Referees' Performances | 2025/26

[pauls]

Wolves and Fulham have had a few, to be fair…

Absulutely, the Fulham one was shocking and AFTER the ball was gone like Foden,yet they bring it back 60 yards to give it.
Got worse since Howard Trafford took over.!

 

[pride in battle]

More you look at the Phil incident the more inexplicable it is. Need to hear the VAR room conversation, amazed they thought it was ok (even if you excused the ref missing the seriousness in real time).

Not enough contact apparantly...you decide...absolute shitshow

 

[JRockBlues]

One thing from Saturday that I don't think has been mentioned much is how many times the ref got the captain's together to have a word. Never seen that many times before in a single match and I think it showed that the ref didn't have control of the game.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

Time to move on

Nothing will now Change

The Result/VAR

I Know it's all bent

But as Bruce Hornsby belted out

That's just the way it is

He had quite a range, did Bruce…

 

[meltonblue]

Correct. It is subjective because the Law says fouls have to be careless, reckless (requires yellow card) or using excessive force (red card). So in this case, the referee determined the foul wasn't even careless. Alternatively, he didn't see it and wasn't corrected on it by VAR.

In my view, stamping on an opponents foot is at the very minimum careless. But the decision was definitely subjective.

The only other thing I can think of is as he got the shot off, they deemed it as out of play but the contact was so soon after that that would be wrong too.

 

[eyalluvitt]

Not enough contact apparantly...you decide...absolute shitshow

Probably more content than Salahs last 99 penalties

 

[Pingu the Penguin]

Why VAR offside images are not always what they seem

When the Premier League rolled out semi-automated offside technology we thought we would lose the rows about offside.

www.bbc.co.uk

Well the good old beeb have cleared it all up. All down to a 5cm tolerance level in the premier league:

"But the tolerance level causes other issues, too. Unlike in other competitions, because of it the animation does not move directly in line with the players. And it is often unclear exactly which part of a player is being used for the offside decision....And in other cases, Dias being a good example, a player's body position on the animation does not seem to fully match up."

Nope, the offside should be judged from when the ball is struck and there is no way that Father Ruben was off the ground at that point.

 

[Paladin]

The only other thing I can think of is as he got the shot off, they deemed it as out of play but the contact was so soon after that that would be wrong too.

This was an option too, but the ball was in play. Phil was marginally quicker to it then their defender. Plus they've not come up with this as their explanation to my knowledge, and I'm sure they would have done it it was a remote possibility. Also a foul when the ball is out of play is definitely a late challenge, therefore reckless and a caution.

 

[Winchester]

He had quite a range, did Bruce…

Great track though

 

[Don Karleone]

If only

 

[Blue Since 76]

Correct. It is subjective because the Law says fouls have to be careless, reckless (requires yellow card) or using excessive force (red card). So in this case, the referee determined the foul wasn't even careless. Alternatively, he didn't see it and wasn't corrected on it by VAR.

In my view, stamping on an opponent's foot is at the very minimum careless. But the decision was definitely subjective.

Shrek got it right (shock) - the defender had a straight leg, studs up and catches Foden about the boot. That's got to be reckless regardless of whether the ball had already been played or not.

It was one of those where he gets a yellow and you say he's lucky, he gets a red and you say it's a bit harsh. Instead, it wasn't even a foul...

 

[WRicko]

What new rule is that?

Was sarcasm

 

[TonyColemansbagofapples]

If it's true they didn't give it because Phil has got his shot away, if a player gets his pass to a team mate in and is clattered like that, I assume that is tickety boo also.

 

[Roachy]

If it's true they didn't give it because Phil has got his shot away, if a player gets his pass to a team mate in and is clattered like that, I assume that is tickety boo also.

Very soon we will see a player in a PL match commit a similar offence, probably less innocuous, and a free kick will be awarded.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Very soon we will see a player in a PL match commit a similar offence, probably less innocuous, and a free kick will be awarded.

er there were at least three other examples on Saturday penalised by the same referee.

 

[Blue Llama]

Don't think they did. They just cheated.

Think you have to be reasonably clever to get away with cheating.

 

[Norbert D]

Let’s face it, we got well and truly shafted on Saturday by PIGMOB. no way that second goal stands and no way we don’t get at least two penalties awarded against us. Remember when Oliver awarded three against us in one game? Think it was Leicester during lock down. Like Pep said, we used to it.

 

[meltonblue]

This was an option too, but the ball was in play. Phil was marginally quicker to it then their defender. Plus they've not come up with this as their explanation to my knowledge, and I'm sure they would have done it it was a remote possibility. Also a foul when the ball is out of play is definitely a late challenge, therefore reckless and a caution.

Agreed. On your last point, I didn’t mean it in terms of negating it should have been a yellow card either way.

 

[bondsman]

Don't support your club as username shows, but registered for my 2 cents worth.

At 0-0 Foden it's a nailed on pen.

Would simply ask the question, anywhere else on the pitch say Foden was making a pass it would be a free kick? of course.

Exactly mate

 

[Manc Born & Bred]

Has anyone rewatched the game as I am pretty sure that in the second half Bernardo makes a pass and then Joelinton pushes him the back. Ref brings it back for a free kick. Can anyone confirm this?