Howard Webb MBE

[Ian Royal]

Rafael basically did a hop like he was about to step in doggy doo doo, imo nothing wrong with it.
Rafael's could've been bad i admit but he didn't really dive in, in truth.

The pen? Webb should have checked with the lino who was marginally better placed to see it. But it works both ways, the Lino should have buzzed web to say there was absolute minimal contact and no pen.

Rafael's challenge was less exaggerated than Bryn's a few years ago but still technically the same thing - jumped in two footed and won the ball, had he missed it's a potential leg break so he could have gone, but I don't think Webb was close enough to see it clear enough to call it. Gerrard had to go for his challenge simple as.

[Stranded]

It looked to me as if Webb did talk to the lino and then gave it after that.

[Ian Royal]

It looked to me as if Webb did talk to the lino and then gave it after that.

Yeah? Fair enough then. Weak pen - Fat Sam showing his true colours by saying if there was any contact he had to go down.

[paultheroyal]

What a pantomine.

Soft penalty followed by joke red card for Liverpool's best player.

Rendered what might have been an interesting game totally meaningless.

Soft penalty but a penalty and a mandatory red card. Blame the players, blame FIFA, but you are wrong to blame the referee.

[Ian Royal]

really? Do the rules say it's a penalty if there is any contact made? or is it just if the contact impedes the player - because there was no way Berbatov was impeded there.

[paultheroyal]

really? Do the rules say it's a penalty if there is any contact made? or is it just if the contact impedes the player - because there was no way Berbatov was impeded there.

No rules in football, it's laws, and contact was made, Berbatov took a step and then went down, you be guessing if he dived, but as a referee there was no guess in the contact. Not much difference to the Long penalty last year up at Anfield.

[frimmers3]

webb is useless.

[Ian Royal]

really? Do the rules say it's a penalty if there is any contact made? or is it just if the contact impedes the player - because there was no way Berbatov was impeded there.

No rules in football, it's laws, and contact was made, Berbatov took a step and then went down, you be guessing if he dived, but as a referee there was no guess in the contact. Not much difference to the Long penalty last year up at Anfield.

pedant... surely the ref has to make a judgement on the effect of the contact... after all you see contact all over the pitch and freekicks not given.

[Row Z Royal]

really? Do the rules say it's a penalty if there is any contact made? or is it just if the contact impedes the player - because there was no way Berbatov was impeded there.

No rules in football, it's laws, and contact was made, Berbatov took a step and then went down, you be guessing if he dived, but as a referee there was no guess in the contact. Not much difference to the Long penalty last year up at Anfield.

pedant... surely the ref has to make a judgement on the effect of the contact... after all you see contact all over the pitch and freekicks not given.

You know Paul's a ref right?

[Ian Royal]

yes I do. I'm just pointing out you see contact quite frequently with nothing given, so there has to be some sort of decision making process about it's effect.

Thought the Giggs chance was a blatant pen missed there. 4 saves on the bounce from Reina

[paultheroyal]

Since when do referees have to gauge level of contact? It's not boxing at the Olympics! Contact, down, penalty. Long at Liverpool, contact, step, down, penalty.

[Row Z Royal]

Thought the Giggs chance was a blatant pen missed there.

Shelvey just about got a toe on it and it was right in front of Webb.

[Ian Royal]

Since when do referees have to gauge level of contact? It's not boxing at the Olympics! Contact, down, penalty. Long at Liverpool, contact, step, down, penalty.

Can you post up the law then that says any contact equals a foul if the other player ends up on the floor? Because it's certainly not stuck to.

Didn't think Shelvey got near it RZR, but haven't seen it other than full speed, so happy to give the benefit if you think he did.

[PlasticRoyale]

Rafael was in control, Gerrard wasn't

[roadrunner]

Rafael basically did a hop like he was about to step in doggy doo doo, imo nothing wrong with it.
Rafael's could've been bad i admit but he didn't really dive in, in truth.

The pen? Webb should have checked with the lino who was marginally better placed to see it. But it works both ways, the Lino should have buzzed web to say there was absolute minimal contact and no pen.

The linesman's view would have been worse than Webb's.

[Tony Le Mesmer]

Since when do referees have to gauge level of contact? It's not boxing at the Olympics! Contact, down, penalty. Long at Liverpool, contact, step, down, penalty.

Can you post up the law then that says any contact equals a foul if the other player ends up on the floor? Because it's certainly not stuck to.

Didn't think Shelvey got near it RZR, but haven't seen it other than full speed, so happy to give the benefit if you think he did.

There is no specific defination of what a 'foul' is, is there? There is nothing that states this is a foul and that isn't, its purely down to the opinion of the referee.

[SpaceCruiser]

Rafael was in control, Gerrard wasn't

See, I disagree. He was in the air.

[Ian Royal]

Since when do referees have to gauge level of contact? It's not boxing at the Olympics! Contact, down, penalty. Long at Liverpool, contact, step, down, penalty.

Can you post up the law then that says any contact equals a foul if the other player ends up on the floor? Because it's certainly not stuck to.

Didn't think Shelvey got near it RZR, but haven't seen it other than full speed, so happy to give the benefit if you think he did.

There is no specific defination of what a 'foul' is, is there? There is nothing that states this is a foul and that isn't, its purely down to the opinion of the referee.

then that only supports my point.

[PlasticRoyale]

Rafael was in control, Gerrard wasn't

See, I disagree. He was in the air.

tbf neither of us is unbiased

[leww_rfc]

Howard Webb : Manchesters Best Employee