Liverpool vs Villarreal

[SM]

solid performance from the Hungarian ref overall, but was it just me who thought he let quite a few challenges go? Not a very European refereeing performance.

There was a particular run of challenges leading up to the Clyne caution where I thought he had forgotten his whistle. Clyne being a bit unlucky to get a caution, given what the ref had already turned a blind eye to.

 

[Tealeaf]

Agree he let quite a bit go. On the one hand Clyne was indeed unlucky, but on the other that was the tipping point. Thereafter very refreshing. The second caution for the Villareal chap. Was that for the foul or the sarcastic applause? And was it me or did he do Soldado for the same thing?

 

[SM]

I thought it was the foul. Indeed reckless and a dumb challenge when already on a caution.

Soldado looked like a time bomb. Lucky not to pick up a second caution for his shenanigans and niggliness.

Liverpool were very frustrating with their high press. Looked horrible to play against for an opponent. Great if you're a Liverpool fan though.

 

[GraemeS]

I thought it was the foul. Indeed reckless and a dumb challenge when already on a caution.

Soldado looked like a time bomb. Lucky not to pick up a second caution for his shenanigans and niggliness.

Liverpool were very frustrating with their high press. Looked horrible to play against for an opponent. Great if you're a Liverpool fan though.

As a Liverpool fan, I'm surprised Lallana hasn't been given more credit for his role in that high press. For me, he set the tempo, he seemed to decide when the team press and when they back off, and ran his heart out for the entire game.

Clyne was very clearly a case of the referee deciding he's let too much go and needed to get a lid on it. If that's the first foul of the game, the referee isn't even thinking about a caution and I don't recall Clyne as an individual doing much wrong up until that point either. Especially harsh since it was arguably more Villarreal being niggly up to that point.

And yeah, definitely the foul that the second yellow came out for - actually slightly harsh IMO. I think it looked from the referee's position as if it was a stamp and/or a full force "through the back of him" tackle, when in reality, it was a comparatively tame and tired attempt on the ball. But I don't think Villarreal looked that threatening even before that point.