Ref Watch 23/24

If that's overturned then they'd have to overturn the arsenal one.

If a United player got a red for Mac Allister's tackle I'd think it was harsh but still think the player was stupid.

As has been said, there's no consistancy.

Been thinking about this a bit recently and I think it's because football refs think they are almost players in the game being good or bad. They should just be dealing with every situation objectively but they have this mad idea about they are somehow managing the game. It's oddly delusional.

Every single game a ref thinks "maybe it's too early for a yellow card." That's not objectively applying the rules that's thinking you are somewhat of a player.

Imagine an umpire in tennis not giving a few faults because the guy is behind. That's what's happening in football.

indeed. it just encourages players to go in hard early and sets the tone. first minute of the qf v portsmouth, for example. ronnie taken out. nothing. penalty after 7 minutes? not on your nelly. just kick him all game.

martin £#%&!ing atkinson. he hated ronaldo. more than we do.

I think that the new tech plus a big push over the past few years to redefine the rules has really £#%&!ed with referees' heads. It was always flawed but never this bad. People like Simon Jordan will trot out stats suggesting decisions are statistically more correct post var, but that's not looking at the whole picture.

Of course offsides are going to be more accurate now, but this layer upon layer of subjectivity like 'clear and obvious' and minute definitions of handball are too much for them to process; plus var itself is suggesting a crutch that really doesn't exist. You could have 100 people looking at replays of a single incident and still not agree - look at this gaff. More eyes doesn't clarify, it confuses.

Absolute classic of referrees not making objective decisions:

"I(Mike Dean) said to Anthony (Taylor) afterwards: 'I just didn't want to send you to the screen after what has gone on in the game'.

"I didn't want to send him up because he is a mate as well as a referee and I think I didn't want to send him up because I didn't want any more grief than he already had."


Mike Dean declined to use VAR to save 'mate' and fellow referee Anthony Taylor from 'grief'
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66612570

Originally Posted by armchair

Absolute classic of referrees not making objective decisions:

"I(Mike Dean) said to Anthony (Taylor) afterwards: 'I just didn't want to send you to the screen after what has gone on in the game'.

"I didn't want to send him up because he is a mate as well as a referee and I think I didn't want to send him up because I didn't want any more grief than he already had."


Mike Dean declined to use VAR to save 'mate' and fellow referee Anthony Taylor from 'grief'
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66612570

Read that and some people seem to think it's a one off VAR is a £#%&!ing omnishambles and the people employed to run it are incompetent.

How many times do you reckon the referees have dropped a %@#$&! (our penalty vs Spurs) but the @#%&!s in charge don't want to make their pals look a bit thick?

Refs need mic’ed up and the tv broadcast should be able to hear the VAR war room discussion. The lack of transparency is what feeds the idea it’s used unfairly or dare I say - corrupt.

Originally Posted by Stickman

Refs need mic’ed up and the tv broadcast should be able to hear the VAR war room discussion. The lack of transparency is what feeds the idea it’s used unfairly or dare I say - corrupt.

It’s not an “idea” …..

Originally Posted by armchair

Absolute classic of referrees not making objective decisions:

"I(Mike Dean) said to Anthony (Taylor) afterwards: 'I just didn't want to send you to the screen after what has gone on in the game'.

"I didn't want to send him up because he is a mate as well as a referee and I think I didn't want to send him up because I didn't want any more grief than he already had."


Mike Dean declined to use VAR to save 'mate' and fellow referee Anthony Taylor from 'grief'
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66612570

If he’s serious and not playing to the gallery now he’s retired, then it’s a lifetime ban from any official post in the game. Mind you, he should have had one years ago …

https://x.com/thebluedodger/status/1695401589115089066?s=46&t=46osAsCMaSbh7vgQsN2lEQ

Oh Mike, please stop talking….

Originally Posted by Dr Stranger

https://x.com/thebluedodger/status/1...aSbh7vgQsN2lEQ

Oh Mike, please stop talking….

Worst hole digging ever.

It's £#%&!ing outrageous tbh. I didn't give a foul as it would stress out the ref Shows that no matter the technology, it all falls down to the morons in control.

Originally Posted by shenwen

Worst hole digging ever.

It's £#%&!ing outrageous tbh. I didn't give a foul as it would stress out the ref Shows that no matter the technology, it all falls down to the morons in control.

If he actually did that then surely that’s unfair play? The rules have to be adhered to at all times to ensure fair game for both teams. If he chooses not to go to VAR on an occasion because his friend might get shouted at a bit by fans then you’re not playing the game fairly.

What a prat. The whole point these referees get paid the (relative) enormous amounts they do is to make the decisions in the pressure moments to maintain the game is played fairly and rules adhered to.

Originally Posted by jem

indeed. it just encourages players to go in hard early and sets the tone. first minute of the qf v portsmouth, for example. ronnie taken out. nothing. penalty after 7 minutes? not on your nelly. just kick him all game.

martin £#%&!ing atkinson. he hated ronaldo. more than we do.

But not as much as we hate Atkinson

awful man, awful accent, always amazes me how unintelligent some of these refs are yet reach the highest level. anyone who has ever heard anthony taylor speak knows he's also borderline learning difficulties, so not surprised these 2 are part of the same controversy.

A referee who openly admits permitting incorrect decisions during a football match to protect one of his colleagues should not be allowed to ever be involved in any capacity within the game again. Absolute disgrace.

That it’s Mike Dean, if anything, just strengthens the argument.

Originally Posted by Finport Red

A referee who openly admits permitting incorrect decisions during a football match to protect one of his colleagues should not be allowed to ever be involved in any capacity within the game again. Absolute disgrace.

That it’s Mike Dean, if anything, just strengthens the argument.

This is what they’re willing to admit publicly. Imagine what they don’t want us to know.

Originally Posted by Dasilvatwins

If he actually did that then surely that’s unfair play? The rules have to be adhered to at all times to ensure fair game for both teams. If he chooses not to go to VAR on an occasion because his friend might get shouted at a bit by fans then you’re not playing the game fairly.

What a prat. The whole point these referees get paid the (relative) enormous amounts they do is to make the decisions in the pressure moments to maintain the game is played fairly and rules adhered to.

He suggests that his job is to protect his colleagues.

No. No it isn’t.

Originally Posted by larry

awful man, awful accent, always amazes me how unintelligent some of these refs are yet reach the highest level. anyone who has ever heard anthony taylor speak knows he's also borderline learning difficulties, so not surprised these 2 are part of the same controversy.

Absolute dunces. No wonder the FA doesn’t want them to account for their decisions after games. Would be a bloodbath.

One's not a penalty because the defender is "too close", the other is a penalty because....?

Originally Posted by magic_cantona

One's not a penalty because the defender is "too close", the other is a penalty because....?

Because Howard Webb has a Cayman Islands bank vault stuffed to the brim with Abu Dhabi brown envelopes

I'd take this

https://twitter.com/Anshum1958/status/1696037761063723352?t=eokBQANrpRP_t1NLb-ZkXA&s=19

The lack of swearing and general politeness of that disturbs me a bit