Referees' Performances | 2025/26

[Dodge]

If PiGMOL don't come out and say they at least got the "tackle" on Foden wrong then they've just given license for leg breaking challenges to occur which won't be penalised as long as the shot was taken.

It's also comparable to if a player is rounding the keeper but takes a heavy touch because of an impending challenge which heads out of play. Is it still a penalty if the keeper still wipes the player out afterwards?

 

[Blue Mist]

I don't agree with that. We have had a few shockers in the CL but I generally think the referees are much better than the PL Perhaps not some of the Spanish ones who have an issue with Catalonia though!

Bobby. Does your comment about Spanish refs and Catalonia mean that in your view they are bent?
To me, if they are making decisions based on a persons place of birth they are bent.
I believe PL referees are influenced by many outside factors, the gpc being the obvious one to use, which means they are bent.

 

[LangleyBlue1970]

Does it have to bent, or can it not just be the standards are fucking shit

The latter. Go on any forum, talk to any fan of any club, and you’ll hear the exact same thing as youre reading in here. Every single club and its fans believe they’re picked on.

The truth is the game is run by refs who are human beings. Human beings fuck up in whatever profession they’re in. In football, unfortunately for them, their fuck ups are highlighted, talked about and accusations thrown at them.

The single truth though is they’re just errors, with fans then claiming bias, conspiracy or whatever.

Good old football. Wouldn’t change it for the world.

 

[Gaz76]

Not in my opinion. Its not like we're not all aware of rules and things to look out for and check - So imagine if it was actually your full-time occupation with all the discussions and training.

I'm 50/50 tbh,like others have said, every team has fans that are complaining about the refs week in week out, it can't be that the refs are against everyone.
Yes I agree it's their full time job and they have training, but the games so fucking quick now and they are put under a lot of pressure to get it right 100% of the time, VAR was brought in to ease that burden being on just the ref but it seems to me the ones doing the VAR are not up to scratch week in week out

 

[Bowyers Sausages]

Pawson is without doubt the worst official in the PL, And the refs in this country are the worst in Europe. I don’t believe there is a great conspiracy though there have always been some bent matches here and abroad. The non penalty on Phil yesterday was ridiculous. A studs up late full-blooded mistimed challenge. Why wasn’t the ref called to the screen?

Stuart Attwell likes this post.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

The latter. Go on any forum, talk to any fan of any club, and you’ll hear the exact same thing as youre reading in here. Every single club and its fans believe they’re picked on.

The truth is the game is run by refs who are human beings. Human beings fuck up in whatever profession they’re in. In football, unfortunately for them, their fuck ups are highlighted, talked about and accusations thrown at them.

The single truth though is they’re just errors, with fans then claiming bias, conspiracy or whatever.

Good old football. Wouldn’t change it for the world.

But is it an error when a ref is totally familiar with what is written in the LotG and then ignores what the Laws prescribe. Taylor had a clear view of Sideshow Bob rugby tackling Sergio and fifty thousand in the ground saw a foul as did Taylor, but nothing given.

 

[malg]

Good old football. Wouldn’t change it for the world.

We did change it though. We added more refs and rather believably it led to even more problems. I 100% would change it. I'd take VAR away.

 

[LangleyBlue1970]

But is it an error when a ref is totally familiar with what is written in the LotG and then ignores what the Laws prescribe. Taylor had a clear view of Sideshow Bob rugby tackling Sergio and fifty thousand in the ground saw a foul as did Taylor, but nothing given.

You’ll read, hear and see the same comments from every clubs fans. The officials have an impossible job. Perfection is expected by partisan fans who aren’t able to think rationally when it comes to their own team.

We wouldn’t change it. It’s what makes football, football. The other week we were gleeful, as was the country, about the Liverpool decisions. They didn’t get. Today we are the the ones. Next week whoever.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

You’ll read, hear and see the same comments from every clubs fans. The officials have an impossible job. Perfection is expected by partisan fans who aren’t able to think rationally when it comes to their own team.

We wouldn’t change it. It’s what makes football, football. The other week we were gleeful, as was the country, about the Liverpool decisions. They didn’t get. Today we are the the ones. Next week whoever.

But it should not be happening, and the referees are there to apply the LotG. The fact that they ignore so much, award free kicks anywhere on the pitch that wouldn't get a second thought in the area, constant illegal wrestling at corners, teams who are clearly instructed to 'try summat and see how the ref reacts', constant time-wasting about which they do absolutely nothing that would eradicate this curse of the game, are issues that occur on every ground. The refs should be attempting to make sure that the result of a game matches what occurred on the pitch, and too often it doesn't. VAR was introduced to add an element to decision-making and ensure we are nearer matching what happened on the pitch with the result. And just look at the almighty mess they've allowed to develop with video assistance.

 

[meltonblue]

There isn’t any because there are no client journalists/media types with City’s best interests at heart. The dippers, Rags and Arse gave them by the bucketful.
Hence the incredible over reaction to the ref and VAR actually making the correct call re Robertson.
The old ref Keith Hackett has said Fodens was a clear pen but other than biased bullshit, not heard anything.
The club or Pep should be speaking out

Rooney on MOTD said Fodens should have been a pen, Micah and Redknapp on Sky both thought the handball should have been a pen.

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

Bobby. Does your comment about Spanish refs and Catalonia mean that in your view they are bent?
To me, if they are making decisions based on a persons place of birth they are bent.
I believe PL referees are influenced by many outside factors, the gpc being the obvious one to use, which means they are bent.

Maybe not bent. But there is no doubt Pep's views on Catalonia have upset a lot of people in the Spanish establishment, including people like Tebas. There is a lot of politics in Spanish sport and I believe there is an institutional bias against Pep because of it. Peer group pressure is a very powerful thing in organisations. The same happens in England where the establishment clubs like LFC and MUFC wield a lot of power behind the scenes and in the media. Refs know that if they upset these clubs it can damage their career and so do those in the media so they avoid upsetting them.

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

You’ll read, hear and see the same comments from every clubs fans. The officials have an impossible job. Perfection is expected by partisan fans who aren’t able to think rationally when it comes to their own team.

We wouldn’t change it. It’s what makes football, football. The other week we were gleeful, as was the country, about the Liverpool decisions. They didn’t get. Today we are the the ones. Next week whoever.

I do think the smaller clubs get worse decison than the powerful ones. It is not corrupt but human nature leans towards the line of least resistance. It is more cowardice than corruption and it happens in all walks of life.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

Guess which one was given…







Three against City, one by VVD in the Merseyside Derby…

So, which one was given?

If you said NONE OF THEM, you are correct!!!

If you want to see one that was given….



Not sure what to say!

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Pep’s had enough.

 

[zandvoort blue]

Identical situation in the Milan Derby.
VAR decision, penalty and yellow card

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

Milan Derby, penalty given following a cross where the crosser had his foot stood on after he’s crossed it. VAR sends referee over and a penalty and yellow card ensues. Took less than 2 minutes.

 

[cheekybids]

Not sure about refs being bent I still think incompetence rules.

'Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence'

VAR is the biggest problem now. Absolutely changes how refs manage the game and not in a good way. As I've said before, I wanted it and thought it would be good, but it's been an unmitigated fucking disaster and it's not getting any better. Has absolutely ruined the game.

We didn’t essentially have VAR yday, the game was played how they were pre VAR. The frustration is without VAR they claim it’s an honest error & with VAR you need the media to go in overdrive to ensure they make decisions. A few weeks ago I asked when was the last time we got a decision by VAR that could be waved away with an excuse then we finally got calls against the Dippers & coverage blew up & back to normal this weekend.

I saw a comment by Scousers calling us VARchester City, the club that’s never had an apology from pgmol as proof we always benefit. It’s an appalling take.

 

[The Light Was Yellow Sir]

You’ll read, hear and see the same comments from every clubs fans. The officials have an impossible job. Perfection is expected by partisan fans who aren’t able to think rationally when it comes to their own team.

We wouldn’t change it. It’s what makes football, football. The other week we were gleeful, as was the country, about the Liverpool decisions. They didn’t get. Today we are the the ones. Next week whoever.

Everyone can be gleeful when a subjective decision goes against another team, which is part of football. Where it’s different is when there is a clear breach of the laws and it’s just ignored. There’s not ONE reason why Pawson shouldn’t have sent the ref to the screen after the Foden foul and the handball. If the ref had gone over for both of them, said he’d seen them both and he was happy with his decisions, fair enough.
But, if you got a referee, a VAR and an assistant VAR who all let different levels of challenges go, it has to go back to the bloke on the field to make a decision.

 

[surrounded by idiots]

There isn’t any because there are no client journalists/media types with City’s best interests at heart. The dippers, Rags and Arse gave them by the bucketful.
Hence the incredible over reaction to the ref and VAR actually making the correct call re Robertson.
The old ref Keith Hackett has said Fodens was a clear pen but other than biased bullshit, not heard anything.
The club or Pep should be speaking out

The rotund scouse sexual senior support worker also stated it was a pen

 

[meltonblue]

Everyone can be gleeful when a subjective decision goes against another team, which is part of football. Where it’s different is when there is a clear breach of the laws and it’s just ignored. There’s not ONE reason why Pawson shouldn’t have sent the ref to the screen after the Foden foul and the handball. If the ref had gone over for both of them, said he’d seen them both and he was happy with his decisions, fair enough.
But, if you got a referee, a VAR and an assistant VAR who all let different levels of challenges go, it has to go back to the bloke on the field to make a decision.

Both of those are subjective though. He’d have said to VAR whether he’d seen them or not before they come to a decision on whether it warrants him looking at it again.