Standard of Refereeing

[astonvilla82]

Exactly what was Morgan Rodgers booked for?

[SoccerHQ]

Cash's was a booking by a mile but he didn't look like he was going to show a card until that hairy twat had a go at him.

Was listening to Andy Townsend on comms on the feed.

This is how he saw the challenges...yes really...

Caciedo "barely makes any contact on Kamara"

Cash "really not a good challenge at all"

Delap studs up on Kamara "Not much there from Delap is there....."

I like Townsend but he certainly had his Chelsea tinted spectacles on yesterday!

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

I thought Caicedo should have got one for a sliding challenge not long into the match. Had it not happened so early he probably would have been booked.

[Crown Hill]

Cash's was a booking by a mile but he didn't look like he was going to show a card until that hairy twat had a go at him.

Was listening to Andy Townsend on comms on the feed.

This is how he saw the challenges...yes really...

Caciedo "barely makes any contact on Kamara"

Cash "really not a good challenge at all"

Delap studs up on Kamara "Not much there from Delap is there....."

I like Townsend but he certainly had his Chelsea tinted spectacles on yesterday!

Chelsea used to hate him when he walked out on them to join us. One match they were singing what a wanker he was during a minutes silence for somebody. He used to raise his game against them!

[SoccerHQ]

Cash's was a booking by a mile but he didn't look like he was going to show a card until that hairy twat had a go at him.

Was listening to Andy Townsend on comms on the feed.

This is how he saw the challenges...yes really...

Caciedo "barely makes any contact on Kamara"

Cash "really not a good challenge at all"

Delap studs up on Kamara "Not much there from Delap is there....."

I like Townsend but he certainly had his Chelsea tinted spectacles on yesterday!

Chelsea used to hate him when he walked out on them to join us. One match they were singing what a wanker he was during a minutes silence for somebody. He used to raise his game against them!

He certainly still has a soft spot for us, might still live in Warwickshire but doing our games v Chelsea certainly brings the worst out of him as can remember him on ITV when they had the CL rights and he was screaming everytime they scored in big matches in that era.

[Nev]

The ref absolutely knew that the Woolwich player had committed a second yellow card offence last night, you could see it in his eyes and his denial was one of panic but for a moment put yourself in his position, and indeed that of other officials.

Had he made the correct decision and we got something from the game, his decision would be subject to intense scrutiny from all and sundry, led by Arteta. It would have been described as a pivotal moment in the game by the media, their title aspirations hindered by it, the ref would be subject to all sorts of stick regardless of the fact that he had made the right call. The few that would back his decision would be out shouted by the blowhards and fucking wankers like Alan Smith and Keown, appointed cheerleaders for the chosen clubs.

But he chose the easy way out and was vindicated by the fact that there has been barely whisper about what was indeed a pivotal moment, Emery's non-handshake has got more press. And let's face it, can you really blame him?

This happens every week. Yes, the decisions are subjective but when there is an outside influence it colours decisions. See also Old Trafford at the end of last season.

You could see it in his eyes.....

[cdbearsfan]

Absolutely shameful refereeing yesterday. I can forgive mistakes and not seeing everything, but seeing a foul which was a clear second booking then utterly bottling it like he did is unforgivable. He was dreadful with his refusal to book Saka in the first half, too. Saka gets away with more than any player in the league, even including Fernandes.

Watching Arsenal having watched Man City at Forest at the weekend, constantly fouling to break up every attack and never getting booked, you can see what a disadvantage we are at. With an already thin squad we have two players suspended for picking up five bookings. How many fouls would an Arsenal or Man City player have to commit to acquire five bookings? I can't imagine it wouldn't stretch to treble figures.

[Monty]

Refs are like cops, indeed many are cops - lots of perfectly decent fellas who just want to make things fair, but also a lot of petty rulefreak bullies who show that the true delight of the bully isn't just punching down but also kissing up, who loves to feel their place in the hierarchy, who just craves the cuddly little thrill of standing close to power, the tang of boot leather on their sandpaper tongues.

Also Zubimendi's a sneaky little bugger.

[ChicagoLion]

Cd and Nev , you have both absolutely nailed it. It’s not just the refs it’s backed up by the media punditry. It’s why no one mentions the 115 charges.
The level of bias has moved to downright cheating. They have their hands on the scales and the situation is getting worse.

[dorsetvillian]

It was a shameful decision not to send off Merino. So clear and obvious. At 2-0 and down to ten  the game changes completely. The Arsenal fans were on edge all first half and would have turned again. We all know if that Was a Villa player he would have gone.

[The Edge]

I think Arsenal were too strong in the end as their squad depth compared to ours was the crucial difference. However and not wanting to sound like a conspiracy theory nutjob I think it's obvious that Arsenal had more than a little help off the officials and also the PL. The fixtures absolutely favoured them over the last few days and Unai even questioned before the game why were we playing Arsenal for the second time before we have even played Forest once?
Onto last night's game. Saka not getting booked for twice deliberately tripping one of our players to stop a break was extremely lenient. Merino  not picking up a blatant second yellow was again very very lenient. He then booked Rogers for, well nothing. The referee gave a free kick to them right on the touchline. Rogers stood 5/6 yards away probably expecting the ref to tell him to retreat thus wasting a bit of time. Instead the Arsenal player throws the ball towards Rogers,runs up and whacks the ball into Rogers legs. Cue the Arsenal player AND Arteta throwing their arms in the air demanding that Rogers got booked. Obviously the ref duly obliged and booked a bemused Rogers for, well nothing. And just to cap it all old nasaly boring bastard on comms observed radio silence when he should be asking "why on earth did he book Morgan Rogers there?"
Again I don't want to come across as the proud owner of a tin foil hat but I'm still seething at the injustice of it all.

[astonvilla82]

The ref absolutely knew that the Woolwich player had committed a second yellow card offence last night, you could see it in his eyes and his denial was one of panic but for a moment put yourself in his position, and indeed that of other officials.

Had he made the correct decision and we got something from the game, his decision would be subject to intense scrutiny from all and sundry, led by Arteta. It would have been described as a pivotal moment in the game by the media, their title aspirations hindered by it, the ref would be subject to all sorts of stick regardless of the fact that he had made the right call. The few that would back his decision would be out shouted by the blowhards and fucking wankers like Alan Smith and Keown, appointed cheerleaders for the chosen clubs.

But he chose the easy way out and was vindicated by the fact that there has been barely whisper about what was indeed a pivotal moment, Emery's non-handshake has got more press. And let's face it, can you really blame him?

This happens every week. Yes, the decisions are subjective but when there is an outside influence it colours decisions. See also Old Trafford at the end of last season.

You could see it in his eyes.....

His job is to referee the game not worry about what pundits have to say,if they do, they should get another job

[Ads]

There's absolutely no excuse for why Morino didn't walk. There's also no way, as weak as Martinez was, we'd get away with the first goal.

[Mister E]

There's absolutely no excuse for why Morino didn't walk. There's also no way, as weak as Martinez was, we'd get away with the first goal.

Merino should have gone, Sakashite should have been yellowed and Rogers' card was harsh but the first goal was down to Martinez being a weak twat, not down to the ref (all corners are a bunfight these days, and refs rarely adjudicate on them).