WSL Chelsea (H) 08/10/23:

[Alan Harper's Tash]

The thing is, that 26 seconds was basically from when the foul was given. The referee jogs upfield and then blows her whistle for the kick to be taken after about 12-13 seconds. So really, Greenwood took about 13-14 seconds to take the kick.

Which is nothing. Dermot Gallagher is an arsehole. And without knowing what the dissent was, how can he justify it? If she was sworn at, or even to, fair enough. If she was called crap or a chest, fair enough. If people were going to her to try and understand what she was doing, then it's different. But we'll never know, because that's all kept hidden from us.

I wasn’t agreeing with him, just wrote what he said, along with him saying Greenwood only took the free kick thrn as she saw the ref running towards her.

What you describe is what I was trying to suggest yesterday. Some restarts feel like they’ve been delayed and they’re the ones that need bookings for.

Greenwood’s didn’t feel like that to me.

Gallagher won’t know what the dissent was. He was simply backing his fellow ref. If you book 5 players for dissent, you’d expect it to be horrendous. It didn’t seem like that to me.

 

[mattcity5]

I wasn’t agreeing with him, just wrote what he said, along with him saying Greenwood only took the free kick thrn as she saw the ref running towards her.

What you describe is what I was trying to suggest yesterday. Some restarts feel like they’ve been delayed and they’re the ones that need bookings for.

Greenwood’s didn’t feel like that to me.

Gallagher won’t know what the dissent was. He was simply backing his fellow ref. If you book 5 players for dissent, you’d expect it to be horrendous. It didn’t seem like that to me.

Dissent just seems to be an unquestioned black hole that allows the ref free reign to do whatever they feel like. My brand new pet peeve is that we never get to know what that dissent actually was.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Dissent just seems to be an unquestioned black hole that allows the ref free rein to do whatever they feel like. My brand new pet peeve is that we never get to know what that dissent actually was.

It’s also blown up when a ref makes a controversial decision and doubled down on it and won’t talk about it.

She reffed the game pretty well, apart from her dissent yellow cards and Timewasting one.

 

[Mon Autre]

If they're going to crack down on dissent then I think they need to change the definition of it as at the moment it covers everything from asking why a decision was made through to players screaming aggressively right into the referees face (which we see regularly in the men's game).

From what I understand Jill Roord was booked for asking why the referee blew for halftime rather than wait for the ball to go dead. Surely we don't want players to be booked for simply asking questions like that? In fact it sounds massively counterproductive to stop players from having respectful interactions with a referee.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

If they're going to crack down on dissent then I think they need to change the definition of it as at the moment it covers everything from asking why a decision was made through to players screaming aggressively right into the referees face (which we see regularly in the men's game).

From what I understand Jill Roord was booked for asking why the referee blew for halftime rather than wait for the ball to go dead. Surely we don't want players to be booked for simply asking questions like that? In fact it sounds massively counterproductive to stop players from having respectful interactions with a referee.

Totally agree and the inconsistency which is demonstrated by referees which must make it impossible for players to know what they are permitted to question.

A perenially difficult and frustrating part of the games often with little common sense being displayed.

 

[Eds]

From when the whistle blew to when she took the free kick was about 13/14 seconds not 26. Funny how goalkeepers in the PL can take 20 seconds or more from putting the ball down for a goal kick to taking it without punishment (unless it's Ederson). Likewise free kicks can take longer than a minute by the time the ref has marched a team back ten yards, then the keeper lines hos wall up etc. The ref in this game must have either done it to make a name for herself or because she had a bet. Either way she needs calling out and questions as to her suitability to ref such a high profile game have to be questioned.

 

[Mon Autre]

Totally agree and the inconsistency which is demonstrated by referees which must make it impossible for players to know what they are permitted to question.

A perenially difficult and frustrating part of the games often with little common sense being displayed.

Also, terrible for the game as a whole. We have England's best two performers from the World Cup missing from the next week's round of fixtures. On a weekend where WSL has a great opportunity to shine with there being no PL action. It's not in anybody's interests to have the best players banned over trivial matters.

 

[Tueartsoverhead kick]

It's questionable for sure, and there's definitely a bias towards the Ragettes and Chelsea...

But it's not usually that bad. That today was absolutely shocking.



I'll be seeing one of our players tomorrow, can't wait to hear her take on it!!

And :)

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

From when the whistle blew to when she took the free kick was about 13/14 seconds not 26. Funny how goalkeepers in the PL can take 20 seconds or more from putting the ball down for a goal kick to taking it without punishment (unless it's Ederson). Likewise free kicks can take longer than a minute by the time the ref has marched a team back ten yards, then the keeper lines hos wall up etc. The ref in this game must have either done it to make a name for herself or because she had a bet. Either way she needs calling out and questions as to her suitability to ref such a high profile game have to be questioned.

Yeah, it’s been measured by others at 26 seconds.

I’d suggest a better stopwatch and maybe a bigger tin foil hat.

 

[Blackley_Blue]

The player I spoke with yesterday thinks that the ref initially went to book Greenwood not realising she already had done, but as she's already made the move to get the card out, had to follow through with it to save face. (I don't personally agree with this view cos it doesn't explain the rest).

The club are fuming, particularly with her walking off the pitch and down the tunnel smirking. The dressing room was in shock at her 'performance'. Chelsea players and staff were also baffled but Emma Hayes has come out afterwards and said different, which hasn't gone down too well either.