Referee Watch With SFC Ref 14th February Tuesday, 14th Feb 2023 08:57 by SFC Ref Our resident referee runs his whistle over the Premier League games played over the last week and gives his verdict on the controversial decisions. starting as always with Saints. There wasn’t too much midweek action in the footballing world, with only a few FA Cup replays as well as Man U’s game against Leeds taking place. But these fixtures didn’t seem to have much controversy in them, so a faulty clean set for the officials. But this game week there seems to have been a lot more going on, with lots more for VAR to look at, so it’s now time to look at whether VAR can continue the perfect streak it’s on since last weekends results which I didn’t think they got a single one wrong for. Southampton VS Wolves (Jarred Gillett) The pain certainly doesn’t look like it’ll be ending any time soon for us saints fans! And this game only went and summed it up, with yet another poor display from the lads, but NJ has now gone and hopefully we will get in a new decent manager who can keep us up! But for VAR and the officials it was both a quieter and yet interesting game. As for Jared Gillett Gillett I personally had mixed opinions towards his display at St Mary’s on Saturday. Unlike Gillett, VAR had quite an easy game just having to check the 3 goals, which all rightfully stood, and that’s it, whilst Gillett had a lot more on his hands. As during the first half he produced 6 yellow cards, with 2 of which going to Mario Lemina, which is why he ended up going off. And in my books all were valid as Lemina’s first one was blatant, as his second was for dissent which I very much respect Gillett for giving as it’s about time more refs had the balls to give out more cards and more important ones to some of the idiotic players with their consistent dissent (although I wouldn’t exactly believe what the wolves players said afterwards as loads of player lie about things like that).
But in the second half he was a lot more laid back producing a lot less cautions, so clearly didn’t want to keep to the same harshness as he showed in the first half. As much as I liked how he dealt with the dissent, the many yellows were iffy as they were correct but then again made the game a bit more cautious for both sides, which did affect the game. Also when he made many decisions he wouldn’t always look the most confident and many times pulled out of giving decisions and often seemed to be impacted by how players/fans reacted to the incidents, which wasn’t the greatest. But also his signalling and the volume of his whistles were quite poor as many times I didn’t hear him blow his whistle so was wondering of what was going on, and on top of this he often didn’t signal meaning that I also often couldn’t identify what he’d given or who it was for. And it was these issues that did make it a bit more confusing for many fans. So overall a mixed feeling towards Gillett for this game, with both a few positives and negatives to his display, but still at least a good one for VAR. West Ham VS Chelsea (Craig Pawson) This game sure did have loads for VAR to get involved in, for all sorts of situations, with some interesting decisions being made! As there were 3 goals ruled out for offsides on both ends of the pitch, yet all were valid and correct to be ruled out for offside, so certainty no issues there with VAR. The first one being a supposed foul in the build up to Chelsea’s opener. As the tackle did win the ball, but the questioning it the foul is around whether or not the follow through had the studs up and into the Hammers player a bit too late and forcefully or not? But this is where VAR did the right thing in my opinion as it’s just not clear enough to intervene and therefore it shouldn’t have so the goal should’ve rightfully have stood. The second major decision was for a supposed handball incident inside the box against West Ham towards the end of the game, but this wasn’t given by Pawson or VAR. But as I’ve previously said for a handball incident it has to be ether intentional or in an unnatural position. So when seeing the replays, his hand could be arguably seen to be in that position due to him falling over so it can’t be given for that, but it could be given for it being intentional as he does stick out his hand and move it towards the ball to block it away. So in my view it should’ve been a penalty as it did seem to be intentional, but still I can at least understand as to why VAR didn’t give it as they deemed it to be in a natural position and have not enough movement for it to be intentional. So an iffy game for Pawson and VAR, getting a majority of decisions correct, but in my view getting the handball decision wrong. Arsenal VS Brentford (Peter Bankes) This game was always going to be a interesting one with two high flying teams up against each other, and VAR didn’t have too much to discuss for VAR, but there was one incident which is did play a major role in and one that many have very mixed opinions over. This incident was Brentford’s equaliser and whether or not a Brentford player was offside for one and whether they didn’t intervene with play or not for the the other part, as when the cross first comes in a Brentford player, who was in an offside position, is grabbing and blocking off an arsenal defender, so is intervening there. But as the ball ends up so far away you could argue that he didn’t because that defender wouldn’t have got there so he’s not impacting play. But in my opinion the arsenal defender could’ve got there and is clearly being impacted by the Brentford attacker who’s in the offside position. But on top of this the scorer for the equaliser was also offside, but due to VAR taking soo long on the first incident they missed that incident, as he was clearly off and the goal shouldn’t have stood for that incident alone. So unfortunately not the greatest of games for VAR, with that late incident having a big impact on the result and maybe even the league for what could come. Although mistakes are inevitable when people do stuff (including referees) I do feel as if VAR should’ve given the first one, but even if they didn’t should’ve certainly seen the second one. Crystal Palace VS Brighton (Michael Oliver) Big rivalries are always tough ones to officiate, with all sorts happening in them! Although this one was a bit of an exception with not too much to discuss around the major decisions off of VAR and Oliver. Although the early Brighton goal ruled out by VAR for offside wasn’t correct, as VAR got a bit mixed up by putting down the offside lines for the wrong defender, meaning that the line was for the 3rd to last defensive Palace player, not the second to last, which is why it was wrongfully ruled out.
Although both goals that did stand didn’t have any controversy with no major issues with ether goals. So a decent game from Oliver but less so for VAR getting mixed up with its offside calls for this game. Fulham VS Nottingham Forest (Andy Madley) A fairly quiet and easy game for VAR and Madley, with there being no major controversies in this game to deal with. Although it was a great game for Madley playing a really good advantage for Fulham in the build up to their second goal, as it would’ve been quite easy to have blown early but playing the advantage was the right thing to do and in the end helped Fulham get the goal to wrap it all up. So overall a really good game for VAR and Madley. Leicester VS Tottenham (Michael Salisbury) Probably the shock result of the weekend, not just for the result but also by the margins it was done by! Although this game and its result had very little to do with VAR, with it having to rightfully rule out a Leicester goal for a clear offside, and rightfully awarding the other 5 goals and not needing to intervene with anything.
Bournemouth VS Newcastle (Stuart Attwell) A bit of a surprise result for this game (yet another that went against what us saints fans wanted), but this one had nothing really to do with VAR or Attwell, who had an easy game to deal with. As both goals were perfectly fine and there were no other major officiating decisions to highlight, so a quiet but good game for VAR and Attwell. Leeds VS Man United (Paul Tierney) This game was probably the quietest of the weekend for both VAR and the result. As both Man United goals were perfectly fine with no real controversies around ether. Man City VS Aston Villa (Robert Jones) This did have a bit for the officials and VAR to look at. As VAR didn't get involved with anything on the day, with all 3 open play goals rightfully standing and no real controversies around any of them. But there was also 2 more incidents from this game. A disallowed goal by Jones for a late clattering by Haaland into the Villa keeper, which was the correct decision and why Gundogan’s goal didn’t stand. But there was also a penalty awarded to City for a supposed foul on Grealish. But as the replays show there is a slight clip on the back of Grealish’s heel and as much as he may of gone down easy, it’s always gonna be a foul and pen in todays footballing world! So overall a fairly straightforward and simple game for Jones and VAR, which they did well to handle and officiated well getting all the major decisions correct in my view. Liverpool VS Everton (Simon Hooper) Again another rivalry this gameweek, but a quiet game for VAR, with Hooper being the man in the middle for this one. As there was no major controversies during this game, with no issues around any of the goals and both of Liverpools goals rightfully standing. Although there was a little brawl towards the end of the game, there wasn’t anything too serious in it and nothing more than a cautioning here and there, with VAR being right to not get involved in it. So a surprisingly easy game for Hooper to manage, yet still a decent performance from him and VAR. Weekly conclusion + LOTG quiz Well this game weeks incident’s certainly weren’t dealt with as well or perfectly as last weeks! As I don’t think there was anywhere near as much controversy as many have made out there to have been, and many of the usual clowns that call themselves pundits, as per usual only highlight VAR when getting these decisions wrong (and sometimes even do it when VAR is right!) but not when they get them right. But at the same time there certainly have been many controversial decisions made with a fair few being ones that even I myself can’t defend. Like the incidents from a few games, affecting the results negatively for Brighton, Chelsea and Arsenal. Seeing how a fair few of them are offsides, that is a bit of a disappointment seeing how they should be the one thing that VAR doesn’t mess up on (or at least not for the blatant ones) and something VAR usually does quite well. So in my view they got 7 out of 10 games major decisions right, which isn’t the greatest, but still isn’t the worst ether. But as many may have seen, the VAR officials for the Brighton and Arsenal games have been removed from their VAR duties for their next games, so it does look like the PGMOL are going to be harsher around these sort of mistakes now. And now for this game weeks questions, which like usual, I’ll post the answers to just before the next post is done… Q1= An arial ball is coming in, a Team A defender has a Team B attacker right on him, so intentionally plays the ball back to his keeper by playing it mid air with his knee. The Team A keeper picks it up with his hands. What do you do now? Q2= Team A is on the attack, with an attacker through on goal, 1 on 1 with the keeper, with just 1 defender behind him. The team B defender is just behind the attacker and begins to pull his shirt outside the box, but continues to do so inside the box, with this shirt pulling causing the team A attacker to go down inside the box. What do you give now? Q3= A team A player is on the attack and through on goal, but whilst doing so their shoe accidentally falls off. But they continue to play on and just after the show falls off shoots and sends the ball into the back of the net. What should happen now? Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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