Think you know the laws of the game ? most of us think we do, but few us actiually do, SFC Ref takes his regular look at the Premier League games with a special focus on Saints and follows it up with a little quiz.

Last weekends ref watch certainly seemed to be a fairly clean and decent job for the refs, with very little for VAR to get involved in, and no real controversies, debatable decisions and very few complaints over VAR or the officials. So a great job for them, although this weeks incidents certainly seem to be a lot more interesting and up for debate, so should be a much more interesting read than last weeks!

Southampton VS Nottingham Forest (Thomas Bramall)

Again, a very frustrating game for us saints fans, with very little to cheer about, but at least this loss had nothing to do with VAR or the officials who had a fairly easy game to do.

Although it doesn’t seem like Jones has got that though, as his job of trying to keep us up is certainly far from easy! As irrelevant of whether you think he’s any good or not, this squad certainly ain’t one that should be able to guarantee you prem status season after season, and without some decent signings in January will probably be certain to go down irrelevant of who’s in charge!

Although back to the officials side of thing, the linesman (Bhupinder Singh Gill) was the first ever Sikh-Punjabi official that the prem has ever had.

But it was also one of Bramall’s first prem games, as you could certainly tell that Bramall wasn’t a regular prem ref, as you could just tell from his body language and the delays to some of his decisions that he’s not a regular ref for this level. But still he did do fairly well as all top refs have got to have their first few prem games at some point in their career.

TUI FAN VIEWPOINT

Watching from the stands was very frustrating from a fans point of view, Bramall might not have got many big decisions wrong, but his failure to apply the basic rules of the game meant that he lost control of the players and allowed Forest especially to constantly time waste.

For me the tip of the iceberg was when, despite much Saints protest that the player being subbed should leave the field by the nearest point some 10 yards away, he brushed these aside and allowed the Forest man to walk very slowly to the opposite touchline.

In my opinion it is time that referees clamp down on this and start booking players who slouch off to waste time, despite this constant timewasting, with the addition of at least two lengthy injury stoppages and 9 second half substitutions Bramall only added 4 minutes at the end.

He might be a new ref but he failed to set out his stall early on and impose basic discipline.

Brentford VS Liverpool (Stuart Attwell)
Certainly a surprising game for results, but less so for VAR or the officials decisions. Although VAR did have a bit to do and check though, ruling out two Brentford goals within just a few minutes of each other, both of which for offsides, both were fairly clear, as well as a Liverpool goal for offside, which was a lot closer, but for offsides it doesn’t matter how close it is, just simply if your on or offside. Similar can be said for the confirming of Brentford’s 2nd goal, with goal line tech doing it’s job correctly and rightfully awarding Brentford a goal.

Although we hit a more debatable decision around Brentford’s 3rd goal! As Klopp’s certainly made his opinions on this decision clear (although he’ll look for any excuse!) and thinks that a foul should’ve been awarded for the slight nudge on the Liverpool player before Brentford scored. But for me there’s so little force and real contact that it’s just never a foul, and VAR was right to stick with the refs on field decision. As if you start giving them as fouls then you might as well declare football a non contact sport, irrelevant of what the likes of Klopp says! But still a really good game for VAR and the officials.

Arsenal VS Newcastle (Andy Madley)
Well this game sure does have a lot to talk about! As Madley gave out a fair few cautionings with a total of 9 cards given out, which only made this game harder to officiate for him. But going to the more major things, Arsenal had two penalty shouts throughout this game, one for a handball and one for pulling, and Newcastle a half shout, also for pulling.

And Newcastle had an early shout for a penalty with a bit of pulling in the box, but as the replays clearly show, it’s the Newcastle player doing more of the pulling than the Newcastle one, hence why VAR and the ref rightfully didn’t award a penalty.

As for the handball shout, I can understand why Arsenal fans want it as it does strike the hand, but as the hand is in a natural position and is clearly unintentional (due to the very little time he has to react) it’s not a penalty under the current LOTG and the appeals were rightfully turned down.
But for Arsenals second shout for the pulling, I do feel as if VAR did mess up and get this decision wrong. As you can clearly see the Arsenal players shirt being pulled, and the Newcastle player doing so has no real intent to play the ball, whilst the Arsenal player does. And another major point is the fact that the Arsenal player isn’t pulling the Newcastle players shirt, hence why I do feel as if this was a penalty and really VAR should’ve sent Madley to the review screen.

Although this still doesn’t excuse Emery’s and certain players reactions and behaviour around these decisions, as really they should’ve been cautioned for it (especially Emery). So maybe not the greatest game for VAR or the officials, but at the same time they still did get a majority of their major decisions right.

Everton VS Brighton (Andre Marriner)
If you had to pick a manager who’s under more pressure than Jones is right now, I think Lampard would be the one that most fans would go with, as their bad run their currently on didn’t get any better after their loss against Brighton. But unlike in other games, Lampard couldn’t blame VAR or the officials for their result this week, as their was no real checks needed from VAR with all goal’s rightfully standing, and no real controversial decisions, with simply just a blatant penalty needing to be awarded to Everton, but nothing more as the keeper was going for the ball so only warranted a yellow.

Leicester VS Fulham (Darren Bond)
Fairly clean and easy game for VAR, with no controversies at all, and no major decisions to be made by any of the officials. So a fairly easy and quiet game for VAR and Bond.

Man United VS Bournemouth (Michael Salisbury)
Again another clear game for VAR with no real debt Le or controversial sections from any of the officials, with noting much for VAR to do. So just an easy but good game for VAR and Salisbury.

Leeds VS West Ham (David Coote)
This games scoreline and VAR decisions did yet again have a fair bit in common, with a few goals and a few things for VAR to check and go over!
As early on in the game West Ham had a penalty shout, which when I first saw the highlights to on MOTD thought the ref played advantage to, but then realised he hadn’t. But after seeing the replays of the incident saw that it was a clear and blatant penalty, hence why VAR sent Coote to the monitor and a pen was rightfully awarded.

Then in the second half there was an early shout for a red for a Leeds player. As it was fairly clear that he went back for revenge for a challenge that the West Ham lad had just committed on himself (which in my view was a foul in the first place) but had nothing given, so made sure to get back at him. But after seeing the replays to this incident I do think that a yellow was the correct disciplinary action as his studs weren’t up and it’s only the force behind and the fact that it’s late, which makes it a yellow but isn’t enough for a red, with VAR rightfully not getting involved.

So overall I do think VAR and the ref got all the major decisions correct for this game and did well in dealing with them, although again I do feel as if the levels of dissent around some of these decisions was too high and how the refs again should’ve dealt with it a lot more and given out a few more cautionings for them.

Aston Villa VS Wolves (Jarred Gillett)
Not too much to talk about in this game for VAR or the officials. Just a handball shout from Villa fans for a supposed handball, with both Gillett and VAR didn’t deem enough to be a penalty. And from my opinion I’d agree, as it was only a few seasons ago where it couldn’t be a handball offence if it struck the body before hitting the hand like it did in this incident, but that was changed due to some of the blatant intentional handballs which couldn’t be given due to it hitting the body beforehand. But this one clearly is at intentional and for the position he’s in, his hands in a natural position, which is why I think VAR got it correct in not awarding the penalty.

Crystal Palace VS Spurs (Michael Oliver)
This game certainly was an entertaining one for many watching it, with a lot to talk about for what players did. But not much to talk about around VAR or the officials who had a decent game, with not too much to deal with ether, with there being no real major controversies or such.

Although I’m quite surprised more Palace players didn't complain about the slight nudge from Son onto the Palace defender, especially with how many coaches and players act these days! Although VAR was certainly right not to get involved as irrelevant of whether you see the nudge as enough for a foul or not, it certainly wasn’t clear and obvious, hence why VAR (which was actually Mike Dean) was spot on not to get involved.

Chelsea VS Man City (Paul Tierney)
This game was probably the biggest game of the weekend for the prem, and certainly one that Webb would’ve wanted VAR and Tierney to officiate well… which is exactly what they did! As there wasn’t any real major decisions for VAR or Tierney to deal with, but even then he still officiated the game well, kept it flowing, could control the game without too many cards and all that were given were fair and correct. So a good game for Tierney and VAR, with no real issues or incidents at all from ether teams.

Weekly conclusion + LOTG quiz

Well this gameweeks certainly had a lot more to discuss that last weekends! As last weekends there was very little to discuss with only like one or two VAR checks, yet this gameweek we’ve had a lot more!
As from the 7 debatable VAR decisions (as in non offside/goal line tech ones), I’d have it down that VAR got 6 of the 7 right, with 9 of this gameweeks 10 games getting all their major sections correct, with just the exception of that Arsenal v Newcastle game, with the pulling of the arsenal players shirt for their pen shout.

But still, VAR’s not been getting involved as much, has been letting the less clear decisions kept as what the on field refs original decisions, which is what Webb wanted and seems to have done fairly well since taking over the prem refs.

So overall a good, but not perfect, week for VAR and the officials, which hopefully it can continue to do, as I don’t think many people have had many complaints at all over VAR since the prem resumed.

And now for this gameweeks questions, which like last week I’ll post the answers to just before the next post is done…

Q1= What is the minimum number of players required for a team to have at any point in play, where if they go below this number the game must be suspended?

Q2= A game ends level and a kicks from the penalty mark (aka penalty shoot out) takes place. But Team A is on 10 men as you sent off one of their players before, whilst Team B are on 11. Does anything need to occur before the penalties are about to be taken with regards to numbers of players?

Q3= Team A goalkeeper catches the ball from a cross. He sees the Team B keeper quite far off of his line, so throws the ball towards his opponents goal. It’s a windy day and the wind helps to blow the ball straight into the opponents goal. What should be awarded?

Photo: Action Images

Springhill_old_boy added 09:57 - Jan 6 Q1 - 7 Q2 - Nothing Q3 - Goal, as the ball has not gone out of play, therefore it is as if a player had kicked it. The game had not restarted, otherwise it would have needed another player to touch the ball.
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SaintNick added 10:27 - Jan 6 I agree with Springhill Q1 - 7 Q2 - I think nothing happens as only the 10 outfield players have to take kicks mandatory, so the rotation is merely the 9 outfield players left Q3- A goal is awarded as it is thrown from open play.
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SFC_Referee added 11:02 - Jan 6 Some interesting responses for this quiz so far. A tip for anyone else wanting to do it, both have so far gotten at least one question wrong and one question right…
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underweststand added 12:04 - Jan 6 Q1 - think we all agree on ....7 Q2 - not just outfielders but goalies too, you just keep rotating players until you get a result. Some years back Liverpool played a League Cup game v. CARLISLE (?) was 0-0 AET and L'pool eventually won 13-12. Q3 - It's legal for goalies to legally handle and kick the ball and score directly. Two famous examples in Saints history. The infamous Shilton kickout at the Dell which blew over Campbell Forsyth in 1967 and one at Stoke a few years ago that beat Borac in Saints goal.

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SFC_Referee added 16:15 - Jan 12 Answers for last times now that the prems starting up again A1= 7 players are required at minimal for when play is restarted A2= Team B must select a player to not participate in the shootout (but can choose wherever they want to be taken off), to make the numbers level, as at all points in a penalty shootout both teams numbers must be level, whilst team A will have to have all those who ended the game as part of their group for the shootout. A3= A goal kick must be awarded to team B, as no player (including the goalies) can score by directly using their hands, even if they did have some Olympic gold medalist throw which allowed them to throw it from their own box into the opponents net.

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