gdalli10 Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 I'm a big fan of Higgy but he must commit the most fouls in the spl - to me he just can't buy a break of refereea. Defenders will hold him or climb all over him and its play on or when he uses his body to hold off the defender it's a free kick against the big man. Obviously sometimes he does commit fouls but he just seems to get a raw deal imo or is he just clumsy and im looking through claret and amber specs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbcmfc Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 I like higdon as well, and you're right. I think some more experienced defenders know exactly how to play him and the referee. He does do a lot of holding though. Nothing on OJ who runs around knocking folk over off the ball though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special aka Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 Much more playing to his strengths would bring us more goals/victories ............... sod the Refs, they're all shyte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropy Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 Play the ball to the big man at any height up to chest level an he will control it and feed someone in, it is the balls at head height where all the wrestling starts 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siebsbarmyarmy Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 I think Higdon's main problem is he doesn't go down when fouled but stays on his feet. To me it's what he should do and he is a very honest player. Compare the Hearts game recently. Every time he went for a header Zaliukas and Webster climbed all over him but he stood his ground and got 0 fouls. Sutton came on and within 3 mins had win two fouls by backing into Ramsden then falling over. As a well fan that used to infuriate me. To me I think the useless refs in this country need to realise you can get fouled without falling over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StipeIsGod Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 Been saying this for a few weeks, actually. It became apparent when I realised there was one game we were watching (his hat-trick game, maybe?) at Fir Park, where he suddenly got 80% of the decisions and looked far better for it, meaning that he drew the free kicks, or more importantly, wasn't penalised for any aerial challenge. I wonder whether it was due to poor (as in unintelligent) defending, or whether we had a referee more willing to give in favour of the attacking/home team. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweed Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 I would like to point out the referee the day he got the hattrick was Stevie O'Reilly. Just saying like. Yesterday I thought the referee favoured the defenders all the time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain7_mfc Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 He plays the exact same game that big fat Hartson played for Celtic, but was he ever penalised....there lies yer problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
numpty Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 I would like to point out the referee the day he got the hattrick was Stevie O'Reilly. Just saying like. Yesterday I thought the referee favoured the defenders all the time. Yet funnily enough, the MFC TV commentators pointed out several times (in the first half, at least) how, for a change, the ref was letting Higdon away with challenges that he's penalised for most other weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthefringes Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 I await steelboys' analysis wth relish... For me? He's victim of the poor interpretation of the rules by officials more than he is the culprit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al B Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 It's the inconsistency of the ref's that annoys me. Webster goes over the back of Higdon, no penalty. McPake goes over the back of him, penalty. Someone yesterday goes over the back of him, no foul. I'm not even that bothered whether a challenge like that is deemed a foul or not, just make it the same. For all the chat about good/bad refereeing and the need for it to change, all the game needs is consistent refereeing either way so that everyone can adapt to what the rules are, and the game would improve. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweed Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 It's the inconsistency of the ref's that annoys me. Webster goes over the back of Higdon, no penalty. McPake goes over the back of him, penalty. Someone yesterday goes over the back of him, no foul. I'm not even that bothered whether a challenge like that is deemed a foul or not, just make it the same. For all the chat about good/bad refereeing and the need for it to change, all the game needs is consistent refereeing either way so that everyone can adapt to what the rules are, and the game would improve. I think part of the issue is Higdon doesn't jump that often, he stands waiting for the ball to come to him which makes it look less of an infringement because there seems to be less of an attempt to play the ball, thats not really a criticism of Higdon just an observation. The reason I think he does it is that his close control is better with his chest than with his head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat_tony Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 I think Higdon's main problem is he doesn't go down when fouled but stays on his feet. To me it's what he should do and he is a very honest player. Compare the Hearts game recently. Every time he went for a header Zaliukas and Webster climbed all over him but he stood his ground and got 0 fouls. Sutton came on and within 3 mins had win two fouls by backing into Ramsden then falling over. As a well fan that used to infuriate me. To me I think the useless refs in this country need to realise you can get fouled without falling over. Comparing to Sutton is the perfect example of this. John Sutton used to win us loads of free kicks by doing what you mention above, or when someone came over the back of him, he'd fall to his knees and more often than not get a free kick from it. Higdon just doesn't go down though. I'm not for a second saying he should get a free kick every time, as in a lot of cases Higdon has his arms round behind him as the defender's jumping up his back, but referees surely shouldn't be constantly punishing one player when both are giving as good as they are getting? Why not just let them get on with it and play on in that case, rather than giving the foul the defender's way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foghorn Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 As I have stated before, Higdon was "whistled" out of the Hibs game early on by poor ref O'Reilly constantly pulling him up and eventually booking him. Yesterday he was allowed to contest the high ball without being pulled up and brought his fellow attackers and midfielders into the game. Definately a big difference to how the refs viewed his attempts to play for the ball in these matches and ultimately how the results turned out for us. I thought Higdon played his part well yesterday along with every Well player in a very good team performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 As I have stated before, Higdon was "whistled" out of the Hibs game early on by poor ref O'Reilly constantly pulling him up and eventually booking him. Yesterday he was allowed to contest the high ball without being pulled up and brought his fellow attackers and midfielders into the game. Definately a big difference to how the refs viewed his attempts to play for the ball in these matches and ultimately how the results turned out for us. I thought Higdon played his part well yesterday along with every Well player in a very good team performance. all the fouls against hibs were fouls though. it's not the ref's fault he's constantly trying to putting his arms over the defender, we would be shouting for free kicks if it was against us. the likes of nish and sutton try to gain an advantage with their arms but at least they have a bit of nous and win some as well. higdon just constantly grabs the defender then looks shocked when the free kick goes against him, at least henrik mixes it up with a few handballs and dives to go with the crazy barges. the reason he never wins any is because he never jumps for the ball. even yesterday he gave a few away. the one in the first half on the edge of their box was comical. last season he ended up missing out on a century of fouls in the spl by two. right now he has given away 34 in the league and won 10, if he continues at this rate for the rest of the season he's looking at giving away 117 and winning 34 according to this he's committed 384 fouls in the spl. you would think after the first couple of hundred he would think about changing his style of play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 He plays the exact same game that big fat Hartson played for Celtic, but was he ever penalised....there lies yer problem! Spot on. John Hartson, Chris Sutton, Kris Boyd - all guys who played the same way as Higdon, and all guys who didn't get punished (and even regularly won fouls) because of who they played for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelboy Posted November 5, 2012 Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 Spot on. John Hartson, Chris Sutton, Kris Boyd - all guys who played the same way as Higdon, and all guys who didn't get punished (and even regularly won fouls) because of who they played for. i agree with that. sutton and hartson in particular gave refs the option of either penalising them every time or not all. unsurprisingly scottish refs chose to let them away with it but it was a different story in europe. in 2004 hartson gave away 27 fouls in the six group stage games. it would be interesting to know if this is something mccall works on with him or if they are just happy to continue the way things are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haggischomper Posted November 5, 2012 Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 And Hateley, the mulletted twat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy_P Posted November 5, 2012 Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 Must be those of a certain age Haggis. As this thread was developing and comparisons made between officiating of different players he was the one that instantly sprung to mind as being given a near free reign at times to bully his way through Premier League defences. As regards Higdon I'm not sure where I fall in the argument as to whether he gets a raw deal or brings it on himself but to pick up on steelboy's comment about McCall working with him, I have wondered before about McCall's general approach to the disciplinary side of things. We're certainly not a dirty team as far I'm concerned, and some of our sending-offs have been very questionable but we do seem to be more prone to attracting red cards and suspensions then we were under Brown. It almost caught up with us last season, you do worry that with an even smaller squad this season suspensions might bite us in the arse come the latter part of the campaign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEWELL Posted November 5, 2012 Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 Higdon doesn't jump for high balls but uses his arms to shove opposing defenders off the ball. If he geniunely jumped alongside the opponent he wouldn't get penalised as much. His lack of mobility also causes him to foul oppnents. There's no refereeing vindetta against him as bending forward when a centre half is attempting to header clear shouldn't result in a foul. So in reallity HE'S the cause. <_> 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted November 5, 2012 Report Share Posted November 5, 2012 I miss the old days of watching centre halfs and target men going hammer and tongs against one another and seeing which would come out on top. Sadly this has fallen by the wayside with play acting and weak refereeing being the norm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian-in-Oz Posted November 6, 2012 Report Share Posted November 6, 2012 Reading the St Johnstone forum they claim the ref was murder & Higdon got away with far too much. So in answer to the question it depends what colour your specs are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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