Recent content by GraemeS

I don't know what lack of reaction you're imagining, or why you can only possibly accept a world where every footballer simulates injury every single time, but he was absolutely down on the floor needing time to recover.

I honestly don't either! I've given some fairly benign observations (a missed early yellow might have changed the temperature of the match if given, the missed red card on-field might correlate with the referee's obvious determination to have a high foul tolerance) and I get argued with...

I think it means giving a yellow card when a player is kicked in the head 5 minutes in rather than trying to "manage" it.

It shouldn't, of course. And yet, every time I see someone set out trying to be lenient and it doesn't work, it becomes a lottery. I think it's a flawed philosophy, at every level of football. Having watched the game, my feeling is that there are other officials in the league who would have...

Someone has to do the games. Has Hooper developed well or has Kavanaugh's development stalled and some of the older refs are starting to be phased out? We can't possibly know if they actually like him, or if they're running out of options they do like and he's the least worst of what's left. I...

Yes. There were two mass cons at the end of the game, and a mini-mass-con following the foul that led to Gordon being sent off at the end of the first half. Gravenburch also got pushed and shoved a bit in response to the tackle he got booked for early on, so I would say that's a pretty...

Happy to phrase it as development if that would for some reason make a difference. I think the pattern I'm noticing is that he almost always starts a game trying to implement a "high bar", but frequently pitches it too high and it comes across to the players like they can do anything. He then...

Do they need defending though? They will be receiving observations and feedback, so there's no pretense from their bosses that they've done a perfect job. So it seems strange and naive to consistently insist on here that we can't also try to identify those same development points?

He gave a DFK. So either he saw a player get kicked in the head and went "yeah, no need for a card there" or he incorrectly gave a DFK for a no-contact PIADM. 🤷‍♂️

Who don't you like? I've noticed you defending PL officials pretty much regardless - but if you've specifically highlighted Hooper as someone you particularly like, that implies there must be some you're generally less impressed by?

For me, this qualifies as "being given treatment". He can get up under his own steam, or he can receive help - and if he receives help, he needs to go to the side. It's a much tidier solution than messing around with cautions for throwing things IMO.

Conversely, give a yellow card when the Liverpool player is kicked in the head within 5 minutes and maybe you find the players respond and it ends up a more controlled game? He often pitches it too tolerant for my liking, and I think in future this game will be the case study for why I don't...

Hoopers bar has been all over the place in this game. I think he tried to start with a high tolerance, then realised it was getting too rough and so inevitably when he does start pulling out cards, realises he needs to regain control and hands them out like confetti.

Exactly this. It would be excellent goalkeeping in the PA - he absolutely increases the chance of it hitting his arm.

It's a yellow card-level of force in the knee for me. But it's also handball (he's making himself bigger) and ticks every DOGSO box, so easy missed red overall.