Liverpool FC Forum

[AussieKopite]

Recently there have been a spate of handballs, Boxing Day being a prime example. In the LFC v Newcastle an obvious handball on the line should have been met with a Red Card and penalty.

In the Fulham v Chelsea match a handball in both penalty areas were missed.

Also a double handball for Villa against Everton went by unspoted resulting in a goal against Everton. In particular this goal - although the result was 4-0 - put Everton on the back foot and things could have benn different. If Everton are facing relegation come the end of the season, goal difference could be a factor in whether or not they go down.

Now you may feel who gives a toss about Everton, but think of it as if LFC were facing relegation. A bad decision in the first match of the season can be just as crucial as one in the 38th of the domestic season.

Another way to think of it is what if goal difference decides the Premiership? That penalty not being given against Newcastle could suddenly seem all that more important.

Referees should not have an impact on results, which is what I am concerned about.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Do we need referees behind each goal net to adjuicate on infringements in the penalty area or should maybe an NFL style video review could take place where a team can appeal once. (If found to be in the right they get that chance back, if not, thats their chance gone).

Whats everone's thoughts one the subject?

[dawson99]

if u ask me its been happening for years. a little bit of the joy of football is the referreeing decisions and how we all complain. its always gonna happen, unless we turn to tie outs and each game lasting hours.

And these things do even themselves out. I dont want video technology unless there is a bad tackle. If a player can be physically harmed or if there is spitting things like that, then its all good for an after game panel. But u cant keep stopping and starting games, that'll ruin all the banter in the pub and ruin the game.

Needs to get back to its grass roots level. Mistakes will be made by all refs but just play to the whistle.

[drummerphil]

Bad refs decisions is part and parcel of the game.Over the years i've seen some right unbelievable decisions for and against us.The two refs i cant stand at the moment are Steve Bennett and Uriah Rennie neither are premiership quality and find some decisions these two make baffling at times.

[Garymac]

If technology gets involved you will have fu.ck all to talk about in the pub after the game but in the Everton game there was no need for anything but for the referee (Mike Riley) who was looking at the incident, seen the incident yet failed to give a handball, there was no excuse and he should be sacked for not doing his job properly.

players get punished for making mistakes and Refs should, they should be banning Mike Riley from never refereeing a game again because it was blatent cheating.

In all context i was delighted for the decision put a big fat smile on me face but it was an absolute shocker, as was the one in the Arsenal game and the 2 in the Chelsea game, in fact all Refs are cu.nts!

[The Manhattan Project]

Most hilarious handball yesterday was John Terry's.

[A.B.]

I saw that one, basically he made a goalkeeper like save near the penalty spot.

[mighty mo]

human error by the referee is part and parcel of football,i despise the thought of tv replays playing it's part in the actual game of football

[115-1073096938]

Sense spoken in this thread. Thank god.

[Sabre]

if u ask me its been happening for years. a little bit of the joy of football is the referreeing decisions and how we all complain. its always gonna happen, unless we turn to tie outs and each game lasting hours.

While I agree this as an ideal world, more than 2 decades of robbery against my team has made me think something must be done.

With all due respect to Liverpool's sport achievement each of which I celebrate, Liverpool is respected by the refs. I mean that when you are a supporter of a smaller club, feelings like the ones we got in the game against Sao Paulo happens every 3 weeks.

And you are lucky because brit refs have good reputation, but the rest of europe is a joke. Simply, a ref of Spain has more troubles to concede a penalty when it's against Real Madrid. It's easier for them to send out a Cadiz player.

And the worse of it is that between refs they defend each other, they won't say that he was wrong.

IMHO, what they do can be considered a sport. They train, they run, they have fitness. IMHO, they should have a public ranking table in which they got points if they do well. And be relegated ig they are . This should be stated by a board of retired refs. Thus, I'm sure they'd try to do better. Right now  they have that aura of untouchable and unquestionable that I really don't understand.



I'd love to hear what's your opinion about refs and world refs.

[115-1073096938]

Human error at all levels is part of the game.

However a ranking system for refs would be quite fair.

Video evidence tho would kill the game.

[LFC #1]

Mike Riley is not fit to referee football matches at Sunday league level let alone top class football. How he missed that handball was unbelievable, it seemed like he was cheating as Garymac said. Gollum was right to be angry.

[laza]

Part and parcel of the game, the only worrying thing of course as its never a equal world the bigger sides tend to get the lion's share of the luck.
Though the old adage good teams make their own luck does come into it as well
Technology wouldnt change a thing, you still have controvesry of what was and what wasnt referred to the video and you at this stage slow the game down to a unacceptable rate

cest la guerre

[Lionheart]

It is part and parcel of the game. Somedays the decisions will fall in your favour and the referee will be the best going around..."Should referee the WC final".

On another day decisions that your grandmother could make will go against you and the referee..."not even good enough for schoolboy football".

As much as we hate this idea it is also one of the 'quaint' things about the game. But with the huge amounts spent on putting teams together, ground preparation, club employees, etc., should we not utilise ALL resources to eliminate 'mistakes'??

With all the money spent on the game, referees will be open to 'enticement' to ensure the result goes the way of the highest bidder. Video and electronic media will aid in eliminating this type of 'human error'.

Personally, I see pros and cons for both sides. I'd just hate to be robbed of a result because someone 'fixed' the result.

Are there any other alternatives??

[AussieKopite]

You're right that it would kill debate, I don't want video replays used like they are in cricket or Rugby League (every little decision) which makes it very irritating hence me floating the NFL idea of one appeal per game per team. Also means that if a ref deliberatly looks the other way because hes on the take (Brazil & Italy) it will be obvious. It will make it harder for a ref to have a deliberate impact. I personally think that Terry should have been sent off for his goalkeeper like save, as someone put it. What about the idea of an extra official behind each net, perfect alternative angle mostly (as most refs view the action from  behind) give the goal official a flag as most infringements in and around the penalty box should draw bookings and so the ref can confer with them.

[AussieKopite]

Actually while we are talking about officials, does anyone know why a Villa official was playing fourth official for interchanges in their 4-0 win over Everton? Would there be a conflict there as well?