what does that mean? The part where because of gerrards diving we have no need to complain. That is surely a completely different issue than respect for officials and players and nothing to do with this? You only mention it cos you dislike him.

I was only teasing mate, calm down

all calm mate, just making sure

I think Mascherano can feel hard done by, by the actions of Chelsea and Manchester United players towards the referees yesterday

Safe to say he got booked for far less than the many shouting and harrassing players did last night

Maybe respect for the referee is a 'flavor of the month' event

Mascherano can never feel hard done by, he went over to the ref and complained like six times...

i remember a Newcastle match a few years back when Dyer got sent off. He got a second yellow for talking to the linesman. He wasnt even in his face shouting. did anyone see the Man United players after the pen was given?? and many want Rio Ferdinand to be captain of england, what a joke!!
And that Sir Alex Ferguson can f*ck off!, am i the only one thats sick of that old man complaining, hes nearly as bad as Wenger. Well i should really call him Alex Ferguson, i dont know how he can be a Sir when he swears at refs in public every week. Not very Sir like!!!
I know that its not just the big four, but they seem to get away with it. I dont see it getting any better. Maybe when Alex Ferguson is dead and Wenger has been diagnosed as blind we might move forward!!

English players can't be booked for dissent. Don't you know the rules?

Gerrard diving who said that?

Good post steely and i agree with you 100% "dam that was hard to say"

Players these days have no respect for referees what so ever. Referees have to be more consistant in order for success. Yup agree only the captain should speak to the ref. That should of been put in place along time ago. In lower leagues here in Scotland i notice the refs get more respect than they do in the SPL, is this the same in the england? Seems like it.

Too many players think they are bigger than refs and its a joke. Refs need to start taking more action. For every player who approaches them when not needed to who gives verbal then book every one of them. Would make them stop it the more times refs do it which would lead to the players getting suspended eventually.

El hadji has gotten better recently, but i think the league and tier officials have given Rooney special treatment in this issue. He's my favourite British player and has really improved his attitude in recent times,but in the last couple of games he's regressed. Call it frustration or whatever you want ,but the ref's are blatantly taking his frustration into consideration and turning a blind eye imo.

The only people moaning about the top teams and their behavior are either rivals or supporters of smaller clubs.A lot of it is jealousy and shouldn't be taken for anything but that. In any "civilized" society their are rules and laws to abide by Football is that in a microcosm and really no different,but i am a firm believer in respect being earned. Some of the decisions like say "Rooney" given special privileges only compound problems ,because when other players see this ,the system looses respect from the participants.
If the ref's are more mechanical and less human with their decisions then things will change.

When refs make genuine mistakes that are obviously recognized by everyone except himself then you have to expect mass disagreement.