Referees in the way

[bloovee]

I've heard other fans complaining that EPL referees are acting as extra defenders, making attackers play round them in moves down the left that impinge on the referee's diagonal.

It happened several times at the Etihad yesterday with Mr Mason - see in the video at 0.42
https://www.fullmatchesandshows.com...-southampton-highlights-and-full-match-video/

That wasn't the worst.

Eventually the ball hit him. Dropped ball for Southampton. Southampton defender played it back to GK who picked it up. City raced to take the IDFK quickly. (GK let them have the ball!) Mr Mason stopped the quick FK and made it a ceremonial IDFK (the quick FK might have been a couple of yards forward of where the GK picked it up). See the aftermath at 1.54 (and De Bruyne having a go at the referee, presumably for not allowing the quick FK).

I should also mention that the Southampton GK wasted time constantly - in placing the ball for goal kicks, diving to the ground after catching the ball - and the Southampton bench even kept the ball at one point. Once City went in front, City of course wasted time - the City GK got a booking for delaying over one FK, but I'd estimate his delay was about a tenth of the total from the Saints' GK. It actually came a bit to a head when Aguero was subbed in added time. Southampton players wanted him to go off at the nearest point and I think Mr Mason tried, but Aguero seemed actually to tell him to "bog off" (or similar) because a Southampton player had earlier limped off to the centre line, stopping en route.

I digress - the thread was meant to be about referees getting in the way, and attackers trying to run with the ball and sometimes having to beat not just defenders but the referee as well (though the referee doesn't usually put in a tackle). I can't recall this being that much of a problem till the last couple of seasons.

 

[alexgr]

Yesterday's performance by Mason was one of the worst refereeing performances I've seen...basic mistakes you wouldn't want to make at Sunday league. How he's still a PL official is beyond me, quite frankly - does it every time I've seen him. There was an incident RE positioning at the Newcastle game - ref sprinted into the box and ended up on the penalty spot to keep up, blocks off a player from getting back and defending - fortunately there was no goal but there would have been uproar had it gone in.

Mason had some...strange positioning - coming off the pitch to give a throw in decision - fine at Sunday League when you're on your own, odd when there's a 4th and a linesman close enough to see it too.

I feel like we've seen top flight standards slip over the past few years when it comes to positioning and I'm not sure why...very few can seem to keep up properly.

 

[RustyRef]

It happens more now as referees are discouraged from going wide and therefore will be in more central areas. Horses for courses really, that central position leaves them closer to decisions in the penalty area but does increase the risk of getting in the way of play. If I find myself in that situation I tend to stay dead still so at least the players don't have to try and read where I might go.

 

[bloovee]

It happens more now as referees are discouraged from going wide and therefore will be in more central areas. Horses for courses really, that central position leaves them closer to decisions in the penalty area but does increase the risk of getting in the way of play. If I find myself in that situation I tend to stay dead still so at least the players don't have to try and read where I might go.

Being closer to decisions in the penalty area doesn't seem to be making for better decisions in the penalty area.

It's not the central position that's the problem. It's drifting over to the left, getting close to the player with the ball or a player they want to pass to, getting in the famed "triangle", and worst, when a player suddenly cuts in toward the middle the ref is in the way (either of the player with the ball or a defender trying to defend).

One of these days a referee in the way is going to get carted as in the famous Foul magazine masthead.