The OFFICIAL Liverpool Supporters thread

[Balboa]

Maybe should have scored more than once but you are not going to give Chelsea a tanking, they dont concede that many. Ref was a total disgrace, people talk about the poor standard of GAA officiating but these fellas are volunteers, Premiership refs are professionals & you get a performance like that yesterday. I hope Babel starts against Sunderland, he has looked bright the last 2 games when he has come on and seems to have a rocket of a shot.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

Referee Rob Styles will not officiate in the Premier League next weekend following his performance in the Liverpool-Chelsea game on Sunday.

Styles was criticised for awarding a controversial penalty to Chelsea.

Referees' chief Keith Hackett told BBC Radio 5live: "It is just like with players, if they miss an open goal they are likely to be dropped."

Styles also appeared to show Chelsea's Michael Essien a second yellow card but then failed to send him off.

Former referee Hackett is general manager of Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body which oversees referees.

The referees' supremo has apologised to Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez for the error.

Hackett added: "I spoke to Rob this morning and obviously he is extremely disappointed with the decision and admitted he got it wrong. I have left a message with Rafael Benitez to apologise.

"Having looked at a video and seen a better angle and a better view, clearly he (Styles) now recognises that he got it wrong and he's deeply apologetic for that. I think, in fact, he too will be making contact with Liverpool in order to offer his apologies."

Asked about the confusion when Essien appeared to be booked for a second time, Hackett said: "I'm informed by both the fourth official and Rob he retained the card shown to John Terry then held the card to indicate a direct free-kick, and failed to put the card away.

"So it was a basic, if you like, admin error as against an error in application of law.

"We'll look at the video to ensure we don't get a repeat of that."

Benitez was left incensed and skipper Steven Gerrard said Styles had "cracked" after he penalised Steve Finnan for a foul on Florent Malouda, although replays showed there was no contact.

"That decision is impossible to explain, it was the invisible penalty" said Benitez after the 1-1 draw.

Hackett also revealed assistant referee Ian Gosling will be given next weekend off, after he denied Fulham a late goal at home to Middlesbrough when David Healy clearly forced the ball over the line.

He said: "Clearly the assistant referee has made an error, so he won't be operating next week for us either."

But Hackett defended the overall standard of refereeing, describing the mistakes over the weekend as a "hiccup".

The Essien incident happened shortly after Styles had awarded Chelsea their penalty, which Frank Lampard converted to level the scores after Fernando Torres put Liverpool in front with a goal on his home debut.

Former Premier League referee Graham Poll told BBC Radio 5live that Styles did not book Essien twice but that his award of a card to Terry looked "messy".

"At the first look I definitely thought he had booked Essien a second time," said Poll.

"Having looked I can see that as Rob raises the yellow card he points over to John Terry and says that it is John he has cautioned.

"He had just given a penalty and you have a gut feeling as a referee that you might have made a mistake.

"You are under pressure then and when the stress is at its highest it is difficult to think clearly and get everything right."

Poll, who booked Croatia's Josip Simunic three times during a World Cup match in 2006, added: "It was a big mistake."

Benitez had no sympathy with Styles after the match, adding: "I want to have a lot of respect for referees, but sometimes I cannot understand why they give some decisions.

"I think he will watch the video of the match and admit that his penalty decision was a mistake."

And Gerrard asked for Styles to apologise for his penalty decision.

"I don't want to say too much because I will get into trouble, but the referee didn't play well," said the Liverpool skipper.

"Whether it was because the Chelsea players were talking I don't know, but in the end he's cracked and made a bad decision.

"It wasn't a penalty and I hope he comes out and says sorry now."

Meanwhile, Mourinho did not criticise Styles over the penalty decision but suggested his job had not been made easier by the behaviour of certain players from "a different culture".

"I haven't seen the replay of the incident and it was difficult to make out what was happening at the time," he insisted.

"Rafa has his opinion and I have mine. I judged the game to be a good and a fair one.

"Perhaps there were too many cards but overall I thought Mr Styles had a positive game.

"Not every player on the pitch was helping the referee."

Styles handed out eight yellow cards - while Mourinho was believed to be referring to Liverpool's Spanish duo of Torres and Alvaro Arbeloa.

[new devil]

Dont no why you's are crying.....it was a clear cut peno  

[Balboa]

Dont no why you's are crying.....it was a clear cut peno  

Run along to the "relegation battle" thread now Devil.

[Norf Tyrone]

I'm not one to start blaming referees for results but something has to be said when refs are deciding the outcome of these games. At the very least Styles should be demoted to the championship for a farce of a display.

Is the championship not entitled to good refs too?

Right. I'll give my unblinkered views on yesterday. The ref had a mare. When he booked Essien after 5 minutes he made a rod for his own back. Liverpool made 4 fouls in the next 10-15 minutes, of which 2 were similar offences, and he didn't book any of them. Chelsea then upped the pressure on him- rightly in my opinion- and he buckled. The cards started to flow. Off the top of my head, I think the only one that merited a booking yesterday of the 9 was Mikel. The penalty decision was fair I thought.

Only joking. It was a bad decision no doubt about it. The ref had basically lost the plot at this stage, and I think he hardlt gave Chelsea a decision afterwards. I know that Jose has bleated on about the 'ghost goal' for sometime, but I think reaction in today's media has been OTT. It was a bad decision, but it made the news today for feck sake. As fans we get frustrated, but this is the same ref that gave Liverpool a penalty in the first game of last season against Sheff United too. Also as Stevie G said last week "These things happen and some decisions you get, some you don't. I'm sure over the season decisions will even themselves out" - Steven Gerrard, August 11, after the ref awarded him a match-winning free-kick at Aston Villa.

The game itself was tight. Liverpool impressed me yesterday, with Pennant having his usual blinder against Chelsea. I thought they dominated the play without unlocking the Chelsea defence too often. Chelsea had a few chances of their own, headers from Drogba and Pizarro and Terry's first half miss from a yard. I think Chelsea should've reverted to 4-3-3 yesterday with Johnson or Ferrira at RB, Essien shoring the midfield and Kalou dropping to the bench.

After 3 games I am delighted with 7/9 and to 5 clear of United especially consdering that's one of the 'harder' wans out of the road.

All in all I think there will definately be less in it, as it's obvious that the middle ground teams have all improved, and away trips to places like Man City, Blackburn, Reading etc will be much tougher.

[Stalin]

norf. do you know something the rest of us dont?

After 3 games I am delighted with 7/9 and to 5 clear of United especially consdering that's one of the 'harder' wans out of the road.

[new devil]

Dont no why you's are crying.....it was a clear cut peno  

Run along to the "relegation battle" thread now Devil.

I'll remind you of this next may!! 

[Norf Tyrone]

norf. do you know something the rest of us dont?

After 3 games I am delighted with 7/9 and to 5 clear of United especially consdering that's one of the 'harder' wans out of the road.

Sorry....have I made a faux pas??

[charlie stubbs]

was impressed by liverpool on sunday but chelsea did what good teams do and got a point even if it was a disgraceful decision.i hate that w**ker mourinho couldnt even admit that it was a joke of a decision.and he goes on about the cl semi in 2005!though pennant had a good game down the right and babel looked sharp when he came on would like to see him get a start against sunderland at the weekend.thought alonso was a bit sloppy at times on the ball.crouvch should maybe have came on for kuyt earlier as he seemed top be tiring,not surprising all the work he does!think we can def make big push this season and torres can maybe have that bit of class we have been missing up front since owen and a fit fowler!

[Rossie11]

Was a surprisingly open game for these 2. Reckon they are sick to the back teeth of each other and were both trying something differnet.
Peno decision was a joke but its too early in the season to make much of a difference. There will be a dozen more similar ones involving the top sides which can go either way between now and May.
Pool should forget about it and concentrating on winning the next 6 games which I think they must if they are to capture title this year.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

A letter from lil Luis Garcia

Dear Reds,

First of all I'd like to apologise for not having been back in touch sooner, but I needed to take some time to take on board all the recent changes and then to put down these words for you.

I'm sure you will understand.

I would rather this be a letter of thanks and gratitude, not simply a goodbye.

Yes, that's right, gratitude, because that is the word that best sums up my feelings for you all.

Taking the decision to change clubs hasn't been easy. Not easy at all.

I've experienced three fantastic years at the club and in the city. Three years in which together, the fans and the team, we have accomplished some fantastic achievements, and I'm sure that these successes will continue to be repeated in the near future.

You know that I like a challenge and that I don't just settle for second best.

Back then Liverpool Football Club gave me the opportunity to be part of an ambitious plan to put the Reds back at the summit of the game.

I think that together we managed to achieve that.

As I said, I do like challenges and in spite of the fact that at that time I was playing for my home town club, one of the biggest in the world, I wanted to be a part of that project that was being presented to me by Liverpool, and so I accepted the challenge.

Now, after three seasons in the Premier League and having won some major trophies, the chance came up for me to return to La Liga and be part of a new project at a club I already knew.

The idea of enjoying things in a Spanish club like we experienced together at Liverpool over these last three years appealed to me, and that's why I accepted the offer.

I want to thank everyone working at Liverpool Football Club for how well they have treated both my family and I, making us feel at home from the very first day to the last.

I also want to thank the management, coaching staff and directors for the opportunity they gave me back then to be part of such an important and well-loved club as Liverpool. A club which has helped me to grow as a footballer and where to date I have enjoyed the biggest success of my career.

Without a doubt, this success has been possible thanks to the outstanding group of players with whom I've been able to share a dressing room over the last three seasons.

I'm not going to mention anyone specifically, because I think that the secret of this team's success has been exactly that: nobody wanted to stand out above the rest and there has always been a great togetherness in the squad, which made it into something more than a group of players, it was a group of friends.

Thanks to all of you for your help and your friendship.

I've left until last the thank you which for me is the most important: Thank you to the supporters.

Your support allowed me to settle quickly at both the club and in the city, and you made me feel really at ease with you all right from the word go; that's the kind of help that you notice most of all during the difficult times, of which there have been a few during my time here.

I'd like to especially thank you for making up a song for me and you should know that every time I heard you singing it, it was like an extra injection of strength and motivation, even helping me to overcome pain occasionally during a game.

Your unconditional support is the thing that ensures that this team manages to pull through in the most difficult circumstances; and I can assure you that the whole squad is aware of this and thanks you for it.

A football club isn't just made up of players, coaches and directors. More than anything else it's the supporters who make a club, and that perhaps is the ingredient which best distinguishes Liverpool Football Club from every other team. The supporters.

Because if one thing has remained obvious to me after these few years, it's that with supporters like you, Liverpool Football Club will never walk alone.

I really hope that the club wins lots of major trophies in the future; I'll be following it all from a distance, with the pride that you can only get from having been a Red and played for the home team at Anfield – a ground that every football fan must visit at least once in their life.

Thank you for everything. Yours most sincerely,

Your friend, Luís García

[Balboa]

Did he copy it to "The Special One" Gabriel?

[magpie seanie]

I assume that letter is a piss take.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

I assume that letter is a piss take.

Yeah seanie - that's why it's on the Liverpool website

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N156758070821-1605.htm

[magpie seanie]

Its not you, it me!!!!!

FFS.