Ref Watch City Games - 2023/24

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

Of course I don't believe that, and I don't think many on here believe it either. To say there's a conspiracy is an extreme position to take. To say every referee is honest in every single decision is the opposite extreme. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.

The United goal from the Rashford offside was explained away as a mistake, and Webb said we wouldn't expect to see that decision given ever again. But that just doesn't cut it. Attwell, Cann and Oliver were all involved in that decision - three of our most experienced officials. It defies belief that they could have all thought that was a correct decision. And if it was all above board, they have the means to prove it by releasing the audio. Or even let some impartial adjudicator listen to the audio to show it was not a stitch up.

My feeling is they are 'encouraged' to keep the game interesting as a contest to keep neutral TV viewers on the hook, and their decision making is based around that. This makes our beautiful game more of an entertainment product than a sport which is the way it's been going since the beginning of the PL era .

You look at some of our games against lesser teams where one of their players could easily have been sent off early in the game, but weren't. Same in big/important games like the Dipper's game when Wee Jimmy Milner could/should have been given AT LEAST 3 yellow cards, or the that Rag's game last season. Had those kind of decisions gone our way we'd have absolutely walked the league, and audience figures would have plummeted.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Of course I don't believe that, and I don't think many on here believe it either. To say there's a conspiracy is an extreme position to take. To say every referee is honest in every single decision is the opposite extreme. The truth lies somewhere in the middle.

The United goal from the Rashford offside was explained away as a mistake, and Webb said we wouldn't expect to see that decision given ever again. But that just doesn't cut it. Attwell, Cann and Oliver were all involved in that decision - three of our most experienced officials. It defies belief that they could have all thought that was a correct decision. And if it was all above board, they have the means to prove it by releasing the audio. Or even let some impartial adjudicator listen to the audio to show it was not a stitch up.

What do you think happened behind the scenes then?

 

[halfcenturyup]

My feeling is they are 'encouraged' to keep the game interesting as a contest to keep neutral TV viewers on the hook, and their decision making is based around that. This makes our beautiful game more of an entertainment product than a sport which is the way it's been going since the beginning of the PL era .

You look at some of our games against lesser teams where one of their players could easily have been sent off early in the game, but weren't. Same in big/important games like the Dipper's game when Wee Jimmy Milner could/should have been given AT LEAST 3 yellow cards, or the that Rag's game last season. Had those kind of decisions gone our way we'd have absolutely walked the league, and audience figures would have plummeted.

Bingo. And if you look at the way City are being targeted with new rules to "level up" the club's finances with its rivals it beggars belief that people can't accept the same organisation is easily capable of levelling up performances on the pitch as well.

All imho, of course.

 

[Paladin]

So how do you think they have coordinated this conspiracy over the last 40 years?

Why does it have to be a conspiracy? Why can't it just be that certain referees favour certain clubs, or certain referees despise City?

Lahoz for one, never showed us any leniency or favour and always seemed to go against us. It's well rumoured that City had a dossier to show that one referee held a bias against us, and that referee was removed from City games before retiring to the USA. Also that City had a dossier of evidence to show that Raheem Sterling was unfairly treated by referees. Numerous referees have stated publicly that they favoured United, and there is evidence that United had influence in the selection of referees. (Winter never refereed United again, after having the audacity to dismiss Roy Keane).

There is no conspiracy needed here. It's just plainly evident that certain teams are favoured and certain teams are prejudiced against. Webb and his predecessors should not be appointing these biased referees in certain games.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

i'm just watching the PItcam Highlights of the EFC game and I was at the point where the ball is swung into EFC area. It's just over the head of Phil and Tarkowski gets a full head on it and also gets two hands into the back of Phil and sends him sprawling. A second or two later Hooooolihaaan gently places his hand in Tarkowski's back the force of which wouldn't topple an empty lifesize cardboard box - but the EFC man just slumps to the floor. Which one got the free kick? Foden or Tarkowski?

 

[Stephen230]

(Winter never refereed United again, after having the audacity to dismiss Roy Keane).

Winter’s last game as a professional referee was a United game.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Why does it have to be a conspiracy? Why can't it just be that certain referees favour certain clubs, or certain referees despise City?

Lahoz for one, never showed us any leniency or favour and always seemed to go against us. It's well rumoured that City had a dossier to show that one referee held a bias against us, and that referee was removed from City games before retiring to the USA. Also that City had a dossier of evidence to show that Raheem Sterling was unfairly treated by referees. Numerous referees have stated publicly that they favoured United, and there is evidence that United had influence in the selection of referees. (Winter never refereed United again, after having the audacity to dismiss Roy Keane).

There is no conspiracy needed here. It's just plainly evident that certain teams are favoured and certain teams are prejudiced against. Webb and his predecessors should not be appointing these biased referees in certain games.

I'd like to see a statistic on the number of free kicks awarded in the last quarter hour for the opposition at The Etihad. Every tackle seems to result in a free kick that they can launch into our area.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Winter’s last game as a professional referee was a United game.

I hope he well 'n truly screwed 'em!

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

It is corruption, they are there to apply the laws of the game & they don’t. If the players can deal with the atmosphere then the referees should be able to.

Any proof, or just your gut feeling?

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

I think one or two are robots, programmed to be anti City decision wise. Var is used to re-referee games when it suits the team.

What annoys me most is the inconsistency from game to game (team to team in fact), we are definitely refereed more stringently than "some others", what's really sad, it's now turned up in the womens game too. On Sunday, Bunny Shaw was clearly elbowed in the face in the box against arsenal, result, arsenal goal kick, if the referee didn't actually see it, she should be sacked.

Refs are human. They are susceptible to crowd and player influence. Unless robots are employed, that will never change. Fans of each team think they are swayed against their own side as they only remember the negative decisions and not the positive.

The mindset of having to moan about every refereeing performance regardless of result will always be alien to me. The result doesn’t seem to matter to some people. As long as they can shout corruption in the designated threads, they’re happy and anyone who doesn’t have the same need is contrarian, condescending [add other adjectives] etc.

The explanation ”just look how we are refereed” isn’t a reason. it’s a gut feeling based on tribalism. Refs will always have to make marginal calls. Some will go for your team and some will go against it. It’s the nature of the game.

Ultimately, people love a good moan.