Ref Watch

[Gray]

Referees have and always will make bad decisions, because they are in the wrong place, or are influenced by the crowd, players and their own preconceptions.

VAR is currently just supporting the ref. Those involved in VAR should be independent from the referees, to avoid the current collusion. Why not have foreign referees for VAR, and a reciprocal agreement for our refs to VAR their matches.

Why would foreign FA's want our bunch of "Blind Pew's"?

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

When a ref can put in that sort of display (I really don't think it was cheating BTW) and no one says anything, then illegal betting syndicates will have noticed. There HAS to be accountability. For the good of the game.

 

[eastmanc]

Pawson last night in the Haringay v Villa game was suggesting to the Villa player that the ball had gone out of play before he was cleaned out by the Spuds goalie. Just bending the facts to match their narrative.

I still keep finding myself saying to my sons,”don’t worry that won’t be given, or will be, VAR will see it and give the right decision “. I must be getting more stupid as I get older because more and more VAR is just a tool to back up the original decision of the on field ref, which obviously isn’t always right.

 

[eastmanc]

It's simple! If a scarlet clad wastrel is wandering around the opposition penalty area with little or no intent and collapses to the ground the ref and VAR will immediately point to the spot. The umpteen elements that constitute a penal offence as written in the LotG are only advisory and for guidance purposes only.

Remind me how many penalties have that. Lot got since VAR came in. The answer is a lot more than any other team apart from that lot from Merseyside.

 

[Mike Cledford]

A lot of the refereeing performances are down to mindset before they even get on the pitch.

We already know that they try and manage certain players.The suspicion is that they also attempt to manage "certain" teams,and occasions rather than just reffing the game as it unfolds.

It's also more than likely that refs get together to specifically discuss Var and how to back each other up.
Which,whilst understandable,also undermines its credibility.

Then at the top you have Mike "paragon of even-handed refereeing"Riley.

I completely agree but do you know for sure how foreign leagues deal with such situations in their domestic competions or even other sports when mistakes are made or incidents are not clear?
Mistakes will always happen although with most foreign or rugby refs there will be far fewer.
I will repeat myself saying that in the first year of VAR the refs were absolutely dead against refs themselves going to the screen and having a second look. They are still reluctant to do this.
So what makes these people so powerful they can refuse to implement something like that?

And of course why can the Redshirts get away with still not having a scoreboard so the match going fan can tell what is going on?.

 

[lust overlord]

I completely agree but do you know for sure how foreign leagues deal with such situations in their domestic competions or even other sports when mistakes are made or incidents are not clear?
Mistakes will always happen although with most foreign or rugby refs there will be far fewer.
I will repeat myself saying that in the first year of VAR the refs were absolutely dead against refs themselves going to the screen and having a second look. They are still reluctant to do this.
So what makes these people so powerful they can refuse to implement something like that?

And of course why can the Redshirts get away with still not having a scoreboard so the match going fan can tell what is going on?.

I don't know for sure how other leagues and sports deal with these sort of incidents.

Probably better than our clowns would be my guess.

Until there is an appetite to address the leadership of the likes of Mike Riley things will carry on being unsatisfactory.

 

[laplandblue]

In an absolute melee of unbelievably shite decisions by that cheating twat atwell tonight the most baffling was when he gave a foul against Stones on their keeper just because he dropped it, fucking useless bent bastard and Moss can fuck off aswell.

VAR is meant to be there to improve the game and come to the correct decisions, all it is is bent bastards backing up whatever decision the other bent bastards have made on the pitch

VAR has confirmed what many have suspected for a long time. All the technology is available to get the correct decisions. The old excuse of " human error " is no longer valid. Then it's all excused by the commentary.

 

[bluetonium]

Stuart Atwell has just announced that the Earth is flat.

After checking satellite images from The Lunar Rover, VAR finds there is not sufficient evidence to point to a clear and obvious error being made as, although giving the appearance of being rounded, the image could be interepreted to show that the Earth is in fact a series of flat lines arranged in a roughly spherical shape.

Back in the studio, BT Sports wholehartedly agree, with one pundit pointing out that the image was also 2D, therefore flat, and so the referee had every right to make that decision and is therefore also justified in sending off Fernandinho next week.

Decision: Penalty to Man United.

 

[laplandblue]

If I was shite at my job, I'd be ridiculed and destroyed.

These cunts have carte blanche to do as they please.

Ratboy can pontificate all he likes about the league, money - but this is where the real problem is; corrupt/shite fucking officials.

Exactly. If a barman was repeatedly asked for a pint and kept serving a glass of wine, he would get given the sack, not a cup final.

 

[Paladin]

When a ref can put in that sort of display (I really don't think it was cheating BTW) and no one says anything, then illegal betting syndicates will have noticed. There HAS to be accountability. For the good of the game.

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.

 

[colin's bell helmet]

And that's not corruption?

I wouldn't say he's corrupt he's just a terrible ref backed up by another terrible ref on VAR duty. If anything in the future has either of these 2 twats involved in betting syndicates then that's a different matter. Attwell spent years out of the premier league because of how inept he was and he's clearly no better for it based on his performance in the game the other night. Is being a spineless bastard being corrupt? I don't know I get your point though.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

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.

If he is a total idiot incompetent then there is another explanation. I understand why it cou ld be called cheating but I fail to see whats been gained from a dead rubber match

For me what's more worrying is the near total silence on the refs performance. He could have been cheating but no one looks or investigates!

 

[Akira]

I wouldn't say he's corrupt he's just a terrible ref backed up by another terrible ref on VAR duty. If anything in the future has either of these 2 twats involved in betting syndicates then that's a different matter. Attwell spent years out of the premier league because of how inept he was and he's clearly no better for it based on his performance in the game the other night. Is being a spineless bastard being corrupt? I don't know I get your point though.

A quick Google tells me his demotion was in 2012. That's fooking 9 years ago. It's sad that in 9 years he hadn't improved an inch as a referee.

Bastard should be refereeing Sunday leagues instead.

 

[colin's bell helmet]

A quick Google tells me his demotion was in 2012. That's fooking 9 years ago. It's sad that in 9 years he hadn't improved an inch as a referee.

Bastard should be refereeing Sunday leagues instead.

Exactly the twat has learned nothing, can't believe he's back in the Premier league... They must be desperate for refs to have that clown back.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

I wouldn't say he's corrupt he's just a terrible ref backed up by another terrible ref on VAR duty. If anything in the future has either of these 2 twats involved in betting syndicates then that's a different matter. Attwell spent years out of the premier league because of how inept he was and he's clearly no better for it based on his performance in the game the other night. Is being a spineless bastard being corrupt? I don't know I get your point though.

I remember him, and someone else I've forgotten, getting 'fast tracked' into the PL but fuck knows where he came from, and I thought at the time that a 28yr old PL ref clearly hasn't got anything like the experience that would be needed to ref any PL game, and I think that's how it's turned out. PiGMOL must be desperate for bodies to cover matches, fourth official duties AND the VAR shed, so we end up with personnel who are just not up to the job. People are still suggesting that it isn't corruption that delivered the abortion of refereeing we saw at Brighton, but it's certainly a dereliction on the part of PiGMOL to foist the likes of Attwell into a PL match, even one where points are irrelevant. His performance was beyond abysmal.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

I still keep finding myself saying to my sons,”don’t worry that won’t be given, or will be, VAR will see it and give the right decision “. I must be getting more stupid as I get older because more and more VAR is just a tool to back up the original decision of the on field ref, which obviously isn’t always right.

Football decisions STILL have the same "WTF" feeling as they did pre VAR days. So why not just get rid of it!

It has actually made things worse imo, because nowadays they can forensically investigate stuff and then apply those rules selectively. I preferred it when it was just the ref fucking up... and not 6 refs and a fkin Match Commander deciding what is and what isnt a handball.

VAR IS actually ruining the game just by being there.

 

[BamberBridgeBlue]

Looks like the concerns of Manchester City fans has been listened to. PGMOL have asked Peter Walton to come out of retirement specifically to referee City games to ensure we don’t have to endure Twatwell again.

 

[Holcombe bloo]

The Twitter link showing the foul on the Jesus, a few posts back, confirms to me that this is corruption. Attwell sees the foul, and is about to blow. (Reminiscent of Luiz v Aguero). He then turns round and lets play continue, with Brighton in possession. Attwell then looks back at Jesus, who is on the floor, before continuing to follow play. Play stops following the Fernandinho foul.

Look at the Brighton player that kicks Jesus, and where the ball is in relation to the "challenge". It is clear that he has no intention of playing the ball. It is just a dangerous kick out at Jesus.

Under the Laws of the Game, this is a definite foul, at least a yellow card, and potentially a red card. There is absolutely no rational reason why Attwell didn't penalise this foul, because he saw it and was about to penalise it.

It is almost as if the Brighton player knew he could perform this foul with impunity. Maybe he could. Maybe the other guy that fouled Gundogan knew that he could commit any foul and the maximum punishment would be a yellow card.

But for Attwell to see the foul, instinctively go to penalise it, and change his mind, to me, says he was carrying out instructions from someone else. This needs to be explained, or even investigated.

do you know what minute this was, wouldn’t mind watching it again Ta.

 

[SilverFox2]

If he is a total idiot incompetent then there is another explanation. I understand why it cou ld be called cheating but I fail to see whats been gained from a dead rubber match

Old habits die hard and a reminder to City that the FL still resents the combo of us and our main owner.
Blatent incompetance, biased ref, corruption RE betting, take your pick.
Any way you choose did not provoke any media comment which demonstrates that media bias continues.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

If he is a total idiot incompetent then there is another explanation. I understand why it cou ld be called cheating but I fail to see whats been gained from a dead rubber match

For me what's more worrying is the near total silence on the refs performance. He could have been cheating but no one looks or investigates!

The result in terms of overall league positions is irrelevant, but imagine for a moment if there was a pattern of Far Eastern betting Syndicates lumping money on City to have a player sent off before half time, or City winning at half time/losing at full time, or City losing 3-2, or giving away a foul throw, or even all of those potential outcomes?

Those officials are in the perfect position to try and make sure that happens, and when you witnessed some of those utterly baffling decisions you have to be concerned that potentially what we witnessed was corruption.