Benfica (A)

[Newport]

How the hell is this not a free kick? Is the ref fucking blind?

 

Edit: Sorry, it's Javi Garcia.

[WaltonRed]

Ramires is black

[RoboRiise]

The referee was just confirming that he had booked him apparently. Strange one though, unless he totally booked him twice and then realised he was booking the same player and copped out of it with the confirming bit.

 

 

That's what I thought he did. There was a period of about ten minutes after that when he looked like he'd just fallen down the rabbit hole and I thought the realisation of what he'd done was the cause of it.

 

Or I might be over-analysing and he was just even shitter than I thought he was.

[derykw]

I think we got out of that about as well as we could to be honest.

 

Our defending was terrible, free headers in the box all night, we could have been on the end of a tonking there.

 

Babel was silly with what he did, the letter of the law left the ref with no choice but how can that be deemed more dangerous than the assault by Luisao?

 

It could be a blessing in disguise with Insua banned. Play Agger left back and put the Greek in the centre and we might just win some headers.

 

Benfica look a really good team and we`ve got our work cut out but the away goal will be crucial I feel but we need to mark much tighter than we did tonight. Hopefully a fully charged Anfield can give us the edge.

[El Rojo]

I've a new dislike of Benfica after tonight.

 

Snide dirty players and shithouse fans who throw crap onto the field.

 

I hope and trust we'll fucking batter them next week.

 

Edited to say: The ref was an absolute joke too. For once, Torres was justified in throwing a strop.

Edited April 2, 2010 by El Rojo

[Mathewbet1]

Mash will play there

[Brownie]

Just seen highlights of Valencia/Atletico; worragame!

[RoboRiise]

That makes all Swiss, cunts by default then.

 

Stick your fucking cheese, clocks and neutrality up your big fat hoop, Blatter.

 

Yeah but, Toblerones are sound.

 

Federer is a bit of a cool fucker as well and not to mention the Mighty Henchoz.

 

He's better than Dossena, too.

 

I want Switzerland's Nazi gold. Fuckers.

 

 

OK, so apart from cheese, neutrality, Federer, Henchoz, Toblerones, cuckoo clocks and Nazi gold, what have the Swiss ever done for us?

[Ted]

Swiss roll?

[Dan Vito Corleone]

That is probably the worst display of refereeing I have ever seen at that level. I wouldn't give the ref credit by calling him biased, I just think he was so hopelessly incompetent that he was out of his depth way before the red card incident that swung that match Benfica's way.

 

Luizao should have been sent off for that shocking, shocking tackle. If it was accidental I'd agree with a yellow but it was quite deliberate and that is why I think it should be a red card. It was a coward's tackle - straight through the back. That whole incident was caused by the referee. He'd incensed Babel early in the match by not giving a clear free kick to him when he was kicked in the head. Shawn Michaels retired on Sunday at Wrestlemania but it's clear that the spirit of sweet chin music lives on, as you're allowed to kick people in the head with this ref.

 

Seconds before the red card Babel was shielding the ball before laying it off, and he was hauled to the floor by the Benfica player. Again, nothing was done about it. Luisao goes through the back of Torres and Babel comes over as he was annoyed as it was over the previous missed foul. He shouldn't have got involved, and by the letter of the law it was a red card, but in practice it wasn't even a love tap. Babel gets a red for sticking up for himself and his team mates yet Luisao stays on the pitch, there is no justice whatsoever. To me as well he booked Luisao twice and failed to send him off. I don't buy this "he wasn't watching" stuff. If he wasn't watching then it was yet another awful piece of refereeing. I'm not going to criticise Babel too much because I accuse him of lacking fight and spirit and he showed it there, even if he was punished for it.

 

I've no complaints about either penalty. The first one is a clear penalty (and with a competent referee, it's a second yellow for Insua) and whilst I don't think Carra has intentionally handled the ball, it has hit him and his arm is stretched out. The referee had naturally missed both incidents and firstly the linesman, then the 57565th official helped him out. Be nice if that happened every match, but it doesn't. It did bring about some pathetic celebrating from Benfica players though, acting like they'd won the world cup because they won a penalty. That image is burned into my head for Thursday, I sure hope the players remember it as well.

 

Benfica should be in trouble for the throwing of flares and firecrackers and I am sure they'll get a hefty fine. I hope we absolutely destroy them at Anfield on Thursday. The referee has taken a few players off us and Insua will be a big miss because Aurelio biscuit bones is injured and we may see Glen Johnson line up there next week. It's a frustrating loss because I think with 11 men on the field we would have at least drawn. We didn't defend particularly well but we showed some fight and resilience which has been missing for long,long spells. I hope we absolutely smash them.

 

That ref shouldn't be allowed to be in charge of a game involving the Dog and Duck and the Pig and Whistle, let alone a quarter final of a European competition. Truly, truly incompetent.

[23_Carra_Gold]

Came to think about something. Could Babel's temper tantrum have been a side effect of the kick to his head? I've never seen him that angry ever before.

 

Its what made Chris Benoit murder his family. So yeah, probably.

[Carradona]

Hope we twat them at Anfield.

 

I wish Insua was suspended for the rest of the season.

[WaltonRed]

Its what made Chris Benoit murder his family. So yeah, probably.

 

Nah that was steriods and the rage they bring on.

[Owen]

Laying the groundwork:

Ifitadn'tbinfer.

 

Evertonian alert again. Someone said two debatable pens earlier on. They were as cast iron pens as you will ever see.

 

The ref let Agger away with murder there tonight so it wasn't all one-sided.

 

 

Little bit more, wouldn't want to make it too obvious:

It was incompetent refereeing but not biased. Agger could have walked for persistent fouling and arguing when the decisions were correct. Obviously relations with Denmark and Sweden are at a high at the moment. The sending-off was ridiculous granted but my reply was in response to someone who said they were debatable pens when they were as cast-iron as you will ever see.

 

I don't blame the ref for us losing tonight. Like I said, it is Evertonian behaviour and the type of thing we have mocked them for for so many years. So if that makes me a pedantic whopper for not wanting to go into Everton territory and always look for ''the excuse'' then so be it. My conscience is clear.

 

 

And the pay-off:

Yeah that is spot on. I can see why people are angry but we are in the Europa League left with the dregs so it is a little unrealistic to expect anything else sadly.

 

A Scandinavian ref reffed the Chelsea semi v Barca last season and look at how that turned out. Reffing Djurgarden v Elfsborg is a mile of difference in reffing a game in a hostile ground like tonight. You won't see any of them reffing a CL Semi this season put it that way. Babel was silly doing what he did in that atmosphere a yard in front of the ref but it was as harsh a red as you will ever see.

 

I had a feeling they were almost lax in their attitude towards us tonight and gave us chances we wouldn't have expected with almost being casual at times but I think they will be a lot more tuned in at Anfield next week.

 

I think Insua is rubbish but I am actually starting to feel a little sorry for him now as he is so far out of his depth but we have fuck all else to call on. Only one person to blame for that though and it wasn't the referee tonight.

 

Hey, at least you're getting a little more sophisticated, John. Putting a little more thought into it - it's nice to see the effort and desire isn't waning.

[WaltonRed]

I have to echo the comments of whoever said a new dislike for Benfica tonight.

 

I've always disliked them anyway, didnt they have a 'hook up' with the Mancs not long ago?

 

Commercial I think it was, maybe just me.

[23_Carra_Gold]

Nah that was steriods and the rage they bring on.

 

Apparently the steroids had fuck all to do with and studies carried out showed his brain resembled that of an 85 year old alzheimers patient. 3 former American Footballers who carried out domestic abuse/death had similar problems.

 

Ask Google.

[Code]

One thing that annoys me is Gerrards lack of precence in situations like the one with Babel today.

 

Where the fuck was he?

[Sarb24]

Let's see if the ref performs like that at anfield if he in charge. Shocking

 

Di Maria looks good though

[cmuller]

Haven't read all of this - but we'll batter these at home if we go after them from the word go.

 

I never thought this competition would raise any sort of enthusiasm in me, but, largely due to the ref and the general way Benfica played last night, I really want us to win this now.

 

Roll on next Thursday.

[Rex Banner]

God damn I hate Benfica everything about them irritates me.

We better beat them, we need a raucous crowd and a relentless performance.

[Red-Ed]

One thing that annoys me is Gerrards lack of precence in situations like the one with Babel today.

 

Where the fuck was he?

 

I agree - he should be talking and controlling his players. Pulling them out of the way and telling them to focus. I don't know where he was on the pitch but he should have been straight over and maybe Babel wouldn't have got himself in so much trouble.

 

You see Carra do it with Agger and others, telling them to shut up and pulling them away. Gerrard needs to do the same.

 

 

How the ref didn't give a free kick when Babel got kicked in the head I don't know.

 

I really really hope we batter them now.

[Redexile]

Yes, but Mourinho and Chelsea forced him out of football.

If it's that bloke who got hit on the head I'll have to disagree he was the Nordic version of Webb - Mr I wanna be in the spotlight

[Redexile]

That is probably the worst display of refereeing I have ever seen at that level. I wouldn't give the ref credit by calling him biased, I just think he was so hopelessly incompetent that he was out of his depth way before the red card incident that swung that match Benfica's way.

 

Luizao should have been sent off for that shocking, shocking tackle. If it was accidental I'd agree with a yellow but it was quite deliberate and that is why I think it should be a red card. It was a coward's tackle - straight through the back. That whole incident was caused by the referee. He'd incensed Babel early in the match by not giving a clear free kick to him when he was kicked in the head. Shawn Michaels retired on Sunday at Wrestlemania but it's clear that the spirit of sweet chin music lives on, as you're allowed to kick people in the head with this ref.

 

Seconds before the red card Babel was shielding the ball before laying it off, and he was hauled to the floor by the Benfica player. Again, nothing was done about it. Luisao goes through the back of Torres and Babel comes over as he was annoyed as it was over the previous missed foul. He shouldn't have got involved, and by the letter of the law it was a red card, but in practice it wasn't even a love tap. Babel gets a red for sticking up for himself and his team mates yet Luisao stays on the pitch, there is no justice whatsoever. To me as well he booked Luisao twice and failed to send him off. I don't buy this "he wasn't watching" stuff. If he wasn't watching then it was yet another awful piece of refereeing. I'm not going to criticise Babel too much because I accuse him of lacking fight and spirit and he showed it there, even if he was punished for it.

 

I've no complaints about either penalty. The first one is a clear penalty (and with a competent referee, it's a second yellow for Insua) and whilst I don't think Carra has intentionally handled the ball, it has hit him and his arm is stretched out. The referee had naturally missed both incidents and firstly the linesman, then the 57565th official helped him out. Be nice if that happened every match, but it doesn't. It did bring about some pathetic celebrating from Benfica players though, acting like they'd won the world cup because they won a penalty. That image is burned into my head for Thursday, I sure hope the players remember it as well.

 

Benfica should be in trouble for the throwing of flares and firecrackers and I am sure they'll get a hefty fine. I hope we absolutely destroy them at Anfield on Thursday. The referee has taken a few players off us and Insua will be a big miss because Aurelio biscuit bones is injured and we may see Glen Johnson line up there next week. It's a frustrating loss because I think with 11 men on the field we would have at least drawn. We didn't defend particularly well but we showed some fight and resilience which has been missing for long,long spells. I hope we absolutely smash them.

 

That ref shouldn't be allowed to be in charge of a game involving the Dog and Duck and the Pig and Whistle, let alone a quarter final of a European competition. Truly, truly incompetent.

 

And yet strangely they all missed the amount of Benfica players in the box when both penalties were being taken.

FIFA of course will do sweet FA about this incompetent display.

As for the match I've just read that their were seven south americans in their side so I'm not surpised at the antics on the pitch. Oh how I wish we had a Souness to play in the second leg.

[melbred]

I share the sentiments of those who have found a newfound hatred for Benfica. Utter cunts, the lot of them.

 

Really hope the lads can push on after the what's happened in this leg, and absolutely destroy and humiliate them an Anfield.

[Captain]

I thought the players showed a lot of passion last night. Especially in front of some pretty shit refereeing. Babel's red card was a disgrace. I couldn't believe it when he was sent off.

 

The basically seemed out of his depth to me, as he got a lot of stuff wrong. Luckily it went both ways.

 

It was a shame with that 2nd pen, and I thought it was very harsh on Carra. Unfortunately some referees gives those, shit happens. I guess he saw intent from Carra in that situation, I sure as hell didn't. Johnson did trip up Aimar, and we got away with that one. So all in all not too bad.

 

I think we have a good chance of knocking them out at Anfield, but it will be close. They are a good team, and they have plenty of skillful and quick players. It was very important we only lost by one goal, and could well be the difference in the return leg.