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So I'm watching Newcastle against Man City and once again a game has been marred by a refereeing decision.
Not that I'm a fan of either team, but I can't sleep and it's a good opportunity to watch Robinho and SWP versus Obafemi Martins and .....erm ....... Obafemi Martins.
The scenario is a defense-splitting pass sees Robinho through on goal when Habib Beye makes a last ditch tackle and actually gets a teeny bit of the ball before taking Robinho down just inside the edge of the area.
From the referees point of view it actually looks like a penalty, so Rob Styles awards the penalty and sends off Beye.
Why am I miffed?
Because in the English Premier League that very same tackle is not always a red card.
- that's the refereeing aspect
The next thing is that Newcastle will already be punished with a penalty, which shouldn't have been awarded, but on top of that they have a defender sent off.
- that's the ridiculous rules aspect
I don't know how many discussions I've had with other fans about referees, but here are some popular arguments about referees and introducing technology to assist refs:
*Refs are bound by the rules of the game - blame the rules not the ref
*A referee should be allowed to officiate each match as he deems fit
*Refs usually even things out during the course of a match
*Using technology would diminish the drama / lessen the human element
*Using technology would slow down a match
Here are my thoughts:
The problem is that refs don't enforce the law in equal measure. Now, it's already difficult to accept when the same situation doesn't incur the same punishment in a different match, but sometimes a ref doesn't even punish the same situation equally in the same match.
I watch the EPL more than any other league, but I still do watch La Liga and the Bundesliga and I don't see such ridiculous inconsistencies.
Some of the rules really need reviewing and the great Perluigi Collina said as much - when you award a penalty AND send off the offending player - it is a double punishment.
If a ref should be allowed to officiate matches as he sees fit, Why oh why would a ref want to send a player off in the 12th minute for a fair challenge.
In the Newcastle - Man City match, the tackle was a fair tackle, not a dirty tackle from behind.
It will be interesting to see, if Beye will have the red card rescinded, because replays show that he got the ball first.
On the technology front, I do not believe that it would slow down the game.
We see the replays within seconds and the 4th official could simply have a monitor next to him on the sidelines and advice the ref through the wireless communication system they have now.
I don't agree that using technology would lessen the talking points, because there is enough to talk about regarding a football match other than refereeing blunders.
it is very, very infuriating to witness such inconsistent refereeing in the Premier League.
EPL = Best football, worst referees.
In this day and age, refereeing decisions decide championships and can cost a club millions of pounds.
Even, if a ref evens it out during a match, it does not make it fair.
Plus by the time he evens it out, one team could have take an unassailable lead.
Other stuff that irks me are for example not setting walls properly during set-pieces and if there is a some slight pushing going on in the wall where both attackers and defending are shoving, the referee doesn't side with the attacking team.
Solution:
The FA needs to hold weekly conference calls to discuss the good and bad of the previous weekend and find some consensus in their decision-making.
Maybe get a highly-regarded referee to mentor the current batch. Someone like Collina.
In addition, they MUST start to use technology to help them get the big decisions right.
Not that I'm a fan of either team, but I can't sleep and it's a good opportunity to watch Robinho and SWP versus Obafemi Martins and .....erm ....... Obafemi Martins.
The scenario is a defense-splitting pass sees Robinho through on goal when Habib Beye makes a last ditch tackle and actually gets a teeny bit of the ball before taking Robinho down just inside the edge of the area.
From the referees point of view it actually looks like a penalty, so Rob Styles awards the penalty and sends off Beye.
Why am I miffed?
Because in the English Premier League that very same tackle is not always a red card.
- that's the refereeing aspect
The next thing is that Newcastle will already be punished with a penalty, which shouldn't have been awarded, but on top of that they have a defender sent off.
- that's the ridiculous rules aspect
I don't know how many discussions I've had with other fans about referees, but here are some popular arguments about referees and introducing technology to assist refs:
*Refs are bound by the rules of the game - blame the rules not the ref
*A referee should be allowed to officiate each match as he deems fit
*Refs usually even things out during the course of a match
*Using technology would diminish the drama / lessen the human element
*Using technology would slow down a match
Here are my thoughts:
The problem is that refs don't enforce the law in equal measure. Now, it's already difficult to accept when the same situation doesn't incur the same punishment in a different match, but sometimes a ref doesn't even punish the same situation equally in the same match.
I watch the EPL more than any other league, but I still do watch La Liga and the Bundesliga and I don't see such ridiculous inconsistencies.
Some of the rules really need reviewing and the great Perluigi Collina said as much - when you award a penalty AND send off the offending player - it is a double punishment.
If a ref should be allowed to officiate matches as he sees fit, Why oh why would a ref want to send a player off in the 12th minute for a fair challenge.
In the Newcastle - Man City match, the tackle was a fair tackle, not a dirty tackle from behind.
It will be interesting to see, if Beye will have the red card rescinded, because replays show that he got the ball first.
On the technology front, I do not believe that it would slow down the game.
We see the replays within seconds and the 4th official could simply have a monitor next to him on the sidelines and advice the ref through the wireless communication system they have now.
I don't agree that using technology would lessen the talking points, because there is enough to talk about regarding a football match other than refereeing blunders.
it is very, very infuriating to witness such inconsistent refereeing in the Premier League.
EPL = Best football, worst referees.
In this day and age, refereeing decisions decide championships and can cost a club millions of pounds.
Even, if a ref evens it out during a match, it does not make it fair.
Plus by the time he evens it out, one team could have take an unassailable lead.
Other stuff that irks me are for example not setting walls properly during set-pieces and if there is a some slight pushing going on in the wall where both attackers and defending are shoving, the referee doesn't side with the attacking team.
Solution:
The FA needs to hold weekly conference calls to discuss the good and bad of the previous weekend and find some consensus in their decision-making.
Maybe get a highly-regarded referee to mentor the current batch. Someone like Collina.
In addition, they MUST start to use technology to help them get the big decisions right.