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I am starting to see this more and more as a correct decision from MO's point of view, but from the player's perspective I still think it's the equivalent of tripping over, falling hands first into a puddle of tomato ketchup and randomly ending up next to a policeman inspecting a dead cat--if...

I have come to the conclusion that most viewers don't have the same thought structures in their heads as referees. For us the idea of a ball being played and contact following is always a matter of degree. For many viewers, however, the level of contact makes it a qualitative difference. It's...

Thank you; I had suspected that the booking resets everything and is considered part of misconduct, not a foul throw. However, for the discourse merchants to know or even endeavour to understand that subtlety would be a day for flying pigs.

I think some confusion has arisen in the football podcast world about when a throw-in should be awarded to the opponent. It is something I have seen more in Europe than in the Premier League, I admit, but the last sentence of law 15 confirms its correctness in law. Simon Hooper cautioned Timber...

I would suggest that a long check proves more consideration of an event, though. The way it is currently handled does absolutely nothing to quell concerns.

In that case, either the broadcasters mislead viewers or they didn't check it long enough!

That's fair enough. I also know that ambiguity is the greater enemy than genuine injustice. However, the lack of a check fuels the idea that it is deliberately ignored. He also made two movements and attempts to hurt Havertz more than he did, in my eyes.

I am an Arsenal fan and have tried to analyse this whole game without bias (as far as possible). Konate just got enough on the ball to avoid conceding a penalty; Taylor made the right call with the whistle for Havertz; but this one has completely baffled me and compounded my deep disaffection...

Gary O'Neill's comments have been presented as somehow the permissible face of what he really wanted to say, but accusing referees of unconscious bias is not a small claim in my eyes. We really have entered dangerous territory whereby referees/PGMOL are traduced as the scapegoats for a change in...

I suppose if you could prove that the current operators are lacking in ability and professionalism, which I doubt, you would still need to recruit and train new officials. Until then VAR only adds another layer of media intrigue, confusion for spectators and perceived injustice from players. All...

I agree; it's such a regular state of affairs that punditry and common perceptions are out of alignment with referees' application of the laws that it is accepted. But it has a whole host of negative consequences, as we have seen. Frustration and bewilderment are arguably major causes of abuse...

U16 girls; yes, it was a case of moving the attacker out of the way and because of the relatively low force in challenges during the rest of the match, it stuck out. As you say, in other matches it might have been more in keeping with context.

Thanks for the clarification. That was my instinct.

Some strange goalkeeper incidents today: Made a mistake when a keeper gained control of ball, then pushed an attacker, which would have been a penalty. Not sure why, but seeing the keeper with ball in hand deceived me into not giving it; you have to be prepared for any scenario, I guess...

I don't disagree with you; I admit it was warranted. It's hard sometimes to break from the false notion that cautions are only given after warnings.

I tend to agree, and would actually kind of understand if there had been a few I had let go, but it was not a physical match and he was citing absolutely trivial contact. It genuinely felt as if he had decided the match needed a scene to make his weekend. As you say, a word did suffice on this...

This morning's match taught me that, even after many years and a gut feeling that a match is going well, one can never be fully prepared for potential incidents. I had overseen a very uneventful 30 mins of a game with the away team up 3-0 already. I had given perhaps two free kicks; I then gave...

Thank you for all your comments. Those decisions weigh a little lighter a few days after, and as you say, the positioning on a free kick has to weigh up different factors and may depend on quality of the teams. I can probably be more flexible.

Yesterday I was assigned two games on a large 3G pitch. Given that I lack weekly practice (not in a fitness sense, just from an officiating perspective) and do about a game a month, I might have foreseen that this might be a challenge. Omens were perhaps not good as regards treatment of referees...

I think I may have done this once, but it wasn't a decisive goal, as I recall. Regarding the unwritten rule about restarting and playing for 10-15 seconds, I once did that at the end of a very contentious and difficult youth game, and typically a player from the team which had just conceded ran...