RateTheRef

I have to say I wasn't all that impressed with Andre before that awful foul by Shelvey on Pogba.  How that wasn't at least a YC, mystifies me.  No doubt we'll get comments about viewing angles etc. but it seemed to me there was no problem and I just can't understand a referee of Marriner's experience not dealing with the challenge properly.  It was just a relief when he didn't YC Pogba for his reaction at the time or the fairly innocuous barge in the back of Shelvey as retribution.  Maybe he realised he may have badly misjudged the original foul.

AM also seemed to have a very high tolerance of what constituted fair use of body weight or shoulder charge.

But he didn't miss it because he gave the free kick.  Mind you, it's Andre so I'm not surprised reaction is muted.  Can't help thinking if it had been Lee Mason or Kevin Friend, there would have been greater feeling expressed.  It's perfectly reasonable to look for reasons why a referee may have missed something but that doesn't mean the error should be ignored in the first place.  Nor should simply mentioning possible bad angles or restricted view, without visual evidence that was the case, be used to exonerate a referee.  If someone can show Marriner's view wasn't the best, fair enough.  Otherwise, it was badly misjudged by Marriner and missed by the other officials.

That incident aside, I didn't feel AM's foul detection overall was up to his usual standard.  However, he is good at talking to players and generally seems well respected.

Thought he was absolutely fine apart from this one incident to be honest.  But a clear RC missed for a very poor challenge.  Not sure of the desperate need to start a witch hunt though, you seem to be arguing with yourself.

On first viewing I came to the same decision as Andre Marriner: just a careless foul as a result of Shelvey not accounting for Pogba slowing down in front of him.  The replay clearly showed otherwise.  Pogba's attempt at retribution later should have been sanctioned: two wrongs don't make a right.  However I thought the worst decision of the night was the yellow card for the foul by Jamaal Lascelles, which clearly deserved a red.  Late, high and with excessive force.

Hardest thing to fathom is what he actually thought he saw- enough to give a free kick but no card of any description- strange

Clattenburg in the DM agrees it should have been a straight RC and wonders whether fatigue over the busy Christmas period could have been an issue.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6549945/Jonjo-Shelvey-sent-poor-challenge-Paul-Pogba.html

I agree that it was definitely a red card (and the fact Marriner even gave a free-kick means no further action should be possible as he has penalised the offence, albeit not sufficiently) but not sure it is due to Christmas fatigue as Marriner hasn't refereed a game for a week as far as I know so not much different to any other time of the year.

I hope it isn't fatigue because Marriner is refereeing again tomorrow night!!! 48 hours rest for a 48 year old - Stuart Attwell would have been officiating every day when he first started in the Premier League! 

Quote from: Readingfan on Thu 03 Jan 2019 13:14

not sure it is due to Christmas fatigue as Marriner hasn't refereed a game for a week as far as I know so not much different to any other time of the year.

How much travelling has he done though? I've not looked, he was involved in 3 out of 4 games, if they were all over the place and he has spent several hours driving up and down all over the show then that can add to fatigue as much if not more than actually refereeing a game.

But it's not that uncommon for a referee is it?

I think Marriner has been an AAR in various European competitions this season, so he'll often be travelling abroad in a midweek.

There are often League Cup/Premier League midweek/Football League midweek officiating duties too.

Even when they're not refereeing, we know the officials get together regularly for their meetings.

My point is that it's sometimes presented as if Christmas is a unique period and the officials are only working once a fortnight otherwise which just isn't the case - they're travelling around and partaking in various activities every three or four days for most of the football season.