Andre Marriner

[zuricity]

Doug, have you seen any replays of the penalty? I was sat more or less in line with Marriner, and it looked like a dive to me.

it was a dive, no doubt about it

[Goaters 103]

Poor game. Had to take Rodwell off before that plank sent him off.

[LookMumImOnMCF.net]

A few daft decisions.

His tan has really faded though so I think the $$$s he'll be pocketing from The FA/Fergie/Roman/Freemasons should go on a few weeks in Marbella.

[Beefymcfc]

Any agenda talk is nonsense.He had crap first half end of story.

I know what you're saying Doug but for a ref who I hold in quite high esteem, suddenly turns shit overnight, then I want to know why. Surely a ref who does consistently well should not have such a crap half?

Anyone can have a bad half or a bad game even City players.Do you think some City players are occasionally on the take when they perform really badly?

A bit harsh there pal, who said anything about being on the take?

This is a multi-billion pound entertainment industry, it's beyond the realms that they want to make it more of an event.

haha maybe not on the take in the literal sense but I think it amounts to the same thing if you believe he ran the match based on pre match orders or something like that. If that was in anyway the case he would have sent Joe off or asked the pen to be taken again because somebody was in the area when it was taken.

Now if you want a bent reffing situation did you see the penalty decision given to AC Milan in Mario's 1st game. 3rd minute of injury time and a good tackle knocked the ball for a corner but the ref pointed to the spot. A scandalous decision.

You make a good point about the penalty decision. Hart did as much as the Barnsley keeper did yet 2 different outcomes. In our case the ball may have been running away from goal so you could say that it wasn't a clear goal scoring opportunity so therefore should have at least been a yellow. So where was it? I expected nothing less if he had given the penalty.

And that's where shit don't add up. He is clearly applying his own rules rather than the laws of the game.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Doug, have you seen any replays of the penalty? I was sat more or less in line with Marriner, and it looked like a dive to me.

it was a dive, no doubt about it

Diving was just about all they had to offer today. Wankers. Or should that be Whaarrnkahs.

[london blue 2]

Looked like a blatant pen to me, soft but a pen all the same. Put it this way it was a bit clearer than sergios one the other week.

[failsworthblue]

Corrupt!

[Alioune DVToure]

He was quick on the whistle, especially for our misdemeanours, and the Rodwell booking was nonsense. That said, fuck me, the peno was as stonewall as you'll ever see.

[shortagain]

Just a thought if he was biased & on the take as some suggest why not send joe off & make sure they score. Just got conned on numerous occasions by a bent chelski who hit the deck as if shot when blown over by the wind. Did their medical staff come on at all to attend to their life threatening injuries

[blues-clues]

Thought he had one of his best games and Benitez must be really pleased that although his coaching of Torres has been ineffectual, Marriner repeatedly broke up City play, gained possession for Chelsea when it seemed least likely and frustrated numerous City players. He was definitely Chelsea's man of the match. It's a pity City could not have bought him, we need a few more like him who really give everything for their team like that. Probably a bargain too compared with Torres and Hazard who were shit.

[Blue Since 76]

Any agenda talk is nonsense.He had crap first half end of story.

If it was just him, is agree that he'd had a bad half as anyone can. But this is happening week in, week out.

The whole media seem ready to celebrate. Not saying any of them are bent, but if you know everyone wants one outcome, it's very easy to take the easy route with every 50/50 decision. Thats why the big teams get more than the small teams.

And you're right about the Mario penalty. And that's the worrying thing - it had happened in Italy, it looks like it's still happening, but everyone thinks it couldn't happen here. Even though the PL is worth even more.

[City64]

Another rag ref !

He was shit !!!!!

[zuricity]

Looked like a blatant pen to me, soft but a pen all the same. Put it this way it was a bit clearer than sergios one the other week.

nah lb2 , i can't accept that , sergio was clearly pulled back, joe did his utmost to avoid the player and the player also dived

[Pretty Boy Lee]

It's hard as jr and Zabba went in rash a few times and then Chelsea began their circus diving act.

I counted no less than 5 players diving yesterday and hand on heart have never seen a prem team dive more. I even thought it was a pen in real time before replays showed yet another dive.

The count was ridiculous tho.

[Rag_hater]

Another rag ref !

He was shit !!!!!

I have a feeling you are right but it also makes me think there must be just as many who have seen the light and dislike the fuckers as much as we do and those refs do their utmost to fuck them up,bacons rants about some of the stuff thats happened to them would suggest it.

[Arjan Van Schotte]

well, if he's totally bent, and a "rag ref", then i agree, he was totally shit. we won 2-0.

don't think it was a pen, but i understand why he gave it. and i was exasperated by some of the silly fouls we gave away, first half especially.

obsessed!

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Looked like a blatant pen to me, soft but a pen all the same. Put it this way it was a bit clearer than sergios one the other week.

nah lb2 , i can't accept that , sergio was clearly pulled back, joe did his utmost to avoid the player and the player also dived

To quote Joe after the game,Ba was clever after he had knocked the ball too far ,he left his leg in to make sure there was contact.

[Ted Hughes]

If you are going to give a free kick when a Chelsea cb chucks himself over in his own penalty area, then you also give a free kick when Ba has hold of Nastasic.

You don't give one, another one, another & another for one team & then ignore the same foul because a player doesn't dive & wave at you.

Utterly, wrong & very questionable reffing imo.

A bit worrying.

[SkyBlueSteve]

In my opinion it was a case of hart putting himself in a position where you cant call it a dive, but he definitely looked for it and did everything he could to get his leg caught. Had to be a penalty unfortunately, surprised not to see a yellow but so glad no red came out. soft yes but good thing hart saved it and good 3 points from a good all round performance.

[Dameerto]

No argument with him giving the pen, someone mentioned the foul count per half in another thread and it's pretty hard to justify considering we were playing at home and absolutely battering them.