Ref Watch

[SebastianBlue]

Yeah, I agree that was his reasoning - just not sure he was right. He's basically shielding the ball - but doing that you need to be in playing distance of it. I'm not totally sure he was. If it's out of reach it's a pen. If not, yeah Kev basically kicked him.

So he basically did a typical Michael Oliver and took the decision that would impact the game the least considering it was very early in the match.

It is a penalty all day long and twice on Sundays.

And the way I can be sure of this is ask yourself: if had been in midfield and in reverse, with Partey breaking in to the open in the midfield, and Kev just running across Partey’s stride like that, no intention to play the ball, would it have been a foul and a yellow card?

Would it fuck.

Either Oliver was under orders to try to keep it a match early on or he was acting on his own to “manage the game”.

Either way, he wasn’t applying the laws of the game fairly, favouring one team over another, and that is corruption.

 

[paulchapo]

Oliver was awful last night as he usually is against us. There were two occasions an Arsenal player took one of ours out off the ball and surely that has to be a red? Also him and Cootes on var didn't give a clear penalty on Kev, I'm not sure how others are saying it wasn't a penalty it looked pretty clear to me. I was actually amazed they gave the John Stones goal.
As for refs I think the standards are awful and that's var as well. When they say Atwell and Oliver are the best you know you're fucked.

 

[mattcity5]

It is a penalty all day long and twice on Sundays.

And the way I can be sure of this is ask yourself: if had been in midfield and in reverse, with Partey breaking in to the open in the midfield, and Kev just running across Partey’s stride like that, no intention to play the ball, would it have been a foul and a yellow card?

Would it fuck.

Either Oliver was under orders to try to keep it a match early on or he was acting on his own to “manage the game”.

Either way, he wasn’t applying the laws of the game fairly, favouring one team over another, and that is corruption.

He's a coward but it's got him right to the top as a ref. Give decisions, cards etc early on and you've "spoilt the game". Early decisions which cause goals get replayed and remembered. Don't give them and then enough happens afterwards so that everyone forgets or ignores what went on before.

The worst decision for me was failing to give a second yellow to Partey when he climbed all over Haaland and rugby tackled him. Absolute cowardly incompetence.

 

[mattcity5]

Oliver was awful last night as he usually is against us. There were two occasions an Arsenal player took one of ours out off the ball and surely that has to be a red? Also him and Cootes on var didn't give a clear penalty on Kev, I'm not sure how others are saying it wasn't a penalty it looked pretty clear to me. I was actually amazed they gave the John Stones goal.
As for refs I think the standards are awful and that's var as well. When they say Atwell and Oliver are the best you know you're fucked.

Oliver's a coward but half decent.

Attwell's brave and will give decisions but is either incompetent or corrupt, I'm unsure which.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

Tbh based on what I saw from the ref last night I think they're targeting the first 20 minutes of City games. We're not getting anything last night in that period, really odd calls, at our fkin ground too!

But they gave a free kick in the first half dying minutes and VAR call went our way (at a crucial time).

But that first twenty minutes didn't feel normal from the ref.

 

[GOULDYBOBS]

3:1 yellow cards dealt out in a game with rugby tackles, choke holds and sly legs left in.

Anything happen to that little TOWIE prick at the end going for Phil?

 

[SebastianBlue]

3:1 yellow cards dealt out in a game with rugby tackles, choke holds and sly legs left in.

Anything happen to that little TOWIE prick at the end going for Phil?

Yeah, he was humiliated in the most watched match of the season. ;-)

 

[cleavers]

The league are desperate to keep Arsenal in this to the final day and will likely continue to use the referees to try to influence results.

Despite his efforts, he didn't influence this one thankfully.

 

[SebastianBlue]

Despite his efforts, he didn't influence this one thankfully.

No, thankfully we were so good we were able to overcome playing a man down for at least the first 20 minutes.

But will we always be?

 

[PabZabb]

I thought Oliver had a terrible game last night, how Partey didn't get a second yellow when he rugby tackled Haaland was shocking. However I don't think a penalty was clear, Partey planted his foot next to the ball and Kev kicked him as he was trying to shoot. There were many instances where Oliver gave Arsenal favouritism last night, and it might be unpopular, but I can see why he didn't award a penalty.

what you’ve just described is Partey tripping KDB. Pen all day.