Are Officials losing the plot?

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

How many times have we seen quick free kicks taken, the ref lets the game carry on, I watched the West Brom v Brighton free kick goal, quite a few times during the day. The ref blew his whistle, so to his own conviction, even if the goalkeeper was not ready, the goal ought to have stood.
When a penalty is going to be taken, we don't see the ref asking the goalkeeper if hes ready.
This incident will haunt the ref, for a long time, I can see it coming when Mason referees a game, a team getting a free kick, will ask him if the goalkeeper is ready.

[Ronners]

I think that by not allowing a quick free kick that the team that was fouled ,are penalised twice. If an opposing player has deliberately fouled an opponent to either stop him from shooting, or stop him from playing someone in on goal, why then stop that team taking a quick free kick so the goalkeeper gets to set the wall up?
If the referee makes it clear to both teams before the match that if they want a quick free kick then they can take one, then it saves things like the incident at West Brom from blowing up in the refs face, however, because the ref had told them to wait for the whistle, then he definitely came to the correct decision in the end, once he realised the goalkeeper was still lining the wall up.

[millertop]

I think that by not allowing a quick free kick that the team that was fouled ,are penalised twice. If an opposing player has deliberately fouled an opponent to either stop him from shooting, or stop him from playing someone in on goal, why then stop that team taking a quick free kick so the goalkeeper gets to set the wall up?
If the referee makes it clear to both teams before the match that if they want a quick free kick then they can take one, then it saves things like the incident at West Brom from blowing up in the refs face, however, because the ref had told them to wait for the whistle, then he definitely came to the correct decision in the end, once he realised the goalkeeper was still lining the wall up.

They still need to set the wall up

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

They still need to set the wall up

I don't see why

Surely the ref tells them to wait for the whistle so that he can get in position not for the defence to line up their ducks

[Brin]

I suppose this lot totally contradict Lee Mason's decision but he was the official in charge and he stands by what he did.

[Ronners]

They still need to set the wall up

There is nothing in the rules that says you have to allow any time for a team to set the wall up, but for decades in football the team that has committed the foul usually has someone to stand over the ball to stop a quickly taken free kick, wherever the foul was committed.

[CAMiller]

There is nothing in the rules that says you have to allow any time for a team to set the wall up, but for decades in football the team that has committed the foul usually has someone to stand over the ball to stop a quickly taken free kick, wherever the foul was committed.

I miss the days when the refs used to goose step John Cleese like 10 yards forward if ever a team showed descent or failed to retreat on a free kick.

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

I miss the days when the refs used to goose step John Cleese like 10 yards forward if ever a team showed descent or failed to retreat on a free kick.

Mike Dean is keeping the tradition going.

[Ronners]

I miss the days when the refs used to goose step John Cleese like 10 yards forward if ever a team showed descent or failed to retreat on a free kick.

It'll never catch on CAM 😀, I think they tried that the other year where a ref could go forward another few yards but sometimes it disadvantages the team with the free kick as it was a little too close to goal to get it up over the wall and down again into the net.

[WanChaiMiller]

Maybe modern refs actually have to make decisions. In the old days Hunter could put Lee in the second row of the grand stand and it would be play on.