47min: Incredible developments. Sky Sports' Geoff Shreeves has claimed that after speaking to Murphy at the break, the midfielder confirmed that in a conversation with Mark Clattenburg, the official admitted the penalty was not given for a foul concerning him.The incredible thing? There was no other foul. Murphy's challenge was the only thing that remotely looked like a decent penalty claim.Chelsea have to be the luckiest team in the world. They are going to be saved by the referees once again.

So if this score holds up Chelsea was gifted 6 points in the last 3 days.47min: Incredible developments. Sky Sports' Geoff Shreeves has claimed that after speaking to Murphy at the break, the midfielder confirmed that in a conversation with Mark Clattenburg, the official admitted the penalty was not given for a foul concerning him.The incredible thing? There was no other foul. Murphy's challenge was the only thing that remotely looked like a decent penalty claim.Chelsea have to be the luckiest team in the world. They are going to be saved by the referees once again.![]()
I thought United was the only team who gets preferential treatment from the ref!47min: Incredible developments. Sky Sports' Geoff Shreeves has claimed that after speaking to Murphy at the break, the midfielder confirmed that in a conversation with Mark Clattenburg, the official admitted the penalty was not given for a foul concerning him.The incredible thing? There was no other foul. Murphy's challenge was the only thing that remotely looked like a decent penalty claim.Chelsea have to be the luckiest team in the world. They are going to be saved by the referees once again.![]()
from ESPN gamecast:45' HALF TIME Controversy to end the half and Danny Murphy continues his protests to the referee. Harsh on Fulham, who were the better side for the majority of the half, but Chelsea have the vital opening goal.47' We are now told that Danny Murphy was informed by the referee that he WASN'T the person who was penalised for the penalty. Bizarre. Kelly was also close but committed no foul that I saw.48' If that is right then that is quite simply extraordinary. The replay shows that Kalou prodded a boot into Kelly's leg and fell over #perplexedTG for Dempsey!!! Now lets hope Tottenham have some form in their FA Cup match and can boot Chelsea...He's reppin Texas to tha fullest. Can't wait til he moves to a team with a better looking jersey.Dempsey![]()
technically it would only have been 4 as they would have gotten a draw without the error last time. With the draw instead of a loss today, they've only been gifted 3 in 3 days. EPL officials have had a pretty terrible weekSo if this score holds up Chelsea was gifted 6 points in the last 3 days.
Shut your mouth! Fulham for life!He's reppin Texas to tha fullest. Can't wait til he moves to a team with a better looking jersey.Dempsey![]()
who do you root for when Fulham and QPR play?Shut your mouth! Fulham for life!He's reppin Texas to tha fullest. Can't wait til he moves to a team with a better looking jersey.Dempsey![]()
what a relief Barca doesn't complain about refs.RM drops points, RM complains about refs. Lather rinse repeat. Four back with seven to go!

I simply enjoy the pleasure of a majestic occasion.who do you root for when Fulham and QPR play?Shut your mouth! Fulham for life!He's reppin Texas to tha fullest. Can't wait til he moves to a team with a better looking jersey.Dempsey![]()
They won 2-1 and both goals were offsides.technically it would only have been 4 as they would have gotten a draw without the error last time. With the draw instead of a loss today, they've only been gifted 3 in 3 days. EPL officials have had a pretty terrible weekSo if this score holds up Chelsea was gifted 6 points in the last 3 days.

I think Tevez will land some place decent. I'm not so sure about Balotelli though. His antics carry onto the field and that's a lot harder to handle.How did Man City manage to obtain arguably the two biggest head cases in the sport right now at the same time?It kills me. Balotelli and Tevez are both fabulously gifted players but seem intent on flushing their careers.The game has certainly seen its share of players with mental issues but players like Cantona and Stoichkov seemed to get a handle on their issues to allow them to become the great players they became.
Have they confirmed he's going to get to keep it?Brian Straus (@BrianStraus)4/9/12 5:32 PMU.S. Soccer says it believes Dempsey's 22 goals this season indeed is record for an American abroad. Passes Bradley's 21 in 07-08 w/ Heerenveen
well this puts an enormous dagger into my thought that if the governing bodies would just use replays they would clean this crap up. If they could not determine that this was a dive using multiple angles in slow motion, then we may be stuck with diving for the rest of our lives :(The Football Association has rejected Queens Park Rangers' appeal against the red card Shaun Derry received at Manchester United on Sunday.Derry, 34, was handed his marching orders by referee Lee Mason in the 14th minute of QPR's trip to Old Trafford after an apparent foul on Ashley Young.Replays, though, showed Young had strayed into an offside position, while Derry seemed to make little contact with the winger, who tumbled theatrically.Mason deemed it a clear goalscoring opportunity and the linesman's flag remained down, meaning Derry was dismissed, and Wayne Rooney duly scored from the penalty spot to set United on their way to a 2-0 win.QPR appealed the decision but, after reviewing the footage, the FA rejected the claim. The midfielder will now miss Wednesday's home meeting with Swansea.An FA statement read: "Queens Park Rangers midfielder Shaun Derry will serve a one match suspension with immediate effect after his claim of wrongful dismissal was rejected by a Regulatory Commission today [Tuesday 10 April]."Derry was dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity in the Premier League match against Manchester United on Sunday 8 April 2012."- Poor decision by the FA IMO. And once again should bring up the debate about the double whammy of a PK and a red card on the same foul. I dont know if its been discussed but I can see a change being needed so that a foul in the box is a PK and not a red (yellow maybe) even if its a goal scoring opp. Keep the red card for fouls outside the box but why the double penalty? What do you guys think?
Whoa.Hey man.Dempsey is, simply put, the ####.And Liverpool. Oof. I have a hard time watching them anymore.
WTH were they watching???????????????well this puts an enormous dagger into my thought that if the governing bodies would just use replays they would clean this crap up. If they could not determine that this was a dive using multiple angles in slow motion, then we may be stuck with diving for the rest of our lives :(The Football Association has rejected Queens Park Rangers' appeal against the red card Shaun Derry received at Manchester United on Sunday.Derry, 34, was handed his marching orders by referee Lee Mason in the 14th minute of QPR's trip to Old Trafford after an apparent foul on Ashley Young.Replays, though, showed Young had strayed into an offside position, while Derry seemed to make little contact with the winger, who tumbled theatrically.Mason deemed it a clear goalscoring opportunity and the linesman's flag remained down, meaning Derry was dismissed, and Wayne Rooney duly scored from the penalty spot to set United on their way to a 2-0 win.QPR appealed the decision but, after reviewing the footage, the FA rejected the claim. The midfielder will now miss Wednesday's home meeting with Swansea.An FA statement read: "Queens Park Rangers midfielder Shaun Derry will serve a one match suspension with immediate effect after his claim of wrongful dismissal was rejected by a Regulatory Commission today [Tuesday 10 April]."Derry was dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity in the Premier League match against Manchester United on Sunday 8 April 2012."- Poor decision by the FA IMO. And once again should bring up the debate about the double whammy of a PK and a red card on the same foul. I dont know if its been discussed but I can see a change being needed so that a foul in the box is a PK and not a red (yellow maybe) even if its a goal scoring opp. Keep the red card for fouls outside the box but why the double penalty? What do you guys think?
It is so hard not to hate this sport sometimes with how poorly it is run.It gets worse from the FA:The Football Association will not take any action against Mario Balotelli for his challenge on Alex Song during Manchester City's 1-0 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday.At least one member of the refereeing team on Sunday witnessed Mario Balotelli's tackle on Alex SongReferee Martin Atkinson did not award a free-kick when Balotelli made a knee-high challenge on Song in the first half at Emirates Stadium, but it has now been confirmed that at least one of the officials did see the incident at the time and therefore no retrospective action can be taken.An FA statement read: "Retrospective action in relation to the incident involving Mario Balotelli of Manchester City and Alex Song of Arsenal, which occurred in the 20th minute of Sunday's game, will not be taken."Where at least one of the officials has seen the coming together of players retrospective action is not taken, regardless of whether they have seen the full extent of the challenge."Retrospective action can only be taken in scenarios where none of the Match Officials saw the players coming together. The normal scenarios in which retrospective action is taken are for 'off the ball' incidents."Retrospective action was introduced for off the ball incidents where there was no contest for possession and could not be deemed to be re-refereeing an incident."In agreement with FIFA, this is how 'not seen' incidents are dealt with retrospectively in England. It is a policy that is agreed with all football stakeholders."Balotelli is preparing to serve a three-match ban after being sent off in the dying stages of the game against Arsenal. Had he been issued a retrospective red card for the challenge on Song, he would have been suspended for a total of nine matches.**- If a match official saw it, why was it not called for a foul and a card issued? The refs have to be held to a higher standard and can not get away with this BS.
So you believe that the shove by the defender (right hand to the mid section) was not enough for Young to go to ground and draw the PK?And yes my homerism may taint my point of view so I am asking for opinions not wanting to debate or get into a flaming session. And yes the red card was BS.well this puts an enormous dagger into my thought that if the governing bodies would just use replays they would clean this crap up. If they could not determine that this was a dive using multiple angles in slow motion, then we may be stuck with diving for the rest of our lives :(The Football Association has rejected Queens Park Rangers' appeal against the red card Shaun Derry received at Manchester United on Sunday.Derry, 34, was handed his marching orders by referee Lee Mason in the 14th minute of QPR's trip to Old Trafford after an apparent foul on Ashley Young.Replays, though, showed Young had strayed into an offside position, while Derry seemed to make little contact with the winger, who tumbled theatrically.Mason deemed it a clear goalscoring opportunity and the linesman's flag remained down, meaning Derry was dismissed, and Wayne Rooney duly scored from the penalty spot to set United on their way to a 2-0 win.QPR appealed the decision but, after reviewing the footage, the FA rejected the claim. The midfielder will now miss Wednesday's home meeting with Swansea.An FA statement read: "Queens Park Rangers midfielder Shaun Derry will serve a one match suspension with immediate effect after his claim of wrongful dismissal was rejected by a Regulatory Commission today [Tuesday 10 April]."Derry was dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity in the Premier League match against Manchester United on Sunday 8 April 2012."- Poor decision by the FA IMO. And once again should bring up the debate about the double whammy of a PK and a red card on the same foul. I dont know if its been discussed but I can see a change being needed so that a foul in the box is a PK and not a red (yellow maybe) even if its a goal scoring opp. Keep the red card for fouls outside the box but why the double penalty? What do you guys think?
MLS All-Star Game Will Use adidas micoachMajor League Soccer announced on Tuesday that the 2012 MLS All-Star Game at PPL Park in Chester, PA will be the first professional game to use adidas's micoach system. As explained in the press release, micoach provides "real time performance metrics on the field of play including player position, power output, speed, distance covered, intensity of play, acceleration and GPS heat mapping." "Our leading innovations help athletes and coaches on the field of play and we are finding ways to use these innovations to create more immersive sporting environments and experiences that will revolutionize the way we view sports and engage and excite fans," adidas America president Patrik Nilsson said. "The new micoach team tracking system combines state of the art technology with real time analysis bringing the game the most significant advancement in soccer coaching in the modern era. MLS understands digital innovation is the future of team sports and we are proud to make the MLS All-Star Game the world's first smart competition with our new micoach team tracking platform."
I believe it was 99% dive, 1% nudge.So you believe that the shove by the defender (right hand to the mid section) was not enough for Young to go to ground and draw the PK?And yes my homerism may taint my point of view so I am asking for opinions not wanting to debate or get into a flaming session. And yes the red card was BS.well this puts an enormous dagger into my thought that if the governing bodies would just use replays they would clean this crap up. If they could not determine that this was a dive using multiple angles in slow motion, then we may be stuck with diving for the rest of our lives :(The Football Association has rejected Queens Park Rangers' appeal against the red card Shaun Derry received at Manchester United on Sunday.Derry, 34, was handed his marching orders by referee Lee Mason in the 14th minute of QPR's trip to Old Trafford after an apparent foul on Ashley Young.Replays, though, showed Young had strayed into an offside position, while Derry seemed to make little contact with the winger, who tumbled theatrically.Mason deemed it a clear goalscoring opportunity and the linesman's flag remained down, meaning Derry was dismissed, and Wayne Rooney duly scored from the penalty spot to set United on their way to a 2-0 win.QPR appealed the decision but, after reviewing the footage, the FA rejected the claim. The midfielder will now miss Wednesday's home meeting with Swansea.An FA statement read: "Queens Park Rangers midfielder Shaun Derry will serve a one match suspension with immediate effect after his claim of wrongful dismissal was rejected by a Regulatory Commission today [Tuesday 10 April]."Derry was dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity in the Premier League match against Manchester United on Sunday 8 April 2012."- Poor decision by the FA IMO. And once again should bring up the debate about the double whammy of a PK and a red card on the same foul. I dont know if its been discussed but I can see a change being needed so that a foul in the box is a PK and not a red (yellow maybe) even if its a goal scoring opp. Keep the red card for fouls outside the box but why the double penalty? What do you guys think?
Yeah that's just insane. Only thing I can think of is that they don't want to show up the referee. No excuse for that not to be reversed, and if it were to be reversed I don't think that reflects poorly on the ref or anyone other than Ashley Young. The players put the refs in impossible situations when they dive like that.well this puts an enormous dagger into my thought that if the governing bodies would just use replays they would clean this crap up. If they could not determine that this was a dive using multiple angles in slow motion, then we may be stuck with diving for the rest of our lives :(The Football Association has rejected Queens Park Rangers' appeal against the red card Shaun Derry received at Manchester United on Sunday.Derry, 34, was handed his marching orders by referee Lee Mason in the 14th minute of QPR's trip to Old Trafford after an apparent foul on Ashley Young.Replays, though, showed Young had strayed into an offside position, while Derry seemed to make little contact with the winger, who tumbled theatrically.Mason deemed it a clear goalscoring opportunity and the linesman's flag remained down, meaning Derry was dismissed, and Wayne Rooney duly scored from the penalty spot to set United on their way to a 2-0 win.QPR appealed the decision but, after reviewing the footage, the FA rejected the claim. The midfielder will now miss Wednesday's home meeting with Swansea.An FA statement read: "Queens Park Rangers midfielder Shaun Derry will serve a one match suspension with immediate effect after his claim of wrongful dismissal was rejected by a Regulatory Commission today [Tuesday 10 April]."Derry was dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity in the Premier League match against Manchester United on Sunday 8 April 2012."- Poor decision by the FA IMO. And once again should bring up the debate about the double whammy of a PK and a red card on the same foul. I dont know if its been discussed but I can see a change being needed so that a foul in the box is a PK and not a red (yellow maybe) even if its a goal scoring opp. Keep the red card for fouls outside the box but why the double penalty? What do you guys think?
Of course not. That wasn't even a shove, he just touched him. Watch his feet, they just completely stop and he falls down. 100% simulation.So you believe that the shove by the defender (right hand to the mid section) was not enough for Young to go to ground and draw the PK?And yes my homerism may taint my point of view so I am asking for opinions not wanting to debate or get into a flaming session. And yes the red card was BS.well this puts an enormous dagger into my thought that if the governing bodies would just use replays they would clean this crap up. If they could not determine that this was a dive using multiple angles in slow motion, then we may be stuck with diving for the rest of our lives :(The Football Association has rejected Queens Park Rangers' appeal against the red card Shaun Derry received at Manchester United on Sunday.Derry, 34, was handed his marching orders by referee Lee Mason in the 14th minute of QPR's trip to Old Trafford after an apparent foul on Ashley Young.Replays, though, showed Young had strayed into an offside position, while Derry seemed to make little contact with the winger, who tumbled theatrically.Mason deemed it a clear goalscoring opportunity and the linesman's flag remained down, meaning Derry was dismissed, and Wayne Rooney duly scored from the penalty spot to set United on their way to a 2-0 win.QPR appealed the decision but, after reviewing the footage, the FA rejected the claim. The midfielder will now miss Wednesday's home meeting with Swansea.An FA statement read: "Queens Park Rangers midfielder Shaun Derry will serve a one match suspension with immediate effect after his claim of wrongful dismissal was rejected by a Regulatory Commission today [Tuesday 10 April]."Derry was dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity in the Premier League match against Manchester United on Sunday 8 April 2012."- Poor decision by the FA IMO. And once again should bring up the debate about the double whammy of a PK and a red card on the same foul. I dont know if its been discussed but I can see a change being needed so that a foul in the box is a PK and not a red (yellow maybe) even if its a goal scoring opp. Keep the red card for fouls outside the box but why the double penalty? What do you guys think?
I've hated the automatic Red for last man tackle from its inception.I know it's meant to be reserved only for goal-scoring chances, but let's face it- that's a wildly varying judgement call, especially left to a live ref (as opposed to replay). And it also answers your point about the double penalty- it's much easier to speculate that a guy is in a goal scoring chance if he's in the box... so thus we get all these Red/PKs.Keep it a yellow and put the player at fault on a very short leash- ie: tell him that his next foul that even sniffs of suspicion and he's gone. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't remember the game being ruined by professional fouls when made this rule change. Unfortunately, I am seeing them ruined by these soft reds which are made worse because of the copious amount of diving/exaggeration players use now.The Football Association has rejected Queens Park Rangers' appeal against the red card Shaun Derry received at Manchester United on Sunday.Derry, 34, was handed his marching orders by referee Lee Mason in the 14th minute of QPR's trip to Old Trafford after an apparent foul on Ashley Young.Replays, though, showed Young had strayed into an offside position, while Derry seemed to make little contact with the winger, who tumbled theatrically.Mason deemed it a clear goalscoring opportunity and the linesman's flag remained down, meaning Derry was dismissed, and Wayne Rooney duly scored from the penalty spot to set United on their way to a 2-0 win.QPR appealed the decision but, after reviewing the footage, the FA rejected the claim. The midfielder will now miss Wednesday's home meeting with Swansea.An FA statement read: "Queens Park Rangers midfielder Shaun Derry will serve a one match suspension with immediate effect after his claim of wrongful dismissal was rejected by a Regulatory Commission today [Tuesday 10 April]."Derry was dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity in the Premier League match against Manchester United on Sunday 8 April 2012."- Poor decision by the FA IMO. And once again should bring up the debate about the double whammy of a PK and a red card on the same foul. I dont know if its been discussed but I can see a change being needed so that a foul in the box is a PK and not a red (yellow maybe) even if its a goal scoring opp. Keep the red card for fouls outside the box but why the double penalty? What do you guys think?
Not at all.For those calling Young's play a dive, if it had been Everton vs Fulham or Tottenham vs Newcastle do you think you would feel different?
I haven't seen the clip, but it largely comes with the territory.For those calling Young's play a dive, if it had been Everton vs Fulham or Tottenham vs Newcastle do you think you would feel different? Not talking the red, just the "foul/dive"? Is it because United is percieved to get the calls other teams dont?

Total dive.For those calling Young's play a dive, if it had been Everton vs Fulham or Tottenham vs Newcastle do you think you would feel different? Not talking the red, just the "foul/dive"? Is it because United is percieved to get the calls other teams dont?
ETA just like I believe it was a foul, mostly because I am a striker and have played there my whole life, but also admittedly may be tainted as a United fan, just want to gauge how others see their preferences based on who they are fans of or teams they hate.
In the old days, you dive once the next time you get hurt.It occurred to me, regarding the whole diving/exaggeration thing. In the older days- before the EPL was overrun with foreigners (and before it was the EPL)- if a guy went down suspiciously, he was immediately surrounded by defenders in his dish about the BS dive. That happens a bit now too, but far less since it's so rampant. (eta: the point I think I was trying to make is that the culture of the EPL has changed so much that it's the norm for players to dive or at least simulate, continuously all game)Another point- color announcers typically paint a clearer picture of simulation vs hack vs hard challenge, since they were former pros. But I wonder... with current pros going down more than a ... oh- I'll abstain from making that comment... but going down under a lot of fakery now, will THEY be able to differentiate those plays to the public when it's them in the booth? Guys now can look at plays and just say- hard tackle, but there was nothing in it. Will future color guys think everything is a yellow card warranted offense in their commentary?
There was very little contact there at all. I don't care what color the shirt is, that is a clear cut dive. I'm an Arsenal supporter, but have no problem calling out Van Persie or Walcott when they pull similar nonsense. Things like that really cheapen the game in my opinion and in cases such as this, simply ruin the contest.For those calling Young's play a dive, if it had been Everton vs Fulham or Tottenham vs Newcastle do you think you would feel different? Not talking the red, just the "foul/dive"? Is it because United is percieved to get the calls other teams dont?ETA just like I believe it was a foul, mostly because I am a striker and have played there my whole life, but also admittedly may be tainted as a United fan, just want to gauge how others see their preferences based on who they are fans of or teams they hate.
I don't hate or favor any teams in EPL outside of just hoping the Americans do well. So to answer your question, the laundry the players wear who dive is meaningless to me.For those calling Young's play a dive, if it had been Everton vs Fulham or Tottenham vs Newcastle do you think you would feel different? Not talking the red, just the "foul/dive"? Is it because United is percieved to get the calls other teams dont?
Speaking of Bradley he scored his first for Chievo this weekend.Brian Straus (@BrianStraus)4/9/12 5:32 PMU.S. Soccer says it believes Dempsey's 22 goals this season indeed is record for an American abroad. Passes Bradley's 21 in 07-08 w/ Heerenveen
ApologyAnd the refs have apologized for the missed calls... what little good that will do now.They won 2-1 and both goals were offsides.technically it would only have been 4 as they would have gotten a draw without the error last time. With the draw instead of a loss today, they've only been gifted 3 in 3 days. EPL officials have had a pretty terrible weekSo if this score holds up Chelsea was gifted 6 points in the last 3 days.![]()
That sideline ref shouldn't be in the premiere league (he's out of the next match, but that's not really enough). Those were two obvious calls that he completely botched. The odd thing is he was in-line both times and clearly saw the offsides develop. The calls are rather inexplicable really.Balotelli got off because I guess one of the referees saw it. I don't really like that rule, but it has been pretty consistent.'B Maverick said:ApologyAnd the refs have apologized for the missed calls... what little good that will do now.They won 2-1 and both goals were offsides.technically it would only have been 4 as they would have gotten a draw without the error last time. With the draw instead of a loss today, they've only been gifted 3 in 3 days. EPL officials have had a pretty terrible weekSo if this score holds up Chelsea was gifted 6 points in the last 3 days.![]()