We wuz robbed!

[James Oliphant]

Wow...their second (and game-winning) goal was the result of a missed offside call.

Check Ralston's position when the original shot is struck...
http://mls.gotuit.com/?c=2008&p=217058&s=3037293&i=322901

Looks like he's just ahead of Wynne to me.

If so, that's an offside, according to Law 11...

“Gaining an advantage by being in that position”
means:
- Playing a ball that rebounds to him off a post or
crossbar, having previously been in an offside position.
- Playing a ball, that rebounds to him off an opponent,
having previously been in an offside position.
http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdevelopi...aw%2011_554.pdf (http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/refereeing/5.%20law%2011_554.pdf)

As spotted by hunkillah on the GoTFC boards.

We wuz robbed!

[Cambridge_Red]

and it was shit defending..

[James Oliphant]

That too. ;)

But there's no need for defending if the correct call is made.

[Cambridge_Red]

Totally hear you buddy!! We all know not stop until the whistle and we got screwed again :( Silly mistakes and shit calls keep screwing us.

[Shaughno]

That too. ;)

But there's no need for defending if the correct call is made.

First rule in soccer, ALWAYS PLAY THE WHISTLE. You always, always need defending as you can't rely on the referee to make the right call every time.

[ACSertL]

First rule in soccer, ALWAYS PLAY THE WHISTLE. You always, always need defending as you can't rely on the referee to make the right call every time.

Exactly...can't rely on the referees and linesmen being perfect all the time, or at least correct a fraction of the time. Which is unfortunate because I don't think we all got a decent angle of the play in which Brennan was judged offside. But missed calls or not we played a decent road game but the defence really needed to be sharper.

[Derko]

It's like at the other end of the pitch, you keep going for goal until the whistle is blown, even if you are offside, as we have seen, so it has to be the same defending.

We need a big win on july 1st. to rebuild the confidence, have an easy match on Saturday and then another big win in Vancouver, should be on a roll for the important match in Chicago.

[deltox]

im pretty sure that Wynne kept the guy onside.

[Goodfellas FC]

doesn't look offside to me??

[ExiledRed]

Am I the only person who actually believes that MLS officials are deliberately screwing us, or at least manipulating the games for some unknown reason?

Yes, that was a missed offside, which is odd because Jimmy Brennan gets blown Off-side when he's not, and then there is the ref calling a dive a foul, when the linesman, who was right next to it ignored it, and when their player heads the ball out, they get a throw in.

It's no wonder that our players are mouthing off at the refs every week, and picking up cards left, right and center.

Again, I think the referees are acting to ensure the league gets the results it feels it needs.

The teams with the poor attendances will do well again, and that seems par for the course in north american sport.

[Shaughno]

Am I the only person who actually believes that MLS officials are deliberately screwing us, or at least manipulating the games for some unknown reason?

Yes, that was a missed offside, which is odd because Jimmy Brennan gets blown Off-side when he's not, and then there is the ref calling a dive a foul, when the linesman, who was right next to it ignored it, and when their player heads the ball out, they get a throw in.

It's no wonder that our players are mouthing off at the refs every week, and picking up cards left, right and center.

Again, I think the referees are acting to ensure the league gets the results it feels it needs.

The teams with the poor attendances will do well again, and that seems par for the course in north american sport.

I've thought about it, but to be completely honest... I'm pretty sure the MLS refs just blow fucking goats.

[noochie]

Its not just us getting screwed... the whole officiating staff got their whistles in cereal boxes.

[rocker]

remember that Kreis from RSL was saying his team was specifically targetted by refs earlier this season. I think all teams feel this way.

but when was the last time we had that Stott guy? he was pretty damn good.

[James Oliphant]

First rule in soccer, ALWAYS PLAY THE WHISTLE. You always, always need defending as you can't rely on the referee to make the right call every time.

And thankfully, they did...they just didn't do a good job of it.

[mjongstra]

In another thread someone suggested getting the MLS to bring in UEFA refs during their off season to help train our refs. After every game this is looking more and more like it needs to happen.

[noochie]

In another thread someone suggested getting the MLS to bring in UEFA refs during their off season to help train our refs. After every game this is looking more and more like it needs to happen.

A good start, but just because you give a monkey a typewriter doesn't mean they will publish sentences.

If they want to be successful they need to do away with the part-time officiating bullshit. Hire some full-time officials that train with FIFA year-round. CONCACAF as a whole has this problem. They need to get their heads out of their asses and realize that it ruins the quality of the game.

[rocker]

I believe a couple of them are full time no?
that started last year or this season I think... I forget the guy's name.. but I've seen him
in a few of our games and some concacaf games. I just hope they do more of this because he's pretty good.

[Dunc]

Am I the only person who actually believes that MLS officials are deliberately screwing us, or at least manipulating the games for some unknown reason?

Yes, that was a missed offside, which is odd because Jimmy Brennan gets blown Off-side when he's not, and then there is the ref calling a dive a foul, when the linesman, who was right next to it ignored it, and when their player heads the ball out, they get a throw in.

It's no wonder that our players are mouthing off at the refs every week, and picking up cards left, right and center.

Again, I think the referees are acting to ensure the league gets the results it feels it needs.

The teams with the poor attendances will do well again, and that seems par for the course in north american sport.

IMO it doesn't excuse our players mouthing off. I mean I'm getting pretty fucking sick of Robert getting bookings for dissent in stoppage time, not excusable. I like how emotional stereotypical French players get to a certain degree but that's taking it a bit far.

And yeah on one hand I wouldn't put it past the MLS to be doing this on purpose (given their history of doing similar shit, mostly in the earlier years), but there's a fine line between alleging bias and sounding like a nutty conspiracy theorist.

Like how in my opinion Everton went through more blatant ref bias in the 07-08 premiership season and I'm sure I can guess what you think of that :P

[Bobo]

Am I the only person who actually believes that MLS officials are deliberately screwing us, or at least manipulating the games for some unknown reason?

I've had this feeling since the second month of last year. Maybe its through biased eyes, but I don't see TFC getting half the calls that refs give against them.

[Jack]

That didn't look offside from that replay. I'd like to see some other angles.

[ExiledRed]

What kind of supporter are you Jack? :D
It was fuckin' offside, whatever the 'angles' tell you......jeez.

[koryo]

That didn't look offside from that replay. I'd like to see some other angles.

If you're talking about NE's second goal, their left-winger was at least a yard offside when the ball was played through to him, moreso when he touched it.

[koryo]

Am I the only person who actually believes that MLS officials are deliberately screwing us, or at least manipulating the games for some unknown reason?


There's enough of a track record of this sort of thing happening to warrant the conclusion.

But I also believe the real catalyst is a league that won't develop its own FIFA-certified officials... as most MLS refs and linesman are "National" grade (read, amateur) at best.

I'm surprised that this fact in and of itself is something the league can get away with... from its supporters, the media, what have you.

All Star Game idea: We wear Mickey Mouse clubhouse hats, a big banner that says "Mickey League Soccer" coupled with "Train your Refs" or some such thing.

This whole thing is the main barrier between what this league is currently, and it actually gaining a bit of credibility.

[London]

Am I the only person who actually believes that MLS officials are deliberately screwing us, or at least manipulating the games for some unknown reason?

Yes, that was a missed offside, which is odd because Jimmy Brennan gets blown Off-side when he's not, and then there is the ref calling a dive a foul, when the linesman, who was right next to it ignored it, and when their player heads the ball out, they get a throw in.

It's no wonder that our players are mouthing off at the refs every week, and picking up cards left, right and center.

Again, I think the referees are acting to ensure the league gets the results it feels it needs.

The teams with the poor attendances will do well again, and that seems par for the course in north american sport.


i just think that refing as a whole (in the mls) is shite!!!!!
there are horrid calls all over the league!!

[Roogsy]

First rule in soccer, ALWAYS PLAY THE WHISTLE. You always, always need defending as you can't rely on the referee to make the right call every time.

First rule in ANY sport...