The Phil Dowd appreciation thread.

[Archie's penalty]

Nothing like a bit of dignity in defeat.

RL, to see how grown ups handle defeat please see United Barca thread

Clearly, the grown up way to handle a defeat is to toss yourself off posting multiple threads on the message board of a team a division below you during their play off final.

Sadly, whilst it may excite you for a few hours, when you've finished, Man Utd will still have lost 3-1 and been utterly humiliated on the biggest stage and you won't actually feel any better, just made yourself look an utter tit.

But Kes thinks you're cool.

Schards' best post ever. Fact.

[Archie's penalty]

I don't know about the penalties (not seen any replays) but it looked like every single 50/50 decision went to in Swansea's favour.

Shane Long, for instance, was regularly being tugged, grappled and wrested to the ground, but every decisions seemed to go against him - in fact the second goal came when a free-kick was awarded against him for ... urm, I have no idea what it was awarded for.

And that seemed to be the over-riding feeling - decisions going Swansea's way all the time, and none going Reading's way.

This. That second was horrific. Should have been an attacking freekick to us if anything.

Ref obviously wanted to protect the pretty football players from the mean old physical bullies.

Agreed.

[shadesrwrf]

No moaning about the ref in the 2nd leg against Cardiff. Funny that.

He didn't make any major mistakes. Their shouts were either definitely not penalties or were marginal calls. Ours were absolutely nailed on.

Hang on a cotton-picking moment there! You're not actually saying that Reading had penalty decisions that went against them are you?!

[Barry the bird boggler]

Failed to let the game flow, made a rod for his back by booking 3 players in the first 10 minutes, finally he was completely inconsistent in his decision making.

IMO I'm glad he's a Premier ref and we won't have to suffer him again.

[westendgirl]

Dowd didn't cost us the game, but his style of reffing the game played right into the hands of Swansea.

Reading were relying on hassling and harrying, going in hard on the 50/50's and generally stopping Swansea from playing. A lot of the time in the Championship you'll get a ref who'll let you play that way (many of them see 20x worse in L1 & L2) Dowd on the other hand refereed the game as if it was the Champions League or PL where every possible infringement is blown up for.

As others have said, that's not exactly being a bad ref, it's just unfortunate that it played into the hands of a 'PL style' team like Swansea.

Don't think anyone's really complaining about the penalties, at worst they a little iffy but how many times has Long won a penalty this year where you think hmmmmm?

It's good that the FA/PL are happy for these professional refs to come down and ref these play-off games but why not reward the best Championship ref over the season who's seen exactly what goes on week in week out.

I couldn't agree more. As for the first pen I texted my brother who was watching it in France that I thought it was soft. He said he did too until he saw the replays so it is no wonder those of us there feel it was iffy. It does show what a difficult job being a referee is - but yes you are right it suited Swansea much more than us as the way to counter Swansea needs the harrying style that Dowd did not allow.

[No Fixed Abode]

No moaning about the ref in the 2nd leg against Cardiff. Funny that.

He didn't make any major mistakes. Their shouts were either definitely not penalties or were marginal calls. Ours were absolutely nailed on.

Yes Zurab was a nailed on sending off for a 2nd yellow.

[Gordons Cumming]

Phil Dowd loves being the centre of attention.

He got it yesterday for sure.

[PEARCEY]

He didn't give our forwards anything, but he was not to blame for our defeat. Our comical defending was our downfall.

The ref got both pen's spot on, as well as all the other major decision on the day.

Yep.

[Svlad Cjelli]

He didn't give our forwards anything, but he was not to blame for our defeat. Our comical defending was our downfall.

The ref got both pen's spot on, as well as all the other major decision on the day.

Yep.

Although it's astounding that the quite blatant manhandling of Shane Long at every corner and set piece went completely unremarked and unpunished.

[nailseabiscuitman]

The masochist in me made me watch the recording of the match this morning and I have to say that I don`t really think that Dowd got much wrong. Both pens spot on, handball, where woulld you have your arms other than by your body in that position. Ok he was lenient with Zurab in not booking him for the pen. but we can hardly complain about that. It was bad decision making by our players, not he ref, that lost us the game

[handbags_harris]

Dowd didn't cost us the game, but his style of reffing the game played right into the hands of Swansea.

Reading were relying on hassling and harrying, going in hard on the 50/50's and generally stopping Swansea from playing. A lot of the time in the Championship you'll get a ref who'll let you play that way (many of them see 20x worse in L1 & L2) Dowd on the other hand refereed the game as if it was the Champions League or PL where every possible infringement is blown up for.

As others have said, that's not exactly being a bad ref, it's just unfortunate that it played into the hands of a 'PL style' team like Swansea.

Don't think anyone's really complaining about the penalties, at worst they a little iffy but how many times has Long won a penalty this year where you think hmmmmm?

It's good that the FA/PL are happy for these professional refs to come down and ref these play-off games but why not reward the best Championship ref over the season who's seen exactly what goes on week in week out.

This. Absolutely 100% nailed on correct.

I must have been one of very few people who didn't feel any kind of feeling towards Dowd except for minor irritation at a couple of incidents. I felt Griffin's booking was harsh but on the other side of the fence I can see why he gave the free kick (only for the second half challenge on Karacan that was waved play on to make me seriously question his judgement for the first time). It irritated me that an innoccuous decision directly led to their second - an aerial challenge from Long on Tate that, even if it's an illegal challenge, defenders will always get away with, but you see that in every single game.

Khizanishvili was lucky not to be sent off for his charge into Borini(?), and then again for his penalty challenge. I think the Swansea right back can also be considered lucky to stay on the pitch for a crude challenge from behind between our two goals.

Overall I think Dowd's performance can at best be described as "ok", I have almost no problem with it. He got the big decisions right, maybe could have been stricter but seemed to apply common sense where it was needed, although the constant buffering Shane Long gets in every game seems to get completely overlooked by all referees so why should we be surprised that Dowd refereed that aspect any different? No ill feeling toward him.

Our defence on the other hand...

[No Hoops]

Got both penalty decisions right, although should have sent off khizanishvili. But as said above, he gave the forwards nothing. There seemed to be alot of pushing the back of long and hunt. Where he seemed to give Swansea alot of smaller decisions, he didnt give us.

Most definitely not to blame for the defeat though and we could have had alot worse a ref.

Do you think he could see more as Swansea's build ups were more passing than the Long ball.

IMHO the lino's didn't help him much.

[RoyalBlue]

Thought he had a superb game today. Missed one or two minor things, but on the whole, he was excellent.

The neutral BBC hardly spoke highly of him.

With Griffin's card: 'Phil Dowd is clearly out to make an impression/get on TV'

Later: 'He's already given out more cards than I did last Christmas'

They also felt we should have had a penalty for handball before he gave two to Swansea.

I would also like Mr Dowd to explain:

Why a challenge on McAnuff every bit as bad as the Griffin challenge on a Swansea player escaped without a card.

Why when with @ 10 minutes to go he allowed a Swansea player to very intentionally shove his (Dowd's) hands away when being lectured, called him back angrily and then let him off without even a yellow! Some 'Respect' there.

Also just what did the usually very mild mannered, calm and professional Tabb say or do to warrant a red card and what led to Tabb's reaction?

Got both penalty decisions right, although should have sent off khizanishvili. But as said above, he gave the forwards nothing. There seemed to be alot of pushing the back of long and hunt. Where he seemed to give Swansea alot of smaller decisions, he didnt give us.
.

Conceding a penalty does not automatically warrant a yellow. What's more, he probably had some doubt on reflection, regarding his first yellow for the reaction to the assault on Feds by their player.

[RoyalBlue]

For me the problem was the lack of consistency in decisions between the teams.

Griffin's yellow card for what was a strong but legitimate tackle basically sent Reading the message "tackle Swansea and you will get booked", hence why from that point on the players were playing patches - they couldn't commit without thinking about it and second guessing themselves.

Then Swansea players not getting booked for similar or worse tackles. If I was wound up with that from the rafters, I'm not surprised the team and staff were.

I'm not unhappy with the performance, nor do I begrudge Swansea the Prem (they're welcome to if I'm honest), but I am irritated that Dowd stopped the game from being a freeflowing match we could all enjoy.

My thoughts to a Tee.

And mine. If we have to endure some iffy refereeing, let it at least be consistent with both sides suffering!

Incidentally, yet to watch the recording but it seemed to me that the Swansea player launched himself at Feds and caught him in an attempt to unlawfully block his clearance. Could have led to a nasty injury. I wonder what would have happend had a ref clearly seen that sort of 'challenge' elsewhere on the pitch (on this occasion it would appear the assistant provided very little assistance!)

[royalsteve]

Thought he had a superb game today. Missed one or two minor things, but on the whole, he was excellent.

wtf!!!!

blind.....he gave swansea everything and missed our penalty before swans got theirs

swans players should have sent off for the kung fu tackle on feds and later v mcanuff i think

[No Fixed Abode]

[who are ya?]

[RoyalBlue]

For those speaking highly of the huffing and puffing Dowd, two moments to look at, if you have a recording of the game.

21m 21s McAnuff hits a high ball forward towards Long, a defender jumps robustly through past Long knocking him flying to head clear. Dowd somehow conjurs up a freekick against Long from which Swansea break for their second! No wonder the Reading players were incensed!.

57m 43s Right under the gut of Dowd, a Swansea player takes a swipe and connects with Leigertwood's legs causing him to stumble and lose possession. Dowd puts whistle to mouth. as though to rightly blow for freekick and then changes his mind, allowing Swansea to break forward and nearly score another!

I think those who suggest that he came in with the mindset that Reading were going to try to physically bully pretty footballing Swansea are spot on. As a consequence, it was Swansea who got away with the rough stuff. as he repeatedly pulled up Reading and failed to see the equivalent or worse from the 'footballing' team!

He didn't completely cost us the game but his inept and inconsistent performance did not help!

[Snowball]

For those speaking highly of the huffing and puffing Dowd, two moments to look at, if you have a recording of the game.

21m 21s McAnuff hits a high ball forward towards Long, a defender jumps robustly through past Long knocking him flying to head clear. Dowd somehow conjurs up a freekick against Long from which Swansea break for their second! No wonder the Reading players were incensed!.

57m 43s Right under the gut of Dowd, a Swansea player takes a swipe and connects with Leigertwood's legs causing him to stumble and lose possession. Dowd puts whistle to mouth. as though to rightly blow for freekick and then changes his mind, allowing Swansea to break forward and nearly score another!

I think those who suggest that he came in with the mindset that Reading were going to try to physically bully pretty footballing Swansea are spot on. As a consequence, it was Swansea who got away with the rough stuff. as he repeatedly pulled up Reading and failed to see the equivalent or worse from the 'footballing' team!

He didn't completely cost us the game but his inept and inconsistent performance did not help!

Agreed, esp the bolded bit. Had we won the free-kick, at the very least we wouldn't have
conceded that second killer goal

[GJ79]

For me the problem was the lack of consistency in decisions between the teams.

Griffin's yellow card for what was a strong but legitimate tackle basically sent Reading the message "tackle Swansea and you will get booked", hence why from that point on the players were playing patches - they couldn't commit without thinking about it and second guessing themselves.

Then Swansea players not getting booked for similar or worse tackles. If I was wound up with that from the rafters, I'm not surprised the team and staff were.

I'm not unhappy with the performance, nor do I begrudge Swansea the Prem (they're welcome to if I'm honest), but I am irritated that Dowd stopped the game from being a freeflowing match we could all enjoy.

My thoughts to a Tee.

+1