AND HOW BIZARRE IS THAT

[Guest]

I expect many of you have now seen the GOAL that WASN'T between Watford and Reading on Saturday.

The ball is going out of play at the Watford end when a Reading player tries to keep the ball in play by crossing the ball into the penalty area from about a yard or two from a Watford post. The ball ping pongs about but the referee had already seen what happened and gives Watford a goal kick

Unbelievably the linesman (and we now know why we don't call them assistants) calls the referee over and says the ball crossed the goal line so it is a goal. Watford protest, the yellow card is flashed around and the referee for some inexplicable reason gives Reading a goal.

We now know why this game is being run by muppets because in todays sports news the Football League have said there is no chance of the game being replayed as asked for by Steve Coppell.

What is bizarre is that the linesman was not on the opposite side of the pitch so that he could have been confused by looking if you like through the posts, but it was on his side of the pitch so he had a clear view. Looks like he could be in line for a Premier League game. Can you imagine him and Riley at the same match.

DISCUSS!!!!!!!!!

[gillo10]

Absolute nightmare for the lino and one he will never forget, as he will probably loose his job for it.

Coppel didnt ask for a replay he said he wouldnt object if there was one. But if there was a replay would this not open a can of words for the FA every week with disputed ghoals that never should have been or never disallowed. Football is full of human error, by players managers refs and linos every week its part of the game, though yes this is abit different to the usual.

Why mention Riley though? Yes he gave some silly free kicks against both sides and should also have booked J Cole for probably the worst tackle of the day and no he didnt see the palmed push in the middle of Ferdinands back by Kalou that gave him the space to score the equaliser but for me most of Uniteds bookings were deserved. Berbatov, persistant foul play, Nevile, bookable tackle, Rooney the same, Scholes the same. Very harsh on Ronaldo and maybe Ferdinand and cant remember the other.

[Guest]

I'm not saying he should lose his job. Take an eye test yes, but come on the guy gets paid for doing a job so re train him to concentrate. managers can be sacked for just such an incident. Indeed the Watford manager and his assistant were sent from the dugout. And McAnuff and Hoskins were cautioned for dissent I assume these decisions will be rescinded. We are not talking about a Saturday afternoon local game although I cant ever recall seeing something like that.

As far as Riley is concerned he is the same referee that came to Plymouth a year or two ago and was about the worst professional referee I and seemingly everyone in the ground had seen for a long time. His persistance in getting the important decisions wrong is why he is despised by many a manager. But is loved by the FA because he brings in luvly jubbly fines as players blow fuses over his incompetence.

I know what it was like to make a wrong decision and deeply regret it but I wasn't getting paid and players rightfully had a go at me.

These guys are paid professionals and for a linesman to give such a decision was ludicrous. I would love to have been a fly on the wall when the two officials discussed the goal!!.

What you waving for lino says ref, it was a goal I clearly saw the ball cross the line, so did I but the ball went out of play and it was a goal kick replies the ref. Linesman says well you would have been wrong there because it is an own goal But it was not a goal pleads the referee. Listen chummy when I say it is a goal because I saw it cross the line, it is a goal. now go blow your f*****g whistle. By the way says the linesman get the manager and his mate out of my face and for christ sake book those two idiots for proesting. I'm not having you changing my spreadbet.

Check out the statement on the Watford FC web site.

There was an interesting statement made by the PGMOB who said 'a referee cant change the decision once the game has restarted'. How very odd that Mr Terry was rightly sent off by Halsey and then is told by Hacket to change his decision nd then becuase he is the England captain has his red card rescinded. Strange that.

If ever there is a need for TECHNOLOGY to be used and now then it is because of shocking decisions like that.

[whuru]

it wasn't Rod Beer with the flag was it ????? :yahoo:

[Guest crosser]

get overyourself, incidents occur like this pretty much every season, the reading players knew what had happened they could have quite easily have let watford score a goal to even it up, like what happened in the yeovil game a few seasons back.

Like someone else has said coppell didn't say the game should be replayed he said he would understand if the game was replayed.

One thing i will agree with you on is the terry sending off should never been allowed to appeal. especially seen as its mr hackett who is know head of referee's!!! us hammer supporters have long memories and i will never forgive mr hackett for his shocking dismissal of Tony Gale in the 91 FA Cup semi final

[gillo10]

it wasn't Rod Beer with the flag was it ?????

Superb John, superb!! :thumbsup:

[Guest]

I think everything got all confused and they most probably didn't think about it because most of Readings players didn't actually know what was going on. They would not have known which part of the action resulted in the goal! What pees me off more than anything is seeing the referee give a thumbs up sign to his linesman. There cannot be anything more annoying for a player to see officials giving the thumbs up sign despite getting the decision wrong. If they feel they must do something then just a slight raised hand in acknowledgment will do.

[gillo10]

Why cant he give a thumbs up? The ref is the main man and one of his guys has just had potentially contreversial moment with his decision. This is nothing more than a 'keep ya head up' thumbs up surely. No different than a skipper giving his striker a thumbs up when he misses a sitter.

Geees I thought I was bad with refs, now your forcing me to stick up for them :blink:

[B Manning]

ECPL since when are the assistants to quote" paid professionals". surely that only applies to the referee.

[Guest]

I am sorry B Manning. I had no idea linsemen didn't get paid. Give me a break!!!!

[Michael Rabone]

Should a Reading player have said, 'Excuse me Ref, unfortunately that wasn't a goal, it didn't go in between the posts or over the line - we'll take a drop-ball on the halfway line old chap' or something to that effect?

May have saved a bit of hassle. I know Aidy Boothroyd said, 'If someone stops you in a car park and gives you a present you don't say no do you?'. When was the last time somebody gave you a present in a car park? Exactly.

It seems that this has happened before, Nürnberg versus Bayern Munich in 1994.

Thomas Helmer was awarded a goal when the ball went past the Nürnberg post. Nürnberg lost 2-1. The game was replayed for the first time ever in the Bundesliga; Nürnberg lost 5-0 and were relegated that season on goal difference.

[Stig]

This is just as mad here and here, watch from 1min in, has this latter one been over taken by the recent events at Watford?

[Guest]

What made me laugh in the first one was the ball boy picking up the wrong ball 'to score'.

I'm not sure why the referee did not allow the second one that came back off the stanchion. he didn't consult the linesman so he must have dissallowed it for another reason.

[Michael Rabone]

How about the Brazilian commentator who chips in with 'Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooalllllllllllllllll' when the ref decides that the ball-boy putting the ball in the net is a valid goal?!

Referees shoud be more fussy, like this guy!