Stoke City Vs Liverpool | Fuller penalty shout

Description of incident: Fighting it out in his usual style with several Liverpool players on the right hand side of the area, Fuller went tumbling over a Kyrgiakos' leg. The referee gave a corner to Stoke City.

Date of Game: Saturday 16th January 2010

Home Team: Stoke City | Away Team: Liverpool

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

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

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

Players Involved: Ricardo Fuller (Stoke City) & Sotirios Kyrgiakos (Liverpool)

Summary: Easy decision, Kyrgiakos clearly touched the ball before contact with the player and it was such a melee in the area it would have been almost impossible to give a penalty.

Cheers,
WB

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Stoke City Vs Liverpool | Lucas penalty shout & booking for diving

Description of incident: Lucas played a neat one-two as he entered the right hand side of the Stoke City penalty area. Higginbotham came across to challenge Lucas as he came onto the exquisite return ball. Lucas went tumbling as the ball went over the byline with both referee & linesman agreed with the decision of no penalty & goal kick to Stoke. The ref then booked Lucas for diving.

Date of Game: Saturday 16th January 2010

Home Team: Stoke City | Away Team: Liverpool

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

Decision Type: Penalty | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 4/5
Decision Type: Booking for diving | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 2/5

Affect on Result: Hard to say for definite as it occurred much earlier than the rest of the real action however, arguably cost Liverpool the game | Winner: Stoke City | Loser: Liverpool

Players Involved: Leiva Lucas (Liverpool) & Danny Higginbotham (Stoke City)

Summary: I'm taking the referee's position into account, as his view of the incident was a difficult one; Lucas did appear to be tumbling before contact with Higginbotham. However, as Andy Gray pointed out during the live commentary of Sky Sports, it's not Lucas' job to get out of the way of the challenge. And Higginbotham's challenge was a rash one. So, although I expect these types of calls to go either way, I still feel it was a penalty and Lee Mason got it wrong. Although on this occasion, I feel more criticism lies with the linesman as he had a better view. With regards to the booking for diving, I saw this as a relatively easy decision and felt the ref also got this one wrong. I think he was justifying his no penalty decision by making this call on the dive. Was Lucas looking for the penalty? Yes. Does that mean it wasn't a penalty or that Lucas should be punished? No.

Cheers,
WB

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Manchester City Vs Blackburn Rovers | Robinho goal ruled offside

Description of incident: Tevez drilled a cross-shot in from the right hand side of the Blackburn penalty area which skimmed through to the back post where Robinho was waiting to tap it into the net and to be flagged offside.

Date of Game: Monday 11th January 2010

Home Team: Manchester City | Away Team:  Blackburn Rovers

Referee: Chris Foy | Linesman: Trevor Massey & Bob Pollock

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

Affect on Result: N/A | Winner: Blackburn | Loser: Man City

Players Involved: Carlos Tevez, De Souza Robinho (Man City) & Brett Emerton (Blackburn)

Summary: Easy offside decision, correct.

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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Arsenal Vs Everton | Saha offside

Description of incident: At the second attempt Saha put the ball over the line...just.  Manuel Almunia's attempts to claw it away were in vain.

Date of Game: Saturday 9th January 2010

Home Team: Arsenal | Away Team: Everton

Referee: Peter Walton | Linesman: Nigel Bannister & Simon Beck

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

Affect on Result: N/A | Winner: Arsenal | Loser: Everton

Players Involved: Louis Saha (Everton) & Manuel Almunia (Arsenal)

Summary: This was a really easy decision, Saha was so far offside. However, I have included it because Saha eventually put the ball over the line which means the decision disallowed a goal and if Saha thought he might get away with it then it qualifies.

Cheers,
WB

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Birmingham City Vs Manchester United | Fletcher sending off

Description of incident: Fletcher was sent off for two bookable offenses. The first was for a tackle from behind on Bowyer. The second for a trip on Jerome.

Date of Game: Saturday 9th January 2010

Home Team: Birmingham City | Away Team: Manchester United

Referee: Mark Clattenburg| Linesman: John Flynn & Paul Simpson

Decision Type: Red card | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 2/5

Affect on Result: Arguably none, potentially denying United an extra man in the final push and obviously in games to come when Fletcher will be banned. | Winner: Birmingham City | Loser: Manchester United

Players Involved: Darren Fletcher (Man Utd), Lee Bowyer & Cameron Jerome (Birmingham)

Summary: The first yellow was an obvious one. Fletcher came straight through the back of Bowyer - right decision. The second was definitely not a yellow card offense. Fletcher was stretching for the ball and barely caught Jerome, it wasn't a dangerous tackle, he had little time withdraw his leg from the tackle due to being off balance and it was a clear attempt for the ball.

Cheers,
WB

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Birmingham City Vs Manchester United | Scott Dann own goal

Description of incident: After a quick game of pinball inside the Birmingham penalty area, the ball dropped to Evra on the left hand side of the box. He drilled it across goal towards Park, Scholes and Rooney but Dann stretched to reach the ball before all of them unfortunately diverting it into his own net in the process.

Date of Game: Saturday 9th January 2010

Home Team: Birmingham City | Away Team: Manchester United

Referee: Mark Clattenburg | Linesman: John Flynn & Paul Simpson

Decision Type: Offside | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 4/5

Affect on Result: N/A | Winner: Manchester United | Loser: Birmingham City

Players Involved: Patrice Evra, Ji-Sung Park, Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) & Scott Dann (Birmingham)

Summary: There was the suggestion by Mark Lawrenson on Match of the Day that because it was an own goal, it no longer becomes an offside decision. And, allegedly, this was also Mark Clattenburg's view. This is a ridiculous argument as Scott Dann only put it in his own net due to the presence of the 3 Man Utd players. The reason allowing the goal is the right decision is that no Man Utd player was offside anyway (Ridgewell was playing them on). Alex McCleish may have been right when he said it was the right decision, wrong reasons. However, whatever the reason it was the right decision to over-rule the linesman's offside flag.

Cheers,
WB

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Birmingham City Vs Manchester United | Park penalty shout

Description of incident: Trying to find space for a shot, Park raced past Carr inside the Birmingham penalty area and went tumbling as the two players came together.

Date of Game: Saturday 9th January 2010

Home Team: Birmingham City | Away Team: Manchester United

Referee: Mark Clattenburg | Linesman: John Flynn & Paul Simpson

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

Affect on Result: N/A | Winner: Birmingham City | Loser: Manchester United

Players Involved: Ji-Sung Park (Man Utd) & Stephen Carr (Birmingham)

Summary: Easy decision. No penalty. Enough said.

Cheers,
WB

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Stoke City Vs Fulham | Sidibe Goal

Description of incident: In a flowing move, Stoke's Rory Delap charged into the area.  He had expected an earlier ball so had to put the breaks on.  Then the ball was swung into the box, Delap flicked it on for Sidibe to volley into the ground before nestling in the top corner of the net.

Date of Game: Tuesday 5th January 2010

Home Team: Stoke City | Away Team: Fulham

Referee: Mark Clattenburg | Linesman: Dave Bryan & Robert Madley

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

Affect on Result: May have cost Fulham a point | Winner: Stoke City | Loser: Fulham

Players Involved: Rory Delap & Mamady Sidibe (both Stoke City)

Summary: Having seen the replays, Delap was definitely offside.  It was such a close call that I wouldn't expect anyone to notice it with the naked eye.  The pundits on Sky Sports seemed to suggest that because it was such a close call that it meant it was onside.  Now I know the benefit of the doubt should side with the attackers and I would not blame the officials for the decision they made but that does not mean Delap was not offside - he was.

Cheers,
WB

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Manifesto: Judging Premier League Referees' Descisions

I've decided to start reviewing the most critical decisions made by Premier League referees.  Those that have a direct affect on the outcome of the game; offside, free-kick, penalty, red card & goal line decisions.  Consider that an inclusive rather than exclusive list.

This is not spawned out of any particular dislike for referees or any perceived injustice against the team I support, I will be looking for the good as well the bad.  And it will extend, where necessary, to decision of the linesmen (or, officially, Assistant Referees - but that is the last time I will refer to them as such) and 4th officials.

Rather than looking to publicly lambaste referees on a weekly basis, my gut feeling is that I'll demonstrate what a difficult job they have, how often they actually get key decisions right and how, even with hindsight and slow motion video replays, it can still be difficult to come to a definitive conclusion.  Don't get me wrong, I am as big a critic as anyone else when I'm watching a game so I'll just as happy if my gut feeling turns out to be wrong.

The analysis will be restricted to Premier League games only, looking for any patterns that may emerge from the performance of referees.  This will become more apparent when reviewing the 2010/11 season in full however, I hope to provide some insights into the 2009/10 season even though I am kicking off in January 2009.

As a bit of a warm-up, I took a look at the FA Cup games that took place yesterday (Saturday 2nd).  And if this is anything to go by, my gut feelings will be proved right as we see a really good day for referees:

1. Reading vs Liverpool | David Richardson | Linesman | Not flagging Kuyt offside when he dummied Gerrard's shot for Liverpool's goal | Decision:
   
2. Nottingham Forest vs Birmingham City | Steve Bennett | Referee | Awarding a penalty to Forest for a foul on Anderson | Decision:
   
3. Middlesbrough vs Man City | Stuart Atwell | Referee | Not giving a penalty to Middlesbrough & booking O'Neil for diving:
1. No penalty | Decision:
2. Booking | Decision:
4. Everton vs Carlisle | John Flynn or Darren Drysdale (TBC) | Linesman | Flagging James Vaughn offside when he "scored" his second | Decision:
5. Everton vs Carlisle | Jon Moss | Referee | Awarding Everton a penalty for a foul on Agard | Decision:
6. MK Dons vs Burnley | Anthony Bates | Referee | Awarding Burnley a penalty for a foul on Fletcher | Decision:
7. MK Dons vs Burnley | Michael Murphy or Ian Smedley (TBC) | Linseman | Not flagging Fletcher offside when scoring Burnley's second | Decision:
8. MK Dons vs Burnley | Michael Murphy or Ian Smedley (TBC) | Linseman | Not flagging Morgan offside when he scored MK Dons' consolation goal | Decision:
9. Aston Villa vs Blackburn | Howard Webb | Referee | Awarding a penalty to Blackburn for a foul on Reid | Decision:
10. Aston Villa vs Blackburn | Howard Webb | Referee | Sending off Diouf for a (truly awful) foul | Decision:
11. Aston Villa vs Blackburn | Howard Webb | Referee | Awarding Aston Villa a penalty for a foul on Carew | Decision:
12. Tottenham vs Peterborough | Lee Mason | Referee | Awarding Tottenham a penalty for a foul on Rose | Decision:
13. Fulham vs Swindon Town | Anthony Taylor | Awarding Fulham a penalty for a foul on Johnson | Decision:
14. Blackpool vs Ipswich Town | Eddie Ilderton | Referee | Awarding Blackpool a penalty for foul on Omorod | Decision:
15. Blackpool vs Ipswich Town | Eddie Ilderton | Referee | Sending Evatt off for Blackpool | Decision:
16. Blackpool vs Ipswich Town | Eddie Ilderton | Referee | Sending Edwards off for Blackpool | Decision: (but it was a foul)
17. Preston NE vs Colchester Utd | Colin Webster | Referee | Awarding a penalty to Preston for a foul on Parkin | Decision:

So, onto the real thing - kicking off with mid-week analysis of any key decisions in Stoke vs Fulham on Tuesday and Arsenal vs Bolton on Wednesday.

And this will be, by a massive distance, my longest post ever.

Cheers,
WB

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