Ref Watch

[Paladin]

Attwell and Moss were both disgraceful - but on that incident I think he was about to blow for a foul by Gabby and played advantage for Brighton. That said, no excuses for the other dreadful decisions.

I disagree. Jesus did nothing to warrant giving away a free kick. There is no way Attwell was about to penalize him.

Watch the replay again, and look at only the Brighton player that fouls Jesus, and his position in relation to the ball. This is a premeditated kick at Jesus, with no intention to play the ball, which was actually nowhere near the Brighton player. This foul alone is worthy of a red card.

Attwell should have given the foul and cautioned or red carded the Brighton player. He raised his whistle to his mouth, but for some reason allowed play to continue.

VAR protocol says that VAR can intervene for the following reasons:

1. A video assistant referee (VAR) is a match official, with independent access to match footage, who may assist the referee only in the event of a ‘clear and obvious error’ or ‘serious missed incident’ in relation to:

a. Goal/no goal

b. Penalty/no penalty

c. Direct red card (not second yellow card/caution)

d. Mistaken identity

So if Attwell missed the foul on Jesus, Moss should have asked him to review it for a potential red card. Moss should also have recommended a review for the penalty incident at the end, because to not award that was clearly an error.

I think this is as corrupt as it gets.

 

[lazerblue]

(reference the bizarre free kick against Bernardo following a City throw in, signalled by one of the assistant referees)

that one had me shouting "you can't be offside from a throw in you thick twat" because that was the only reason to flag, Bernardo was fuckin left scratching his head

 

[Paladin]

that one had me shouting "you can't be offside from a throw in you thick twat" because that was the only reason to flag, Bernardo was fuckin left scratching his head

He didn't give it for offside. He pointed his flag to his left, indicating an offence of some sort. Offside would have been flagged towards the other side of the pitch, and pointing down, to show the position of the offside close to the linesman.

Looking at the incident again, he might have spotted a non-existent elbow by Bernardo on the defender. Bernardo does raise his arm, but the replay from behind the goal shows it was a blocking motion. It did not make contact and wasn't a foul.

 

[lazerblue]

i just thought when i saw the flag he must be giving offside because there was no other reason to flag

 

[The Future’s Blue!]

I hate to say it but it’s all about the brand and they need to ‘entertain’ all those that tune in, bringing in more subscribers. The officials are part of that entertainment package.

Just look at the Cavani goal. After going ballistic, Neville then calms and says that it’s gone to VAR for offside. The VAR screen comes up and you’re expecting the lines, only to see Cavani running through again with Neville saying it didn’t look like Fernandes touched it. Immediately Neville tells us that the goal stands, even though he knows Fernandes hasn’t touched it and it’s offside.

For me, this was very simple. Neville was hearing through the headphones what they had seen at Stockley Park but then decided to completely ignore it, that’s why Fernandes himself said he was told by the ref that he’d touched it when he didn’t believe he did. There was no way they were going to chalk off that goal if they could help it and probably the Match Commander, or should that be Entertainment Manager, who made an instant decision following a little bird having a word in his ear. United fans happy, will keep subscription for next season.

Then onto our game. What better for the Best League in the World, where anybody can win on the day, for a team nearly relegated to beat the best team in the land. Not only did it keep the neutral’s happy but also those United fans who tuned in after their game knowing that there was a chance of an upset to those who have had them crying most of the season.

And who can make these things happen?

 

[OntarioBlue]

Look again at the challenge by a Brighton player on Jesus in the second half, just inside the Brighton half, just past the half way line. Jesus beats his man and turns back towards his own half. The Brighton player, for no reason, kicks out at Jesus, sending him to the floor. It wasn't an attempt for the ball as the ball is on the half way line at this point. Jesus throws his arms up in frustration.

Attwell sees everything. He is in the perfect position. He raises his whistle to his mouth, but doesn't blow. Play continues. Attwell looks round to check on Jesus. Fernandinho fouls the Brighton player and receives a caution.

The correct decision here was for Attwell to blow for a foul on Jesus, then caution or dismiss the Brighton player. He was about to give the foul. What changed his mind? There can be only one explanation - CHEATING. For some reason, he decided not to penalise a clear foul on a City player. There were loads of similar instances of this cheating during the game. Far too many to put this down to incompetence or innocent mistakes.

The one thing you have missed is that, unbelievably, Atwell wasn’t going to whistle to award a free kick to Jesus. He was going to award a free kick AGAINST Jesus and actually played the advantage as Brighton had possession of the ball and were starting an attack.

It was an absolutely mind-boggling decision. Unfortunately, as others have said, it wasn’t the only mind-boggling decision of the night.

What is also mind-boggling is how these people keep their jobs.

 

[SilverFox2]

The one thing you have missed is that, unbelievably, Atwell wasn’t going to whistle to award a free kick to Jesus. He was going to award a free kick AGAINST Jesus and actually played the advantage as Brighton had possession of the ball and were starting an attack.

It was an absolutely mind-boggling decision. Unfortunately, as others have said, it wasn’t the only mind-boggling decision of the night.

What is also mind-boggling is how these people keep their jobs.

They keep their jobs because those who employ them condone and encourage those actions.
They are employed to be unfair and are not even good at disguising it.

 

[Bozzie]

If that is true and provable it must attract the attention of the police.

I think it’s the ‘provable’ part that’s the stumbling block tbh.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

finish as we started at home with WallyVAR as ref for Sunday.

Twattwell rewarded with a crucial game with Villa v Chelsea.

Fatty Moss ends the season with Arse v Brighton, funny he's on another Brighton game after doing so well for them the other night.

 

[Chris in London]

Stuart Attwell has indeed refereed Brighton in 5 PL games this season. They have not lost a single one of them.

The results are
Palace 1 - BHA 1
BHA 1 - Liverpool 1
Southampton 1 - BHA 2
Chelsea 0 - BHA 0
BHA 3 - City 2

There are some interesting features of these games.

In the Palace game, with Brighton losing 1-0, 10 minutes of injury time were added, with BHA scoring on the 90 minute mark.

In the Liverpool game, with Liverpool winning 1-0 Brighton were awarded a penalty described by the BBC as 'controversial' after 3 minutes of added time. Brighton had also been awarded a penalty after 20 minutes which they missed with the score still 0-0. Liverpool had two goals ruled out by VAR for offside.

In the Southampton game, with Brighton winning 2-1 Atwell denied a penalty appeal when Kyle Walker-Peters "went to ground." VAR did not overturn the decision. (Sounds familiar for some reason.)

The Chelsea game was the one on the evening that the Superleague started to fall apart.

And we all know what happened on Tuesday.