Ref Watch

I used to read Johnson's articles to get an unbiased view on controversial decisions, but really he is just an intellectual Peter Walton. They all seem to forget that Ederson is an "opponent" "attempting to play the ball" by positioning himself for a shot from Rashford. What else do they expect him to do? Rush out and clear the ball and Rashford out safe in the knowledge that he is offside? Yeah right. Play to the whistle they tell you. They expect him to have one eye on Rashford and one on Fernandes so he can react to both? On what planet?

Johnson: "The real case for discussion is about Ederson, and whether his actions would have changed had Rashford not been there. Perhaps, but Rashford doesn't impact the goalkeeper's ability to come and play the ball. He may affect his choice to do so, and how he might shape for a save, but the law doesn't discuss how a player might behave differently if the offside player isn't present; it only discusses the ability of an opponent to play the ball."

Ederson's problem was Rashford in any goalkeeping scenario, he is quite rightly looking right at him and positioning himself to save the shot. That is all his ability as a goalkeeper can allow him to do in that situation. Rashford shouldn't have been there, then his ability as a goalkeeper would allowed him to rush out and clear. The mind really boggles that they can't get their heads around this.

Still fuming.
The more I watch the “goal” back and the more I read the mental gymnastic certain parts of the media are undertaking to legitimise the decision (though, not all sport media… that’s how bad the decision was), the more infuriated I become.

For me it should be the pulling back of the curtain for anyone that doubted there was bias/suspect officiating in the PL.

No collection of officials at this level could be so spectacularly incompetent.

A part of me genuinely thinks Pep should instruct Erling to just stand about 15 yards outside the penalty box at all times, whether or not he is onside (is there such a thing anymore?), making sure not to be in direct line of sight of the keepers view of play, and we should slow pass the ball to him multiple times a match, with Walker and/or Alvarez sprinting from an onside position as Erling penguin walks the ball toward goal, before jumping out of the way at the last moment for Kyle or Julian to smack it past the befuddled keeper.

But the other part of my knows referees would just give opposing keepers free rein to go two footed through his ankles to get the ball before calling him offside.
 
Shocking that this twat actually came to the right conclusion.


Wtaf? So he deliberated the decision with VAR for 60 seconds? We are told VAR can only tell the referee if Rashford was in front of the last defender or not, not get involved in subjective decisions. So VAR was involved. What are they actually debating? The whole thing stinks. They can't even get their stories straight.
 
The decision was so bad not even Dermot ‘I think he got it about right, and here’s my nonsensical explanation for why’ Gallagher could support it.

Changed his tune from Saturday when him, Owen & Berbatov were all gas lighting SWP. I think they didn’t expect out pouring of rage from non City fans. Teams may hate us but they aren’t blind.
 
I used to read Johnson's articles to get an unbiased view on controversial decisions, but really he is just an intellectual Peter Walton. They all seem to forget that Ederson is an "opponent" "attempting to play the ball" by positioning himself for a shot from Rashford. What else do they expect him to do? Rush out and clear the ball and Rashford out safe in the knowledge that he is offside? Yeah right. Play to the whistle they tell you. They expect him to have one eye on Rashford and one on Fernandes so he can react to both? On what planet?

Johnson: "The real case for discussion is about Ederson, and whether his actions would have changed had Rashford not been there. Perhaps, but Rashford doesn't impact the goalkeeper's ability to come and play the ball. He may affect his choice to do so, and how he might shape for a save, but the law doesn't discuss how a player might behave differently if the offside player isn't present; it only discusses the ability of an opponent to play the ball."

Ederson's problem was Rashford in any goalkeeping scenario, he is quite rightly looking right at him and positioning himself to save the shot. That is all his ability as a goalkeeper can allow him to do in that situation. Rashford shouldn't have been there, then his ability as a goalkeeper would allowed him to rush out and clear. The mind really boggles that they can't get their heads around this.

Still fuming.

My only thought is that they expect Ederson to completely ignore Rashford's existence, assume he's offside, turn to face Fernandes and run straight at him, terminator style.

I usually like Johnson's articles, but there have been a few (not just against City) where it seems a bit nonsensical. Even in this one, he makes an argument that it could be seen that Rashford didn't feint or shape to shoot - I've no idea why anyone would pretend that was the case.
 

Constitutional lawyer and top legal blogger (and West Brom fan I think) David Allen Green weighs in with a well argued case.
 
So MOTD concluded it was a ridiculous decision and it was offside, and today DG said it was offside, and they all had a laugh about it, and every rag I have spoken to since have all said obviously it was offside haha. And at my sons football practice tonight one of his coaches who is a rag agreed and when i said I'm pretty much done with watching it anymore as it's pointless and obviously corrupt as its just about money and selling the PL brand, his reply was "its always been about the money".
If you had a business and your staff were as bad as the officiating appears to be then you'd be out of business or you'd sack em' all and get new staff, so the PL & FA & PiGMOL aren't incompetent they are quite clearly bent and corrupt and just use all the tools at their disposal, VAR and other bullshit statements after an iffy decision so they can justify it, or if they can't then just shrug their shoulders and say it's one of those subjective ones that could go either way, except it never does goes the other way does it.
Our owners should be shouting from the highest point about how unjust it is and that they'd be looking into legal proceedings against the so called officials and the hapless decisions, rather than just getting drybümmed again.
Come on City ffs sort out this bunch of corrupt w4nkers once and for all.
The Laws of the Game are written down in black and white and are objective.
Using phrases like "subjective", "grey area", "open to interpretation" is a smokescreen to cover up for a blunder, a weak official pandering to players or home fans screaming at him or plain corruption.
 
Anybody saying that Attwell made a "mistake" and that all his PiGMOl endorsed mates are bending over backwards to explain the interpretation of the laws and how he made this mistake are so far off the mark.

It wasn't a mistake.

He, like so many refs before him have done, gave a VERY dodgy decision in favour of united when he saw the opportunity to, which directly led to them scoring a VERY dubious goal.

It wasn't a fucking mistake.

It was simply yet another example of totally biased refereeing in the rags favour.
 
What I find interesting is that Dale Johnson, and others, have said that they wouldn't change the law as it's a rare occurrence and imply that it wouldn't be repeated: if they are arguing that it was fine, what's the rarity as there have been goals scored when players are offside and 'not interfering'; why wouldn't it proliferate as it's something that is apparently fine in law and puts the defending team at a disadvantage?
 
What I find interesting is that Dale Johnson, and others, have said that they wouldn't change the law as it's a rare occurrence and imply that it wouldn't be repeated: if they are arguing that it was fine, what's the rarity as there have been goals scored when players are offside and 'not interfering'; why wouldn't it proliferate as it's something that is apparently fine in law and puts the defending team at a disadvantage?

Fucking Johnson. The reason its such a rare occurrence is that players who know they are offside stop these days because if they don't the linesman sticks his fucking flag up. Getting a bit sick of this bullshit trying to justify why it may have been the right decision. It wasn't. It was a mistake, deliberate or through incompetence. Everyone who knows the game, says so.

I need to take a break, none of this is doing my heart condition any good.

Still absolutely fuming.
 
Fucking Johnson. The reason its such a rare occurrence is that players who know they are offside stop these days because if they don't the linesman sticks his fucking flag up. Getting a bit sick of this bullshit trying to justify why it may have been the right decision. It wasn't. It was a mistake, deliberate or through incompetence. Everyone who knows the game, says so.

I need to take a break, none of this is doing my heart condition any good.

Still absolutely fuming.
Honest mistakes are when some of them happen in our favour.
 
Atwell is , and always has been , the worst ref of them all. How he got chosen for a game like this i will never know.
It was a case of getting 'the best' young refs. There were two of them - can't remember who the other one was, but I thought at the time that he had nowhere near the experience required to handle games, and it has proved correct. The fact that he is still whistling away or, in most cases, not whistling, tells us much we suspected from the bunch malfunctioning as officials.
 
I have sent PGMOL a very strongly worded email and asked for a full explanation on this offside decision - I expect a reply, NOT.
Dear Mr Belfastblue

We have considered your complaint and can give you a definitive answer

Go and fuck yourselves along with your Oil Wealthy State owned poxy club

We do what we want, we’ll shaft you as many times as possible to ensure those lovely Glazers and FSG get back to where they belong

Mr Atwell and his associates did exactly what was asked of them, he’s getting a massive (just for you City fans) bonus and that’s the precedent for the rest of the season

The next time your team get a dubious decision we’ll make a public announcement about it, we’ll change the law and issue an apology

To conclude, I’d like to thank you for your interest but please fuck off and don’t darken our door again

Yours faithfully

Mr H Webb
 
Dear Mr Belfastblue

We have considered your complaint and can give you a definitive answer

Go and fuck yourselves along with your Oil Wealthy State owned poxy club

We do what we want, we’ll shaft you as many times as possible to ensure those lovely Glazers and FSG get back to where they belong

Mr Atwell and his associates did exactly what was asked of them, he’s getting a massive (just for you City fans) bonus and that’s the precedent for the rest of the season

The next time your team get a dubious decision we’ll make a public announcement about it, we’ll change the law and issue an apology

To conclude, I’d like to thank you for your interest but please fuck off and don’t darken our door again

Yours faithfully

Mr H Webb
Somehow I thought that the reply would be GFY!
 
Dear Mr Belfastblue

We have considered your complaint and can give you a definitive answer

Go and fuck yourselves along with your Oil Wealthy State owned poxy club

We do what we want, we’ll shaft you as many times as possible to ensure those lovely Glazers and FSG get back to where they belong

Mr Atwell and his associates did exactly what was asked of them, he’s getting a massive (just for you City fans) bonus and that’s the precedent for the rest of the season

The next time your team get a dubious decision we’ll make a public announcement about it, we’ll change the law and issue an apology

To conclude, I’d like to thank you for your interest but please fuck off and don’t darken our door again

Yours faithfully

Mr H Webb
LOL ... if I do get a response I will let you know.
 

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