RateTheRef

In a match which had players from both sides going down and staying down at the slightest touch and, in my opinion, featured two sides who are very adept at the 'dark arts', I thought that Jarred Gillett did very well to keep the game flowing.

This was another PL game in which fans of both sides will criticise the officials for all and sundry, however, they really should be having a look at their own players who seem more intent on trying to con the officials rather than getting on with the game. It gets more tiresome every week and it is not just these two teams.

Quote from: Ashington46 on Fri 23 Jan 2026 18:32

Quote from: El Referee on Fri 23 Jan 2026 18:20

My mind is genuinely blown that we shouldn’t make a change to potentially help the game because ‘the referee might forget’.

I guess this is where there is a major disconnect between referees & players/fans. If you said to a non-referee, we aren’t going to implement something because the referee might forget, would they agree?

No they would disagree because they would want it implementing so that they would have another reason to have a go at the referee ---they never need much of an excuse anyway.

Again, a disconnect between referees and everyone else. The arrogance needs to stop, on both sides

Where is the arrogance in honesty? I retired from all activities in football some 8 years ago after dedicating 56 years to the senior game as a player, official, league secretary and treasurer and general dogsbody.
I am now a fan who supports local non-league and grassroots football and a good friend of some officials who officiate in the professional game.
They are not arrogant at all and I have every sympathy with them trying to do the job these days because, no matter what they do, they still get abused by fans who, in many cases, are totally ignorant of The Laws of the Game, as can be seen if you frequent any fans' boards and see the abuse posted on them by fans who mark the performance of the referee.

Barry Knight from Orpington (Kent) was a strong referee, who made it to the premier league, he did use to make me laugh in the early 2000’s because he was so unpredictable. Met him numerous times and did a line for him too. Just AI him and this is what they said

His refereeing style was often described by commentators and some managers as strict and card-heavy. Certain high-profile matches drew criticism from teams and pundits alike due to the number of bookings.

Premier League stats - 74 games 255 yellows 19 Reds

Roger Funindez as a terrible referee, same as Bill Baker, one that I really rated but never made it to the PL was Tony Leake from Darwin…. but I did like Terry Heilbron, the only non premier league referee to ever referee the League Cup Final - Tottenham v Leicester.

It could be a typo or it could be not knowing the place, however, Tony Leake was from Darwen which is near Blackburn in Lancashire and not Darwin which is a long, long way away.

If the main reason for the long check was due to the failure of SAOT then I have a little more sympathy for VAR than I did at the time. But as someone correctly pointed out, the technology has to be improved so it doesn’t fail on us occasionally.

As for the decision itself, it’s one that I really don’t like. I understand why it’s backable in law but it’s just searching for a way to disallow a goal in my opinion. When I first watched a replay, nothing seemed to occur which would’ve led to a long check. Let’s take the scenario if Haaland was not next to Thiaw - I’d say it would’ve been difficult to make a play on the ball considering how close he was to the initial shot so I don’t think he would’ve stopped the goal. If we had no VAR, it would’ve been a goal and we probably would be saying absolutely nothing about the goal. So for me, it doesn’t fall under the requirement of a clear and obvious error.

Like I said, I really don’t like the decision but I can somewhat understand why it was given.

DOn't lose sight of the fact that Wissa was wrestling with Semenyo, in fact he was holding him, however, he stayed upright and managed to swivel to possinly touch  the ball, although I thought that it came of Wissa's backside.
Had the ball hit the post, play would have continued because neither the referee nor the AR thought that there was anything untoward happened which is why a goal was given onfield.
VAR only got involved because a goal was scored and I am not convinced that they got that right because I am not sure who played the ball, Semenyo or Wissa.

For 80+ minutes, think AT was as near to perfect as you can get. The odd half-arsed penalty appeal waved away and stayed out of it other than that.

But letting Martinelli get away with what he did is a blot against his name for me. Caution in that situation is the easy way out

PGMOL will be happy enough because he kept 22 players on the pitch. Sad, isn't it. however, the situation should never have arisen.

You have to remember that whatever method is used or directives given that the player will insist that he was never offside and that it will always be the AR's fault.
Plus ca change.

Good decision near the end not to award Saka a free kick on the edge of the box. Looked like hardly any contact (maybe none at all)

Doesn't stop players going down and waving their arms around though. I wonder why?

I'm going to be shot down on this, but I didn't think the Gordon incident was a penalty. As has been said elsewhre, 'the eyes have it' and in this case, Gordon was looking at the defender, and then initiated contact, enabling him to go to ground. I'll get my tin hat.

I always watch football on TV with the sound muted and listen to some of my vinyl collection so that I get some enjoyment one way or another.
I am in full agreement with you about Gordon, he was marginally further from the ball than Chalobah and  the ball was going dead because neither player was going to catch it. Gordon saw the opportunity to go down and made sure he did because his left leg was extened sideways and away from his body thus making contact with Chalobah. I was quite surprised  that they were reviewing it.
Put it this way ---if that had been at the  other end and a penalty awarded there would have been all hell let loose on Tyneside.

Sadly, once again yesterday, there were more and more instances of VAR involvement, or non-involvement, which will be talked about for weeks and then reviewed by the media for several more weeks.
The game was so much more enjoyable to watch when there were three officials who did their best but still made mistakes which were talked about by  fans for a day or two and then mainly forgotten about until the next game threw something up.