spudski

Erm..I do know a couple refs...and they agree with me. They would prefer the rules to be tighter and less open to referees ' interpretation'. As it often causes confrontation in games. What's very obvious with your posts is you have an authoritive tone with no substance to back it up. Saying you are a ref means jack shit. Most fans would feel pity on you. It takes a certain ' type' to become a ref. We all know one. ??? Again...as most refs do...you miss the point ???? Kinnel...no wonder we struggle. Football failures in charge...glorified traffic wardens ?

I also have faith in NP... however imo, like me, he would have expected better results, not necessarily performances, from our squad this season. After all he has stated we are looking for top 6. We are far from that results wise. And that is my point. You've only got to speak to fans of other clubs...the majority say we should be better results wise from our performances. We as fans who watch every week can see that. We perform well, yet concede silly goals and don't put away very decent chances. You can only keep doing that for so long. I see progress... I also can't see us progressing further than what we are if we have to keep selling our best players, and keep replacing them with young hungry players to develop...and if they do...sell them again. It's a perpetual motion of one step forwards,two steps back. As an example...do you have faith that any money from Semenyo and Scott will be spent on players that equal their quality?

I agree on paper with your observations... however a lot of what we think, in reality, often goes below our expectations. I often look at expectations and view that we often air on the side of positivity, when in reality, the results prove differently. As we stand I see us as just above relegation. With improvement...mid table. Our constant displays ' flatter to deceive ' regardless of personnel, injuries or formations. You've only got to look through pretty much every games post comments to see the same elements occurring...a common theme. I am cheerful...just a realist. C'mon mate there's a lot of hope in your post. Saying ' will get better' doesn't make it fact. We hope they do.

I didn't mean that Dave. I was hoping as I described, the receiver thought how cool it would be to give it back .

Are we that much better at winning games..not performing...with all those in the team? Even with everyone fit...and available, and playing to their strengths...where are we?

...anyone else noticed Scott, Conway and Mehmeti in recent weeks?

In my mind I have the hopeful thought that a young supporter grabbed the shirt with passion and completely in the moment...as was Tom at the time. Then time passed...adult life and all the ups and downs it brings. The recipient had a ' moment ' and realised how much certain things, mean more to some than others. It happens to us all as life goes by. We look back fondly. Miss loved ones. Remember the good times, and gradually put things in perspective. Kind gestures can really mean a lot. On a side note...that shirt in the photo looks massive for Tom in the 70s...even now. Is it the original?

Thanks for the response. I agree..our finishing has been poor for a long time. We create quality chances. But don't finish. As a comparison to our competion...Anyone who has followed Sheffield Utd this season will compare, and be highly frustrated. They create far below us...yet score, defend and win more. However...conceding from silly mistakes has also been like it for a long time. Regardless of formations, injuries, or personnel. For me...it's not 433 that's the problem...it's the quality of performances weekly by championship standard players,that flatter to deceive. Don't get me wrong... I think we will improve and are improving. But let's not protect NP from constructive criticism, just because we want him here and fear criticism is negative. He will be fuming inside imo...even though he's seen positives in performance for next season. I concur with your sentiments Dave...however...we can make as many excuses as we like, and point out Readings' game plan and pros...They've only got a point against Blackpool and lost a host of games beforehand, with arguably a stronger squad available. They are cannon fodder. We should have nailed them. Them and QPR are awful ATM.

' football sometimes'...I can agree with, if it's ' sometimes'. However our performance today is typical of many games. Substance with no result. We create...but don't score from the chances created. We concede from silly mistakes. Those two sentences sum us up. Everyone can see we are going in the right direction. Everyone pretty much wants NP to do well. We can all see the progress. We all understand the past mess. However...sometimes constructive criticism is needed. Without fearing our criticism will be detrimental to NP. I'm sure he would agree at the frustration.

I agree...regardless of injuries, I think we still flatter to deceive. I get the impression most fans, can see the whole picture for what it is. We get the debacle of the mess created in the past. We understand the position of the club and it's squad. We mostly approve of the direction NP has taken us. However...the frustration of creating chances and not converting still continues. The frustration of playing well and conceding silly goals still continues. This has been like this for a long time. There is always an excuse to be found...never counteracted with the situation of the opposition. Whilst NP down plays expectations, I expect deep down he is really frustrated and expects better. I know I do with certain established players.

Copy and pasted...sums up today. Football Language: (to) Flatter to Deceive To flatter someone is to tell them they are doing well when in fact they are not doing that well. You give too much praise. To deceive is to lie to someone or to trick them. These words put together into this phrase, to flatter to deceive, mean to make people think something good will happen but in the end the result is bad. So, in football if a team flatters to deceive it means that it looks like they are playing well and it looks like they will win – they flatter the fans – but in the end they do poorly or the good result doesn’t happen – the fans are deceived.

Today was the type of game that as a manager you would be really pissed off. Both teams with injuries. The opposition in recent games playing as relegation fodder. Regardless of injuries...we should have won that game easily. Its the type of game that shows our weaknesses. Nothing to play for...yet everything to play for if you want to be here next year. How many games have we created yet not finished. How many games have we conceded weak goals. Don't get me wrong...I want NP to keep this club progressing...but if I were him I'd be spitting feathers. If we were in a relegation battle this forum wouldn't be so forgiving. I hope NP isn't with the players. It's very obvious that certain players aren't up to levels expected every week. DaSilva and Weimann...regardless of what they've done at the top of their game, they don't perform to expectations needed every week imo. I'm pro NP...but imo that was telling today.

I'll take that as a compliment, as most refs haven't got a clue. Hence the daily complaints. Who gives a shit about an assessor....our own manager constantly complains about the standard of refereeing and the association. You have a typical referees view point...everyone else hasn't got a clue apart from you. **** off...****.

It can...only happened a couple weeks back.

This is the best doc on Palmer imo, which shows far more than the series and other docs. Including parts of Bemmy at the time. Done by Roger Cook. Shows how far he had infiltrated into all levels of society and organisations. His reports on his death by ambulance and police are the oddest. Shot 6 times in chest and back....yet written down as natural causes. Marnie had a slight west country accent. Palmer's was really high pitched and slight midlands twang.

It was recently let for £5k a month. Every time I drive past it, I either say out loud to whoever is in the car or think in my head...' that's where Palmer lived' ??? I found the fact that every piece of gold manufactured in this country, has a part in it from the robbery.

The laws state that defenders have to be 10 yards back from the ball. If a free kick is given, and allowed to be played quickly, and a defender is within 10 yards, the laws state it it should be retaken. So to allow a quick free kick with that scenario, goes against the laws. Hence my posts on referees overruling laws of the game.

Yes just realised it's Bristol at home tonight. In this rain it could be a poor pitch tomorrow

It was on the radio this morning. They were interviewing the landlord of the Three Lions. He mentioned it and who the new couple were running it.

According to the Accrington players, the ref had verbally said to play to the whistle. They were expecting to set up a wall and go through the ' ceremonial free kick' procedure. The ref didn't comply to his own instructions. This thread and others on such subjects, just goes to show how so many of us find the free kick laws and rules applied by refs, baffling and ambiguous. Free kick laws are written by the FA, say that you are entitled to take a free kick or corner without having to wait for the referees whistle. However this law is rarely allowed ( so what's the point of having the law ), as referees decide to manage the game themselves. Instructing both sides how they will interpret and manage a free kick situation. If a referee has told both teams to play to the whistle, but then allows a quick free kick without his whistle, then this is where controversy happens. Then you have the ' ceremonial free kick'... which goes along the lines of... Place the ball Show players your whistle Tell them not to take the free kick until you signal to do so Move sideways/backwards to the players lining up in the wall – keep eye on the ball Stop at the nearest defender Establish 10 yards whilst still keeping an eye on the ball Use voice and presence to take player back with you into the wall When wall established to your satisfaction move to one side, level with or slightly in front of the wall still keeping an eye on the ball Blow whistle The laws go out of the window...as the ref chooses to manage the game how he chooses...which can change from game to game. They can decide to give an advantage, pull a game back, slow a game down, offer a quick or slow free kick routine etc etc etc. Controversy occurs when communication is either mis understood or poorly directed.

Late to this thread. I also used to pop in the Horse and Groom when Gary Williams ran it. I worked in the Architects on Hill St, just behind. I used to play golf with Gary. Lost touch with him now sadly. Him and his Dad Alan were lovely chaps. Always happy to chat footy. Pint in the Groom and sandwiches from Woodes, then sit on the council green and chat up the girls from the offices. Fun times ? On a tangent...one of the four pubs which shut in Bemmy is opening again today. Can't remember which one it is though ?

Again...you are missing the point of the discussion. The drive of the discussion is not about what the general rule is. It is about a refs in general overruling the laws of the free kick.

You are being really pedantic now and ignoring the intent and flow of the conversation. It's fine to say you disagree. ?

This is just one example. As you have pointed out...Referees ' manage' a game regularly their way. Ignoring the laws, and telling players to play to the whistle. Free kicks often take time because the defenders don't move 10 yards away from the ball. Even if a team take a quick free kick, if the defence isn't 10 yards away, it has to be retaken. This is where the laws need to change imo. The advantage of a free kick is taken away from the offence, if the defence is allowed to re organise or stand in front of the ball. Book players blocking a quick free being taken. Or allow the offense to take a quick free kick regardless of the defenders position.

Which makes no sense at all. No point in having laws in place, if the ref is going to ignore them and play to his rules.