And what do we do when the 4th official says there's three minutes added time and Fergie thinks he's wrong?

What happens when the 4th offical deems 3 minutes and there's extra stoppages in those added minutes. Do we trust the ref to add the extra time for those stoppages, or do we need the 4th offical to make another judgement?

As I said, it's a minor issue, only brought out because United lost. It'd make precious little difference to the game if we did start using official timekeepers, but it's a hell of a lot of extra work and another way of undermining refs and making out they aren't up to the job.

If they stopped the clock for things like goal kicks, free kicks, corners etc., that take up a minute or so at a time, then there would be no arguments about extra time because it wouldn't be needed, like it isn't in rugby.

I think Gerrard is a diving cheat. But today was a good example of a clear penalty not been given when it was right in front of the ref. No matter how many pens Gerrard cons, he still won't get as many given as he deserves. What did Gallas need to do to give away the pen, break his leg?

Nice to see Wenger seeing the offside when Liverpool scored. Bleat about an offside rather than accept your keeper dropped a clanger.

There's no need for arguments now. It's just a convenient excuse wheeled out when a manager wants to deflect attention from their players.

ATM you know pretty much how long a game is lasting. 90 mins + 15 min half time + between 5 and 10 minutes added time depending on injuries. If you start stopping the clock for corners, free kicks etc then a 90 minute game will start lasting 120 minutes. There's no point. Football has always been pretty much the same with the amount of breaks in play. It works fine. The system in RL works well for RL, but it's not really needed for football.

I don't like it to be honest and I don't feel the extra time system is particularly fair or effective.


Shocking result from us today yet again. We give up the lead, we defend woefully then we give up. All too often.

And I'd add that coaches don't bitch about it in RL because it's recognised as not being that important. But there will be plenty of occasions when refs forget to tell the timekeeper to stop the clock. RL coaches don't bother to notice these things.

Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger will be noticing these things (when they're losing). So instead of Fergie bitching about only 3 minutes of added time, he'll be bitching about the time when the player was down injured for 2 minutes and the clock didn't stop.

If you think having a new timekeeping system is going to stop arguments, you've clearly not seen much of Ferguson, Wenger, Benitez or Mourinho. FFS they bitch about anything and everything that doesn't go their way.

Do you feel it is fair when RL players rush to form a fake scrum, just to get the clock stopped? It's a nonsense. They only do it when they are behind and the game is coming to a close. During the rest of a game a scrum takes as long as it takes and there's no issue. But when the game is tight forwards have to rush like idiots to get into place, then the clock is stopped and everyone takes a bit of a breather until the opposition dawdle into place and the game is restarted.

RL players have a couple of minutes break after every try. Football players don't. RL is 80 mins, football 90 minutes reflecting the difference between an impact and minimal impact sport.

There's no problem wth the present system. No matter how much whining managers come out with.

Clattenburg made two major howlers (at least) in that game. And on the basis of what I've seen, was overheard, in the tunnel at the break, saying how much he disliked Bellamy. If that's not asking for trouble ...

Not necessarily forwards ... and that's the bit I really dislike about it. Any 6 bodies will do but then we have a break and let the 6 forwards form a scrum. The rule should be that the 6 who form the initial scrum and therefore stop the clock should be the 6 in the actual scrum.

The same will come to Rooney soon if he carries on like he is doing.