Forum Topic

FA Cup Final - English referees best in world? Pull the other one!

Just switched off this game on BBC after incompetent or dishonest referee sent off Chelsea player unjustly. Don't care who wins, but I am happy Chelsea supporters were unable to attend as they would have been robbed twice - by inflated ticket prices and a dodgy referee.

John Connelly ● 2282d7 Comments

I'm a Chelsea supporter, John, and yes the ref was pretty awful, and we lost. However, Lampard never complained on TV after the game, so at least we lost with 10 men and with no loss of decency and honour. Wait now for next season!

Roger Talbot ● 2282d

I watched the game as a neutral but I do have a nephew who is a referee so it annoys me when armchair pundits query every decision as if they were some sort of expert. Unfortunately these attitudes have permeated into youth football and made officiating very difficult. Nobody disputes Kovacic deserved his initial booking. He committed at least one foul after that and before his second yellow. Referees are asked to consider the control a player has when going into the tackle so although slow motion replays may suggest he played the ball he went into the tackle in a way that may have risked the opposition player being injured. Antony Taylor will not have been conned by Xhaka's play acting but he really had no choice but to issue a second yellow even though refs receive guidance to be a bit more lenient in a show case final. The way games are refereed today aims to minimise the risk of injuries to players and the number of serious injuries from tackles has been reduced significantly. Nobody involved in the game today wants to go back to the days when a player going into a challenge with no regard for his or her opponent was seen as a positive thing.

Kevin Howard ● 2282d

Oh! how I miss the likes of Ron Harris, that stalwart of Chelsea in their great years.A footballer of note, not a play actor like so many these days just looking to fall over at the lightest touch.

Jeffrey Cope ● 2282d

Ron 'Chopper' Harris and Norman 'Bites yer legs' Hunter - legends from a bygone era. The 1970 FA Cup final holds was a classic, but not necessarily for the quality of football played.

Andrew Jones ● 2282d

A soulful Emili Sande singing Abide With Me on top of the Wembley roof.A resurgent Arsenal inspired by a somersaulting Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, deservedly beating bitter rivals Chelsea, a side built on dirty Russian money.A day of sheer bliss for Arsenal supporters, but misery for Chelsea who were unlucky with a host of injuries and on the wrong side of one refereeing decision.

Denis Fox ● 2282d

Aubameyang reportedly wanted to go to Chelsea before Arsenal,  Denis, but the Blues were stopped buying players at the time by EUFA. He could still end up taking the dirty Russian money, however.But he'd need to change his girlie haircut if he came to The Bridge.No hard feelings, well done, and thanks for your commiserations.

Roger Talbot ● 2282d

I could not give a tinker's cuss about either Chelsea or Arsenal (both of whom have far too many fans in South London but that's another story). Refereeing may be poor, but we wouldn't even need matchday officials if players weren't such preening, cheating, diving, fouling, shirt-tugging &c. primadonnas.

Mike Firth ● 2282d