I don't disagree with you there. However, whilst officials can be excused (just about) for missing one, maybe two telling incidents a game what happens when it starts creeping up to 5, 6 or 7?

Spurs have no God given right not to get the 'rub of the green' just like any other team.

Yesterday's game stands out because the officials missed half a dozen incidents - including giving (ironically) a probably soft penalty, missing two cast iron penalties, awarding a goal that should have been ruled out for handball, not giving a goal because it was wrongly ruled offside and giving a soft yellow card meaning an automatic red.

Apart from that Foy and his pals had a 'good' game.

Well I didn't watch the entire match but I saw the incident involving the handball on the goal line and I must admit at the time I saw nothing wrong, it was only evident in slow-motion.

As for the second yellow, I have no sympathy at all - if you don't like a decision its too bad - there is never an excuse for arguing with the referee.  If you try to cross that line you will have anarchy on the pitch.  I don't think you want to start down the road of arguing for some circumstances where the referee 'clearly made a mistake' do you?  How often do you think the referee 'clearly made a mistake' only to realise he got it right?

As was said above, you have to take the rough with the smooth.  It's what annoys me about managers - being very critical when something goes against them but very quiet when they benefit.  Alec Ferguson did exactly that when he was whingeing about the Newcastle match, forgetting what happened the week before....

You've missed the point. You've cited two incidents and we can argue all day about both. But it doesn't hide the fact that there were half a dozen dodgy decisions during the match.

No referee is going to see every 'incident' during a game - only a fool would expect that - but when at least half a dozen are missed it becomes a major problem.

No, I didn't miss the point - maybe I should have said "OK, he made more mistakes than usual".

But what is usual? What is acceptable?

I don't think we should be arguing at all about the second yellow unless you are really going to try to justify arguing with the referee about anything.  Personally I would send off anyone who argued or swore at the referee - it would stop instantly.

I don't think it would. In the heat of the moment players will react and insult the referee. You can make the penalties more severe for such an infringement, but to say that players would stop arguing with the referee as a result is wishful thinking. It isn't that simple.

I don't know what an acceptable amount of 'wrong' decisions is Gandalf, but watching that game as a neutral the only conclusion I can come to is that Chris Foy had an abysmal game, and continually made poor decisions. Probably one of the worst refereeing displays I have seen in a long while. he should be dropped for the next PL game he was due to referee, and instead refone of the lower division games.

This is football after all, and if a first team player had made so many key errors in one game, he'd be dropped and would probably spend a game or two in the reserves.

I'm not talking about Kaboul's (as I assume you are) first yellow, which was justified. I'm referring to the second. Had the Stoke player been through on goal then it would have been a straight red. In the context of the rest of the game the foul by Kaboul (and ensuing yellow) was soft.

As for your point about 'what is acceptable' then obviously in a perfect world the answer would be zero missed decisions. Clearly we don't live in a perfect world. But there is a big difference between missing say two incidents as opposed to six.

The depressing reality is that were I to take up sports betting as a full time occupation one of the factors I would bear in mind is which referee is officiating a specific game. I really do think the problem is becoming that serious now - not because of conscious fixing but because of lack of comptence in some. There are some excellent refs out there. Unfortunately, there are some pretty duff ones. (Not so) strangely if you ask the average fan to come up with a 3 or 4 man list of crap refs they would probably give you the same names.

Yes, six sounds a lot.

On the other hand..... how many decisions does he have to make in 90 minutes?  There must be an incident every few seconds, so perhaps 500 in a match, perhaps 100 important ones.  So, 99% overall and 95% important decisions.

Not bad, I would have thought.

Merc.... get over it.

Even factoring in your wonderful stats Gandalf, yesterday's scoreline, had the incidents been seen, would have been 2-1 to Spurs - quite a difference from 2-1 to Stoke. I have, BTW, 'disallowed' Tottenham's first goal on the grounds it wasn't a penalty, although one could put up a case that it was.  

Also, Stoke would have ended up with 10 players, possibly 9 if you count Woodgate's bookable (having already been on a yellow) offences later in the game.

Usual football supporter mindset.

Mind you, I still get annoyed when I think of the useless referee in charge of the Chelsea v Barcelona match.....

You're probably right.

Anyway, eyes down for tonight's Plastic Derby.

I suppose a draw would probably be the best outcome in the general scheme of things.

Strangely I'm hoping for a win for the home team - solely, you understand, in the interests of keeping the title chase wide open.

Anyone think the Chelsea v Man City match will be another top 5 clash which will see about 7 or 8 goals

(The top 5 statement doesn't cover any Liverpool matches as they won't finish in the top 5 this season).

I think it might depend on whether Chelsea set up as they were for the Valencia match or revert to playing a high line.  It's that old 'entertain v win' conundrum.

I'll settle for 3-2 but I would prefer not to spend the evening hiding behind the sofa....

citys 1st defeat tonight id say....a close game though but chelsea will nick it 5-4

I won't predict a score until I know who the ref is.

Just to prove that Spurs have their fair share of moronic fans.

https://twitter.com/chrishoy

I haven't seen a comment made about the Gallas handball before it was supposed to have hit Crouch's arm for Stokes 1st goal

Oh, Man U v Chelsea 3-1 their first 2 goals were offsideThe list is endless.

Face it, Spurs are a paperback club with an empty trophy cabinet and a bent boss, they have no chance of winning anything of note for the forseeable

April 30 2011 ring a bell? Of course not. Still, a dodgy decison your lot benefitted from.

Anyway, do us a favour tonight and draw with Shiteh - don't want the gap with the Northern plastic chavs to get too big. I'm not worried about the southern version.

Yep!

I also remember the Barcelona Game that GTW mentioned earlier, and Rep Ireland v France, But its happened now so there's no point crying over spilt milk.

You forgot Luis Garcia  

See! and that was against Chelsea

Nevermind, I enjoyed that time when I thought we'd go out (once we drew you) and we did you at your place before that 4-4 at the bridge <----- Smug

Just wish I could bump KD off as I hate his record against us

Shiteh 1-0 up. Playing well. Christ even Barry looks a half decent player this evening.

Great pass from Terry, good play by Sturridge, Lampard-like run into the box and finish from Meireles.

1-1

Now Chelsea has given up playing that suicidal high back line the defence looks quite solid.

Talking of poor refereeing, how come Toure is still on the pitch after kicking out at someone lying on the ground?