Debatable Decisions – Week Fourteen – Part One

Week Fourteen was one of the busiest yet for our decisions judges, in fact it was so busy that we called in reinforcements to help us deal with a host of dodgy decisions in this weeks round of games. Simon Furnivall, editor of Lovely Left Foot, joined us to give us his take on the rights and wrongs committed by Premier League referees, but even a fresh pair of eyes couldn’t help us understand how a foul on halfway by the “last man” earns red and one on the edge of the area earns yellow.

Newcastle – Chelsea

David Luiz Foul On Ba

The former Hoffenheim and West Ham striker appeared to have been played through one on one with Cech, but he was hauled down by David Luiz in a desperate attempt to stop a sure fire goal scoring opportunity. The automatic assumption was red, the referee awarded yellow.

Simon M – “Can’t quite get my head round this one. There’s talk of Ba not being in control of the ball, but the reason he isn’t in control of the ball is because he’s being fouled. Offences that deserve a red are laid out clearly in the rules and denying a goal scoring opportunity is one of them, a truly terrible piece of refereeing.”

Ben – “A really awful decision with no excuses for the referee, I just don’t see how he doesn’t show the red card. Luiz makes a cynical foul to stop Ba from getting a shot at goal. Pretty simple, you’d have thought. I wonder if the time had significant say on what colour the card was?”

Ant – “Luiz bundles Ba over and he knew exactly what he was doing, should have been a red card.”

Simon F – “A pretty big howler from Mike Dean. Ba doesn’t have control of the ball when he is brought down, but there is no question in my mind that he would have reached the ball well before Cech and would, more than likely, have scored.”

Overall Verdict: Incorrect Decision

Sturridge Penalty

The Chelsea forward broke clear countless times on Saturday afternoon and got himself into a host of good positions that tested the Newcastle defence, Cabaye’s way of dealing with that was to trip him in the area rather than let him have another shot at goal, the referee pointed to the spot immediately.

Simon M – “No arguing with this one, though Cabaye did try to claim that he got the ball. The camera doesn’t lie and the referee got this one right.”

Ben – “Sturridge was probably looking for it and maybe went down easy but why wouldn’t he when there was a foul?”

Ant – “Sturridge was just too fast, I think he went down very easily but for me there was enough contact to justify a penalty.”

Simon F – “Fairly simple one. Clever play by Sturridge to draw the foul from Cabaye and the Frenchman clearly trips him. Definite penalty.”

Overall Verdict: Correct Decision

Blackburn – Swansea

Allen Sending Off

A nothing free kick in the centre of midfield led to Swansea’s Joe Allen picking up the ball and throwing it away petulantly, receiving a yellow card as a result. Later in the game he received a second yellow for pulling an opposition player back as Blackburn attempted to catch Swansea on the break.

Simon M – “My problem with this one is the fact that you get booked for showing dissent by throwing the ball away, but if you surround a referee and scream into his face you get told to wise up and go away, doesn’t seem fair. That said, as my colleagues have pointed out, by the letter of the law it was a yellow and the second foul was a definite yellow so I guess the red was the correct decision.”

Ben – “I’m hesitant to say correct but using the old favourite ‘going by the law’ this was probably the correct decision. The second yellow is correct and I don’t think he realises what he’s done until the whistle goes. The first however is really not the crime of the century. As I said, a yellow is probably the right decision but I think the referee could certainly have let it go.”

Ant – “Threw the ball away like a little baby and then pulled back the attacker to stop a counter attack, two bookable offences and like every week there is always a player that shows how stupid footballers can be.”

Simon F – “A harsh one, particularly the first booking, but by the letter of the law both correct. Allen did show dissent and potentially stop Blackburn taking a quick free kick, though I don’t think anyone would have complained had he not been booked. The second was clumsy and cynical as Blackburn tried to break and deserving of a yellow”

Overall Verdict: Correct Decision

Vuckevic Penalty

Yakubu got his fourth goal of the day from the penalty spot and the penalty was awarded for a trip on Vuckevic just inside the Swansea area.

Simon M – “A good touch to take it past his marker who was caught out and left a leg in, which caught Vuckevic’s standing leg. A definite penalty.”

Ben – “A ‘stonewaller’ as they say.”

Ant – “Debatable if he had full control of the ball but his run was ended by the defender with a foul easy penalty.”

Simon F – “Another pretty clear one for my. Vuckevic may go down theatrically, but his standing leg was caught and it was a penalty.”

Overall Verdict: Correct Decision

Spurs – Bolton

Cahill Red Card

A poor touch from the Bolton captain gave Scott Parker the chance to get in behind the Bolton defence, Cahill tried his best to get to the ball first, but mistimed his tackle and tripped his international colleague. The offence occurred on the halfway line, with cover available, but Cahill still received a red card for a last man tackle.

Simon M – “This is a crazy decision. Parker still has almost half the pitch to cover and Bolton have defenders tracking back who are more than capable of keeping up with someone who isn’t exactly blessed with blistering pace. A yellow, yes, a red, never.”

Ben – “Stunning that Luiz avoided the red and Cahill was sent off for essentially the same reason. Obvious goal scoring opportunity? No way, no how”

Ant – “A stupid foul but not a red card with the players being so far from goal I would not class this as a goal scoring opportunity and therefore not a red card.”

Simon F – “Never in a month of Sundays. With the distance to goal and Zat Knight covering, I don’t think this can be considered an obvious goal scoring opportunity. I’m quicker than Scott Parker, for fuck’s sake.”

Overall Verdict: Incorrect Decision

Assou-Ekotto Penalty

The Cameroon left back burst into the Bolton area from the left wing and was closely tracked by Kevin Davies. Whether there was a touch or not is debatable, obviously, but Assou-Ekotto hit the deck and claimed that he had been fouled, the referee was having none of it and waved play on.

Simon M – “I actually thought there was a slight trip by Davies and that’s what led to Assou-Ekotto going down. I don’t think it was intentional and it would have been very difficult for the referee to pick this up at game speed, but I think there was enough in for a penalty to be awarded.”

Ben – “A example of a player looking to go down upon feeling any touch at all. Davies does put his hand on BAE but it’s not enough to be giving a penalty.”

Ant – “There was a slight shove in the back but not enough for a penalty.”

Simon F – “Not that I’m piling on Atwell or anything, but he got this one wrong as well. A clear and calculated shove from Kevin Davies was enough to send BA-E over and should have been a penalty.”

Overall Verdict: Correct Decision

QPR – West Brom

Sean Wright-Phillips Offside Goal

A neat flick in behind the defence, from Joey Barton, sent Wright-Phillips free to cut inside and fire a cracking volleyed effort into the top corner of Ben Foster’s net. It was a cracking shot and had it counted would have been a cracking goal, but the linesman’s flag ruled it out for offside.

Simon M – “I don’t particularly rate Wright-Phillips, but he has come up with some absolutely cracking goals over the years and this one should have been another to add to the list. He’s well onside and as Simon says, there’s even a guide for the linesman, so I’ve no idea how he got this one so wrong.”

Ben – “The replays clearly show Sweep was onside and it’s a real shame that this was called incorrectly because it was a cracking goal.”

Ant – “A perfectly timed run from SWP and a great finish, I find it so annoying when a great run and strike like this is wrongly disallowed.”

Simon F – “A great goal that should have stood (though I am willing to consider any decision against Neil Wanock’s teams correct). We’re constantly being told that the benefit of any doubt should be given tothe attacker, and at very least there was doubt about this. The assistant referee even has the handy guide of the penalty area line to help him, but still gets it wrong.”

Overall Verdict: Incorrect Decision