Editor's Blog8 mins ago
Bent Or Hopeless Referee?
75 Answers
[ in Sport because it's a genuine question, hoping for answers based on the game, rather than re-hashing the penalties/racism/louts discussions ]
In what proper game (with a decent referee) would Italy have ended the match with 11 players on the pitch ?
The cynical pull-down of Saka was a straight red in most peoples' eyes - he we was through on goal (even if a long way out) and at least one other white shirt was belting up in support on the left.
The studs-up tackle on Grealish was slightly more debatable (it may have been inadvertent) - but it was a potentially career-ending assault (and possibly fatherhood-opportunity-ending too) - and I've seen loads of those straight-redded too.
Then there was the 'play advantage' nonsense when England had a clear free-kick opportunity denied on the very edge of the box in extra-time - the illusory advantage lasted a microsecond before the ball was hoofed upfield.
There were others too - cynical fouling and faking of injuries were rife by the Italians and blandly ignored by the man in pink.
In the absence of any evidence, I'll just assume that the ref was an incompetent wimp ...
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In what proper game (with a decent referee) would Italy have ended the match with 11 players on the pitch ?
The cynical pull-down of Saka was a straight red in most peoples' eyes - he we was through on goal (even if a long way out) and at least one other white shirt was belting up in support on the left.
The studs-up tackle on Grealish was slightly more debatable (it may have been inadvertent) - but it was a potentially career-ending assault (and possibly fatherhood-opportunity-ending too) - and I've seen loads of those straight-redded too.
Then there was the 'play advantage' nonsense when England had a clear free-kick opportunity denied on the very edge of the box in extra-time - the illusory advantage lasted a microsecond before the ball was hoofed upfield.
There were others too - cynical fouling and faking of injuries were rife by the Italians and blandly ignored by the man in pink.
In the absence of any evidence, I'll just assume that the ref was an incompetent wimp ...
https:/
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I contribute, ken, because I am genuinely intrigued at the way so many people can get sucked into enthusiasm for a game that is so obviously flawed. A perfect example of this is when there is talk of a player "winning" a penalty. Penalties are awarded for foul play on the part of an opponent. There should be no contribution from the player fouled. If the fouling player's only remedy to prevent his opponent progressing is to commit a foul and he deliberately does so (which often seems the case from reports) then he is a cheat. If a player is blown over by the breeze created by an opponent passing six feet away from him, he may "win" his penalty but then he too is a cheat. I first noticed this strategy watching my nephew play football when he was about fourteen. He told me afterwards, quite as a matter of fact, that they had been encouraged by their coach to take every opportunity to "dive" if they are beaten in the penalty area. It was probably the final nail in the coffin that contained my enthusiasm for football and from what little I have seen of it since I cannot understand anybody going wild about it.
I know this thread is about the quality of refereeing in yesterday’s match, but just look at some of the remarks:
“The cynical pull-down of Saka…”
“The studs-up tackle on Grealish…”
“…cynical fouling and faking of injuries were rife…”
“No Chiellini’s collar tug was certainly bit a red card. Jorginho’s foul on the other hand was certainly that…”
“You could argue that Chiellini should already have been on a yellow card for any one of sundry Dark Arts - but refs are reluctant to card him early in a match because they know that he'll do something appalling at some point…”
What sort of game is it that can major so much on the foul play committed? With the possible exception of Rugby Union (where there are probably more fouls but with most of them being of a “technical” nature rather than a result of cynical foul play) I cannot think of any game where so much foul play is witnessed. I certainly do not know of a sport where deliberate foul play seems part and parcel of the game. As entertainment value football probably fits alongside professional wrestling - a sport in name only but theatre in nature. But as a sport to be taken seriously? Nah. I’m afraid for me the game has absolutely no credibility whatsoever.
I know this thread is about the quality of refereeing in yesterday’s match, but just look at some of the remarks:
“The cynical pull-down of Saka…”
“The studs-up tackle on Grealish…”
“…cynical fouling and faking of injuries were rife…”
“No Chiellini’s collar tug was certainly bit a red card. Jorginho’s foul on the other hand was certainly that…”
“You could argue that Chiellini should already have been on a yellow card for any one of sundry Dark Arts - but refs are reluctant to card him early in a match because they know that he'll do something appalling at some point…”
What sort of game is it that can major so much on the foul play committed? With the possible exception of Rugby Union (where there are probably more fouls but with most of them being of a “technical” nature rather than a result of cynical foul play) I cannot think of any game where so much foul play is witnessed. I certainly do not know of a sport where deliberate foul play seems part and parcel of the game. As entertainment value football probably fits alongside professional wrestling - a sport in name only but theatre in nature. But as a sport to be taken seriously? Nah. I’m afraid for me the game has absolutely no credibility whatsoever.
I fully understand what you say regards players going down like felled trees by the merest contact with an opponent. The problem is, NJ, that some refs simply refuse to give penalties unless it looks as if the 'victim' has been chopped down. The manager of Burnley FC, Sean Dyche, absolutely forbids his players from diving in order to gain penalties. And he is a firm advocate of VAR (when used correctly, of course). As a result of this policy, Burnley have had far fewer penalty awards than any other side in the Premier League! Even the most genuine of appeals are brushed aside. Small wonder, then, that some players add theatrics to their repertoire. Though some of them regularly quite overdo it.
Fair complaints, but the better team on the night won, sadly. Very similar to our semifinal in the World Cup where we dominated for the first period, then dropped off completely when the opposition had their period of dominance in the second half. We should have made changes much sooner, as soon as we realised what was happening (again).
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