Zambo, you are the ref.

[Zambo]

Zummers, today’s Villa vs Palace match, Chieck Doucoure commits a horrendous scissor tackle on Boubacar Kamara almost snapping his ankle in half. Kamara has to be carried off. Doucoure gets a yellow. Chambers replaces Kamara, Doucoure does the same to him inside a minute and gets a second yellow.

Should Craig Pawson be required to answer why the first wasn’t worthy of a straight red and furthermore why the second wasn’t? You may have to hang fire until after MoTD tonight.

Saw both incidents on MOTD. Both reckless and dangerous play. The first one was the worst of the two imo, but I can see why Pawson gave a yellow. The player's ankle turned at 90 degrees, but referees won't send off now unless it's a knee high challenge, which is bonkers. The second challenge he actually made an attempt to play the ball, but the follow through caught him.

[kancutlawns]

With the first tackle, whilst considered “legal” it’s a horrible one because it looked liked a scissor kick which means the player wio is fouled has his limb almost trapped and the force of the player inflicting it brings the force of his body down on him. Don’t know yet if the injury is a sprain or if it’s caused ligament damage.

[VeritasVincit]

If you've got a lot of spare time, [it's a very long article] you might find this of interest
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... en-england

[Zambo]

If you've got a lot of spare time, [it's a very long article] you might find this of interest
https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... en-england

An interesting read VV, although as you say long, and I did skim some if it. When I read the title of the article, my immediate thought was, is this just going to be a load of excuses for crap referees. Well there was some if that, but there was also some balance about how much harder it is these days with the intense scrutiny of match control and performance.

I think that much of the criticism they get though is fair. They are now professionals on a decent salary, and they should be more accountable imo for some of the shocking cock ups they make.

The article says their performances are 'meticulously dissected' by PGMOL staff, but I think that is a backwards step from the old match assessor process. Sitting behind a screen analysing is no substitute for being at the game and chatting to the ref in the dressing room afterwards when everything is still fresh. You can't assess positioning and movement, which is so critical for decision making as well behind a TV screen imo.

[Zambo]

As usual, they have been fiddling around with the laws again during the close season, which will only give match officials an interpretation headache in the main.

There will be changes to how they handle stoppage time and how injuries are assessed, but the one that caught my eye was DOGSO (depriving an opponent of a goal scoring opportunity).

The law will change when the infringement takes place in the box. Players will no longer be automatically red carded if the ref thinks the challenge was a genuine attempt to play the ball, or if it was a clumsy unintentional action. They will still be red carded if the foul was intentional e.g holding pushing or handball.

[The Ghost of Alex Higgins]

Collywobbles will be all over that

[Basualdo]

Collywobbles will be all over that

Like spunk on a windscreen.

[Holden Mcgroyne]

Liverpool think they've been hard done by having one decision go against them, interesting to get an unbiased opinion on three that didn't go our way saturday



40 secs in for the first two, 3 mins 45 for the last

[Zambo]

Can't get a good view or sound on the phone. Will check out ASAP.

[Zambo]

Liverpool think they've been hard done by having one decision go against them, interesting to get an unbiased opinion on three that didn't go our way saturday



40 secs in for the first two, 3 mins 45 for the last

First two nailed on pens. One of the biggest problems with all refs today is positioning and movement. They don't get assessed much these days so they get lazy. Judging infringement is much about angles. It's no good trying to do it directly behind play, you have to get wider to see what goes on. However, even that can't be an excuse for these incidents, you could have seen them from the stands the other end.

Couldn't see anything wrong with the header, looked clean with no foul on the keeper.

[Holden Mcgroyne]

Liverpool think they've been hard done by having one decision go against them, interesting to get an unbiased opinion on three that didn't go our way saturday



40 secs in for the first two, 3 mins 45 for the last

First two nailed on pens. One of the biggest problems with all refs today is positioning and movement. They don't get assessed much these days so they get lazy. Judging infringement is much about angles. It's no good trying to do it directly behind play, you have to get wider to see what goes on. However, even that can't be an excuse for these incidents, you could have seen them from the stands the other end.

Couldn't see anything wrong with the header, looked clean with no foul on the keeper.

Cheers Zambo ! Not just my bias then

[Carlos J]

Liverpool think they've been hard done by having one decision go against them, interesting to get an unbiased opinion on three that didn't go our way saturday



40 secs in for the first two, 3 mins 45 for the last

I'm with Zambo. Pens both times and the header, looked like the keeper made a pathetic attempt to get the ball and was out-jumped and out-muscled, so goal for me.

[Carlos J]

Zambo, dont know if you saw Hull v Norwich last night? Angus Gunn nearly being a modern day Harald Schumacher. No one booked and Connolly subbed with a nice bump on his forehead. Views, please:

[Zambo]

Well I'm speechless, well almost. Clearly not going for the ball leading with his forearm/elbow and smacks him in the head.

I don't know what these refs are looking at these days, maybe they are not getting the right views of the centre of play because of poor positioning, but something has to be done now it's infesting the game and obviously not just the Prem.

Clear red imo.

[Carlos J]

Yeah, definitely dangerous.