06 Jan 2018 09:39:04
Frequently we are told that we need to take our red-tinted glasses off. We look on our own players and the clubb as faultless and attribute all the blame elsewhere. I am as guilty of this as anyone. However, I have viewed the Holgate incident countless times now to try and understand the referees decision, and I am sorry ED025 that should have been a straight red card.
I am a grade 6 referee in the USA, so I have a lot of experience in refereeing games - I understand how some incidents blur the line or happen so quickly it is impossible to catch them with the naked eye. However, this is not the case here. Holgate shoved an opposing player into the fans, after the ball was out of play. Under Law 12 of the FIF A and Fa rules that constitutes Excessive Force and is a sending off offense. That it occurred after the ball was out of play, so is therefore not a challenge, constitutes violent conduct, and seeing as the action could have brought injury it is a sending off offense.

I don't know what Firmino said, bring in the lip reading experts on that one, because a lot of people have their theories. If he said something racist he should be justifiably punished. I am not on the punish Holgate for playing the race card bandwagon. From his reaction he clearly, correctly or not, thought something had been said. But his actions correctly or incorrectly motivated by what Firmino said have to be judged in the moment, and according to the laws of the game he should have been sent off. That he did not even get a caution is frankly ridiculous.

{Ed025's Note - you make a good case Adz and if he had been sent off then who could complain, the ref made an on the spot decision and for me it was a yellow but im no expert mate..


1.) 06 Jan 2018
06 Jan 2018 10:05:19
Holgate could have caused a serious injury to firmino, the referee had no control, Everton should have been down to 9 men in my opinion.


2.) 06 Jan 2018
06 Jan 2018 10:29:01
Holgate could not only have caused injury to Firmino but also to people sat in the stands. He knew full well what he was doing.

{Ed025's Note - your right Mr D...a supporter could have been eating a prawn sandwich and a stray crustacean could have flew out of his mouth and blinded someone, maybe an over sharp dorito could have cut someone to ribbons or a loose scarf strangled a supporter in the ensuing melee?....have a day off mate..


3.) 06 Jan 2018
06 Jan 2018 10:43:24
The game reminded me of the Spain vs Portugal World Cup game from a few years ago where Portugal's only tactic was to try and kick Spain off the field.

Rooney should have gone for mowing down Matip and Gomez in quick succession and Holgate should have been given two yellows (one for the push, one for forceably grabbing the ref) .

On a separate note, the ref clearly lost control of the game the moment he failed to punish that first Rooney challenge. And that was never a pen. It was almost as soft as the Lovren non challenge from the other game.

{Ed025's Note - if you write down your knowledge of football on the back of a stamp we can post it on here for you nick, if thats your assessment of the game..


4.) 06 Jan 2018
06 Jan 2018 10:47:56
Ed25 i will put this towards you as youve been more imvolved with these posts on here since it happened .

When all is said and done both players and club will be punished. Holgate is a young lad and his temperament is of that, that's not excusing what he did but football has gone slightly soft (well more than slightly actually) . his push in today's terms could warrant a red (dangerous play using excessive force and trying to hurt a player) but a yellow is sufficient for me. his reaction to what's said is of more concern whether it is to a racial slur or not he can't react like that he man handled the ref along the way again which you can't do. heat of the moment and getting caught up in the occasion for me . But these pen pushers at the FA will use this incident to get some air time I think.

Great result for the reds though . Bring on the city Sunday now.

{Ed025's Note - i think we all know my feelings on the matter jimmy, i dont see anything sinister and think a line should be drawn under it and lets just move on mate..


5.) 06 Jan 2018
06 Jan 2018 11:00:40
Ed025, you also forgot many fans could have been blinded with such close exposure to Bobbys ultra bright teeth :)

{Ed025's Note - another relevant fact in the prosecutions case Kd..well done mate..


6.) 06 Jan 2018
06 Jan 2018 11:12:14
I wouldn't fill a stamp Ed. In all honesty though I do think Rooney was overzealous trying to leave something on Matip early on and I think if the ref had nipped it in the bud there and then the rest of the handbags could have been avoided. Funnily enough, when Everton started to play football in the second half they scored a goal (whether deserved or not is an entirely different matter) .

If I write really clearly would that fill that stamp?

{Ed025's Note - just about nick, derby,s have never been any different mate and i can remember stevie g putting in some very rash challenges in his time, nice to see you took my comments in the light hearted way they were meant mate..kudos..


7.) 06 Jan 2018
06 Jan 2018 11:14:43
You’ve got extremely good eye sight Ed25! Prawn sandwich? I didn’t spot the United fan in the crowd 😜.

{Ed025's Note - that brigade frequent more grounds than just old trafford drogie mate..


8.) 06 Jan 2018
06 Jan 2018 12:04:13
Thanks Ed, there's more to life than football. Never been one to fall out with people over it. You always show your face on here and give a fair assessment of what you see.

I just wanted to add my two cents worth.

And yes, Stevie G was often rash (I think he holds the record for fastest sending off in pl history) .

{Ed025's Note - fair play nick mate..


9.) 06 Jan 2018
06 Jan 2018 13:13:33
Haha. True story Ed25.