Manchester United beat Southampton 3-0 yesterday in a game United controlled and dominated, as you would expect. However, there were several talking points after the game.
Firstly, replays showed United’s first goal, scored by youngster Danny Welbeck, should have been ruled out for offside. He wasn’t standing in an offside position when the ball came to him, but he had been offside seconds earlier when John O’Shea flicked the ball goalwards with his head. However, it was only once the video replay had been shown that there was any awareness of this offside, with not even the Southampton players appealing for it at the time. It would have been an extremely difficult decision for the linesman to call, given the speed of events, meaning not fault could lie with the officials.
The second goal was a penalty, after Mike Riley believed he spotted handball in the box. Nani had whipped a freekick in and the ball was blocked, as the Southampton defender jumped, his arm high in the air. Even with the replay, it was hard to tell which part of the body the ball had hit. After the match, footage from a different angle was shown and it looked as though the ball had in fact hit the back of McGoldrick’s head, not his elbow. Again though, this was a decision entirely difficult to call and was made easier by the fact the Southampton player had risen his arm in the box. There’s a lesson for you. Don’t turn your head away from the ball and jump with your arm in the air when you know a freekick is about to get pumped in your direction.
Nowt wrong with the third goal, but by that point, it mattered little.
Southampton had gone down to ten men, meaning their already fairly impossible task became more difficult. Whilst the open two goals were pretty controversial, I can’t see what else the officials could have done. No one thought the first goal was offside until the replay and if you jump in the box with your arm raised then you run a considerable risk of having a penalty given against you. However, I can see why Southampton would complain. But the red card was not controversial in the slightest.
“With the red card the boy made a tackle on the ball with one foot — not two as I was told. I know the boy well and it was a normal tackle,” said Poortvliet. “It wasn’t a red card. Matt was distraught afterwards and apologised to the guys. I feel so sorry for him because he tried to win the ball and didn’t deserve to be sent off.”
Matt Paterson’s challenge on Nemanja Vidic was high, late and dangerous. His studs landed in Vidic’s shin, which could have been career shattering had his own studs jarred in the pitch upon impact. It could have snapped his leg.
As I mentioned in the live blog at the time, Paterson had already left a leg in on one of our players with just a few minutes gone. Evans was grounded for a minute or so following the challenge.
Sir Alex Ferguson believes Riley gave Southampton the benefit of the doubt and was too lenient, given we were only a few minutes in to the match, but had he been fair with Paterson then, giving him the yellow card he deserved, it might have prevented another reckless challenge.
“I think the ref could have booked the boy in the first minute to calm him down,” said Ferguson. “He was just a bit over enthusiastic but it was a rash challenge and he didn’t give him any option. If he’d have booked him for his challenge on Jonny Evans in the first minute it would have calmed him down.”
It is easy to understand Southampton’s frustrations but they were taught a couple of good lessons yesterday. Firstly, don’t jump off the ground when tackling and secondly, don’t raise your arms in the penalty area!
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go and fuck yourself Poortvliet.
anyway, the case is closed. i don’t remember who is Poortvliet. we move on.
The claim that a wild studs-up tackle is ‘normal’ and not a red-card offence is understandable in the heat of the moment, but not when you’ve been shown the replay. On the penalty, even the Saints’ keeper admitted he thought it was handball. Anyway, it’s all academic.
You’re getting soon sacked muppet.
I think looking at the replays Vidic was lucky that his left leg was backing up behind his right leg unless his leg could have easily bent the wrong way.
At the time I wasn’t so angry with it, maybe it was because Vidic didn’t roll around a lot and I thought that could have worked in Paterson’s favour. Guess not lol
Watching the game i thought the penalty was a soft one, but Nani should have been awarded another one only minutes later for being sandwiched and kicked on his way into the box. They were also lucky not to have a man sent off for his cynical trip on Welbeck (who did it escapes me now) when he was the last man. Riley would have given them both had he not sent of Paterson and given the pen already. As for the red card, Poortvliet is chatting rubbish. That was a leg breaker, hes lucky he was sent off cause vida would have fucking murdered him.
give Poortvliet some credit
he didnt think it was a bad tackle because
any normal man who took that tackle would be riding in pain and takin off and out for 6 weeks due to ity.
but vidic aint no normal man
he didnt even wobble
haha, good one by gotta hate tiny tears
bring on Chelsea!
What a loud of crap- it was a terrible tackle.
was it just me or did the United fans cheer when Possebon got the ball for the first time??
I didnt think it was that bad a tackle when I saw it first, and was surprised to see him get sent off. But it looks shocking in the replays, and full marks to the ref for putting him off, it was a leg breaker if I ever saw one.
Their manager talking crap afterwards saying he shouldnt be sent off is doing no one any favours, and makes himself look like a proper muppet. Even before the sending off, Southampton were looking very very poor, and it looks likely they could go down, their home form is brutal. Its a shame, cause they were always a solid enough club through the years.
doncobaino
it was a bad tackle that deserved a red card. The only reason i can see why Poortvliet would defend it was to divert some attention away from his own teams failings. They are a group of young players who are very low on confidence and they need their manager to be supportive of them. When Possebon came on i think it was the southampton fans who cheered because he gave the ball away with his first touch. United can never seem to get through a match without some controversy though which is annoying.
I agree James it does seem like that.
Can someone please tell Poorviliet to fuck right off, he’s still banging on about those incidents as if his team actually had a chance! Its not as if any of them were obvious mistakes by the ref. I know I’m seeing the incidents as a United fan but theres cases both ways in all occasions, and even with video replays they ain’t 100% obvious.
This is a point in Football Manager where the board would tell you to MOVE ON
As numerous people have said it aint even worth talking about. We were not even out of second gear. Definately a red, should not have had his hand up in the air so definately a pen and thirdly linesman could not in the blink of an eye rule offside. Striker has benefit of doubt etc etc. So all in all 3 CORRECT decisions. Damn, I have just spoke about it!!
That wasnt a bad tackle… yeh right and ive got a 20 inch cock.
me too failsworth!
Thats make three of us then….!!
Talking of the red card tackle, did you see Vidic’s reaction …. he sort of winced and bent down to hold his leg, then sat on the ground awaiting tratment…… If it had been a dipper, rent boy or some other twat they would have performed a triple toe loop with three twists for that added bit of artistic impression, then writhed on the fucking ground sobbing and groaning till Nursey kissed it fucking better…..
Vidic, you is one hard man… I for one salute you.
Would it be weird if i said that the tackle actually looked less worse cus of the way Vidic reacted? He took it like a man. Another player would have gone down like he’s been stabbed.
In the great words of Ivan Drago in Rocky IV “He iz not human.. he is made of iron”…
That pretty much sums up Vida.
Should we believe/listen to what ‘POOR-TV-LIEt’ said?