RateTheRef

This is a very good point. I haven't seen this incident so can't comment on it but a lot of red cards result from players who have been "niggled" and sometimes seriously fouled or provoked (sometimes verbally), either off the ball or on the ball without the officials noticing. The actual red card may be quite justified but actually avoidable if the provocation had been noticed. I agree that too often the unsettling of the ultimately sanctioned player is missed. The best and most alert referees and assistants are very adept at preventing these sorts of build-ups and this helps prevent a lot of cards. Red and yellow cards also often result from the officials in general missing foul play and therefore players "taking matters into their own hands". In refereeing as in life the most alert custodians avoid having to take disciplinary action because those under their supervision know that any wrong-doing will be spotted and acted on and sometimes even a look or a word at an initial offence - or potential offence - prevents further offending.