Standard of Refereeing

[Drummond]

Another one that gets me is using the defenders arm to make either player on or offside. You can't use your arms to score or defend so why are they in any way relevant?

It's not handball until it hits the arm below the shirt line (of a short-sleeved shirt).

[The Edge]

When did this "we can be wrong by 5cm" come in and does it always favour the attacking team? A new one on me. I'm not sure its right either, it just means the offside line has moved 5cm so at 6cm you are off.
As ever the referees have a rule they pull out to defend themselves.

Exactly.
Im sure we have had a couple of goals ruled out by millimetres in the past.

We have and so have many other clubs. This is the point I've been trying to make on here. VAR suddenly invoke the 5cm tolerance rule on Saturday to allow a goal that was offside to everyone that saw it. Even Jamie Carragher said so at the time. The question is why? If it means they're going to stop disallowing goals because of a toenail being offside I'm all for it. I look forward to the next time that happens and I would expect the club involved to be asking "what about the 5cm tolerance you used to allow Liverpool's goal at Fulham?"

[ChicagoLion]

Another one that gets me is using the defenders arm to make either player on or offside. You can't use your arms to score or defend so why are they in any way relevant?

I thought the vertical line was from the armpit

It’s where they decide it to be.
It is looking more and more like deliberate manipulation.

[Skipper_The_Eyechild]

For your first point, that is why additional line thickness was added at the request of the clubs. And I'm not sure on your last line as everyone's setup is SAOT, ie the computer works out where everyone is and tries to confirm offside, then the VAR person confirms it or overrides if there is an issue. Even with that system there is still the frame issue you are complaining about. But as we saw last season when ManU were given a last minute equaliser in the FA Cup when Maguire was a yard offside, I prefer VAR then not to stop those happening. If it means mm calls are still vague then I won't be complaining or stating the tech is not fit for purpose.

Completely agree. I've also been guilty of paying to much heed to how the lines in the grass are as if the groundsman have to be 100% accurate straight lines.

[astonvilla82]

Even at local l Sunday league level you always had referees favouring certain teams

[ChicagoLion]

Even at local l Sunday league level you always had referees favouring certain teams

I played in a league where the refs were affiliated to the clubs you played against, talk about homers.

[Rico]

Arsenal's third goal against us looked well offside to me, but there was barely any mention of it at all. They just make it up as they go along.

[ChicagoLion]

Another shocker, how these guys sleep at night.

[Vegas]

Last night’s wasn’t a shocker. Tielemans pen could have gone either way but wasn’t a howler in my view. The handball pen would have been very harsh on them.

[Rigadon]

Last night’s wasn’t a shocker. Tielemans pen could have gone either way but wasn’t a howler in my view. The handball pen would have been very harsh on them.

...but is more likely to have been given to 'other' teams.  I'm glad Unai had a word with the ref last night.  There's only so long you can take these things on the chin.

[The Edge]

Last night’s wasn’t a shocker. Tielemans pen could have gone either way but wasn’t a howler in my view. The handball pen would have been very harsh on them.

I think the Tielemans one is a definite penalty any other season but for some reason they're allowing carnage in the box from set pieces this season so no surprise we didn't get it. As for the hand ball let's be honest who knows anymore? They've tied themselves up in knots with handball penalties and the rules seem to change and evolve on a weekly basis. Against Chelsea we could of conceded a penalty when the ball hit Maatsens arm. They didn't give the penalty because he was wasn't looking at the ball and his arm was deemed to be in a natural position. Last night Leeds conceded a penalty when the ball hit their players arm even though he was jumping and was looking away from the ball. They must've thought his arm wasn't in a natural position. God knows how because how is it possible to generate lift without raising your arms? Imagine a high jumper trying to jump over a bar but having to keep his arms by his side. It's ludicrous. So sometimes we would of gotten a penalty for handball last night. Sometimes not. All depends on the referees mood at the time.
I understand Unai Emery's frustration. PMGOL officials have finally broke the most mild mannered and fair minded manager you could wish for.

[letsshakehands]

I don't have a problem with the handball shouts from last night not being given, one was blasted at him the other was knocked into him from a yard away. The Tielemans one though should be nailed on, even more so than the multiple times Rogers was hauled down throughout the match.

[ChicagoLion]

We are getting a few, “not enough contact” decisions. I am struggling to understand how much contact is now needed unless you are the favoured few, then it’s minimal.
The problem is the ineptitude and wide interpretations are making it look like corruption.

[The Edge]

I don't have a problem with the handball shouts from last night not being given, one was blasted at him the other was knocked into him from a yard away. The Tielemans one though should be nailed on, even more so than the multiple times Rogers was hauled down throughout the match.

Absolutely. There was one instance in the second half where two or three of there players were pushing and pulling him from pillar to post for a good 10 seconds and the ref saw nothing wrong. Minutes later Mcginn was in a 50/50 tussle with Adam Wharton and he immediately gave a foul against us. Mcginn pointed straight over to Rogers and put his head in his hands. I'm not saying it's corruption I'm saying it's incompetence and it's inconsistent.
I think that's what caused Emery to snap.

[Rigadon]

This 'letting the game flow' nonsense is just 'allowed fouling'.  It favours teams like Forest, Palace and Newcastle.  We get fuck all protection from refs and it must be driving Unai mental.