Friend


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Just looked at the stats. In his whole PL career he's issued 9 straight reds and two yellows on 8 occasions. 4 of the 9 reds and 2 of the 8 double yellows were Sunderland. That's some statistical blip...
So over 44% of his reds were Sunderland players and 25% double yellows were Sunderland players. Seems a bit excessive comparing it with 20 teams.
Does he have an issue.
 
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So over 44% of his reds were Sunderland players and 25% double yellows were Sunderland players. Seems a bit excessive comparing it with 20 teams.
Does he have an issue.
Compared to Dowd, Dean and Atkinson who seem to spread their reds across teams equally (and who, incidentally give a lot less reds than Friend), it would appear so.

The simple explanation, though, is that the players, egged on by the crowd who are infuriated by his smug face, get a bit overzealous when he's in charge. There can be no other reason...
 
Not blaming him- we deserved nowt and got nowt.

But his sheer incompetence is becoming harder to defend. A ref can give a bad call against you once or twice, but this is about 4/5 times now.

I noticed him laughing and smiling when coming towards our fans yesterday. Mine God only knows the things we were shouting at him like.. probably didn't help matters but that is no excuse at all
 
I'm sure politicians may have felt the same marra
The thing is referees can always hide behind, "in the referees opinion" or "I didn't see it". Footballers cheat as well, don't forget, they are highly paid and under more scrutiny. Unfortunately the Premier League and its reputation is highly protected so they can "afford" these little blemishes against their name
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he is corrupt/accepting bungs. I just tend to think that some refs can be biased and not give certain things that they will to other clubs and vice versa.

I don't doubt you are right that players do cheat as well as politicians and you are right it would be naive to think otherwise,however this is normally because they have something big to gain or lose from doing soo.

I honestly can't see any real motive why Friend would purposely pick on Sunderland,as far as I can see he would gain nothing from it and doubt very much like I say that he would his career at risk just because he may or may not like us.

That is what I mean by common sense.
 
I don't doubt you are right that players do cheat as well as politicians and you are right it would be naive to think otherwise,however this is normally because they have something big to gain or lose from doing soo.

I honestly can't see any real motive why Friend would purposely pick on Sunderland,as far as I can see he would gain nothing from it and doubt very much like I say that he would his career at risk just because he may or may not like us.

That is what I mean by common sense.
he doesn't need to gain anything, just a bias. What was Clinton going to gain by shagging some nobody? As I said he wont put anything at risk at all by giving a few....no a lot of decisions wrongly, because he can hide behind the laws. My argument would be along the lines of if you are that much of stickler for carding Sunderland players why is it not carried on into other games? He's refereed 110 Premier League one red in 6.5, Championship record is 1 red card in 6, League 1, one red in 5, League 2, only reffed in 3 but no reds, FA CUP none in 29 games, League Cup one every 4.25. Little old Sunderland one in 3.5. He has sent 6 players off in the 22 games, 5 of them Sunderland. Those are all of the facts and common sense would say, surely there is something up there
If he was that f***ing useless those stats would be reasonably average across the board, give or take a few. He'd send players off roughly around every 3.5 games or we'd have players sent off in and around 3.5 games. Stats are only indicators, I understand, but they should be an indication of something.
Like I said I'm sure there are refs out there who won't give dubious decisions to certain clubs, they aren't all squeaky clean perfectionists
 
he doesn't need to gain anything, just a bias. What was Clinton going to gain by shagging some nobody? As I said he wont put anything at risk at all by giving a few....no a lot of decisions wrongly, because he can hide behind the laws. My argument would be along the lines of if you are that much of stickler for carding Sunderland players why is it not carried on into other games? He's refereed 110 Premier League one red in 6.5, Championship record is 1 red card in 6, League 1, one red in 5, League 2, only reffed in 3 but no reds, FA CUP none in 29 games, League Cup one every 4.25. Little old Sunderland one in 3.5. He has sent 6 players off in the 22 games, 5 of them Sunderland. Those are all of the facts and common sense would say, surely there is something up there
If he was that f***ing useless those stats would be reasonably average across the board, give or take a few. He'd send players off roughly around every 3.5 games or we'd have players sent off in and around 3.5 games. Stats are only indicators, I understand, but they should be an indication of something.
Like I said I'm sure there are refs out there who won't give dubious decisions to certain clubs, they aren't all squeaky clean perfectionists

I think the point there though mate is you are judging a ref of law of averages rather than correctness of decisions.

No doubt you will disagree but apart from Brown last year I happen to think them red cards were correct ones.

You seem to making the argument that if a certain ref sends off more players from a certain team that automatically makes him biased against that team even before you look at them incidents,that can't be right.

If next time he refs us and our player punches someone should he not send him off just to make the stats more balanced?

It is a uncanny coincidence that a lot have happened in our games,but that is exactly what it is a coincidence that makes most sense to me
 
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I think the point there though mate is you are judging a ref of law of averages rather than correctness of decisions.

No doubt you will disagree but apart from Brown last year I happen to think them red cards were correct ones.

You seem to making the argument that if a certain ref sends off more players from a certain team that automatically makes him biased against that team even before you look at them incidents,that can't be right.
we are never going to agree marra. I'm saying stats are used in every industry including football to highlight performances good or bad, target areas , etc. I seem to think that the stats provided, warrant looking at. You think all refs are Mother Theresa clones, always lift the seat to have a piss, never lied in their whole life, haven't purposely made a wrong decision and live in a village called Utopia. Fair play
As for disagreeing with the exception of Brown, well you can't really cos a few of those were for two yellows, so unless you are going to recall every tackle that wasn't carded but may have been, you are just guessing.
 
we are never going to agree marra. I'm saying stats are used in every industry including football to highlight performances good or bad, target areas , etc. I seem to think that the stats provided, warrant looking at. You think all refs are Mother Theresa clones, always lift the seat to have a piss, never lied in their whole life, haven't purposely made a wrong decision and live in a village called Utopia. Fair play
As for disagreeing with the exception of Brown, well you can't really cos a few of those were for two yellows, so unless you are going to recall every tackle that wasn't carded but may have been, you are just guessing.

Fair enough with that last point mate,you are right we see things from different angles enjoyed the crack though.
 
No matter how you look at it,he is like a lawn green bowl.
He has an inbuilt bias against Sunderland.
He may set out at the start of every game in his mind to be fair ,but his inate dislike of Sunderland causes him to look for any reason not to give any decision in favour of the red and whites.
 
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No matter how you look at it,he is like a lawn green bowl.
He has an inbuilt bias against Sunderland.
He may set out at the start of every game in his mind to be fair ,but his inate dislike of Sunderland causes him to look for any reason not to give any decision in favour of the red and whites.

We managed to beat the best team in the country twice when he was in charge so he is obviously incompetent at being biased to
 
It's not every time mate, we have been down this road of me posting a number of games where no one could tell me where he fucked us over. I have not commented on today as I am listening on radio. It seems after replays people say it was a penalty. If it is the case when I see it I will criticize him for it
and have you
 
He was warming up in front of us yesterday and the smug look on his face said it all. He looked like he was intentionally trying to rile the Sunderland fans. He did not getting any abuse until he started making incompetent decisions once the game started. Every time he came over towards the Sunderland fans he appeared to purposely smirk at the Sunderland fans.
 
Rooney dives over the PNE keeper with being touched penalty and Fletch is bulled over no penalty or red card. I am just saying video challenges should be one rule change for the future this would neutralize the bad ref's like Friend in the league....
 
Compared to Dowd, Dean and Atkinson who seem to spread their reds across teams equally (and who, incidentally give a lot less reds than Friend), it would appear so.

The simple explanation, though, is that the players, egged on by the crowd who are infuriated by his smug face, get a bit overzealous when he's in charge. There can be no other reason...[/QUOTE]
^ this he knows he has got under our skin and the more radgy we all get the more he digs in and because he can. We ain't manure Chelski et al so he gets away without punishment. If that decision had been against Jose he would be hauled over the coals, and they fuckin know it !!!
 
I can live with blowing big decisions that you only get one look at, but Friend is clearly letting Bradford get away with rough challenges while we get whistled for anything, which is what led to the goal. It's not like with Marriner where he seems to hate us but is otherwise a pretty average PL referee. Friend is considered terrible by just about everyone.

Was there and looked very soft at the time, watched MOTD and Stead basically fell to the floor unassisted and linesman put up flag..still we shd have dealt with the ball in for the goal but the fact remains it should not have been a free kick in first place.

Looked very naughty when Danny Graham got cleaned out by their Centre Half but not shown again on MOTD..??

Pen and red card but tbh Fletcher fannied on when he shd have burst the net.

Not making excuses though as well beat throughout...just think next time we get Marriner or Friend we might as well all stay at home and just not bother with fixture, the 3 points will never happen anyway and it saves on the obligatory yellow/red cards and everyone else's blood pressure.
 
I think the point there though mate is you are judging a ref of law of averages rather than correctness of decisions.

No doubt you will disagree but apart from Brown last year I happen to think them red cards were correct ones.

You seem to making the argument that if a certain ref sends off more players from a certain team that automatically makes him biased against that team even before you look at them incidents,that can't be right.

If next time he refs us and our player punches someone should he not send him off just to make the stats more balanced?

It is a uncanny coincidence that a lot have happened in our games,but that is exactly what it is a coincidence that makes most sense to me

You think a rescinded red card against mensah was correct? To give a penalty outside the box?

Think you're quite fair normally but when this is how you defend friend :lol:
 
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