No red card

[mikeyjh]

"A player is guilty of violent conduct if he uses excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball"

Plenty of leeway there. You can raise your arms in aggression without using brutality or excessive force.

That can't be right, I've often heard MOTD pundits such as Mark 'Lawro' Lawrensen say "he's raised his arms so it has to be red", which must be true.

 

[leigull]

But that was a challenge he started in the first half and only just made it, the ref gave him the benefit

 

[Sheebo]

sheebo how can you say the refs haven't been rubbish this season when they have

Well I mean more 'big decisions' Mark. The ones against us that spring to mind are all the Burnley ones to an extent, the Saints away one (don't think this cost us points though), Reading ones - especially CMS getting wiped out when clean through - should have been a pen and red, and last nights failure to send off Eustace for raising his hands and slapping our player.

We've had a few go for us i'm sure but these are the wrongs that stick in the mind...

 

[Gritt23]

The ref probably saw Barnes' provocation, as well as his absurd over-reaction. I reckon if Eustace had gone Barnes would have been booked, at least. He was lucky not to be booked when he gave away the penalty.

None of which changes the laws of the game which are fairly clearon raising your hands and striking the opponent.

What I wondered was ... what was the yellow for? Presumably for the kicking and pulling back that the free-kick was given for, as "striking an opponent" is simply NOT a yellow.

 

[keaton]

Eustace should have been sent off, was voilent conduct and enough for Barnes to fall over. With him studding someone he was unlucky to have studded him (it wasn't a malicious tackle) but lucky to not be sent off for it

 

[Greavsey]

How the hell has this turned into Barnes' fault! From the West Upper you could clearly see Eustace smack him in the face with the palm of his hand, which is a red card in the first minute as it is in the 90th regardless of the player and their reaction. The ref bottled it though because it was so early in the game. Complete polar opposite to the Burnley ref at home!!

Reffing standards have been awful most of the season, and I do think we have a reputation now that immediately makes refs cautious of us as a side and maybe 50/50's go to the opposition.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

imagine him and El-Abd in a fight....

Classic.

 

[brightonlass2009]

I thought the ref had a really good game last night. To begin with I thought Eustace should have been sent off, but there is leeway in the rules. It wasn't particularly violent it was just handbags.

Also how can we complain about Eustace not being sent off when Barnes should have been sent off for leaving a nice imprint of his boots on a Watford players stomach?

 

[Mattstrugnell]

And El Abd gets elbowed in the face right in front of the linesman and Watford get a free kick. Quality

 

[Gazwag]

From my view I felt it was sensible refereeing, I was fearful that Barnes would be getting a yellow

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

From my view I felt it was sensible refereeing, I was fearful that Barnes would be getting a yellow

How?

Barnes was in possesion, got grabbed round the back, slapped/punched on the back first, swung round and slapped in the face.

 

[Gazwag]

How?

Barnes was in possesion, got grabbed round the back, slapped/punched on the back first, swung round and slapped in the face.

As I said from my view - it just look like he had been shot by a sniper - I'm willing to change my opinion once I see it from a different view of course.

 

[trueblue]

Just before the incident Barnes had left a foot in when challenging Eustace.

Again, makes no difference. There was an element of 'six of one, half a dozen of the other' about the initial confrontation but hitting an opponent in the face is a straight red, even if it's retaliation. Yellow for one, red for the other.

 

[pork pie]

maybe coz barnes fell like he was an extra in platoon. Embarrassing thought the ref had a good night could have been harsher on watford time wasting. Could easily of sent El Abd off in the second half as well for kicking out... pretty consistant i thought.

Perhaps he picked it up on the training field from one of our foreign players? ElAbd did exactly the same at Wednesday last year! If they do that sort of thing, players should be sent off for "bringing the game into disrepute".

 

[StanmoreSeagull]

barnes seems to be making more of a habit than usual this season.
that is the thing that most bugs me about him, the sight if him on his knees /on the floor, with his arms in the air, when would clearly have a good chance of getting up and winning the ball back

100% Agree. Really don't like this from Barnes. Stay on your feet and play to the whistle! He spent the whole game diving to the ground at the slightest bit of contact. Quite a few times (and rightly so) the ref played on.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I thought the ref had a really good game last night. To begin with I thought Eustace should have been sent off, but there is leeway in the rules. It wasn't particularly violent it was just handbags.

Also how can we complain about Eustace not being sent off when Barnes should have been sent off for leaving a nice imprint of his boots on a Watford players stomach?

also credit the watford player for getting straight back up and not rolling around in agony

 

[LamieRobertson]

100% Agree. Really don't like this from Barnes. Stay on your feet and play to the whistle! He spent the whole game diving to the ground at the slightest bit of contact. Quite a few times (and rightly so) the ref played on.

i agree with you re Barnes playing on and not waving his arms around..its not as if ref is going to change his mind...but then even players like Roberts of Reading was dong that most of the game last week