Referees are too influencial

[Nick Bateman]

A brave fight by Fulham was wholly undermined by Kevin Friend, the returning official from a 2-week demotion.  He awarded a ridiculous 'dive' by Silva from which City took the lead, then gave another soft free-kick from which they scored the second.

Granted we should have defended better on the 2nd, but these decisions count regardless of how one plays the game.  Later Demichelis lunged into Amorebieta for what looked a good claim for a penalty and as we battled to earn a leveller, the official failed to awarded Tarbaat a free-kick on the edge of their box, for them to counter and score their fourth.

Tarbaat looked clearly 'taken out' from behind yet Friend played on and we paid for his bias towards a title contender.

One does feel very frustrated in this league where the refs are almost weekly making unbelievable, incredulous judgements which change the course of games, and yet they receive little reprimand if any, by the media or the governing body.

Does one have to make one-self "dumb", remove one's brain cells, to enjoy a football match, and ignore the man-in-black orchestrating the event, awarding clear theatrics from so-called fashionable clubs, to the detriment of 'honest' teams like Fulham??  

On a positive, Rene Meulensteen has totally revived the players and I really do believe at this early stage, that Fulham have THE BEST MANAGER IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE!!   We are so exciting to watch, apply energy, movement and terrifically swift incisive passing football, its a joy to watch.  We only need some more funds to rebuild the team bought by Mohamed Al Fayed with Meulensteen's own choices in the January window.   049:gif

[Nightwind15]

I disagree with you concerning the officials being too influential. (sp)  Most at the higher levels are very concerned with being neutral and the best one's simply blend into the match except from time to time when needed 
January will be critical for Fulham.  There needs to be an influx of quality in some key areas. 

[SP]

How many fouls does Yaya Toure need to commit before he is booked?  Answer - we never found out, even though he must've committed at least 6 or 7 fouls.

[Nick Bateman]

How many fouls does Yaya Toure need to commit before he is booked?  Answer - we never found, out even though he must've committed at least 6 or 7 fouls.

I saw he kicked Amorebieta after our player had fairly shielded the ball out for a goal kick, AFTER the play had ended.  It was a deliberate act of petulance which should have earned him a red card, and that he did in the 92nd minute with them leading by 4 goals to 2.

[jarv]

The free kick was a dreadful decision but over the whole game I thought the ref did ok.  To be honest, I thought it was played in a good spirit and the ref didn't have much to do.

[JBH]

Friend let City get away with stopping our flow by comitting foul after foul totally out of order and should be demoted to the championship full time 096.gig

[LBNo11]

Friend let City get away with stopping our flow by comitting foul after foul totally out of order and should be demoted to the championship full time 096.gig

...agreed, dreadful decisions against us that led to two goals and yet nearly every time we tried to attack a cynical foul was made by citeh, and Friend merely admonished them instead of discouraged them with a yellow card. Most unhappy with what appeared to be big team bias normally associated with their neighbours...

[alfie]

It is interesting also that when that free kick was given it was placed in a more suitable position for Toure to hit his free kick, I am sure Silva went down on the edge of the D outside the line of the post yet the ball ended up being placed almost in the middle of the goal. Our ancient greek almost got himself booked by trying to point out to the ref where it should be placed.

[One Martin Thomas]

It is interesting also that when that free kick was given it was placed in a more suitable position for Toure to hit his free kick, I am sure Silva went down on the edge of the D outside the line of the post yet the ball ended up being placed almost in the middle of the goal. Our ancient greek almost got himself booked by trying to point out to the ref where it should be placed.

Let's hope Blatter's spray for walls is used for positioning the ball after a foul (or a FRIEND awarded dive) too !

[MasterHaynes]

How many fouls does Yaya Toure need to commit before he is booked?  Answer - we never found out, even though he must've committed at least 6 or 7 fouls.

There was one moment when he took Karagounis out from behind , clear professional foul to prevent us breaking quickly, Ref blew straight away,Toure held his hands up and tapped the ref on the chest, you could see the ref Ref Nod and say Ok, and no sort of admonishment whatsoever. Unbelievable.

[KP_FFC]

said this throughout the match, just another case of bias refereeing in big vs little teams

[mangoputney]

How many fouls does Yaya Toure need to commit before he is booked?  Answer - we never found out, even though he must've committed at least 6 or 7 fouls.

+1

[NogoodBoyo]

All in all it was a highly entertaining match in which the ref must have played his part.  However, the free kick for their first goal was a very bad decision indeed.  The commentary team (well, Tony Gale actually) acknowledged that City moved the ball back from where the foul occurred but didn't seem to see a problem with that.
Any referees care to comment?
Nogood "dumb with refs, isit" Boyo

[Ichabod Magoo]

How many fouls does Yaya Toure need to commit before he is booked?  Answer - we never found out, even though he must've committed at least 6 or 7 fouls.

Similar to what the commentators said.  What is frustrating is the inconsistency.  A guy jumps a tackle and the tackler gets a yellow ... 10 minutes later somebody gets nailed with a two footer from behind and nothing happens.

[Cravenawin]

Missed a stonewall penalty as well first half. DeMichelis two footed lunge on Amorbietta in the box was a shocking 'tackle' which also could have been a red card. Can't believe he missed it as his attention must have been on Amorbietta as he was the one with the ball. Poor performance by the ref and totally agree with all the above posts. A case of a lesser referee influenced by one of the 'big teams'

[nose]

friend was certainly a friend to man city.... he was very one sided. silva is barely touched and they are awarded a free kick and yay ya scores
for us taarabat is taken from behind, silva simply takes his legs away in a cynical disregard for the rules of the game, nothing given.. friend saw both, was in a similar position for both and clearly was less than honest in any of his handling of the game... my heart sank when i saw his name.

in short his refereeiing was either dreadful because he is hopeless or totally dishonest.  based on his treatment of silva i know what i believe.

[Nick Bateman]

The problem I have is that Friend was widely criticized for his interpretation of a Sunderland players' hard-but-fair tackle and after serving a 2-week stint on the sidelines, he is back to HAUNT the Premier League again.

What credentials has this referee shown other than incompetence and blatant "cheating" in the manner in which he favours certain clubs?!  Of course, Mike Riley the head of the referees, was one of the biggest 'cheats' in the game when he was active, so no surprises there...

[NogoodBoyo]

Ok, but can someone PLEASE advise whether one is allowed to take a direct free kick from a different spot to where the "foul" took place?
Nogood "looking for influents, isit" Boyo

[Ichabod Magoo]

For all those that believe there are inequitable decisions and blatant favoritism by referees, doesn't this somehow relate to the cheating and match fixing in Italy?  Maybe one seems worse than the other, but the end results aren't that much different.

[nose]

For all those that believe there are inequitable decisions and blatant favoritism by referees, doesn't this somehow relate to the cheating and match fixing in Italy?  Maybe one seems worse than the other, but the end results aren't that much different.

There is no doubt there are two issues.
1. Is the genuine 'foul play' in theat the referees are got at?
2. Do referees favour certain teams?

In answer to item 1. it has long since been my belief that whilst I do not think referees necessarily take back handers there is definitely something very wrong with they way games are officiated. Jeff wintwer was certainly less than honest in his refereeing of certain games. Graham Poll hated fulham and the facilities at craven cottage and wantyed us relegated, and when i saw him ref our games i certainly felt we were not having anything other than a 12th man for the opposition. Mr halsey should not have been allowed anywhere near cravebn cottage or fulham, he was just totally dishonest in his dealings and I cite the cole penalty incident when after talki8ng to the arsenal players right next to wenger he 'changed his mind!' The bloke was a complete disgrace!

Regarding point 2. I do not think premiership referees are even handed at all. Some are poor and are poor for both teams but some clearly favour the big clubs. I went to old trafford sop often and no doubt it's 12 V 11 nearly every time. Mr oliver not thinking a challenge through murf's legs was a penalty, in the same way frioend with silva going through adele...and for sure at the other end it would be a free kick or penalty. The referees are clearly leaned on/influenced/blind/ and favour the larger clubs every single time.  And to prove akll is not well, the loathsome mike riley is in charge! Mike riley who i wouldn't ask to mind my ike outside the post office because i so doubt his integrity.

By the way these are my personal opinions based purely on what I have observed with my eyes.

I can cope with poor referees, but halsey, d'urso riley winter poll. ..oliver... and others i have probably forgotten... none of them are trustworthy....  if my life had of depended on a fair descision from any of them I would be a goner by now.