I am afraid my vote must go in the filthy cheat section.

-- Anonymous, December 30, 2000

Answers

Definitely looking for a comfy landing - on his way down before he got touched.

-- Anonymous, December 30, 2000

From MOTD looks like Griffins momentum took him into Giggs after missing the ball- Butts one definetly didnt look a penalty, Speed only caught his leg cos Butt left it trailing nicely behind him.

-- Anonymous, December 30, 2000

Oi....Mandy Dingle......who's pushing and fouling who here?
answers on a postcard to.........Lisa Riley, Leeds:

-- Anonymous, December 30, 2000

this time?

-- Anonymous, December 30, 2000

Thats an amazing photo ITK, wherd u get it??????? From Motd u cud see Griffin take a swipe for the ball, miss, and his momentum carried him thru. So did Griffins fall cause Giggs to fall or did he go down like a sheep shagger?

-- Anonymous, December 30, 2000

The way I saw it (on TV), Giggs cut in front of Griff, looking for a collision so he could go down, he was looking for the ref while both his feet were still firmly planted on the grass. CHEAT!!!

-- Anonymous, December 30, 2000

Watched the penalty on MOTD and I have to say I have been a bit unfair calling Giggs a filthy cheat. Mainly because he shoudn't take all of the blame himself. Therefore to even things up I would just like to say that Butt is a cheat as well.

-- Anonymous, December 31, 2000

But...but...but....Mark Lawrenson thought it was a pen so it must have been. The only silver lining to the demise of MotD is that that pillock will be out of a job. Again.

Mind you, standards have slipped when you spend 5 minutes doing a montage of Dirty Kev's "return to form" which strangely appeared as a whole collection of missed chances.....hmmmmm, time to look at JDT and Andreas Andersson's times at the Toon again; apparently we were in the presence of greatness and never realised.

-- Anonymous, December 31, 2000

Filthy cheat

... He went into the box with the inension of falling over and not to try and score or set up a goal.

-- Anonymous, December 31, 2000

It was, at best, a dubious decision. At the time I thought it looked a clumsy challenge, and probably a penalty. However, having watched it on MOTD I now believe it was a very suspect decision.
There was some contact but I actually thought Giggs had lost control of the ball, and IMO it was not a deliberate foul to prevent him getting to the ball. He did go down like a roll of lino, but I didn't think it was an obvious dive.
It is normal for players like Giggs to be encouraged to run into the penalty area at pace and take defenders on in the expectation of getting their fair share of penalties.
Actually, I wouldn't overly criticise the Referee for this particular decision based on only one view, and his other decision on the Butt incident was spot on - Butt was also looking for a penalty.
However, where I felt Mr. Riley really bottled things was failure to book Silvestre for a very dangerous studs-up tackle on Solano in the first half - partly corrected I suppose by booking him for nothing early in the 2nd half.
In addition, he was pathetic in getting the defensive 'wall' back 10 yards at several free-kicks. Each time he stepped out 10yds, and then when the moaning whingers refused to step back the remaining 2-3 yds, he simply gave up and blew his whistle for the kick to be taken. The manure response in these situations is perfectly rehearsed.
Contrast this with Mr. Durso on Tuesday who faced with a similar situation, booked Bassedas, and moved the ball forward 10 yds and into our penalty area. Inconsistency, or just plain intimidation by manure?

-- Anonymous, December 31, 2000

After watching the replays it was so obvious that BOTH were deffo penalties. United AGAIN come to The Morgue only to be conned.

-- Anonymous, December 31, 2000

Perhaps through your red-tinted specs LR!
Even Taggart understands you did well to get anything out of the game. Fair result overall, but just as well for your lot that the main man was missing.

-- Anonymous, December 31, 2000

Clarky...never said we deserved to win the game.....I'd have taken a draw before the start...but c'mon..BOTH pens were so obvious...FACT. :-)

-- Anonymous, December 31, 2000

LR,

I've said that during the game I thought it looked like a clumsy challenge and a penalty. I've also said that I don't really believe Giggsy dived.

The Ref gets one look, and I certainly wouldn't criticise him for giving it. However, looking at it in slo-mo I'm not now so sure - I thought Giggs had slightly lost control of the ball and wasn't deliberately fouled.

At the end of the day, I'm not complaining - I thought a draw was a fair result on the balance of the whole game.

-- Anonymous, December 31, 2000

IMHO, it was definitely not a pen. I had the benefit of seeing it from 10 different angles on the halftime replays. The one from the East Stand definitely showed it wasn't a pen. From my seat, I thought the second was more deserving, but on MotD, I felt that was a blatant attempt by Butt to get a pen. I can't understand why Riley didn't book him. Either give the pen (incorrectly) or book the cheat.

-- Anonymous, December 31, 2000

In a spirit of goodwill I can see why he may have given a penalty. (If you wish to see a bad penalty decision try and get to see Hibs 97th minute penalty at home to Dundee Utd yesterday.)

On a rile clarification point though, I was surprised to see so much discussion of a free kick award and no moving back of a wall, as Man U managed to do not long after their goal. Maybe it doesn't apply when you have been shouted at a couple of weeks earlier for sending off a Man U player who ran 60 yards kicking lumps out of an attacker only to be sent off.

LR, as for the noise, you may be disappointed to know that the noise doesn't carry from up there very well. I'm at the same end, opposite corner to away fans and I could see you all clapping in unison, clearly looking as though you were making noise but it just wasn't there.

-- Anonymous, December 31, 2000

Mac...I know...that's why the opposition fans are put there..but the statues to the left and right of us had little response.

-- Anonymous, December 31, 2000