Keep your nose out mate.

Me and Becks go back a long way and actually email each other on a daily basis.... we can take criticism and dish it out to each other.

Personally, I think as long as a referee is consistent across 90 minutes it doesn't matter if each ref has a slightly different interpretation.

It's fine if Mike Dean gives more penalties than Neil Swarbrick, provided that both are even handed in their approach during a game.

In rugby, it's a common thing that as well as the opposition, you need to be able to 'play' the referee. It seems to be more accepted that different officials have different styles that players should adapt to. It's common knowledge teams approach the breakdown and scrums differently depending on who is refereeing. No reason football players/teams can't do the same when it comes to marking at corners.

Instead of moaning (hypothetically speaking) that a penalty Mike Dean gave against you one week wasn't given for you by Clattenburg the next week, you should be preparing adequately. 'Lads, we've got Mike Dean today so make sure you keep your hands down in the box and give yourself some room' etc.

Employee of the month is a good example of how someone can be both a winner and a loser at the same time.

I'm not sure how it can be argued that Swarbrick (or the assistant) didn't see Ayala taking a piggy back ride on Dann, when it was Dann who was attacking the ball from the corner. He would've got good wood on it too, were it not for the blatant foul. As that was the centre of all the action on that set piece, I'm not sure why the ref would be looking anywhere else.

I can see a strong argument for the Dann handball at the other end. He used his arm to increase the surface area in front of the cross to ensure it didn't get through. With a Boro player bearing down on it to bury it, I think he saved an almost certain goal, and got away with one. Looked to me like there was some arm in there...

The Delaney hand ball and subsequent bench meltdown was just an over-reaction following the Dann incident. I agree with the earlier poster who said that the 4th official needs protection from dissent too - perhaps more so. A quick fix would be to get rid of the ridiculous "technical area" and make the managers, coaches etc. stay in the dugouts where they belong.

Zaha's tackle was outside the box clearly, but I was terrified that Swarbrick was going to give a penalty. Very glad he didn't.

At the end of the day, the pens given / not given evened out, and the other two shouts (against Palace) were correctly waived away. I thought he got a lot wrong during the game. One example being when Ward got wiped out with no sanction at the time nor retroactively, and an advantage played where there was none.

Edited by Ray in Houston (12 Sep 2016 3.26pm)

We don't do possession; we do defense and attack. Everything else is just wa**ing with a football.

I don't really need your handy hints on how to operate on here Dad.

But thanks for the advice.... although I find it ironic that you are dishing out advice to me whilst you are sporting a yellow card and I'm not.

I guess your "banter" got a bit out of hand previously did it?

Ah right.... nice one.

Nearly as impressive as "Hol Poster Of The Year" like me.

Mutual respect!