Officiating

[spaldy]

Some observations


It's really mediocre at best anymore. I'm not sure what the EPL pays them but you'd get much better quality going to the local sunday league and picking them at random vs some of the refs I've seen this season.

1) most troubling is the bias. It's very obvious that some teams are pre determined on who they want to win. It's like watching "pro wrestling" on TV at times. It's also extremely biased toward some individual players. This years standard bearer is Rudiger. A big strapping "man" that tackles hard and follows through on every tackle. Never gets carded and as soon as he's touched he flops and yells for the foul. Not sure how that is not identified in an era where every game is filmed and review is very easy. Have to assume that's it's allowed by design. The EPL also does not seem to punish refs that can't do the job. They should be demoted to a lower league and someone lower moved up. Not sure on whether the lower leagues have VAR but refs handling games without VAR are likley be much better suited to handle a game than those that just observe the game and count on VAR to handle the game.

2) Lack of technical skill. These are simple ones to identify. Just saw a team place a ball 5 years on the other side of the Center line on an offsides call. Right before that saw the ref not give an advantage on a foul 5 yards outside the box. That has to be a huge advantage to not call due to scoring potential on the restart and it was not. I've seen fouls that were almost the same and one gets a yellow card while the other doesn't. Either these are incompetence or bias. Either way those refs probably need a spell in Lg 1 or conference to brush up on their skills.

3) Promotion/Demotion- The EPL also does not seem to punish refs that can't do the job. They should be demoted to a lower league and someone lower moved up. Not sure on whether the lower leagues have VAR but refs handling games without VAR are likely be much better suited to handle a game than those that just observe the game and count on VAR to handle the game.

I'll wrap up by saying that I think VAR has been awful for the level of competence. I think the ref starts to become an observer in the game rather than controlling it. They count on VAR to make the call rather than actively managing the game. The long term impact on this is much greater than the occasional call that's missed.

I know that being a Leeds supporter it's automatically assumed that it's "sour grapes" and I"m not objective but this has little to do with Leeds and more to do with the EPL overall. It diminishes the quality of the product and sooner or latter affects the TV revenue since events like "wrasslin" and russian/chinese gymnastics, diving and ice skating lose their ratings and relevance over time.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

So many poor decisions from
mariner yesterday.

Xhaka should have had a red - either straight or for multiple yellows not given.

The first goal could have been disallowed for the dive by Xhaka in the build up of for the foul on Forshaw.

[ozleeds]

Another just than. Salah places the ball with his hand var no problem. This league is fraudeland.

[george_kaplan]

So many poor decisions from
mariner yesterday.

Xhaka should have had a red - either straight or for multiple yellows not given.

The first goal could have been disallowed for the dive by Xhaka in the build up of for the foul on Forshaw.

Aye all them mate and plus. Great pic doing the rounds v chelski 5 LEEDS players around ref, 5 chelski around ref, we get fined??
I haven’t seen or read a explanation from these two same incidents…..we never will. There’s the answer.

[WTF11]

Some observations


It's really mediocre at best anymore. I'm not sure what the EPL pays them but you'd get much better quality going to the local sunday league and picking them at random vs some of the refs I've seen this season.

1) most troubling is the bias. It's very obvious that some teams are pre determined on who they want to win. It's like watching "pro wrestling" on TV at times. It's also extremely biased toward some individual players. This years standard bearer is Rudiger. A big strapping "man" that tackles hard and follows through on every tackle. Never gets carded and as soon as he's touched he flops and yells for the foul. Not sure how that is not identified in an era where every game is filmed and review is very easy. Have to assume that's it's allowed by design. The EPL also does not seem to punish refs that can't do the job. They should be demoted to a lower league and someone lower moved up. Not sure on whether the lower leagues have VAR but refs handling games without VAR are likley be much better suited to handle a game than those that just observe the game and count on VAR to handle the game.

2) Lack of technical skill. These are simple ones to identify. Just saw a team place a ball 5 years on the other side of the Center line on an offsides call. Right before that saw the ref not give an advantage on a foul 5 yards outside the box. That has to be a huge advantage to not call due to scoring potential on the restart and it was not. I've seen fouls that were almost the same and one gets a yellow card while the other doesn't. Either these are incompetence or bias. Either way those refs probably need a spell in Lg 1 or conference to brush up on their skills.

3) Promotion/Demotion- The EPL also does not seem to punish refs that can't do the job. They should be demoted to a lower league and someone lower moved up. Not sure on whether the lower leagues have VAR but refs handling games without VAR are likely be much better suited to handle a game than those that just observe the game and count on VAR to handle the game.

I'll wrap up by saying that I think VAR has been awful for the level of competence. I think the ref starts to become an observer in the game rather than controlling it. They count on VAR to make the call rather than actively managing the game. The long term impact on this is much greater than the occasional call that's missed.

I know that being a Leeds supporter it's automatically assumed that it's "sour grapes" and I"m not objective but this has little to do with Leeds and more to do with the EPL overall. It diminishes the quality of the product and sooner or latter affects the TV revenue since events like "wrasslin" and russian/chinese gymnastics, diving and ice skating lose their ratings and relevance over time.

Interesting MOTD this evening, particularly the comments from Shearer regarding the performance on field officials and those who are responsible for VAR, scathing springs to mind.

Consistency, correct interpretation of the rules, competence of the officials on the pitch and back in the VAR offices, all were castigated, so maybe it's not just us LUFC fans!

[joellufcprice]

If you ever want to see their incompetence just look at two moments this season.

Dan James (non-penalty) vs Newcastle compared to Rudiger penalty given away by Klich


Then

Gelhardt yellow card vs Xhaka not even a foul vs Arsenal

Watch both of those then someone come tell me refs are of a high level and that VAR has stamped out errors.

[joellufcprice]

Aye all them mate and plus. Great pic doing the rounds v chelski 5 LEEDS players around ref, 5 chelski around ref, we get fined??
I haven’t seen or read a explanation from these two same incidents…..we never will. There’s the answer.

Oh and this, happens every game yet we are the ones to get punished for it?

[denver11]

Someone at Leeds needs to start throwing a wobbler the way Klopp, Arteta and Guardiola do. The only thing that saved Kane yesterday was his England captaincy. If it had been anyone else Klopp antics would have got them sent off. Like Struicjk for example. They intimidate refs and get away with it. Newcastle had a stonewall yesterday as well turned down. But as soon as someone on the Leeds Bench kicks off Bielsa gets a yellow. As I said on another thread, we just suck it up and say nowt.

[denver11]

Look at the Zinchenko handball at City. As that happened ithl may have been in the box but the officials daren't give it in case it is a pen and they'd have to face the wrath of Pep.

[hopelesslyoptimistic]

Yup that seems to be the way of it if you want decisions.

The problem I have with it are the examples we have this season affecting us and the inconsistency, often in the same game.

At least 2 fouls on Dan James were so clearly pens that the ref must have made a clear and obvious error but VAR did nothing.

The Struijk incident - red at the time waved okay on but then changed his mind for reasons that have never really been properly explained - probably because they are not defensible.

The Chelsea FA charges.

The recent Arsenal game.

There have been times were players have seemed to want to kick Rapha out of the game this year and nothing given - yet Klopp and Harvey Elliott ….

We have been on the back end of quite a few decisions that have clearly cost us points - Newcastle most obviously - but who knows with Arsenal - If the first goal is disallowed and Xhaka sent off. Just the two points from the Newcastle game and one less point for them would maybe have us all breathing a little easier let alone getting started on the Chelsea game.

VAR was crap last year but at least it was consistent.

If it is going to be this crap then maybe it should be limited to was it wasn’t it a goal and offside and everything else left to the officials.