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.
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.
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