Nobody will be surprised to hear ...

[Rosco]

Revealed: Manchester United get more injury time when they need it

Sir Alex Ferguson likes to boast that his Manchester United team score more late goals than any other side in the world. Others argue that they get a bit of extra help from referees. It has now emerged that the Premier League champions do, as suspected, benefit from an imbalance in the amount of stoppage time that is added to their matches.

After the controversy over Michael Owen's winning goal in Sunday's Manchester derby, the Guardian has looked at all of United's league matches at Old Trafford since the start of the 2006-07 season and discovered that, on average, there has been over a minute extra added by referees when United do not have the lead after 90 minutes, compared to when they are in front. In 48 games when United were ahead, the average amount of stoppage time was 191.35 seconds. In 12 matches when United were drawing or losing there was an average of 257.17sec.

The average stoppage time added at Old Trafford in the period in question is below that given at Anfield, the Emirates Stadium and Stamford Bridge. United's is 205 seconds, compared to Liverpool's 210sec, Arsenal's 224sec and Chelsea's 229sec. But there is also evidence to support the suspicions of many managers, players and supporters that United get preferential treatment at home. When Owen made it 4-3 on Sunday the game was five minutes and 26 seconds into stoppage time. In total, the referee, Martin Atkinson, allowed almost seven minutes, even though the fourth official had signalled a minimum of four. Mark Hughes, the City manager, spoke of feeling "robbed". His sense of grievance will not be helped if he analyses the last three seasons.

In 2006-07, for example, United were winning 15 times on entering stoppage time and referees added an average 194.53sec. In the four games when United were not winning there was an average of 217.25sec. The following year the disparity was greater, Opta's figures showing an average 178.29sec added when United were winning and 254.5sec when they were not. Last season it was 187.71sec compared to 258.6sec.

The pattern has continued in the first three games of the season. In the two games United have led they have played an average 304sec of injury time. On Sunday, Atkinson allowed the game to go on for 415sec.

 

[IGotALuvlyBunchOfCoconuts]

So when United aren't winning the other team is doing too much time wasting.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

hmmm

 

[spider-Neil]

match of the day tried to make out the extra time was fair i.e. 4 mins plus bellemy's celebrations plus 1 sub, well;

a) where did the 4 minutes come from, seeing as there were no physios on the pitch, and all the subs weren't used?

b) if you are going to add extra for bellemy's celebrations where was the extra added for owen's celebrations which went on forever?

if that were us in man city's position we'd want blood

 

[Molbystwin]

Big teams get the breaks from refs shocker...

United deserved it anyway so ....

We just have to be better than them and thats the end of it.

 

[spider-Neil]

to this day no one has explained why the fuck it was 5 minutes extra time v chelsea in the first CL encounter.

 

[LFC_DO]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=35966.msg947922#msg947922 date=1253604936]
match of the day tried to make out the extra time was fair i.e. 4 mins plus bellemy's celebrations plus 1 sub, well;

a) where did the 4 minutes come from, seeing as there were no physios on the pitch, and all the subs weren't used?

b) if you are going to add extra for bellemy's celebrations where was the extra added for owen's celebrations which went on forever?

if that were us in man city's position we'd want blood
[/quote]

The scum were winning when the extra time was announced so 4 minutes was hardly to their advantage.

 

[nealmac]

[quote author=LFC_DO link=topic=35966.msg947945#msg947945 date=1253607166]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=35966.msg947922#msg947922 date=1253604936]
match of the day tried to make out the extra time was fair i.e. 4 mins plus bellemy's celebrations plus 1 sub, well;

a) where did the 4 minutes come from, seeing as there were no physios on the pitch, and all the subs weren't used?

b) if you are going to add extra for bellemy's celebrations where was the extra added for owen's celebrations which went on forever?

if that were us in man city's position we'd want blood
[/quote]

The scum were winning when the extra time was announced so 4 minutes was hardly to their advantage.
[/quote]
Actually, the board was raised 4 seconds after Bellamy scored as far as I'm aware, so the above still stands.

 

[Judge Jules]

Sky money has propelled English football into the financial stratosphere. Sky are big investors in ManUre. As our American cousins say, you do the math.

 

[Pesam]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=35966.msg947942#msg947942 date=1253606941]
to this day no one has explained why the fuck it was 5 minutes extra time v chelsea in the first CL encounter.
[/quote]

6 minutes wasn't it?

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=Pesam link=topic=35966.msg947970#msg947970 date=1253612966]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=35966.msg947942#msg947942 date=1253606941]
to this day no one has explained why the fuck it was 5 minutes extra time v chelsea in the first CL encounter.
[/quote]

6 minutes wasn't it?
[/quote]

didn't they blow exactly on 5 mins? that could have turned into an absolute disastor had gudjohnson hit the net. 5 minutes? for what exactly? did someone break their leg? we definately tore up sky's script for the CL final.

 

[Mors]

I wish they'd played about 6 extra mins last season at their yard, we could have had 5.

 

[gkmacca]

The only instance in which I think most fans really want extra time to be added on is when there's blatant time wasting, and THAT is the one aspect of the game that most refs NEVER seem to penalise properly. They tend to either ignore it or threaten someone with a yellow card and then turn a blind eye to the three or four other players who keep on doing it. Villa always get away with murder in that sense if they're winning against a top team with half an hour to go. We should have had about ten extra minutes when they came to Anfield this season.

 

[Oncy]

Is it not reasonable to suggest that teams hanging on to 3 or 1 point at Old Trafford against the most succesful team in the premiership era do more time wasting trying to hang on to that 3 or 1 point than they do anywhere else resulting in more time added on there than anywhere else?
No?
Okay fuck it BURN DOWN SOHO SQUARE AND SKY HQ ITS A GIANT UNDERCOVER OPERATION TO ENSURE THE MANCS DONT LOSE A GAME! Thats far more likely.

 

[Sunny]

[quote author=gkmacca link=topic=35966.msg948019#msg948019 date=1253618941]
Villa always get away with murder in that sense if they're winning against a top team with half an hour to go. We should have had about ten extra minutes when they came to Anfield this season.
[/quote]

We still wouldn't have got anything out the game though

 

[gkmacca]

[quote author=Sunny link=topic=35966.msg948022#msg948022 date=1253619252]
[quote author=gkmacca link=topic=35966.msg948019#msg948019 date=1253618941]
Villa always get away with murder in that sense if they're winning against a top team with half an hour to go. We should have had about ten extra minutes when they came to Anfield this season.
[/quote]

We still wouldn't have got anything out the game though
[/quote]

...but the cat was lowered down in a washing-up bowl. Lady Churchill is said to be "shaken" but unscathed. And now to this week's "Missing the Point" competition, sponsored by McVities. The winner is...Sunny. As usual for the winner, a copy of the Bible, along with a tin of McVitie's biscuits and a can of SPAM, will be dispatched presently. Now the weather...

 

[Sunny]

I'm not missing the point, I'm just saying we could have played another hour of that game and got fuck all out of it. I don't like time wasting and agree it should be discouraged and knocked out the game.

 

[Oncy]

I hate teams taking the ball to the corner flag.
Id like to see that discouraged by the offender being kicked up in the fucking air.

 

[SaintGeorge67]

[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=35966.msg948039#msg948039 date=1253620210]
I hate teams taking the ball to the corner flag.
Id like to see that discouraged by the offender being kicked up in the fucking air.
[/quote]

What about kicked to the ground like Bosingwa/Benayoun?

 

[Spionkop69]

So on average we get 5 secs more...

 

[IGotALuvlyBunchOfCoconuts]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=35966.msg947942#msg947942 date=1253606941]
to this day no one has explained why the fuck it was 5 minutes extra time v chelsea in the first CL encounter.
[/quote]

THe pitch invader?
O rwas that another match.

 

[Spionkop69]

[quote author=IGotALuvlyBunchOfCoconuts link=topic=35966.msg948061#msg948061 date=1253621262]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=35966.msg947942#msg947942 date=1253606941]
to this day no one has explained why the fuck it was 5 minutes extra time v chelsea in the first CL encounter.
[/quote]

THe pitch invader?
O rwas that another match.
[/quote]

I nearly posted that but thought it was another match. didn't they try and attach themselves to the Anny Road goal net?

 

[Sunny]

[quote author=IGotALuvlyBunchOfCoconuts link=topic=35966.msg948061#msg948061 date=1253621262]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=35966.msg947942#msg947942 date=1253606941]
to this day no one has explained why the fuck it was 5 minutes extra time v chelsea in the first CL encounter.
[/quote]

THe pitch invader?
O rwas that another match.
[/quote]

It was 6 minutes. Because I remember screaming "FUCKING 6 MINUTES !!! 6 FUCKING MINUTES !!!" and everyone looking at me like I was a loon.

 

[SaintGeorge67]

a lot can happen in 6 minutes...

 

[Oncy]

[quote author=SaintGeorge67 link=topic=35966.msg948075#msg948075 date=1253622757]
a lot can happen in 6 minutes...
[/quote]Thats crazy.

 

[the_khl]

[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=35966.msg948101#msg948101 date=1253625679]
[quote author=SaintGeorge67 link=topic=35966.msg948075#msg948075 date=1253622757]
a lot can happen in 6 minutes...
[/quote]Thats crazy.
[/quote]

*wanders off to check if www.alotcanhappeninsixcrazyminutes.com is available*

 

[Whaddapie]

[quote author=Molbystwin link=topic=35966.msg947933#msg947933 date=1253606254]
Big teams get the breaks from refs shocker...

[size=12pt]United deserved it anyway so .... [/size]
We just have to be better than them and thats the end of it.
[/quote]

Correct.

And completely irrelevant.

Time is not added just so the better side can finish the other lot off. At least, not outside of old trafford, it's not. And the 2005 CL Semi-Final second leg.

We didn't get 7 extra minutes against Stoke last season, did we?

 

[Oncy]

[quote author=Whaddapie link=topic=35966.msg948162#msg948162 date=1253633051]
[quote author=Molbystwin link=topic=35966.msg947933#msg947933 date=1253606254]
Big teams get the breaks from refs shocker...

[size=12pt]United deserved it anyway so .... [/size]
We just have to be better than them and thats the end of it.
[/quote]

Correct.

And completely irrelevant.

Time is not added just so the better side can finish the other lot off. At least, not outside of old trafford, it's not. And the 2005 CL Semi-Final second leg.

We didn't get 7 extra minutes against Stoke last season, did we?
[/quote]Thats coz there wasnt 7 minutes of injury time in that game.

 

[Whaddapie]

[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=35966.msg948267#msg948267 date=1253637877]
[quote author=Whaddapie link=topic=35966.msg948162#msg948162 date=1253633051]
[quote author=Molbystwin link=topic=35966.msg947933#msg947933 date=1253606254]
Big teams get the breaks from refs shocker...

[size=12pt]United deserved it anyway so .... [/size]
We just have to be better than them and thats the end of it.
[/quote]

Correct.

And completely irrelevant.

Time is not added just so the better side can finish the other lot off. At least, not outside of old trafford, it's not. And the 2005 CL Semi-Final second leg.

We didn't get 7 extra minutes against Stoke last season, did we?
[/quote]Thats coz there wasnt 7 minutes of injury time in that game.
[/quote]

Huh?

There wasn't in this game either...

 

[Oncy]

[quote author=Whaddapie link=topic=35966.msg948306#msg948306 date=1253641168]
[quote author=Herr Onceared link=topic=35966.msg948267#msg948267 date=1253637877]
[quote author=Whaddapie link=topic=35966.msg948162#msg948162 date=1253633051]
[quote author=Molbystwin link=topic=35966.msg947933#msg947933 date=1253606254]
Big teams get the breaks from refs shocker...

[size=12pt]United deserved it anyway so .... [/size]
We just have to be better than them and thats the end of it.
[/quote]

Correct.

And completely irrelevant.

Time is not added just so the better side can finish the other lot off. At least, not outside of old trafford, it's not. And the 2005 CL Semi-Final second leg.

We didn't get 7 extra minutes against Stoke last season, did we?
[/quote]Thats coz there wasnt 7 minutes of injury time in that game.
[/quote]

Huh?

There wasn't in this game either...
[/quote]Yes there was.