his hand once from about a yard but even this clown couldnt book him for that, like I say I dont think he was a cheat just gave Barca every 50/50 (and 60/40 in our favour) Sterling was also offside once but they were the only 2 indiscretions he managedd after half time

OK - let's say you're right, and the ref was a total cheat.

Do you think he did a good job as a cheat?

Do you think that UEFA management failed to recognize him as a cheat?

Do you think that UEFA management knew he was a cheat and let him referee our game?

Do you think that the ref, who was a cheat after all, made a good decision not to award a penalty for Messi going down in our box?

If you knew that the ref was a cheat and betted against City in the match, would you be happy with the outcome?

Typically match fixing is done by organized crime - fuck it up and you will die - literally - given the ref's performance, would you expect him to live beyond this year?
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Or maybe all of this conspiracy/match fixing speculation is way, way off.

 

[Tugay One Cup]

Or maybe all of this conspiracy/match fixing speculation is way, way off.

But this whole time you've been ascribing your own very specific idea of what constitutes corruption and match fixing whilst putting words in people's mouths.

I guess we'll never agree but the one thing I've learnt from this thread is that if I ever need a sporting event throwing, you'd be the last person I'd call :)

 

[Terra Passenger]

But this whole time you've been ascribing your own very specific idea of what constitutes corruption and match fixing whilst putting words in people's mouths.

I guess we'll never agree but the one thing I've learnt from this thread is that if I ever need a sporting event throwing, you'd be the last person I'd call :)

Uh, OK, I guess?

What do you think constitutes corruption on behalf of the ref in the City v. Barca match? And do you think that the ref was corrupt? And if he was corrupt, why so? And did UEFA management have anything to do with it?

From your post, you seem to think that the ref was corrupt. I'd love to read your logical narritive about why this is so and why that's more logical than the assumption that the ref simply had a bad game.

For the record - I'm pressing hard against the corruption advocates because there's simply not enough evidence to conclude that this was so - moreover, if corruption occurred, we might as well stop watching the UCL - if it's totally corrupt - how will we ever win?

 

[gazinho]

OK - let's say you're right, and the ref was a total cheat.

Do you think he did a good job as a cheat?

Do you think that UEFA management failed to recognize him as a cheat?

Do you think that UEFA management knew he was a cheat and let him referee our game?

Do you think that the ref, who was a cheat after all, made a good decision not to award a penalty for Messi going down in our box?

If you knew that the ref was a cheat and betted against City in the match, would you be happy with the outcome?

Typically match fixing is done by organized crime - fuck it up and you will die - literally - given the ref's performance, would you expect him to live beyond this year?
==========
Or maybe all of this conspiracy/match fixing speculation is way, way off.

'like I say I dont think he was a cheat'

Which part of that are you struggling with??? I've said pretty much that exact phrase in my last 2 posts.

All I took umbrage to was your continued use of the fact he could have sent Sterling off in the second half, all ive done is prove to you and everyone else thathe didnt have any opportunity to send Sterling off.

Anyway ive made my point you carry on with your crusade! Good luck.

 

[Terra Passenger]

'like I say I dont think he was a cheat'

Which part of that are you struggling with??? I've said pretty much that exact phrase in my last 2 posts.

All I took umbrage to was your continued use of the fact he could have sent Sterling off in the second half, all ive done is prove to you and everyone else thathe didnt have any opportunity to send Sterling off.

Anyway ive made my point you carry on with your crusade! Good luck.

Then I guess we've (at least I have) misinterpreted each other.

If you think that the ref wasn't a cheat... then we're in total agreement.

Pretty much "the ref was a cheat" sentiment, is the only reason I continue to post in this thread. Not nearly enough evidence to reach this conclusion, and, several damning facts to conclude that the ref was a cheat is totally wrong.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

:-)

I do seem to be on an island. But I also think that the majority of City fans simply think that the ref had a very bad game but wasn't a cheat.

In the second half, Sterling did commit at least one (and I think actually two or maybe more) clear fouls.

A completely bent ref would have absolutely sent Sterling off after either of these fouls.

Look at is this way. If I warned you for trolling or abuse you might not be happy, particularly if I'd let another user get away with something similar. Other users might say you deserved it or I might have been having a bad day and you were the one who was grinding my gears.

But if I issued a warning every time you posted, you'd suspect there was a motive of some sort. If a series of mods issued you with a warning for trolling every post you'd made, then you'd definitely suspect that something was up. It would be very likely that, behind the scenes, we'd made a collective decision as a team that you were a deliberate troll and that we were going to clamp down on you at every opportunity.

The point being, when does a single bad decision (or series of them) become a definite, predetermined pattern?

 

[Terra Passenger]

Look at is this way. If I warned you for trolling or abuse you might not be happy, particularly if I'd let another user get away with something similar. Other users might say you deserved it or I might have been having a bad day and you were the one who was grinding my gears.

But if I issued a warning every time you posted, you'd suspect there was a motive of some sort. If a series of mods issued you with a warning for trolling every post you'd made, then you'd definitely suspect that something was up. It would be very likely that, behind the scenes, we'd made a collective decision as a team that you were a deliberate troll and that we were going to clamp down on you at every opportunity.

The point being, when does a single bad decision (or series of them) become a definite pattern?

+1

But when does this pattern become outright cheating? And then what is the motive? And why on earth would UEFA allow such an obviously biased ref to be in charge of such an important game?

Occam's razor - is it more likely that the ref has had two bad games - or that he's totally corrupt and yet failed to award Barca the match when given ample opportunity to do so?

And if he's totally corrupt - what are the implications?

You decide.

 

[yeah whatever !!]

He was dreadful. Luckily he didn't cost us points- we were too good for that.

Id like to think his bias towards Barca injected a bit of oomph into our play..