Thank you for the responses..................

[10ClarionSt]

.........................to my thread about Wayne Rooney last week. I've read them all and there are some very good points. I still think it was vindictiveness by the FA to charge Rooney. I really do. Just think; with this Respect campaign, it seems to be very much a one way ticket. When did you ever hear the FA say something like "We think the referee made one or two dubious decisions today, so in keeping with the Respect campaign, we'll be reviewing those". Yeah right.

[pa___ul3]

I'm sure it'll be another case whereby the FA decide to go strong on one player to set an example and then forget about it all..... much like the time when Mascherano was sent off against Utd for swearing.

[LordSnooty]

This is from a Liverpool fan

Steve Bennett had no choice but to give out the first yellow card. It was a reckless lunge early in the game, and in a high pressured local derby like this the referee has to take control early. Following his yellow card, Mascherano walked towards Bennett repeatedly saying, “F**k off.” It was clear and unacceptable, but Bennett showed leniency by booking him and warning him.

Mascherano then proceeded to commit two further fouls, either of which could arguably have been carded, and hurl abuse towards the referee when the free kicks were given. The warning Steve Bennett gave Mascherano could not have been clearer.

Then Steve Bennett decided to yellow card Fernando Torres. Now, this yellow card did seem harsh but we couldn’t see or hear what Torres actually said to the referee. Nor, of course, could Mascherano who decided to run fully twenty yards to remonstrate with Bennett.

Watching the game, I said, “He’s going to get sent off.” Alonso tried to grab his teammate and stop him from being foolish because he knew he would be sent off. Arbeloa looked skywards and annoyed because he knew his teammate was making a big mistake. Steve Bennett told Mascherano to go away or he would send him off. He continued to stand there and argue. He was sent off. Shock!

It is clear from the TV pictures that Mascherano was simply repeatedly saying “What’s happening.” He wasn’t swearing and he wasn’t, on that occasion, being particularly aggressive. In itself, maybe the yellow card in those circumstances would have been a little harsh. However, this was far from an isolated incident and Steve Bennett had already showed patience with the player and could have sent him off before he did. The fact that he ran so far and fought off a teammate to carry on the argument meant that Bennett had little choice.

The Liverpool player

[LordSnooty]

Contd,
The Liverpool players knew it, the Liverpool staff knew it and millions of people watching on television knew it.

[pa___ul3]

I'm not arguing that he shouldn't have been sent off Lord Snooty. It's just some Utd fans seem to think they're victims. It was agreed that, however wrong Marcherano's actions were, he was made an example of and the media hype following this pointed towards a 'crackdown' on bad language towards referees. This has subsequently been forgotten about. What Rooney done didn't get him a red card, but the following hype meant the FA took action, probably again to set an example to make it look like they're doing something about this sort of thing. It will probably soon be forgotten, although I can't see many other players being daft enough to replicate it!
Is what Rooney done more or less offensive that those players who take their shirts off (which is directly punished)? Or any more or less offensive that what Adebayor done in running towards the Arsenal fans? That may be debatable, what isn't debatable is that it was a ridiculously stupid thing to do, as was Mascha going on at the ref like that. I think it's crazy that people are trying to back him up!