Referees' Performances | 2025/26

[cleavers]

But that’s what they all say about us.

Our players fall over ? Our's almost never go down, even when they are fouled, one or two do it for sure (Savinho and Doku particularly), but I'm always annoyed they do it.

 

[The Future’s Blue!]

No issues with the ref allowing Sunderland to play Sunday League rules, just wish he’d told us from the start.

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

Thought the ref was pretty good last night, but unfortunately he was the wrong type of ref for us for that particular fixture, because he let Sunderland foul our lads with complete impunity, to the extent that we lost 3 players to injury and nearly a 4th when Doku was a victim of the worst challenge of the game. The shirt pulling was also incessant, never more so than when the commentators wet themselves over Brobby's supposed "power" as he held onto Dias' shirt for the entire duration of a 50 yard run early on

 

[Blue Mist]

Anthony Taylor lives near Sainsbury’s in Altrincham. He goes running on the track at Timperley Sports Club.

Are you hinting at grassy knolls ?

 

[Blue Mist]

I love this thread. The reaction of the home fans tonight counters what posts on here say.

We are, by the opinion of every fan base of every club, reffed in the favour of refs and VAR. we are what everyone said the rags were in the 90s.

Truth is it’s all bollocks because it’s just fans venting their spleen.

Or..... it highlights how different the game looks when you are actually at the match. They didn't have the benefit of a slow motion replay to see Doku get cut in half.
Even on the tele I thought it was a robist but fair challenge so I can see why they were up in arms.
Mu only complaint is the bl9ke wasn't even carded but minutes later Ake was for far less.

 

[Gordyola]

Thought the ref was pretty good last night, but unfortunately he was the wrong type of ref for us for that particular fixture, because he let Sunderland foul our lads with complete impunity, to the extent that we lost 3 players to injury and nearly a 4th when Doku was a victim of the worst challenge of the game. The shirt pulling was also incessant, never more so than when the commentators wet themselves over Brobby's supposed "power" as he held onto Dias' shirt for the entire duration of a 50 yard run early on

"Thought the ref was pretty good last night"
Yet....
"he let Sunderland foul our lads with complete impunity"
"we lost 3 players to injury and nearly a 4th when Doku was a victim of the worst challenge of the game"
"The shirt pulling was also incessant"

So, what is bad?????

 

[pauls]

Or..... it highlights how different the game looks when you are actually at the match. They didn't have the benefit of a slow motion replay to see Doku get cut in half.
Even on the tele I thought it was a robist but fair challenge so I can see why they were up in arms.
Mu only complaint is the bl9ke wasn't even carded but minutes later Ake was for far less.

Considering the dross competition he was half decent apart from the Doku non booking and Rodri foul.Only complaint was the overtime of 4 mins considering their player was down for 2 after the Rodri challenge plus all the subs.
Used to moan about Mason,Moss,Mariner,Twattenburg,Foy,Dean,Atkinson and all but the latest tossers with Var to assist or ignore whichever suits or teams is spoiling what should be the best sport in the world for me.

 

[Norbiton]

"Thought the ref was pretty good last night"
Yet....
"he let Sunderland foul our lads with complete impunity"
"we lost 3 players to injury and nearly a 4th when Doku was a victim of the worst challenge of the game"
"The shirt pulling was also incessant"

So, what is bad?????

Bad is giving decisions predominantly in favour of one team and not being even handed. Giving decisions that are just plain wrong rather than a matter of interpretation. Being Stuart Attwell.

 

[Ric]

No real complaints with the ref last night. He's one of the better ones imo.

 

[Brendan110_0]

It was reffed like an FA cup game vs lower league opponents.

 

[Sheikh rattle and roll]

They have got to stop the time wasting it’s ruining the game
Their keeper walked round the back of the goal from the right post the the left then spun the ball into the 6 yard box but it ended up near the penalty spot retrieved it then went back to the right hand post - madness blatant time wasting
That said we have 90 minutes and if we are better they don’t time waste
Maybe it’s time for an external time keeper who knows

 

[Gazza]

Can the VAR guys hear the match commentary? If so we have a big problem with the game because the TV companies limit/exaggerate the content shown and highlighted.

There were two penalty calls last night, of which, in my opinion, the Sunderland one was 1 out of 10 at best and the City shout 5/10, but whilst the Sunderland claim was shown from every angle, the Gvardiol one was virtually ignored, this gives the neutral viewer the opinion that City's opposition are always hard done by and we get away with murder, If VAR know that they won't be held to account for missing a City award they're certainly not going to give it, unless it's blatant.

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

"Thought the ref was pretty good last night"
Yet....
"he let Sunderland foul our lads with complete impunity"
"we lost 3 players to injury and nearly a 4th when Doku was a victim of the worst challenge of the game"
"The shirt pulling was also incessant"

So, what is bad?????

Bad is kow-towing to the crowd, bad is punishing one team for everything and the other nothing, bad is falling for every piece of playacting/time-wasting going etc. Maybe 'pretty good' was a tad generous on my part, but we've had far, far worse this season than Gillett

 

[bennyboy]

Thought he was good.
Let the game flow nothing to really get upset about.

 

[Pingu the Penguin]

Can the VAR guys hear the match commentary? If so we have a big problem with the game because the TV companies limit/exaggerate the content shown and highlighted.

There were two penalty calls last night, of which, in my opinion, the Sunderland one was 1 out of 10 at best and the City shout 5/10, but whilst the Sunderland claim was shown from every angle, the Gvardiol one was virtually ignored, this gives the neutral viewer the opinion that City's opposition are always hard done by and we get away with murder, If VAR know that they won't be held to account for missing a City award they're certainly not going to give it, unless it's blatant.

We’ve had 2 solid penalty shouts last night. Never getting them though

 

[The Future’s Blue!]

Any idea why Donna snapped at the end of the game?

Also, did quite enjoy Gvardiol fucking off the player warming up.

 

[The Future’s Blue!]

We’ve had 2 solid penalty shouts last night. Never getting them though

Anybody noticed how any penalty shouts for us are now just glossed over by the commentators? Ex-Sunderland player, Don Goodman, didn’t even mention the Gvardiol shout, even though they were reshowing it.

 

[BlueNomad]

Any idea why Donna snapped at the end of the game?

Also, did quite enjoy Gvardiol fucking off the player warming up.

Wasn’t happy with the sub who wouldn’t hand over the ball for a throw in late in the game. Was probably verbals and giving it the big “I am” and he got a bit heated.

 

[give it to gordon]

Thought Gvardiol being fouled as headed the ball was a clear penalty. What puzzled me was it wasn't really mention by commentary.
The dangerous scissor take on Doku could easily have been a red, i thought it was a red.

I did think at one stage the ref lost control of both sides for a mad 5 minutes. His style of reffing certainly help the mackums atmosphere !

 

[BlueNomad]

Refs have swung the balance from being petty to letting too much go and calling stupid stuff.

I find it unfathomable that Gvardiol wasn’t given a penalty. It was clear, obvious and blatant. Had he flopped, people would have complained so he continued to try to score the goal, but could barely get his head on it after the (blatant!) foul.

It’s just a really bad call!

As for the Dias tussle, the Sunderland player was pulling his shirt the whole time they were running together, and eventually pulled him down…yet people complained for a foul and a penalty???

Seriously, I wonder what the fuck people are looking at in some games. And, if the scissor foul from behind on Doku wasn’t “reckless,” I don’t know what to say anymore. It could have a been an horrific challenge, but didn’t quite catch him, thank goodness!

Refs give us ZERO protection and appear to give opposition players wide latitude in hobbling us.