'How Pierluigi Collina blew it for David Moyes and Everton in 2005'

[Royal Blue Jersey]

Don;t know whether this is part of some Man Utd media spin campaign to allay fan's fears pre-Champions League but at least not everyone forgot.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/16/david-moyes-everton-champions-league-villarreal

David Moyes's one and only foray into Champions League territory came in August 2005 when, after finishing fourth the previous season, Everton were drawn to face Villarreal in the third-qualifying round and after losing the home tie 2–1, turned up at the ramshackle El Madrigal ground on a perceived hiding to nothing.
They were soon a goal down but Mikel Arteta equalised with 20 minutes to go, Tim Cahill hit the bar with a deflected effort before Duncan Fergusonhad an effort well saved.
From the resulting corner the Scot headed in only for Pierluigi Collina – who had been allowed by Uefa to defer retirement despite reaching the required age – to blow for a pull by Marcus Bent. Replays showed the Everton man was fouled.
With Moyes's men still pushing for a winner to take it into extra time, Diego Forlán scored in injury time to ensure Villarreal's progress. They beat Manchester United and Rangers and were only unseated by Arsenal in the semi-final.
Collina announced his retirement days after the Villarreal match and never returned to the professional game.

OK, this is definitely just a PR campaign. That was a pathetically **** article. Also the subheading read:

Manchester United manager's first Champions League experience was brief and it spelled the end for the Italian official
• Moyes faces fresh challenge with United in Europe

Still worth a mention I suppose. I still have awful memories of that night.

 

[Neiler]

Yeah what did they get to that year, the semi final, possibly the worst team we could have drew, like they needed the ref to give them a leg up.

 

[4737carlin]

Media dragged up that, they didn't give a ****e at the time because it was Evertons problem, bastards

Shirt looks a bit purple in that pic, photographer must of had some weird white balance setting.

 

[TX Bill]

Quite possibly the worst refereeing decision for Everton in my time of supporting Everton (yeah, worse than Clattenberg in the derby)

 

[tonyhorne]

It is also conveniently forgotten how our preparations were disrupted whilst former employees of Liverpool FC at the FA tried to engineer the entry into the competition of the fifth placed team.

 

[bflefc]

Not this old chestnut again.

From my memory we were utter ****e for the majority of that 2nd leg, rarely threatening. Who's to say we'd have won in extra time? It was only because we were going out that Moyes decided to throw off his defensive shackles and give it a go, hence the late pressure we piled on them.

Let. It. Go.

 

[bignev23]

The goal should have stood but we lost the tie at Goodison.

 

[ijjysmith]

Let's be honest though.

We'd have been truly d*cked in the group phase anyway!

There's a youtube clip somewhere of Collina explaining the disallowed Ferguson goal. Says Bent was fouling someone. He obviously wasn't like.

 

[ijjysmith]

The goal should have stood but we lost the tie at Goodison.

This is true as well.

 

[Blue Cheese]

old news

 

[davek]

Not this old chestnut again.

From my memory we were utter ****e for the majority of that 2nd leg, rarely threatening. Who's to say we'd have won in extra time? It was only because we were going out that Moyes decided to throw off his defensive shackles and give it a go, hence the late pressure we piled on them.

Let. It. Go.

Yes, you're right...and they had us on the ropes for long periods of the first leg too. No question about who were the better team over the two legs.

However, football is also about momentum shifts and we'd clearly gotten Villarreal on the back foot by the time DF scored that goal, and ET would have been an ordeal for them and their edgy supporters to endure. In short: we'd have taken that tie had the disallowed goal stood.

 

[Blue Cheese]

Yes, you're right...and they had us on the ropes for long periods of the first leg too. No question about who were the better team over the two legs.

However, football is also about momentum shifts and we'd clearly gotten Villarreal on the back foot by the time DF scored that goal, and ET would have been an ordeal for them and their edgy supporters to endure. In short: we'd have taken that tie had the disallowed goal stood.

Come off it Davek thats an if's buts n maybe's answer, you don't know that and anyway it never happened. Pointless disscussion

 

[jtl60]

Not this old chestnut again.

From my memory we were utter ****e for the majority of that 2nd leg, rarely threatening. Who's to say we'd have won in extra time? It was only because we were going out that Moyes decided to throw off his defensive shackles and give it a go, hence the late pressure we piled on them.

Let. It. Go.

I think we played better in the second leg and they scored from a long range effort that took a massive deflation. Anyway its old history. We always like to forget that Kilbane went steaming into a challenge on half time and got no where near the ball and was already on a yellow card but Collina let him off.

 

[davek]

Come off it Davek thats an if's buts n maybe's answer, you don't know that and anyway it never happened. Pointless disscussion

It's not really. How can you say that? It's like me saying to you now that on Saturday against Chelsea we found our composure in the final 20-25 minutes and saw the game out and you contradicting that by saying that wasn't the way the game ended. The vast majority wouldn't agree with you. It doesn't need a welter of stats to prove what we all watched and observed. It's a valid reading of what went on. Same with the Villarreal game. Anyone who watched that 2nd leg and didn't think they were holding on and losing confidence fast whilst we were gaining ours just weren't watching it...or have no appreciation of momentum shift.

 

[Blue Cheese]

It's not really. How can you say that? It's like me saying to you now that on Saturday against Chelsea we found our composure in the final 20-25 minutes and saw the game out and you contradicting that by saying that wasn't the way the game ended. The vast majority wouldn't agree with you. It doesn't need a welter of stats to prove what we all watched and observed. It's a valid reading of what went on. Same with the Villarreal game. Anyone who watched that 2nd leg and didn't think they were holding on and losing confidence fast whilst we were gaining ours just weren't watching it...or have no appreciation of momentum shift.

I'm not saying that going on to win was not a possibility and I completely agree the momentum had shifted to us but that does not mean we would have gone on to win the game. That situation never materialised and fans can't start saying, if this. if that had of happened we would have won. That is what we slate that lot for isn't it.