Pen's at the game yesterday?

[SuffolkWhite]

I have seen the goals on the internet but I did not see the possible pen's. I thought we had at least two pens out of the four that we appealed for at the game, but would be interested if anyone on here saw what happened on the telly.

Cheers

[Jimpav]

Gera tripped over his own feet for the big shout that got the crowd on the refs back.

Dempsey was tackled by Bramble but he got the ball first.

I thought Elm was pulled down in the box but they didn't show highlights of that.

[Lighthouse]

The Dempsey one is harder to take. Yes Bramble touched the ball first by a split second and by doing so had to take Dempseys ankle. Now if you look at some of the sendings off and fouls and bookings during Saturday and Sunday the rule has changed. Winning the ball or touching the ball is no longer all it takes. Any tackle from the side or from behind is usually a foul now. Any exchange which leaves a player having to trip the opponent even if the ball is touched is also given as a foul.

My point being, like offsides, the rule is now so open to interpretation, as to make the rule pointless. If an Arsenal player had been brought down like Dempsey was it would not only be a penalty but Bramble would have been sent off. One of the joys of our game is the tackling and defending.Like fielding in cricket a find it the greater skill to watch. However that art of the defender is being harnessed by refs. Sadly it again is up to a referee who more often than not has little idea how the rules should be interpreted.

[SuffolkWhite]

So there were two genuine shouts for pens but the Ref probably did not want to send someone off! Consistency again is always an issue with refs and Lino's, at least it did not cost us the game.

[Sector9]

The Dempsey one is harder to take. Yes Bramble touched the ball first by a split second and by doing so had to take Dempseys ankle. Now if you look at some of the sendings off and fouls and bookings during Saturday and Sunday the rule has changed. Winning the ball or touching the ball is no longer all it takes. Any tackle from the side or from behind is usually a foul now. Any exchange which leaves a player having to trip the opponent even if the ball is touched is also given as a foul.

My point being, like offsides, the rule is now so open to interpretation, as to make the rule pointless. If an Arsenal player had been brought down like Dempsey was it would not only be a penalty but Bramble would have been sent off. One of the joys of our game is the tackling and defending.Like fielding in cricket a find it the greater skill to watch. However that art of the defender is being harnessed by refs. Sadly it again is up to a referee who more often than not has little idea how the rules should be interpreted.

To be fair to Bramble, he put in a good challenge to get the ball away at the last opportunity otherwise we would have scored. It was good and I would one of our defence would put a tackle like that in, in the same situation!

[watfordwhite]

Gera's pen looked stone wall at the ground. However on the replays it was clearly not and he triped over his own feet. :005:
Elms pull down was 50/50. :49:
Demp's was again a stone wall, and having seen the replays I have seen them given more times than not. :031:

[Tom]

The Dempsey and Elm plays should have been pen's.

[Peabody]

They were not penalties, replays make it certain they were not. If they had been given against us I and the rest of us would have been furious and rightly so.

[FulhamGK]

I think Dempsey's could have been given after seeing the replay.

The thing that really made me mad was Gera's.  Not that it wasn't called because it WASN'T a pen, but that Gera sat there on the pitch with his hands up in the air and the ball just sitting there.  There was a good 5 seconds before anyone played the ball and Gera just sat there!  If he would have kept playing, he would have easily been able to get up, control the ball, and either turn and have a shot or lay it off to someone  :014:

[bobby01]

I think Dempsey's could have been given after seeing the replay.

The thing that really made me mad was Gera's.  Not that it wasn't called because it WASN'T a pen, but that Gera sat there on the pitch with his hands up in the air and the ball just sitting there.  There was a good 5 seconds before anyone played the ball and Gera just sat there!  If he would have kept playing, he would have easily been able to get up, control the ball, and either turn and have a shot or lay it off to someone  :014:

If you look at this one closely, Gera kicked the defenders leg before the ground. I can see why he was certain it was a pen, it could have gone either way, as could Demps one in the second half.

[FulhamGK]

I think Dempsey's could have been given after seeing the replay.

The thing that really made me mad was Gera's.  Not that it wasn't called because it WASN'T a pen, but that Gera sat there on the pitch with his hands up in the air and the ball just sitting there.  There was a good 5 seconds before anyone played the ball and Gera just sat there!  If he would have kept playing, he would have easily been able to get up, control the ball, and either turn and have a shot or lay it off to someone  :014:

If you look at this one closely, Gera kicked the defenders leg before the ground. I can see why he was certain it was a pen, it could have gone either way, as could Demps one in the second half.

Yeah, just hate when people stop playing like that... oh well, we won so I couldn't be to unhappy!

[mofulham]

I think Dempsey's could have been given after seeing the replay.

The thing that really made me mad was Gera's.  Not that it wasn't called because it WASN'T a pen, but that Gera sat there on the pitch with his hands up in the air and the ball just sitting there.  There was a good 5 seconds before anyone played the ball and Gera just sat there!  If he would have kept playing, he would have easily been able to get up, control the ball, and either turn and have a shot or lay it off to someone  :014:

If you look at this one closely, Gera kicked the defenders leg before the ground. I can see why he was certain it was a pen, it could have gone either way, as could Demps one in the second half.

Agree, Gera's foot hit the defenders leg so he may have thought the defender clipped him intentionally.  I also think it looks like the defender pushed Gera in the back. 

[BarneyTravers]

For me illustrates how hard the man in the middle's job is.

Turns out after watching MOTD that Mr Clattenburg might be fit to referee after all...always knew that deep down...Kevin Davies not so keen though but heh ho.

Fulham for the cup.

[SuffolkWhite]

Having Reffed a game and been abused as a Lino on Sunday mornings I can honestly say that it is a tough job out there. Even my own players have given me gyp over decisions I have made. Consistency is the name of the game as an official, and that is something hard to achieve when you are out in the middle or on the line and making snap judgments.

Does anyone think the officials should be professional? 

[FulhamGK]

Agreed, its not an easy job.  I've spent my fair share of games both on the line and in the middle.  I'm actually contemplating get back into it and slowing down a bit on the playing side since I blew out my knew a month ago.  Not going to hang up the playing boots completely, but getting back into officiating is looking better and better with the crap officials we have in the US.

And yes, I think they should be professionals.  I think we have maybe 4 officials that are full time referees in the MLS.  If people expect consistency out of the man in the middle for professional matches then they should be doing it full time in my opinion.

[SuffolkWhite]

I guess the only problem with professional ref's is that you may get a few that just do it for the money, which in turn may leave them open to bribes. Then again if you don't pay them enough they might want more money and take bribes anyway.

I will be hanging my boots up this season and will probably turn in to a Fat Suffolk White.

[NorfolkJim]

You're all being far too fair! I beg to differ. Gera was a penalty - didnt you see the knee in his back and the shove, look above the mans feet.
Dempsey was also a penalty - they'd have given it to Man Utd. Tackle from behind.
Bloody reasonable, honest, fair, sporting Fulham Fans, Grrrrrrrr.