From one old geezer to another, I can see we are like birds on the same twig, as another old geezer on here has often said.

I wrote yesterday saying that, whilst I agreed there was no penalty and Kevin Friend was wrong to award it, I thought folk were being too emotional about the decisions against us.

Liverpool were all over us like a rash in the first half and deserved to be leading at half time. But we came back at them well and played some excellent football. Most of us expected to lose the game, but a draw would have felt like a win and was on the cards before the penalty decision. Their keeper was the difference.

But, I have never read such an overwhelming amount of opinions as I have in this morning's papers that the referee's decisions and VAR were wrong. So, like you say, it should be beholden for them to apologise for the way yesterday's match was officiated.

It would certainly be good to see, although Hell would freeze over first I suspect.

Dad and I watched games standing on the muddy slope of the Holmesdale Road end. He cheered and I rattled.

You were right. Even if the penalty had not been given, you could not have it taken for sure that we would have equalised. So this wrong decision didn't cost us a point, it just took away our chance to get one. Regardless of this I've hardly ever seen such a wrong decision concerning pens especially with VAR.

I agree with all of the above and actually find the decision making for the second goal far more concerning than that for the penalty. Dermot Gallagher as an ex ref on Sky gave the impression that whether Firmino was 'active' in the lead up to the goal was a subjective opinion. Stephen Warnock completely refuted that view and said that any player in the penalty box is 'active'. Clearly Firmino drags Mitchell into a position where he has to get close to him, thereby leaving Oxlade Chamberlain free to have an unimpeded shot. For Craig Pawson not to understand that issue calls into serious question his capability as a ref - its really very worrying indeed.

You do have to wonder if Palace were just a pawn sacrifice in the PL ratings race?

VAR took at least two minutes to find a way to award Liverpool a penalty and two seconds to decide that Firmino was not interfering with play. Nuff said.

I'm so Palace I don't even know it

We're yet to hear the name of a referee on this thread who hasn't in the past made a catastrophically poor decision against us in favour of a bigger team.

Craig Pawson has only referred that decision because he was the VAR for the Newcastle City game where Fraser got wiped out (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10326253/Jamie-Redknapp-expresses-disbelief-Newcastle-werent-given-penalty-versus-Manchester-City.html) and no penalty was given and he was heavily criticised. At the time, they said 'it can't be a penalty as Fraser didn't have possession'.

Fine. But neither did Jota?!?!?! And Ederson's involvement in that first one is clearly far worse than whatever Guaita is alleged to have done.

The second goal is awful - there's no question Firmino is offside and interfering.

Pawson surely has to be stripped of VAR responsibility going forward? It's error after error after error and they are all in favour of the title chasing team.

Edited by ambrose7 (24 Jan 2022 1.53pm)

26th January 2010 - Enter Administration
2nd May 2010 - D-Day 1 - Survival at Hillsborough
1st June 2010 - D-Day 2 - Survival at Lloyds
7th June 2010 - CPFC2010 exchange contracts.