South Africa 1-1 Mexico | Vela goal disallowed for offside

Description of incident: Mexico swung a corner into the South African box and Khune came flapping at the ball, missing by a mile. It fell for Carols Vela who bundled it into net.

Date of Game: Friday 11th June 2010

Home Team: South Africa | Away Team: Mexico

Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (UZB) | Linesman: Rafael Ilyasov (UZB) & Bahadyr Kochkarov (KGZ)

Decision Type: Offside | Verdict:

Decision Difficulty: 5/5 | Affect on result: 3/5 | Score: 8

Affect on Result: It was still relatively early in the game so it's hard to judge, but if I was a betting man I would have say Mexico would have been likely to run out winners if the goal had stood | Winner: South Africa | Loser: Mexico

Players Involved:  Carlos Vela (Mexico) & Itumeleng Khune (South Africa)

Summary: This was a really tough call so hats off to the linesman for getting this one spot on. As the South African goalkeeper came flying out in an attempt to claim the ball, Vela fell into an offside position because only one defender was on the line and he was now more advanced that Khune. It happened at such speed and is the type of incident often missed by officials. Top, top decision.

Update: Why was Carlos Vela's goal disallowed? Full explanation There seems to be some confusion over why this goal was disallowed, so I'd like to be 100% clear. The offside rule states that when the ball is played two defenders should be between the attacker and the goal. We often describe this as needing to be "level with the last man" as, invariably, the goalie will be the second "defender" between the attacker and the goal. Is this instance, the goalie was more advanced than Vela when the ball was played and therefore only one defender remained between him and the goal.

View highlights & match summary of South Africa vs Mexico on BBC

Cheers,
WB

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Bolton Vs Fulham | Davies goal ruled out for push

Description of incident: Extremely late in the game, the ball was swung into the Fulham penalty area. Kevin Davies climbed above Hangeland to head what would surely have been the winning goal but the referee blew for a foul by Davies much to the shock of the Bolton players.

Date of Game: Saturday 6th February 2010

Home Team: Bolton Wanderers | Away Team: Fulham

Referee: Mark Clattenburg | Linesman: Robert Madley & Jeremy Simpson

Decision Type: Free kick | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 2/5

Affect on Result: Clearly denied Bolton victory | Winner: Fulham | Loser: Bolton Wanderers

Players Involved: Kevin Davies (Bolton) & Brede Hangeland (Fulham)

Summary: I struggled to see what the referee had blown for on first viewing. Video replays did show that Kevin Davies had a forearm in Hangeland's back however, I don't think the contact was enough to warrant a free kick. Roy Hodgson disagreed, but I expect he is only saying that as he is Fulham boss. If Davies' challenge is a foul then it's a sad day for football as it means strength is gradually being phased out of the modern game. Wrong decision for me, the goal should have stood.



Cheers,
WB

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Fulham Vs Portsmouth | Zamora offside for Greening goal

Description of incident: Portsmouth made a complete mess of clearing the ball and it arrived at the feet of Duff unmarked on the right hand side of the area. He placed a right footed cross along the edge of the six yard box which Zamora failed to make any contact with. The ball then deflected to Greening who planted it into the empty net. There were suspicions of Zamora being offside but the ref and linesman never hinted at any such decision.

Date of Game: Wednesday 6th February 2010

Home Team: Fulham | Away Team: Portsmouth

Referee: Anthony Taylor | Linesman: Mick McDonough & Phil Sharp

Decision Type: Offside | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 2/5

Affect on Result: It allowed the only goal of the game, so you can't really get more 'game defining' than that | Winner: Fulham | Loser: Portsmouth

Players Involved: Bobby Zamora, Damian Duff & Jonathan Greening (Fulham)

Summary: When Duff played the ball in, Zamora was clearly offside by at least a yard. His entire body was the wrong side of the defender, it was an easy one to spot. The officials may have allowed the goal to stand as they classed Zamora as "not interfering with play". Well, quite simply he was, he had to be. He attempted to get on the end of the cross taking one defender out of the game, the 'keeper also adjusted, preparing for his shot. This contributed to creating the relatively open net that Greening tapped the ball into. Whatever the thoughts of the officials, they got this one wrong. Badly wrong as far as Portsmouth are concerned. The goal should have been disallowed for offside.

Cheers,
WB

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Hull City Vs Chelsea | Drogba goal given despite protests

Description of incident: Chelsea were given a free kick on the edge of the Hull City penalty area. During the lining up of the wall & free kick, the Hull players were clearly communicating with Mark Clattenburg. Stephen Hunt approached him to discuss something and, shortly after he retreated, the ref blew his whistle; Drogba duly dispatched the ball into the bottom corner. There were strong complaints from Hull, involving Myhill running outside his box to speak to the ref. It later transpired that the Hull players had believed it may have been an indirect free kick, which they were trying to ascertain from Clattenburg prior to the kick being taken. Their complaint was that this message hadn't reached Myhill by the time the kick was taken. It was all too late and the goal had been given.

Date of Game: Tuesday 2nd February 2010

Home Team: Hull City | Away Team: Chelsea

Referee: Mark Clattenburg | Linesman: Darren Cann & Scott Ledger

Decision Type: Free kick | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 1/5

Affect on Result: N/A | Winner: Chelsea | Loser: Hull City

Players Involved: Didier Drogba (Chelsea) Boaz Myhill & Stephen Hunt (Hull City)

Summary: The complaint from Hull's players is absolutely ridiculous. If it had have been an indirect free kick, the referee would have had his arm raised. He didn't therefore it is a direct free kick. This is basic football; they have every right to clarify this verbally with the referee but he does not have to wait until they have passed this news around every member of the team before allowing the kick to be taken. Phil Brown got it right when asked about this post match when he said regardless of anything else, their defending was awful and this is what allowed the goal. Right decision, goal given.

Full match highlights from

Hull City v Chelsea
by eldoronaldo

Cheers,
WB

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Hull City Vs Chelsea | Fagan blocking Cech from corners

Description of incident: Fagan's job from Hull's corners was to make it difficult for the 'keeper to claim the cross. As this particular corner was swung into the box, Fagan was jostling with a Chelsea defender inside the six yard box, right in front of Cech. This meant he stayed on his line and Mouyokolo rose to head the ball over Cech's reach and into the net. The ref allowed the goal to stand.

Date of Game: Tuesday 2nd February 2010

Home Team: Hull City | Away Team: Chelsea

Referee: Mark Clattenburg | Linesman: Darren Cann & Scott Ledger

Decision Type: Free kick | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 2/5

Affect on Result: N/A | Winner: Hull City | Loser: Chelsea

Players Involved: Craig Fagan, Steven Mouyokolo (Hull City) & Petr Cech (Chelsea)

Summary: Fagan's challenge from corners had already been drawn to the referee's attention earlier in the game, so he should have had an eye on him this time. Fagan actually does nothing other than spread himself and hold his position; it just happens to be the area in which Cech needs to run to claim the ball. The Chelsea defender does his best to move Fagan legally but does not succeed. There are no offenses during this passage so it was the right decision, goal given.

Full match highlights from

Hull City v Chelsea
by eldoronaldo

Cheers,
WB

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Blackburn Rovers Vs Wigan Athletic | Caldwell foul on Chimbonda for goal

Description of incident: As Wigan swung a corner into the Blackburn penalty area, both Chimbonda and Caldwell ran towards the near post. The ball bounced towards them as they challenged each other. Caldwell won, the ball was headed into the net and the ref gave the goal.

Date of Game: Wednesday 27th January 2010

Home Team: Blackburn Rovers | Away Team: Wigan Athletic

Referee: Lee Mason | Linesman: Andy Madley & Richard West

Decision Type: Free kick | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 3/5

Affect on Result: None, Blackburn won eventually | Winner: Wigan Athletic | Loser: Blackburn Rovers

Players Involved: Gary Caldwell (Wigan) & Pascal Chimbonda (Blackburn)

Summary: For me, Caldwell was all over the back of Chimbonda. Too be honest, I do question Chimbonda's desire to win that header however, Caldwell had to smother him in order to reach the low bouncing ball. The ref got it wrong, the goal shouldn't have stood.

Cheers,
WB

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Liverpool Vs Tottenham | Defoe ruled offside saving Reina's blushes

Description of incident: King launched the ball forward from deep inside the Tottenham half. Defoe was making his way back onside and made no attempt to chase the ball. As it dropped 30 yards from Liverpool's goal Reina came racing out as Kyrgiakos reached the ball & passed it back to the Spanish stopper. At this point Defoe, from an onside position, came forward to challenge Reina who, in the meantime, had got his feet in a real tangle. Defoe simply rolled the ball into the empty net. As it rolled towards the line, the ref blew his whistle to award offside. Phew!

Date of Game: Wednesday 20th January 2010

Home Team: Liverpool | Away Team: Tottenham

Referee: Howard Webb | Linesman: Peter Kirkup & Shaun Procter-Green

Decision Type: Offside | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 5/5

Affect on Result: Denied Spurs an equaliser & who's to say which way the game would have swung if it had gone to 1-1 | Winner: Liverpool | Loser: Tottenham

Players Involved: Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Jose Reina & Sotirios Kyrgiakos (Liverpool)

Summary: I've given this decision a difficulty score of 5 as I think the state of the current offside rule is almost impossible to interpret. Phase 2 onside or whatever it's called creates too much of a grey area. I'm all for going back to the simple days of blowing for offside when the ball was originally launched forward. Having said all that, assuming I'm understanding the laws of the game correctly, Defoe was not offside. Once Kyrgiakos touches the ball, Defoe is instantly onside. I'm not even sure it matters whether he'd made his way onside or not. "Phase 2" starts with the defenders touch. But even if I'm wrong there, the fact is Defoe did make his way back onside AND had made not attempt to challenge for or chase the ball prior to Kyrgiakos' touch. Tough decision, but the goal should have stood.

I actually found this decision painful to make.

Cheers,
WB

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Blackburn Rovers Vs Fulham | Nelson goal ruled onside

Description of incident: McCarthy curled a free kick in from just inside the Fulham half, near the left touch line. Nelson escaped all markers to get a minor touch to flick the ball into the net. The protests for offside from Fulham were ignored and goal given.

Date of Game: Sunday 17th January 2010

Home Team: Blackburn Rovers | Away Team: Fulham

Referee: Kevin Friend | Linesman: Andy Halliday & Jeremy Simpson

Decision Type: Offside | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 5/5

Affect on Result: It settled the match as a contest | Winner: Blackburn | Loser: Fulham

Players Involved: Benni McCarthy & Ryan Nelsen (Blackburn)

Summary: It's an extremely tight call, again I needed a number of replays to decide that he probably was offside. But that still makes it a wrong decision, and if I was choosing to be a lot harsher on the officials I would say that technically it looks like Nelson wasn't ever in an onside position - even if the final call was tough.

Cheers,
WB

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Stoke City Vs Liverpool | Huth goal ruled onside

Description of incident: In a hectic final few minutes of normal time, Stoke swung a corner into the Liverpool area. Higginbotham climbed higher than anyone else to head the ball towards the back post where Huth was unmarked to stab the ball into the Liverpool net. Goal given.

Date of Game: Saturday 16th January 2010

Home Team: Stoke City | Away Team: Liverpool

Referee: Lee Mason | Linesman: Simon Long & Mo Matadar

Decision Type: Offside | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 1/5

Affect on Result: N/A | Winner: Stoke City | Loser: Liverpool

Players Involved: Danny Higginbotham, Robert Huth (Stoke City) & Emiliano Insua (Liverpool)

Summary: Easy offside call, despite Liverpool's synchronised arm raising. Right decision as Insua was playing Huth onside on the opposite side of the six yard box.

Cheers,
WB

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Special mention to Peter Walton - Fitness

In a season where the fitness of referees has been called into question quite publicly, I wanted to highlight referee Walton's position for the Steven Pienaar goal in the Arsenal Vs Everton game. A sweeping counter attack for Everton left almost everyone behind as Pienaar raced through to delicately lob the ball over Almunia. Peter Walton was one of the very few people anywhere near the incident; arriving at the edge of the penalty area as Pienaar finished with aplomb.

It was early enough in the game that you would expect the referee to have plenty of energy however, it was the pace of the attack and the ability of Walton to keep up with play whilst keeping out of the way of all players that impressed me.

Well played Mr Walton.

Cheers,
WB

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