Matt Mills

[Rex]

As mentioned 19/04/09...........

[North Somerset Royal]

As mentioned 19/04/09...........

I still think video replays are the answer.

[Rex]

A whoosh with reverb on it. I like it.

[Snowball]

Maybe Mills deserved a red, maybe not
but THIS got a yellow this weekend


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[The Cap]

Blimey. Leg breaker or what?

[PlasticRoyale]

Maybe Mills deserved a red, maybe not
but THIS got a yellow this weekend


http://www.oleole.com/media/main/images ... 839712.gif

That definitely deserved at least a yellow....

[Royal With Cheese]

Blimey. Leg breaker or what?

Only considered thus if either:

a) The tackle is on an Arsenal player or

b) You're not the England captain

[Woodcote Royal]

Maybe Mills deserved a red, maybe not
but THIS got a yellow this weekend


http://www.oleole.com/media/main/images ... 839712.gif

I watched 3 matches on SKY within a week of Shane Long's straight red. They all contained tackles that were worse than the one for which our striker received his marching orders.

None of them were punished with more than a yellow card and one didn't even merit that according to the man in charge that day.

Let's see if Martin O'Neill is sanctioned for his justified remarks after yet another poor performance, this time from an official deemed worthy of taking charge in a cup semi final.

We all know what will happen........................nothing that will halt the continueing slide in standards of todays officials or the consistency (which is, more than anything else, what most of want too see) applied to the way they issue red and yellow cards.

However, rest assured, they won't be slow in coming forward when it comes to sanctioning anyone who shows the slighests lack of "respect" for those who get it wrong week in week out, season after season and yet still get the nod of approval from assessors up and down the country.

[rhroyal]

The BBC blog had an excellent suggestion. Give referees microphones like in rugby, so that all fans, managers and staff can understand their reasoning. The way that decisions are made with no explanation is one of the worst things about the current system. Respect is currently needed from players and staff to referees but not the other way around. To hear what the ref said to Mills before his red, or Terry after that tackle or equally what he said to Vidic when he chose against sending Vidic off in the Carling Cup Final. We've never had any explanation from referees for these decisions. It's such an easy change to implement and won't disrupt the flow of the game etc.

It would also allow the FA pick up on abuse from players to referees and act accordingly.

[BR2]

I partly agree with Woodcote that it's the lack of consistency that we fans find most annoying.
Yesterday Walton booked one player for a tackle from behind but late on in the game at Blackburn failed to do the same with Gibson.
In other games players get booked for mouthing off at a linesman but if Rooney or Terry do it that's fine.

In our games the referees have been dire in most games this season but they seem equally dire towards both sides so in a way it levels out but both sets of players and fans get uptight which makes for less enjoyment.
One particularly annoying thing is that if a player stays down then not only does he always get the free-kick but the other player often gets booked.

One further really annoying situation is where a player (usually a forward ) goes to block a clearance and the defender ends up kicking the forward's boot as in the case of Kitson that time away at Man Utd.
Yes it does hurt but seldom does it warrant a yellow nor does it warrant a red especially if it is a genuine attempt to block rather than tackle.

I don't know what the answer is especially when Dean and Webb are supposed to be our top two refs and yet neither seems to have a clue about what is or isn't a penalty.

[Sun Tzu]

One further really annoying situation is where a player (usually a forward ) goes to block a clearance and the defender ends up kicking the forward's boot as in the case of Kitson that time away at Man Utd.
Yes it does hurt but seldom does it warrant a yellow nor does it warrant a red especially if it is a genuine attempt to block rather than tackle.
.

if a player does something which does not involve playing the ball and has a significant potential to casue injnury to an opponent it seems bizarre to suggest it is not at least a yellow card offence !
The so called 'block' is reckless at least, which is a caution.

[Sun Tzu]

The BBC blog had an excellent suggestion. Give referees microphones like in rugby,

Would players and managers be prepared to sign up to a code of conduct with the same standards of behaviour as you see in rugby ?

It would be very interesting to see if they could manage it. I'd give them maybe half an hour into the first game before they forgot and started abusing officials again...

Giving officials microphones has been tried before, as I recall it was totally unbroadcastable due to the language from the players. Do you think people would 'accept the reasoning' or just use it as further ammo to attack officials ? Would be an interesting experiment.

As an aside I was at a local game at the weekend (Hellenic league so a bit above park football but still just for fun). There was a crowd of about 200. One of the teams had a clear plan of action regarding the officials. For the first half they had two people from their dugout questioning every decision, very loudly and with great animation. In the second half they changed tactics and every time the other side appealed for something the two guys shouted to the ref to 'make his own decisions', questioned who was running the game etc. It was clearly planned and pretty unsavoury. The ref ignored it all (probably the best tactic !) but it put huge pressure on him and his linesmen.

[Wimb]

ZOMBIE THREAD - back from the dead....

Our current team captain is once again suspended after picking up five bookings, meaning another forced absence from the team after his red card against Ipswich. While yellow and red cards are to be expected of a centre back Mills is on pace for another 10 yellow cards, which could rule him out for another 5 games this year not to mention any red cards he may pick up along the way.

Given the captaincy is something largely ceremonial nowadays (and Brian happy to keep our club captain on the bench when he was fit) I'm beginning to wonder if his indiscipline combined with a drop in from might prompt Brian to keep him on the bench for more then just his forced one game break next week.

Beyond that have people changed their opinion on Mills since his arrival 18 months ago. Has it been money well spent and can he make it onto the next level?

[andrew1957]

ZOMBIE THREAD - back from the dead....

Our current team captain is once again suspended after picking up five bookings, meaning another forced absence from the team after his red card against Ipswich. While yellow and red cards are to be expected of a centre back Mills is on pace for another 10 yellow cards, which could rule him out for another 5 games this year not to mention any red cards he may pick up along the way.

Given the captaincy is something largely ceremonial nowadays (and Brian happy to keep our club captain on the bench when he was fit) I'm beginning to wonder if his indiscipline combined with a drop in from might prompt Brian to keep him on the bench for more then just his forced one game break next week.

Beyond that have people changed their opinion on Mills since his arrival 18 months ago. Has it been money well spent and can he make it onto the next level?

Mills is a good player on his day but he does lack discipline and concentration at times. Pearce on the other hand has not put a foot wrong when played this season and was very good again on Saturday.

If Pearce and Khiz play very well together next Saturday and maybe keep a clean sheet - then it would be very harsh on either of them to be dropped until they have a bad game - so yes (captain or not) Mills should stay on the bench if they do well.

[Hoop Blah]

Mills has all the physical attributes to be a very good centre half, unfortunately he's weak in the most important area, between his two ears.

You only have to compare Ingimarsson to Bikey to understand how important the mental side of the game is to a central defender and if Mills can't sort out his temperament he'll never fulfill that potential.

Should he walk back into the side after this suspension? No, of course not. Not if Pearce and Kishanishvili play well together and we look a more solid unit because of it. I get the feeling probably will come straight back in though as McDermott obviously see's him as a big part of his first choice 11.

[Snowball]

If Pearce had more pace we would lose him. He's a really solid back, and despite his size, a baby in football terms.

I suspect he will soon become our main CB, not the best one, the main one.

Mills is very erratic, but potentially an extremely good player. I could imagine the pair of them in 2011-12 or maybe the year after being a brilliant pairing.

Obviously we will/may lose players but we have the core of a very good side, all relatively young.

Mills often plays as if he has something on his mind (ie off-field troubles)


Most likely we will "get rid" at some point and he'll turn out to be the very best CB at 27

[Hoop Blah]

Mills often plays as if he has something on his mind (ie off-field troubles)

I think I know what you mean by this, but how are you coming to this conclusion?

[leon]

Mills often plays as if he has something on his mind (ie off-field troubles)

I think I know what you mean by this, but how are you coming to this conclusion?

because he keeps making mistakes such as clattering people for no particularly good reason?

[Snowball]

Mills often plays as if he has something on his mind (ie off-field troubles)

I think I know what you mean by this, but how are you coming to this conclusion?

I've been collating statistics on number of blinks, mournful looks, use of mobile at HT, glances up into the stands etc

[ZacNaloen]

Hoop, reads more like a supposition rather than a conclusion


Anyway, I think I know what he means by that. He doesn't concentrate from play to play. He's surly, petulant and inconsistent and his inattentiveness means he needs to put heavy last ditch tackles in.

He plays like a teenager I guess you could say, so i'd put it down to a maturity thing.

He's good on his day, but he needs to grow up.