Our penalty

[Joe McDonald]

I think it was a penalty, sure maybe he went in like he did to GET the penalty, but the fact is that he was between man and ball, defender did one mistake, going into hes back while he could keep pressing him breaking of the attack letting more villa players fall back, but he used hes speed to try get the ball, touched hes leg. Did he fall easy? maybe maybe not, was he close to getting the ball? No, foul? yes

I agree, thought it was a clever bit of play from Kaca.  He moved his body position to shield the ball/absorb some contact, and the Villa defender wasn't smart enough to stand off slightly to not give Kac the option to go down when clipped.  If Rooney did something similar in the World Cup all the same pundits will be sayin it was clever play

[sipwell]

I thought Kaca did a smart move. He slowed down and the defender - at full speed - ran into him. Whether it was deliberate or not (did Kaca prepare to shoot?) does not matter, it was a penalty.

[nose]

Personally I think there are too many stupid penalties.
The only one I thought was an out and out 100% penalty was the push on berba which from where we sit was absolutely clear and I think that error by the ref led him to lean our way with Kaka's. I could be wrong.

It is rare we get the rub of the green so to speak and i feel for the villa fans as I would be seething in their place but that is only because of what passes for a foul nowadays. I think players should stay on their feet and reasonable challenges allowed, even if you miss the ball.

[Burt]

I think Kaca made the most of it... Many refs would have waved it away. The reaction of everyone around me yesterday was partly delight at being given a chance to make the game safer, and partly "blimey...thanks ref...I wouldn't have called that as a penalty".

Their call in the second was more of a penalty shout than the penalty we actually got awarded.

Anyway, the team were on a mission yesterday and regardless of whether it had been given or not, scored or not, etc. the result was never really in doubt.

[Fulhampete]

The more I watch football the more obvious it is that these decisions even themselves out. Be glad if they go our way. At the end of the season the best teams will be at the top and the weakest at the bottom regardless of wrong calls. It is most important to keep the flow of the game going and to accept these aspects as something else to discuss and debate after the game. If technology intrudes any further it will result in fundamental changes to how football is enjoyed. Football has become the world game because of these things, not despite them.

[Nero]

its the way the game is now days if you get touch apparently you have the right to go down, ours looked like a tangle of legs and that's why he when over, there claim look like he knocked it to far ahead and just thought down I go ive been touched I have the right to try and con the ref

[westcliff white]

I think Kaca made the most of it... Many refs would have waved it away. The reaction of everyone around me yesterday was partly delight at being given a chance to make the game safer, and partly "blimey...thanks ref...I wouldn't have called that as a penalty".

Their call in the second was more of a penalty shout than the penalty we actually got awarded.

Anyway, the team were on a mission yesterday and regardless of whether it had been given or not, scored or not, etc. the result was never really in doubt.

I agree with this, if it was against us I would have been angry, having said that I was overjoyed it was given. I said earlier we have not had much go our way this season so it was nice to see we got something, especially from Mike Dean.

[cmg]

The more I watch football the more obvious it is that these decisions even themselves out. Be glad if they go our way. At the end of the season the best teams will be at the top and the weakest at the bottom regardless of wrong calls. It is most important to keep the flow of the game going and to accept these aspects as something else to discuss and debate after the game. If technology intrudes any further it will result in fundamental changes to how football is enjoyed. Football has become the world game because of these things, not despite them.

Totally agree with this.

TV now exercises an almost complete tyranny over our major sports and the customers have largely been persuaded that technology provides all the answers. Virtually every major incident in International Rugby is now subject to in-game analysis and scrutiny before a (often incorrect) decision is arrived at. Cricket umpires have all but given up making decisions because of the widespread use of often dubious technology which partly relies on computer generated 'predictions'. At least we are currently spared all that hanging about in football. Whilst it provides some interest to the stay-at-home spectator it must be murder for the players.

TV and technology are interesting adjuncts to after match analysis but should not be allowed to control the game. The old concept of the referee's decision being final should pertain (as has been pointed out the vageries of decision making usually even themselves out over time). Referees should be much more highly rewarded than they are now and should be highly trained. Technology could be used to monitor their decision making and those deemed less than competent should be fired.

I have no great regard for any of the PL referees. I thought Dean was quite interesting yesterday as he seemed to referee in a rather old-fashioned 'laissez faire' way which I thought contributed to an open, exciting game with some grown-up tackling going on. Such mistakes as he made evened themselves out. Impartiality and common sense are the two main things I look for in referees.

[RaySmith]

It's very hard for refs these days when there is such emphasis on penalising 'bad' tackling.

Most free kicks seem arbitrarily given - ie many wouldn't consider  it a foul at all, just the normal physical contact of the game.

So when it comes to a pen, there is obvious controversy, because the laws of the game state that a foul is a foul and should be penalised, inside or outside the box, according to the same criteria- but refs are often  scared to award a pen, for obvious reasons.

Thus, the endless debates on tv, and the endless replays. But the ref has to make these decisions instantly, and all refs are bound to get it wrong sometimes, but their decisions should be respected, and not endlessly analysed by pundits.

[Skatzoffc]

ok guys
I'll take back the "scum" comment. Obv hadnt had my cuppa by the time I posted this.
8-)

On 2nd viewing, there's was a definite pen.
I agree with some of the comments on here tho, that the ref may well have thought AH got the ball when he saw it in real time.


COYW!

[Fulham1959]

Paul Merson came out with that now frequently quoted cliche, in examining the AH incident :  "If it's not a penalty then why didn't the ref book the attacker for diving".

So, in every legitimate tackle where the 'losing' player ends up on the floor, he's dived, has he Paul ?

[EJL]

Paul Merson came out with that now frequently quoted cliche, in examining the AH incident :  "If it's not a penalty then why didn't the ref book the attacker for diving".

So, in every legitimate tackle where the 'losing' player ends up on the floor, he's dived, has he Paul ?

That's what you get with Paul Merson, though. It's like Robbie Savage doing the analysis for Match of the Day: they're both in way over their head.

[Fulham1959]

Love your little video clip, EJL.

I remember seeing Stanley Matthews do the self-same thing at Stoke, 1961 or 1962.

[Vinnieffc]

Personally I don't think it was a penalty but I'll take any shred of good luck going right now. And I'm not a believer in 'these things even themselves out over a season'. When you're in the proverbial, these things invariably go against you - when it's going well, they go for you. Great performance and result - lets move on to the challenges ahead.

[Toby Ward-Smith]

Villa could of got at least 2 reds and for the foul on Abonglahor wasn't a foul for me the connection wasn't strong enough to make you fall over and Fulham already had the ball back he was looking for the foul straight away

[alfie]

If you watch again you will see Riley walking towards the area mouthing to someone "it was a foul", he gets one view of it and so from his position he considered it to be a foul and therefore a penalty. It really annoys me during interviews after the game when the managers have seen the video 23000 times they come out and say the ref made a mistake. there is no way whatsoever from where Lambert was he could have known in anyway whether it was or not.

[jarv]

I agree with Sipwell. Kaca was smart. It was a stronewall penalty.  Kaca realised he could not get around the back of the defender so he slowed up, did a 180 to turn away from pressure (and shield the ball) and the defender hooked his leg away. Known as a trip!! 100% penalty.

[epsomraver]

If you watch again you will see Riley walking towards the area mouthing to someone "it was a foul", he gets one view of it and so from his position he considered it to be a foul and therefore a penalty. It really annoys me during interviews after the game when the managers have seen the video 23000 times they come out and say the ref made a mistake. there is no way whatsoever from where Lambert was he could have known in anyway whether it was or not.

Whose Riley alfie?

[alfie]

If you watch again you will see Riley walking towards the area mouthing to someone "it was a foul", he gets one view of it and so from his position he considered it to be a foul and therefore a penalty. It really annoys me during interviews after the game when the managers have seen the video 23000 times they come out and say the ref made a mistake. there is no way whatsoever from where Lambert was he could have known in anyway whether it was or not.

Whose Riley alfie?

Sorry meant Dean not Riley

[epsomraver]

easy mistake, he was as bad as Riley at times