The Ref Stop

WHM v LIV

Kinsleyr

Kinsleyr

Member
Did anyone see the exchange towards the end of the game? Areloa had the ball in his hands after a corner and rolled the ball out in front of him (there was no free kick) and then put his hands on his thighs looking down. Gakpo thought the game was in play so went to challenge for the loose ball but as he was about to kick it the referee, Antony Taylor blew his whistle and gestured that the keeper was injured and stopped the game.

I understand that the referee can do this if the keeper is down and injured but if he is still standing and has let go of the ball surely the game shouldn't be stopped unless the keeper then falls down? Geniunely confused about this and would be good to know what the official rule is?
 
The Ref Stop
Also there was a terrible stamp on MacAllisters ankle in the first half by Paqueta that was given as a free-kick when I've seen challegnes like that given as Yellow and even Red cards this season but it seems referees dont want to make a decision like that so early in the game (maybe 5 minutes in).
 
Referees may stop play at any time if they think there is a serious injury. A player being “down” has absolutely nothing to do with it. Here, it appears the GK thought the game had been stopped. Did the R bail him out for that mistake? Maybe. But I’m not going to fault the R here—the GK looks a bit shaken up and clearly releases the ball that way because he thinks play was stopped. Does the Game really want that kind of cheap goal?
 
IMO Anthony Taylor and Areola made an absolute howler between them.

AT gave an advantage for the challenge on Areola once he had the ball in hand. Areola then took some time to compose himself (pulling up his socks) and then went to restart play with a freekick, assuming AT had given a freekick, which he hadn't.

Really Gakpo should've been allowed to go through and score because AT did not stop play and Areola had a bit of a brain fart.

AT then stopped play and called on the physio to really sell the balls up!
 
Mistake is the dropped ball. He signaled advantage so selling a FK isn't crazy. But to restart with a dropped ball? Not the best look.
 
As much as I'd have liked a goal here I think AT was very smart.

Areola was totally stupid. Football does not want a goal here, no matter how stupid Areola is, because it would be forever AT's goal.
So, even though AT has also taken a big risk (mistake) by waving play on, the whistle before Gakpo played the ball, the signal for the dropped ball - and the very obvious instruction to Areola to go to the floor to feign injury (!) - were smart refereeing. We come out the other side with the right result.

for a clear close up of AT instructing the GK!

Now, whether you think AT should be allowed to cover for a stupid player like this when it so clearly advantages one team over the other is another matter. This is the kind of thing that brings the game into disrepute and there should be consequences.
 
ChasObserverRefDeveloper said:
Stopped play for an injury. Restart? Dropped ball.
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A GK standing on his feet, choosing to throw the ball out in front of himself and then fiddle with his socks is not "injured" by any reasonable definition. If he's too injured to play the ball in his hands, he should throw it out to the side and then immediately go down and ask for attention.

I don't know why he thought he had a fk, but it doesn't look like AT incorrectly gave him that impression, so he absolutely should have faced the consequences of that mistake. This should result in another major inquest as to why referees have again denied Liverpool a legitimate goal.
 
GraemeS said:
A GK standing on his feet, choosing to throw the ball out in front of himself and then fiddle with his socks is not "injured" by any reasonable definition. If he's too injured to play the ball in his hands, he should throw it out to the side and then immediately go down and ask for attention.

I don't know why he thought he had a fk, but it doesn't look like AT incorrectly gave him that impression, so he absolutely should have faced the consequences of that mistake. This should result in another major inquest as to why referees have again denied Liverpool a legitimate goal.
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The ref should have allowed the game to continue IMO.
 
Technically AT is correct in law. Stops play for injury, so dropped ball. However, this is a basic communication error that you would not expect from a L5.

I think the problem is that by the time officials get to the higher levels, they forget some of the basics. Whether this is down to being lazy or the powers that be advising them, I don't know. But if you're going to play advantage, you need to advise people that you are playing it. Simply waving your arm isn't good enough. Nor is turning your back.
 
Taylor made a serious error in not ensuring Areola was aware of the advantage that had been given, but then made an even worse one by deliberately preventing what would have almost certainly been a goal and a legitimate one. That is not something we can do as referees. 'Play to the whistle' is what football expects, and when a player doesn't it is not expected that the ref interferes with the outcome.

There's a strong argument that law suggests no advantage should be played in these situations anyway as the GK would have the ball in their hands for over 6 seconds.
 
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If AT is playing advantage and there is no Advantage.... Then go back to the original foul?
Yes it's messy, very messy, but it was a foul in AT's eyes?
 
socal lurker said:
Referees may stop play at any time if they think there is a serious injury. A player being “down” has absolutely nothing to do with it. Here, it appears the GK thought the game had been stopped. Did the R bail him out for that mistake? Maybe. But I’m not going to fault the R here—the GK looks a bit shaken up and clearly releases the ball that way because he thinks play was stopped. Does the Game really want that kind of cheap goal?
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It is not the referees job to bail the goalkeeper out.

As has previously been said, no whistle and signs from AT to carry on. Followed by a casual walk, a casual throw of the ball, then some sock adjustment.

Lucky for Areola, AT felt he had to bail himself out also.
 
GraemeS said:
A GK standing on his feet, choosing to throw the ball out in front of himself and then fiddle with his socks is not "injured" by any reasonable definition. If he's too injured to play the ball in his hands, he should throw it out to the side and then immediately go down and ask for attention.

I don't know why he thought he had a fk, but it doesn't look like AT incorrectly gave him that impression, so he absolutely should have faced the consequences of that mistake. This should result in another major inquest as to why referees have again denied Liverpool a legitimate goal.
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Denied a goal? What goal?
 
A not too dissimilar thing happened on the last game of the season with Plymouth Argyle v Scunthorpe to determine relegation. Keeper claimed ball, but took an injury in doing so. Indicated an injury and went to throw the ball out and went to ground. Scunthorpe player intercepted it and then scored. I can confirm that the Argyle fans were not happy.

www.skysports.com

Controversial Iron goal sparks melee

Scunthorpe's Josh Morris scored a hugely controversial goal to equalise against Plymouth. Argyle 'keeper Matt Macey attempted to put the ball out of play to receive treatment before being lobbed by Morris.
www.skysports.com

For the record, both teams ended up getting relegated.
 
Viridis1886 said:
A not too dissimilar thing happened on the last game of the season with Plymouth Argyle v Scunthorpe to determine relegation. Keeper claimed ball, but took an injury in doing so. Indicated an injury and went to throw the ball out and went to ground. Scunthorpe player intercepted it and then scored. I can confirm that the Argyle fans were not happy.

www.skysports.com

Controversial Iron goal sparks melee

Scunthorpe's Josh Morris scored a hugely controversial goal to equalise against Plymouth. Argyle 'keeper Matt Macey attempted to put the ball out of play to receive treatment before being lobbed by Morris.
www.skysports.com

For the record, both teams ended up getting relegated.
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From what I remember, the 'best practice' guidance on this, at least to National League officials was to make sure you stop play rather than the players attempt to kick it out. It was to give you an element of more control over the restart, as well as hopefully stop situations such as this one.

If play is going to be stopped for an injury, you just need to stop it. If you are playing advantage/on, you need to make this clear. Communication is key.
 
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RefereeX said:
Denied a goal? What goal?
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Come on, be serious. Gakpo was about 5m away from kicking the ball into an empty net before AT incorrectly blew the whistle and invented an injury to stop him. If a player audibly and unfairly intervened like this, we'd be talking DOGSO.
 
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