The Ref Stop

France v Paraguay

Shocking performance, but I suspect it comes down to FIFA to come extent. They've clearly told referees to be lenient and only caution when it is really necessary.
Yes, this is the route cause
The Ref just couldn't adapt his game to the instruction and it messed him up. He was tied in knots desperate to please his contemptable employer
FIFA are the root cause

FWIW, I thought the French players were a disgrace too. Both sides were cheating like lunatics with Mbappe behaving like a child throughout
But in life, if there's no military or police force, we get anarchy and civil war. The football field is no different, so I blame the officiating for all of it more than I blame the players. Many teams at most levels have the potential to behave badly, if allowed to do so
39 degrees at pitch level contributed to a tetchy stop start game. It's simply dangerous for any athlete to compete in that heat. Death(s) is not a sensational expectation, either on the pitch or in the crowd
 
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The Ref Stop
Can’t hide anyone at this level of football & nor indeed at any level of football. There must have been good reason for his appointment, but just not worked out on the day & as has been said, (extremely) likely to be on a plane home.

He was done after this game regardless of how he performed here. He was never a candidate for past this.

Anyone thinking the appointments are all merit has been asleep. There is a lot of politics in dealing with all the federations wanting/ the best appointments for their refs. It wouldn’t be surprising if the powers thought this would be an easier game because France.
 
It was more petulant than violent for me. Should have been a caution but the on-pitch officials missed it and not serious enough for VAR to get involved with.

And it’s an embarrassing miss. One of the 5 should have seen it, and if wasn’t the ref they should have been immediately in his ear and the caution given.
 
Would you care to elaborate on this?
2018-Argentina vs Croatia. Probably the most poorly-officiated game in that World Cup, and easily in the top 2 (England-Colombia being the other one).

Plus, he was always vastly overrated in my opinion.
 
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My take on it was that this referee may have been thrown under the bus in what on paper was always going to be a difficult game. Throw in the instructions of only cards for the blatantly obvious plus limited VAR involvement the referee performance came as no surprise.
Collina is all about preparation and knowing what to expect from players. The game was rife with exaggeration of contact and that was both ways. He could have been told to ignore such conduct.
The only questionable caution was the Olise one. The other ones not given bar two that were in the opinion category were simply ignored. Galarza and Avalos of Paraguay should have been cautioned
We have all had these games and seen plenty of them where it is a no win situation. Had the referee used an iron fist approach it could also have ended badly with criticism the other way that he ruined the game.
The fact it was a poor game is more a reflection on the teams and the players conduct plus tactics.
The referee adopted a "light touch" approach which is nothing new with FIFA . The ref has faced notable criticism and the same criticism would be levelled had he dished out multiple cautions and red cards.
At the end of the day FIFA can look at this and say so what. All the KMIs were dealt with. Plenty of shenanigans both ways.
The only issues for me on his performance were that he should have got the penalty in real time, he missed one stonewall foul on a French player beside him in an attacking position 2nd half and it was not a good idea to take the 2nd half water break on the free kick that was a potential flashpoint.
He did not manage the penalty set up very well and FIFA should know that all sorts of skull duggery goes on now including roughing the penalty spot. Not too difficult to tell teams in tournament that entering the penalty area on a penalty award and mobbing is a caution/s
 
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