| Munchsack 18.05.2006 15:50 |
Once again, what should have been a great football match between two excellent teams, was dominated by the referee's blunders. The match was going well for nearly twenty minutes when Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o was through on goal and brought down by Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann. He managed to play the ball to Frenchman Ludovic Guily, who scored, but the ref brought it back for a free kick to Barca and sent Lehmann off. It was one of the worst decisions in football history. The goal should have been allowed and Lehmann should have stayed on the park. Arsene Wenger brought on sub keeper Manuel Almunia and had to remove a player from the action to make way. He took off Bobby Pires, which I thought personally was a mistake, as Pires had looked promising. Ronaldinho narrowly missed from the free kick and the match went on. Barca continued to dominate for the rest of the first half until a few minutes before the break when Eboue dived outside the box. The resulting free kick was headed home by Sol Campbell, giving Arsenal an undeserved one-nil lead. When the teams came back out for the second half, Arsenal played better, and, despite Barcelona's slightly poorer form, failed to increase their advantage, despite an excellent shot from Thierry Henry, saved by Barca keeper Victor Valdes and another chance for Freddie Ljungberg, again saved spectacularly by Valdes. However, Arsenal still led and it looked as though, despite being a man down, they were heading for victory. Just after the hour mark, Van Bommel was replaced by the greatest striker in the world, Henrik Larsson MBE, who turned the match on its head. It was his last match for the Catalan Giants, before heading back to his native Sweden to finish his career at Helsinborgs. Larsson provided the assist for Eto'o's equaliser and then, four minutes later, set up substitute Julian Belletti for his first goal for the club. It turned out to be the winner. Sadly, Barcelona began to play safety football, passing the ball about at the back and not playing it forward. Despite this, however, the match remained enjoyable until the end. I lost all respect for Thierry Henry during his post-match interview. When asked whether or not the better team had won, he said "No," and would not accept that justice had been done. He went on to say something along the lines of "I think we did very well to lose two-one when the referee was on their side." "At what point did you think he was on their side, Thierry?" I yelled at my television set. "When he chopped off their goal? Or when he practically gave you the lead?" Clearly he wasn't paying that much attention to the match. Sadly, the match featured little of Ronaldinho's unique sparkling skill. The little it did, though, was superb as always. All in all, then, the football was entertaining, but the refereeing was disappointing. |
| flash! 28068 18.05.2006 15:54 |
I'm sure some people here would find that interesting... but not me. Talking about football is just as bad as watching it. |
| Munchsack 18.05.2006 15:56 |
Fair enough. Each to his own. Or her own. You haven't specified your gender in your profile, you see. |
| deleted user 18.05.2006 17:33 |
I like that match last night but it hadnt got the same UMPH as last years final!Both sides could of played so much better in all fairness |
| Penetration_Guru 18.05.2006 19:09 |
OK, since you're arrogant enough to think your opinion deserves it's own thread apart from the perfectly good one already in existence...
Once again, what should have been a great football match between two excellent teams, was dominated by the referee's blunders.Sorry, Arsenal qualified for the final, so that was never going to happen. Plus whining about the ref this early marks you as a Gooner, thus putting us all on bitterness alert. The match was going well for nearly twenty minutes when Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o was through on goal and brought down by Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann. He managed to play the ball to Frenchman Ludovic Guily, who scored, but the ref brought it back for a free kick to Barca and sent Lehmann off. It was one of the worst decisions in football history. The goal should have been allowed and Lehmann should have stayed on the park.HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Oh please, that's priceless. 1. If the goalkeeper brings down a player "through on goal" (your words) the LAWS OF THE GAME SAY RED CARD. 2. You want to see bad decisions? Go find out about Schumacher v Battiston in 82. Then come back and apologise. 3. If the ref blows his whistle, the ball is instantly dead. He *could* have waited to see if any advantage could be played, but he would still have been required to send Lehman off for denying Eto'o a goalscoring opportunity. So the worst case scenario would have been Thierry's Triers being a man down AND a goal down. Arsene Wenger brought on sub keeper Manuel Almunia and had to remove a player from the action to make way. He took off Bobby Pires, which I thought personally was a mistake, as Pires had looked promising.I thought it was ideal. Remove the sulky diving twat and let him watch his last game unfold before him. Even being objective, you sacrifice either your second striker or a winger every time in such circumstances. Ronaldinho narrowly missed from the free kick and the match went on.And it should have been a penalty. Lehman's hand was on the line when he touched Eto'o. The line is part of the penalty area. It would have been difficult for the linesman to spot, so no blame on him for not giving it, BUT technically it was inside the box. Barca continued to dominate for the rest of the first half until a few minutes before the break when Eboue dived outside the box.Odd that we haven't heard anything from Henry or Wenger about this lack of sportsmanship, isn't it? Any team that employs Reyes, Pires, Cole & Eboue can't complain about diving. Any team that employs Dennis "elbows" Bergkamp can have no complaint about the odd foul against them. The resulting free kick was headed home by Sol Campbell, giving Arsenal an undeserved one-nil lead. When the teams came back out for the second half, Arsenal played better, and, despite Barcelona's slightly poorer form, failed to increase their advantage, despite an excellent shot from Thierry Henry, saved by Barca keeper Victor Valdes and another chance for Freddie Ljungberg, again saved spectacularly by Valdes.If it was an excellent shot it would have gone in. It was hardly save of the century was it? The truth is Henry went missing, and then tried to deflect attention afterwards by claiming he'd been kicked out of it. Big game player? When was that then? However, Arsenal still led and it looked as though, despite being a man down, they were heading for victory. Just after the hour mark, Van Bommel was replaced by the greatest striker in the world, Henrik Larsson MBE, who turned the match on its head.My mistake. You're not a Gooner, you're a Bhore, sorry Bhoy. You know how away goals count double in Europe? ANY goals count half in Scotland...
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| Munchsack 19.05.2006 06:24 |
Penetration_Guru wrote: I don't understand all this whining about the referee. It was no better or worse than the general standard of refereeing in the last 10 years.Maybe so, but that's no excuse. What's your problem with Scottish football? And also, if I were an Arsenal fan, why would I complain about a decision which benefited them? Try thinking before you type. |
| eggy 19.05.2006 08:09 |
I think the major problem with Scottish football is it's shit and except for four teams it's watched by one man and his sheep. |
| Manic 19.05.2006 08:13 |
The ref has stated that had he waited until Barca scored, he would not have had to send the Keeper off as the goalscoring opportunity would not then have been denied. 1-0 to Barca and 11 v 11. Probably the right result on the night though. |
| Ian R 19.05.2006 12:27 |
Q. What goes BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP in North London? A. Arsenal's open-top bus reversing into the garage... |
| flash! 28068 19.05.2006 12:38 |
Munchsack <h6>The Paranoid QueenZoner wrote: Fair enough. Each to his own. Or her own. You haven't specified your gender in your profile, you see.Hmmm. Maybe i like to enrole both.... no, i was joking there. So let me give you a hint. "Bing Bing You've got male!" "The Male man is late today. Where's my male!?" "Man, I really hope my Queen CD is in the male otherwise i will kill that male man" :D |
| Penetration_Guru 19.05.2006 17:33 |
Ian R wrote: Q. What goes BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP in North London? A. Arsenal's open-top bus reversing into the garage...link Beat you to it. |