Its always funny when the refs get own'd

Don't Choose the big names but choose Owen - Fat Guy on Couch screaming at TV

It is often quite fascinating to see English fans swing between absolute hatred and extremely love for their just because of once off displays.

After Walcott's contribution towards the thrashing of Croatia in Zagreb couple of weeks back seem like the pivotal point of Capello's reign. However couple of days before, the display against Andorra warranted much criticism. Yet again couple more days before that, many questioned the Italian's call to drop Owen from the squad. I really doubt many of them questioned his decision after Zagreb.

But here we are a month down the line, Owen has got a couple of goals for the absolutely useless Newcastle. The once regular is now at the end of much hype of a possible recall. Many people have commented on the BBC that how a terrible decision that it was to to leave out Owen.

I have to feel sorry for Capello, the man leaves out Owen and destroys Croatia but some fat guy drinking beer off his stomach infront of the tele criticise him for leaving out a striker that has probably the worse record of consistency (in actually staying fit) since yay long. He was probably the same person that asked for the big names to be dropped when things didn't work out for England under McClaren.

For all those who forgot Owen is here is a video that summarises him and his career for England or him after leaving Liverpool for the big bucks.

For Owen to be back in the team is not impossible. Beckham has shown that (although Becks actually plays for a team not just some random social gathering with a gigantic Stadium somewhere in Northern England). Owen will never be the same like he was at Liverpool, but he can be a new option that's if he can out perform Defoe, but I really doubt that can happen. Ever. For his sake, he can hope Defoe has a bad period. But Ashley Young or Agbonlahor will probably fill in that space. So yeah, Owen, better luck next time.

Spanish Genius

Absolutely Incredible skill. Lob while running at full pace - pure skill.

Pwn'd

Rugby tackles for all

If you read below, apparently rugby tackles are legal in football if the ref mistakenly reports it as serious foul play, because apparently it not unsportsman or cynical enough.

Due to this ground breaking ruling, I suggest that all teams should now employ this technique as it is effective at bring down a player and obviously will save you from conceding goals.

Every single time I see another player only receiving a 3 match ban for gross misconduct insults Rio Ferdinand's missed drugs test in which he was banned for 9 months for missing a drugs test in which he later passed clean. Guthrie's tackle was cynical and deliberate unlike the Eduardo injury where was was unluckily caught full on and Taylor was in visible distress at his own actions received a 3 match automatic suspension. Guthrie showed little remorse and will only receive a 3 match ban (a less than 2 weeks suspension). Guthrie's wild swing has now costed Fagan 6 weeks to recover from his broken leg. There are serious flaws in this system in which seemingly bad tackles are categorised with those that are gross and degrading football. 

FA demands respects

If you have even seen football even at school level, abuse goes around like choirs in in a church, continuous and effortless. Like many people I have never been a fan of abuse as I see no point in giving it if the ref has done a good job. You never saw anyone abuse Collina because he always delivered fair and precise rulings. However if they do a sub-par job but expect to be respected, then they obviously either come from another planet or work for the FA. The FA has blamed the players for descent but I am sure that they would rather not do such a thing if the refs were consistent and precise in judgment. In no other profession do you ever a company protect an employee in such a way when they blatantly performed badly. The players get fined, dropped from the team and even abused if they perform badly, refs too are professionally employed, I do not understand why their mistakes are dealt with.

Personally, I will give a ref the respect he or she deserves plus the benefit of the doubt, but if they perform badly, you can be assured that comments will follow.

The FA shoots themselves in the foot again

John Terry was sent off for the above incident when hes was adjudged to have hauled down Jo, denying a clear opportunity towards goal. There weren't that many complaints from either side as it clearly shows that John Terry used his arm to bring down Jo. However as there was another defender between Jo and the goal, it gave grounds for Chelsea to appeal. Mark Hughes later said that the ref was erratic in handing out the card, obviously he wants to be in Chelsea's good books as he showed no sympathy for his own player Jo. 

Later on in the week, Chelsea won their appear and had the red card rescinded, meaning that John Terry is cleared to play. However, the puzzling point is that apparently Mark Halsey the ref that was incharge reported the incident as "serious foul play." However, no top-tier referee would ever consider Terry's bear hug as "serious foul play"but more correctly as "denying an opportunity to score" or an "unsportsman behaviour" (for holding on). Because of so, Terry's card was rescinded because it was not foul play. This has left many fuming as it was obvious that the FA has tinkered with Halsey's report in order to allow Terry to play. 

The reason being is that Terry is the England captain and therefore the front man of the FA, no one is every dumb enough to penalise their main man. This also happened when Terry was captain during the McClaren era. Unrelated so, clubs play certain players because it is in their contract with TV broadcasters to play big names. Think of Beckham's contract when out on friendlies. If Beckham was absent less people watch i.e. less popular less money for the club. Change the word club for FA and Terry for Beckham and you will know why it is advantageous. 

With the FA constantly promoting respect towards referees, they have humiliated Halsey so that they can clear Terry's name how can we repect people when their own employers won't respect them? FA = hypocrites. 

Matchweek 4 - The two big matches

This matchweek saw the traditional fixture between Liverpool and Man Utd, billed as the biggest fixture in English football. The other was the Clash of Cashes, between Chelski and Man (the oil pumps) City. 

Man City 1 - 3 Chelsea

This game was really never about unexpected winners, Chelsea in the way that they have played were not simply going to get a run around because Man City has now got their own Sugar Daddy. City itself is good but still much out of par with the rest of the big 4 with a general lack of depth in some key positions, if by simply having Billionaire owners made you play well, Chelsea and Liverpool would have definitely been classified as retarding stocks. 

Man City got a goal through Robinho, who still seemed disorientated regarding where at and who he is playing for, that glimmer of hope resulting from the freekick pretty much died as fast as it came and everyone in the light blue strip looked more confused than Mr Bean with a turkey on his head. Chelsea came into ascendancy and equalised through Carvalho 3 minutes later and Chelsea were ahead curtesy of Lampard 7 minutes before the hour. Anelka who has pretty much turned around his career under Scolari got the third 18 minutes afterwards. However the show did not end there, the England Captain had yet another mad moment when he hauled down Jo who made light work from the defender's marking. Terry will now most likely miss Chelsea's next three league matches including Man Utd at the Bridge next week. 

Liverpool 1 - 2 Man Utd

With Liverpool failing to win against United in the Benitez era and with Torres and Gerrard injured, few would bet on them coming away with 3 points today. However they did not anticipate United to do another shocker worthy to mention the 4-1 loss to Middlesbrough couple of seasons back. United were at full flight from the start and got a goal in 3 minutes via a Berbatov and Tevez linkup in the Liverpool box. However for United it was all downhill as soon as van der Sar spilt a corner into the path of Kuyt, who was just as shocked to receive the ball shot straight back into the United keeper. It was obvious that van der Sar was going to have one of 'those' days and soon the keeper unsurprisingly delivered on that note needlessly coming out trying to collect a tame deflected shot. Wes Brown expecting to clear the ball was shocked to see vdS punching the ball into his legs and subsequently rolling into the empty net. United tried to resurrect the game but Liverpool controlled it all too well and was in no danger in conceding again. With Liverpool looking to get their first win out of 7 meetings with United, they relentless attacked and found the winner through substitute Babel who was left acres of space from the United defence in their own box very much so like Tevez goal. Vidic was later sent off for a second bookable offense and will now miss the tie with Chelsea.

Benitez was a happy man afterwards as Gerrard made yet another timely but successfully come back and with another 3 points in the bag and United out of hand, however most importantly it has shown that Liverpool can actually play without Gerrard and Torres.