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Last word?

By David Price :  01/11/2010 :  Comments (28) :
Another Monday morning waking up with half a smile as the brain remembers 3 points and in the top half. So what of the other issues that has football fans chatting? Let?s face it we can?t spend all week discussing the Stoke game.

We had our friend Clattenburg trying to create a self-made legend in his own mind. How long can the Premier League put up with this idiot? Would Fergie be smiling if this had happened against his team, the same smile that he shared with Gary Neville as he escaped a sending off the previous week? He then has the nerve to ask Rooney to show respect during his transfer saga, only for Nani to adopt a disgraceful attitude to fair play.

How about them lot playing like they did against Bolton with an almost full strength side with a papering over the cracks 1-0 win. Carragher, is there a law that says he can?t concede a penalty? Or even the Greek thug for that matter.

Will Lescott be gagging to come back, an escape from the City circus, or will he try his luck a little longer? As he fast approaches a third manager inside 12 months.

Feeling a little more secure of our league position, who are our surprise contenders for top 6. Chelsea, Utd and Arsenal seem to be top 3, so what about the next three places? West Brom an early contender perhaps? Newcastle, mugged us at Goodison and looked awesome against Villa and Sunderland, yet very much like their fans, Jekyll and Hyde. Spurs, a given as the one we need to finish in front of for the last Champions League place.

Good to see Houllier working his negative tactics at Aston Villa as they make us look like the free scoring Hungarians from the 1950s.

As for relegation candidates, I?ll ask some Kopites next week if they get beaten by Chelsea.

I know it?s not totally Everton topic for ToffeeWeb but maybe worth a few opinions on our great game.

Reader Comments (28)

Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer


Jamie Tulacz
1 Posted 01/11/2010 at 22:11:41
Definitely shaping up to be an interesting season this year isn't it? Top 3 look like they're a class above the rest, but after that it's looking very open. City and Spurs both looking fairly shaky in recent games, great to see all the promoted sides give it a go, with plenty of success.

Think if we can get a consistent run going then a European spot is certainly there for the taking, especially as Villa and the Shite look pretty poor this season.

Clattenberg- what a clown!!
David Barks
2 Posted 01/11/2010 at 22:27:34
I find it hilarious the amount of abuse Clattenburg is getting about this incident. He never blew the whistle for a foul, therefore, no foul. The keeper had the ball in his hands, after what very possibly should have been a penalty was denied to Nani. The official indicated, play on, never blew the whistle, was trying to get back to the other side of the pitch knowing Spurs would want a quick counter attack in order to try to get an equalizer in the last few minutes left. The keeper was the idiot. He had possession, was being told to play on, never heard a whistle, but throws the ball down 15 yards from the spot where he believes the foul had occurred. I'm sorry, but in this instance, this was not the referee's fault.
David Price
3 Posted 01/11/2010 at 22:39:14
Yes the ref supposedly waved play on, but as there was no advantage then play should have been brought back. That's usually the case, maybe Rio knows different and told Clattenburg of the "big 4 rule book" like Gerrard did a few years ago. Gomes did make a mess, agreed, but a shrug of the shoulders from the ref with arms out does not indicate the normal signal for play on.
Nick Entwistle
4 Posted 01/11/2010 at 22:48:56
The advantage was in with the ball in Gomes's hands, what he does after that is up to him, but if Nani clearly handles it should be at least a yellow and free kick. However, Clatters should have made sure he clearly signalled advantage to Gomes, but as he didnt, doesnt mean he can blow up because he put the ball down for a free kick... ok, boring my self now.
Leon Perrin
5 Posted 01/11/2010 at 22:35:39
David @ 2

Problem is Clattenburg did'nt give a pen at Old Trafford and his bottle went.
Sometimes playing the advantage is'nt the right option, when there's a severe clash of heads or a fan runs on and plays the striker in.

I'd suggest Nani lying on the pitch fondling the ball like a philipino girls tight arse must fall into that category.

Also, if the Spurs lads had done the same, would the goal of stood; no chance.
Gary Sedgwick
6 Posted 01/11/2010 at 22:56:15
Expect the LFC issue to come up again.

In the US Gillette financed Richard Petty Racing in Nascar. Their funds are dry as Gillette has no money to fund the team. Gillette is not going to want to look like the fool he is so expect a challenge to the buyout.
David Barks
7 Posted 01/11/2010 at 23:02:29
Do you want to know the clearest indicator that a foul has not been given? The lack of a whistle being blown and the official running the other way. Gomes was the idiot, I'm sorry, he just was.
Leon Perrin
8 Posted 01/11/2010 at 23:13:26
Yeah Gomes was a prick, but the ref should'nt be playing advantage when players are rubbing lube onto the ball with their hands, it's just not FOOTball
David Barks
9 Posted 01/11/2010 at 23:22:06
It is an advantage if the opposing keeper already has possession of the ball, his team is trailing 1-0, with about 3 minutes to go and if that keeper had half a fucking brain he could have realized his side had the numbers on a counter attack if he would have just played the ball up field to them.

You know the funny thing? Replace Spurs with Everton and change the events slightly. Say the same things happened up until the part where Gomes stops to throw the ball on the ground 15 yards in front of him. So Howard has the ball in his hands and boots it up field where Coleman, Arteta, Saha and Cahill are breaking with numbers towards United's goal. Then, Clattenburg blows the whistle and orders the free kick taken back at the touchline, further back than a goal kick. All the United players get back on defense as Howard has to retrieve the ball all the way back to his goal and start play over. Every single Everton supporter and player would be livid at Clattenburg for not playing the advantage, it's a conspiracy in favor of United, blah blah blah. Seriously, it was the player's fault. As the cliche goes, you play until the whistle. No whistle, no signal of a foul, get on with it.
Jamie Sweet
10 Posted 01/11/2010 at 23:14:19
Was Gomes not "cheating" by trying to take the free kick 15 yards from where the offence clearly took place. I agree that it is he who is the fool in this, and deserved what happened to him. Was it unsporting of Nani to take advantage of this? Perhaps. Would we have wanted one of our players to do the same in that position with 5 minutes to go vs Spurs? Probably.

As for the race for fourth - I think the longer Spurs can stay in the Champions League the better it should be for us. City continue to have moments where they play like strangers, particularly without Tevez. They too have European fixtures to contend with.

I think we're in a decent position to still be genuine top 4 contenders, especially if we can clear our injury list in time for the busy December / January schedule plus making one or two decent additions to kick on for the home stretch.
David Hallwood
11 Posted 01/11/2010 at 23:35:55
Our next two games are both winnable, and we can kick on from there. We will be top of the prem come Jan 22, I know that because I've just been on BBC table predictor.

And as for our lovable cousins the RS....Well fuck 'em
Tony J Williams
12 Posted 02/11/2010 at 00:34:01
Any sensible referee would have just spoke to the lino who would have confirmed the hand ball and told Gomes to take the free kick.

The fact that Nani looked and asked the ref if it was ok to kick the ball should have been all the indication needed that all was not right and the ref should have simply told Gomes to take the free kick from the correct position.

Gomes didn't play to the whistle and was stupid but the overall mistake was Clattenberg's. He then shooed away the Spuds players and then allowed Ferdinand free reign to plead his case. Shocking refereeing as usual.
Liam Reilly
13 Posted 02/11/2010 at 08:25:56
Don't think it was Clattenbergs fault this time folks,

If he had stopped the game and booked Nani for his cheating dive in the first place, I'm sure 'Arry would have said something after the game about the Ref not playing advantage.

Gomes should have used the advantage with the ball in his hands and launched it forwards.
Tony J Williams
14 Posted 02/11/2010 at 09:03:37
I agree with your last sentence Liam but can you tell me what advantage at all was given at all to Spurs?

Clattenberg must have known Gomes was aware of Nani, as he had just tapped him (disgusting play acting by Nani, that went unmentioned by the papers) and you see him place the ball not just roll it out.

If Clattenberg knew that Gomes was aware of Nani, surely no keeper worth their salt would just roll the ball out and expecially not make any movement to the ball as Nani was jogging passed him.

There are so many things that indicated that Gomes thought he was taking a free kick, albeit from teh wrong position and as mentioned before Nani had to ask Clattenberg if he could play the ball. Any good referee would have thought, "Why is he asking me?" and put 2 and 2 together and waved a free kick on, or told the goalie to move it back to the original position.
Liam Reilly
15 Posted 02/11/2010 at 09:35:47
I'm not disagreeing with your logic Tony. There's no doubt that Gomes thought he was taking a free kick and perhaps Clattenberg should have made it clear that he was playing the advantage, as he hadn't blown for an offence.

it was one of those things that could have been avoided by applying common sense, but your right the most unfortunate part of it is that cheating tosser Nani wasn't at least booked for his part in it.
Mike Gwyer
16 Posted 02/11/2010 at 10:06:27

At Old Trafford you will play the full 90 minutes with NO advantage. In my 40 years of supporting the blues, it has always been EFC against United and whoever is dressed in black. End of, and that rule applies to every other EPL team.

You are fooling yourself if you think that Spurs would have been given the same goal at the other end.


Chris Robinson
17 Posted 02/11/2010 at 10:06:29
Depending on the situation, a ref should be disinclined to award advantage to a defending team. The situation here seemed to show that, although Clattenburg may have wanted to give Spurs an advantage by not delaying play with free-kick for handball, Gomes was unaware that he had signalled such an advantage. Why else would he have released the ball, seemingly to take a free kick, with Nani in close proximity? At that point, Clattenburg should have realised that Gomes had misunderstood his signals (such as they were), stopped play and awarded a free kick to be taken in the right place, especially since Nani was by then asking whether he could kick the ball. Where is there an advantage then?. It was not good reffing and it will be interesting to see when and where Clattenburg spends his time reffing for the next few months.

As for poor reffing, why did the ref in the RS/Bolton match not see that Carragher was fouling Davies when he had a 6-yard box header towards the end? He practically shoved him to the turf from behind. It was a nailed on penalty, just like the Lescott incident in the Clattenburg derby. When you remember there was a hands-raised handball shout for a peno earlier, I think there must be some agreement that Carragher is exempt from the normal rules...
Kevin Tully
18 Posted 02/11/2010 at 10:24:49
You play on for an advantage. If there is none as play progresses, you take the free kick from the original offence ( handball by Nani)

The linesman told the twat there was a handball in the box, he bottled it.
Larry Boner
19 Posted 02/11/2010 at 10:26:29
Mr Clattenberg was the referee in the infamous Man Utd v Spurs game when Carroll dropped a Mendes shot 3 foot over the line in the last minute.
He was also the ref who gave the most one sided refereeing display at Goodison in the Derby game - no more needs saying.
But, from the position he was in he could not see the handball by Nani, so when the linesman told him it was handball he should have stopped play, booked Nani and awarded Spurs a free kick. He should also have booked Ferdinand.
If one of the Spurs players had handled the ball and the goalie just cleared the ball, would Mr Clattenberg have called back play and awarded a penalty to Utd after consulting the linesman ?
You bet he would !
Steve Pugh
20 Posted 02/11/2010 at 12:03:51
Firstly a goalkeeper can take a free kick anywhere on the side of the penalty area in which the offence occurred.

As for the no advantage gained thing, if the ref waves the advantage, which he did, and the goalkeeper is to stupid to take advantage of said advantage then why should he let off the responsibility.

Finally, everyone is bleating about hard done by Spurs, and wasn't it wrong of Rio to interfere with the linesman (oo-er missus). Roll the clock back a couple of weeks, Huddleston goal flagged offside, ref says no goal, Spurs players surround the ref and he changes his mind. Please nobody say that a player swinging his boot at the ball and missing is not active. Spurs got exactly what they deserved.
Mark Murphy
21 Posted 02/11/2010 at 12:21:15
I hate Clattenebrg with a vengeance but this wasnt his fault!
He didnt blow the whistle.
Gomes had the ball and put it down.
Nani scored with the loose ball.

Gomes was at fault as was the linesman who should have backed his ref up and kept his flag down when the Spurs players harangued him.
The only fault I saw in Clattenbergs actions was in letting Rio do a Gerrard and poke his face in having told the Spurs players to go away.

All my under 11's at training on sunday chorused "play to the whistle" when I asked them what should have happened!
Tony J Williams
22 Posted 02/11/2010 at 12:34:42
I agree with the play to the whistle call; however if Nani has to ask if it's ok to play the ball, he obviously knows that he is in the wrong. the referee should have picked up on this.

It's a combination of Gomes being a tit, Nani being a cheat and Clattenberg being........well Clattenberg.
Mike Allison
23 Posted 02/11/2010 at 13:04:45
19 - Clattenburg did see the handball, and played advantage

20- a goalkeeper can't take it anywhere in the penalty area, only in the goal area.

Gomes cocked it up, but common sense on Clattenburg's part should have been that the advantage didn't accrue and the free kick could be given.
Nelaj Behajiha
24 Posted 02/11/2010 at 13:39:46
Gomes clearly communicated with Clattenburg to ask what his decision was but Corruptaburg to ignore him. He should of gave a free kick to Spurs end of anyone who suggests he was right is a lunatic. What adavatage is it to Gomes a yard away from his own goal.
Drew O'Neall
25 Posted 02/11/2010 at 13:39:55
This is quite simple.

Clattenburg didn't need to signal advantage, the fact that he didn't blow his whistle means the game continues.

The fault lies entirely with Gomez(/s) and blaming Clattenburg is pointless.

When he went to ask the lino the conversation could have only conceivably gone like this:

Lino: Nani handballed it.
Ref: I didn't give it (so I'm f*cked)

Hence why Clattenburg looked so forlorn and shrugged his shoulders in the knowledge he would be the centre of controversy again.

Clattenburg is culpable only for not seeing or disregarding the handball.

Harry has come out and said 'no more interviews' if he gets punished - might stop him using the opportunity to tap up other team's players!
Larry Boner
26 Posted 02/11/2010 at 14:18:49
Mr Allison (23) Mr Clattenberg has admitted he DID NOT see the handball, but allowed the goal to stand anyway.
Have a look at ESPN "Between the Lines" where they do a lip reading act on the ref and the linesman, but strangely not Ferdinand.
Brian Waring
27 Posted 02/11/2010 at 17:53:40
The thing is, when did the ref or the linesman ever indicate it was a free - kick for handball? Clattenburgh never blew for handball, the linesman never flagged for handball, it was only after Nani put the ball in the net the assistant waved his flag.

Thing is, I actually thought it was a pen. Nani may have made a meal of it, but he does get slightly pulled back.
Nelaj Behajiha
28 Posted 02/11/2010 at 18:02:22
People seem to forget Naini dived he was not booked after the goal which Clattenburg could argue why he played on. Nani handballed it twice which Clatttenburg missed the linesman didn't. Clattenburg had the right to play on if Gomes had straight away threw the ball away yes. But the simple reality is Clattenburg is a twat and is an disgraceful referee. His decisions are awful the fact Camel Gob not even the captain was allowed to speak to the referee against the rules, and he wasn't involved was a breach of the rules. Gomes is a native of Brazil and rarely gives interviews which suggests he struggles with English. Clattenburg has made a fool of himself on numerous occasions.

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