When are they going to improve the standard off football officials they use in this country? Every season there are not just the odd decision but numerous bad errors which, I feel the FA should do something about.
Yesterdays officials at the Blackburn v Everton game were a disgrace. A deliberate handball, An out and out penalty and a totally legit goal not awarded cost Everton 2 points which could in effect cost them a CL place as Liverpool are only 1 point behind them with a game in hand, instead of 4 points behind.
And please don't give me that "Human Error" crap as that argument ran out of steam ages ago.

I couldn't agree more. Wiley was the referee at that game, the same man who failed to clear the pitch at Bramall Lane. There were a number of those dodgy offsides again this weekend. Allardyce said all the managers met with Hackett at the beginning of the season, and to a man, asked for the offside law to revert to the clearer, original interpretation. I guess UEFA threw out that request?

I couldn't agree more. Wiley was the referee at that game, the same man who failed to clear the pitch at Bramall Lane. There were a number of those dodgy offsides again this weekend. Allardyce said all the managers met with Hackett at the beginning of the season, and to a man, asked for the offside law to revert to the clearer, original interpretation. I guess UEFA threw out that request?

Surely that would be FIFA, rather than UEFA?:huh:

Fifa being the governing body who change the rules at the drop of a hat.


Jim

The decisions in the Everton v Blackburn match were so bad, the referee should be dropped.

They were the worst I've seen in ages.

The decisions in the Everton v Blackburn match were so bad, the referee should be dropped.

They were the worst I've seen in ages.

Swings and roundabouts though; Everton had enough dodgy penalties last season when Andy Johnson was flinging himself to the ground the moment a defender breathed on him, so it's karmic retribution for him to be denied both a clear goal and a clear penalty at the weekend.

If, like me, you watch premiership games as a neutral, you'll find most refs are of a very good standard. It's only the fact that each decision is repeatedly shown in slow motion and debated by "experts" who;ve never reffed a game in their lives that mistakes get pointed out; mistakes that, were you watching the game at full speed, most people would find very difficult to call.

League Two refs on the other hand are useless.....:hihi:

Swings and roundabouts though; Everton had enough dodgy penalties last season when Andy Johnson was flinging himself to the ground the moment a defender breathed on him, so it's karmic retribution for him to be denied both a clear goal and a clear penalty at the weekend.

If, like me, you watch premiership games as a neutral, you'll find most refs are of a very good standard. It's only the fact that each decision is repeatedly shown in slow motion and debated by "experts" who;ve never reffed a game in their lives that mistakes get pointed out; mistakes that, were you watching the game at full speed, most people would find very difficult to call.

League Two refs on the other hand are useless.....:hihi:

Of course, there is a huge margin for human error, it's to be expected, but I've never seen so many terrible decisions in one match.

As well as the ones you mentioned, Dunn should have been sent off before he blocked a shot on the line!

The chuff at St James' Park ruled against a perfectly legitimate goal (Michael Owen after Boro's goallie had spilled the ball).

I am sure some of these so-called referees are under the delusion that 55,000 fans have turned up to see their inept, inadequate and frankly pathetic performances. We seem to have an endless supply of them.

They should be made to explain their decisions after having studied a video of the entire match. They should be forced to apologise for their errors - some of which have proved to be very costly to individual clubs. True, they say these errors balance themselves out in the end. Trouble is, these errors, glaring to everyone else watching, should not be happening!

Refs in La Liga and Serie A etcetra seem to get it right. Why don't ours?

I bet our refs rush to the newsagent Sunday morning and spend the entire day reading about how they managed to ruin an otherwise entertaining day. They probably do so with the bathroom door firmly locked.

The FA and poor referees seem ideal bed-fellows. Sack the lot.

The decisions in the Everton v Blackburn match were so bad, the referee should be dropped.

They were the worst I've seen in ages.

the trouble is they drop them down a division so we end up stuck with them. They should be suspended

the trouble is they drop them down a division so we end up stuck with them. They should be suspended

Yeah. I agree with that. I don't want the muppet at Hillsborough.

Yeah. I agree with that. I don't want the muppet at Hillsborough.

Precisely, there's always 11 muppets on the pitch every week anyways :hihi:

Trouble is, these errors, glaring to everyone else watching, should not be happening!


They aren't glaring to everyone else watching. Most of them require slow-motion replay from numerous angles, to even demonstrate the decision was wrong, let alone blatant.

When are they going to improve the standard off football officials they use in this country?

When they take rugby's lead and allow the use of video replays.

When they take rugby's lead and allow the use of video replays.

There was a head-butt in the Scotland v France game on Sunday; the referee's attention was drawn to it but he awarded France a penalty without taking any action against the aggressive Scot!

When they take rugby's lead and allow the use of video replays.

You can't simply stop the game and wait a few minutes while the ref gets slow motion replays from 5 different angles.

You can't simply stop the game and wait a few minutes while the ref gets slow motion replays from 5 different angles.

So why can I see endless replays of incidents within a few seconds when watching football, cricket or even rugby on TV.

the trouble is they drop them down a division so we end up stuck with them. They should be suspended

And this is what I never understand. They're the same rules! Yes, much lower down the leagues there's less pace, but the Championship is more chaotic than the top flight, and I'd have said probably more difficult to referee as a result.

I thought Rob Styles was down to his usual standard at the weekend too.

So why can I see endless replays of incidents within a few seconds when watching football, cricket or even rugby on TV.

Because they're easy to produce. That doesn't explain how you intend to stop play in mid-attack to determine whether or not a foul was committed, and then carry on exactly as things were before, if you find that it wasn't.

So why can I see endless replays of incidents within a few seconds when watching football, cricket or even rugby on TV.

You appear to be talking about two different things - replays for the viewer and replays for the ref / umpire.

For the viewer - you usually get a quick replay after incidents and then the 5 different angle slow motion replays and the talking heads at half time or after the game.

For the ref / umpire - the ball becomes dead in cricket after every ball so it easy to show replays to the umpires.

As far as I'm aware replays are only used in rugby to determine if a ball has been downed over the try line - again a situation where the ball is dead and play has stopped.

Most of the incidents cited for football in this thread appear to be whilst the ball is still in play. How long do you let the game go on for before a replay? How long to make up your mind - I seem to recall that in the rugby world cup it took something like 3 minutes to decide on one try. Imagine that at a Liverpool v Man Utd game!

I've said it before, use 4 linesmen if you don't want to use videos. Yes I do agree to a certain extent that then you will have more officials contradicting themselves but one linesman cannot watch a complete half on is own. At the end of the day the camera never lies and we are not playing in the 80's and 90's anymore. We have to move forward.
Been watching the African Nations on TV and the refs there seem to get a lot less hassle from players and the games seem to run a lot more smoothly. Is this because the Refs are fitter and can keep up with the game? I do think fitness plays a large role in how a ref manages a game. If you are not there to see it then how can you judge it?

Swings and roundabouts though; Everton had enough dodgy penalties last season when Andy Johnson was flinging himself to the ground the moment a defender breathed on him, so it's karmic retribution for him to be denied both a clear goal and a clear penalty at the weekend.

sorry but you are completely wrong. the ref association even admitted johnson should have been awarded at least 8 penalties that wasnt given last season. moyes sent them a video of his "dives" that didnt happen. I did see cahill dive the other week and i really hope moyes give him a bollicking.

as for the refs descions at blackburn, these things happen so im not going to moan, but the offside rule does need to be changed or at least clarified as to what it is.


the old joke about teaching your girlfriend the offside rule is now defunct because we would all get it wrong!

And this is what I never understand. They're the same rules! Yes, much lower down the leagues there's less pace, but the Championship is more chaotic than the top flight, and I'd have said probably more difficult to referee as a result.

I thought Rob Styles was down to his usual standard at the weekend too.



talking of rob styles, guess which team he is him reffing tomorrow, and i will give a massive clue, its not a premiership team

talking of rob styles, guess which team he is him reffing tomorrow, and i will give a massive clue, its not a premiership team

Oh, deep joy.

When are they going to improve the standard off football officials they use in this country? Every season there are not just the odd decision but numerous bad errors which, I feel the FA should do something about.
And please don't give me that "Human Error" crap as that argument ran out of steam ages ago.

Hackett - Ferguson wants some answers! Not for the first time has Atkinson got penalties wrong. McCarthy was correct, Baros fell because he stuck his knee on the goalie's head - watch Baros's stiff right leg as he fell. There were also two defenders back to cover. Earlier, Distin was about three yards away from the ball when he charged Ronaldo.

The thing they have been talking about is having another linesman behind each goal to judge on goal mouth incidents. God knows where they will find them as they are already short of quality refs.

The thing they have been talking about is having another linesman behind each goal to judge on goal mouth incidents. God knows where they will find them as they are already short of quality refs.

Trouble is, local amateur clubs or schools have to make do with a ref - full stop.
Money has spoilt many sports for my liking but I heard Charlie Nicholas saying the officials have to become accountable. Those decisions at Old Trafford (two Wembley visits perhaps) will cost Manchester United a lot of money and I can empathise with Ferguson. Had Manchester United led from what should have been a penalty, I think they would have scored more. That decision had a large bearing on the shape of the game - Portsmouth sitting back.

Such decisions do not cancel out, a hard-done by team might be given a dubious decision when 3-0 up.

Brunt got away with a clear penalty challenge on a Bristol forward and the non-sensical offside interpretation rearing controversy again - it's totally absurd.