carl_spackler wrote:
The ref in the Norwich v Man City game was appalling IMO. City's 2nd goal shouldn't have stood for Kompany's studs up challenge, Norwich's first wasn't a free kick, it was an excellent tackle by Kompany, Garrido was technically a back pass, I didn't see that much wrong with Bassong's tackle for the melee, and Nasri threw a paddy but didn't look like a head butt to me. A yellow for handbags, but red was harsh IMO.
The ref's performance in the game was better than your summing up of it.
Nasri made a clear head butting motion when he was squared up with Bassong. For whatever reason the idiot didn't actually make contact, but he deserves the straight red just for the clear head butting motion.
I can only think that he was going to butt him but bottled out of it and went wide, or he was simply trying to incite Bassong to get him sent off, but whatever his reasoning it's his own problem. He deserved the red card. If Citeh appeal it'll get thrown out. 3 match ban.
The two Kompany tackles were both on the borders of legality. Some you get given, some you don't.
Bassong's was a dangerous tackle. He won the ball, but that challenge was far more about following through and taking out Nasri.
The back pass was a clear error from the ref. The defender clearly passed back to his keeper but the keeper probably wouldn't have been able to head it so instead tipped it over with his hand. The keeper should have been booked and a free kick given. The problem with that is that the free kick would have been on the goal line and it would have been a 5 minute farce trying to get it taken properly. And the game never would have restarted without some infringement taking place. So the ref bottled it and just gave the corner instead.
