Corruption, Cash Cows, Spineless officials, Media, what ever the reasons it has been clear to us for years that they are officiated with a completely different set of rules to us, and at least fans of other teams are seeing it now also.
Are Riley and Co under orders to keep the cash cow teams challenging. it certainly looks that way. Dippers get perfect appointments with refs and notice they complained about Tierney after the Spurs game mid December and he has not officiated them since. Riley doing what Dippers want him to do. Think last time we complained about a ref we had him again 2 games later.
The lack of cards they receive game after game can not be just poor officiating by so many refs. No bookings last night was laughable and how many reds do they avoid, either by getting away with bookings so that if they get a rare booking it should be a 2nd one and red or straight reds. Mane v Chelsea and Newcastle spring to mind, Fabinho most games, inc the recent elbow on Son, 3 of theirs v Us, Milner v Us, Arnold v Everton, avoided a red v Rags, the list in endless. How different the PL table may look if they had key players rightly suspended.
The cups are the same, Sending offs for the opposition galore on the CL, Kept in the cup at Leicester by avoiding a blatant red when 3-1 down, then the dodgy officiating in the final. FA Cup game v Cardiff with a penalty not given at 0-0 (England on Var) and the Keeper only getting a yellow instead of a red.
Its easy to challenge for a quadruple when your looked after so much.
In contrast look at how we are officiated, 2 cards in 3 tackles v Leeds, both soft and same ref let them get away with murder, Ederson booked often for time wasting when the other keeper has been at it for the previous 80 mins, the 2nd leg v Madrid and what they got away with.
The Media do not help, it seems any rare decision is scrutinised, a media campaign on behalf of Dippers about an injustice, Klopp constantly in the refs and 4th officials face yet gets away with it game after game, ex players all over the TV and Media, its like refs are cowards and afraid of giving anything against them because of the backlash. Again Tierney, not appointed as Ref since the complained about him. Moss last night, Atwell v Everton, Oliver v Spurs.
It is noticeable how many home games they lost during lockdowns with no crowds so refs were a little more fairer. How many games is it now since a penalty against them? And some they do get are laughably soft.
Lets just watch Martin Atkinson tonight, then watch him v Dippers at Southampton and see the difference in how he officiates