EFL Refereeing Abomination Journal 25/26

[Les-TA-Jon]

52 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

Obviously depends on if it’s the PL or not and VAR but as this does apply to the PL, is it wrong to expect perfection from them when they have video replays available?

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c2dn9lkp0e5o

 

9 minutes ago, Brainy said:

Mistakes on VAR is pretty unforgivable. Though each incident is unique and they can't necessarily be trained beforehand in how to deal with it. Everything else I'm with him though. The referee usually (probably, dunno) makes the least amount of mistakes on the pitch of all 23 people out there, will be the lowest paid yet also are the easy go-to excuse for managers and fans alike when the result goes against them. 

Thing is, we know that so many of the decisions in football are subjective, so I don't know why VAR should equal = perfection. 

 

We should expect that VAR increases accuracy of 'key decisions' which is has done, but it can't ever achieve 'perfection' 

[LCFCJohn]

27 minutes ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

 

Thing is, we know that so many of the decisions in football are subjective, so I don't know why VAR should equal = perfection. 

 

We should expect that VAR increases accuracy of 'key decisions' which is has done, but it can't ever achieve 'perfection' 

Just posing the question really. Perhaps perfection is the wrong word. Consistency? This is the problem, even with VAR, decisions are inconsistent and often there is a leaning towards certain teams. 
 

I have no problem with the penalty at Swansea last week. Faes did dive in and from the angle the ref had, you can see why it was given when he doesn’t have the benefit of VAR.

 

In the PL though, you just want consistent decisions. If the threshold for a penalty or handball is what it is, fine. 

[Brainy]

1 hour ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

 

Thing is, we know that so many of the decisions in football are subjective, so I don't know why VAR should equal = perfection. 

 

We should expect that VAR increases accuracy of 'key decisions' which is has done, but it can't ever achieve 'perfection' 

Don't disagree however there have definitely been some errors from VAR which haven't been subjective

[Les-TA-Jon]

44 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

Just posing the question really. Perhaps perfection is the wrong word. Consistency? This is the problem, even with VAR, decisions are inconsistent and often there is a leaning towards certain teams. 
 

I have no problem with the penalty at Swansea last week. Faes did dive in and from the angle the ref had, you can see why it was given when he doesn’t have the benefit of VAR.

 

In the PL though, you just want consistent decisions. If the threshold for a penalty or handball is what it is, fine. 

But how do we/they build consistency on things which are so subjective? Most post-match analysis doesn't have consensus from the pundits on X, Y and Z key decisions. 

[LCFCJohn]

1 hour ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

But how do we/they build consistency on things which are so subjective? Most post-match analysis doesn't have consensus from the pundits on X, Y and Z key decisions. 

Come on. There’s a bit of subjectivity and there’s the complete inconsistency that we get. I’ve seen similar or worse challenges against us since the one Ramsay was sent off for against Oxford for example. 
 

If you think the only issue with decisions currently is a bit of honest subjectiveness, you’re entitled to your option. I think most people would disagree mind.

[Bert]

An absolute whopper. Set the tone by booking Ricardo 2 mins in. Gave them every niggly foul and barely gave us anything. Stop start stop start throughout the first half. Some baffling calls from him tonight. 

[funkyrobot]

1 minute ago, Bert said:

An absolute whopper. Set the tone by booking Ricardo 2 mins in. Gave them every niggly foul and barely gave us anything. Stop start stop start throughout the first half. Some baffling calls from him tonight. 

Terrible ref, was keen to be the centre of attention. Before the match him and his team were warming up, preening and stretching as if they were the star players and sure enough they all performed like they were the main men. Inconsistent with free kicks, bookings, throw in positions and free kick positions. Let time wasting go by with no problems. Linesmen making crazy calls on free kicks and throw ins. The ref was pernickety and ensured the game became slow and disrupted. 

[orangecity23]

Struggling to remember the last time I saw one of our games with an actually competent ref in. I remember Sam Allison being good, but that was about 2 years ago now, since then it's been the Gavin Wards and Keith Strouds on endless repeat.

[Bert]

11 minutes ago, funkyrobot said:

Terrible ref, was keen to be the centre of attention. Before the match him and his team were warming up, preening and stretching as if they were the star players and sure enough they all performed like they were the main men. Inconsistent with free kicks, bookings, throw in positions and free kick positions. Let time wasting go by with no problems. Linesmen making crazy calls on free kicks and throw ins. The ref was pernickety and ensured the game became slow and disrupted. 

Agree. Another one with a ridiculously tight top as well. It’s becoming a theme. 

[UniFox21]

Inconsistent doesn't really sum him up. Missed one of the most obvious foul throws I've ever seen from Hamza 

[Ian Nacho]

One of the things that irritates me the most is when the lineman is in a far better position to see the referee has made an error, but they never have the balls to overrule him. 

[Bert]

2 minutes ago, Ian Nacho said:

One of the things that irritates me the most is when the lineman is in a far better position to see the referee has made an error, but they never have the balls to overrule him. 

It’s so annoying. There was something that happened in the first half, the linesman knew what decision to make, waited for the ref and then signalled whatever the ref decided even though he knew it was wrong. 

[jammie82uk]

I don’t know if it shown on tv but watching in the ground it felt like the Ref was man marking Winks in the first half the Ref always seem to be blocking a pass 

Edited 18 October 2025 by jammie82uk

[Globalfox]

I am generally sympathetic to referees but this one was appalling. Worst is he actually appeared biased against Leicester. The question has to asked just incompetent or something else.

[hebangsthedrums]

26 minutes ago, UniFox21 said:

Inconsistent doesn't really sum him up. Missed one of the most obvious foul throws I've ever seen from Hamza 

The long throw thomas took at the end was in front of me and his foot was completely over the line as well. 

 

They're a bit crap the refs, shame theyr can't be used as an excuse for us being inept most of the time 

[Chelmofox]

2 minutes ago, hebangsthedrums said:

The long throw thomas took at the end was in front of me and his foot was completely over the line as well. 

 

They're a bit crap the refs, shame theyr can't be used as an excuse for us being inept most of the time 

I sit very close to where Thomas took that through and i though he was on the line. Shit throw.

[hebangsthedrums]

Just now, Chelmofox said:

I sit very close to where Thomas took that through and i though he was on the line. Shit throw.

Nah def over the line. I'm row m so high enough to see

[niyaminski]

I hate it when refs give things for one team and then don’t for another. Felt like every 50/50 went portsmouths way.

 

Whistle happy little twat who shouldn’t be reffing at the level.

 

Oh and don’t get me started on their keeper’s (and their team in general) time wasting.

How the **** can a KEEPER go down with cramp and take 5 minutes to recover?!?!

[foxinsox]

8 minutes ago, hebangsthedrums said:

The long throw thomas took at the end was in front of me and his foot was completely over the line as well. 

 

They're a bit crap the refs, shame theyr can't be used as an excuse for us being inept most of the time 

Yeah, It was just in front of me and I thought so too.

 

Not that it made a difference anyway, and not uncommon in the modern game.

[jmono84]

The bald head left been follows through a challenge and looked like a nasty reckless tackle on Soumare, who tried to close the ball down. The nasty file though made contact with Soumare… Portsmouth free kick!!

 

Crap ref made wrong decisions all night. Another useless geek.

[Tommy Fresh]

His positioning was awful all night, not just for us, constantly seemed way to close to the play

[Corky]

Nothing majorly wrong, just that fussy, had to be involved nature. I had been at Harborough earlier in the day and that ref was similar.

[orangecity23]

18 hours ago, niyaminski said:

How the **** can a KEEPER go down with cramp and take 5 minutes to recover?!?!

Terrible stuff that cramp. Started in his right foot, then when the physio came on it had moved to his right knee. Then a minute later it was in his left leg instead. 

[Manwell Pablo]

19 hours ago, funkyrobot said:

Terrible ref, was keen to be the centre of attention. Before the match him and his team were warming up, preening and stretching as if they were the star players and sure enough they all performed like they were the main men. Inconsistent with free kicks, bookings, throw in positions and free kick positions. Let time wasting go by with no problems. Linesmen making crazy calls on free kicks and throw ins. The ref was pernickety and ensured the game became slow and disrupted. 

Sorry, are we saying officials aren’t allowed to warm up now.
 

I mean of all the undeserved bias influenced bile you normally get in threads like this after a bad result that’s a new one. 

[funkyrobot]

6 hours ago, Manwell Pablo said:

Sorry, are we saying officials aren’t allowed to warm up now.
 

I mean of all the undeserved bias influenced bile you normally get in threads like this after a bad result that’s a new one. 

Underserved bias influenced bile? That’s a bit heavy mate wow - are you the ref’s mate? I’m didn’t say refs can’t warm up, that’s you making that up for likes. What I did say was the warm up was extreme and a bit preening. It worried me that it looked like a ref in the warm up who wants to be front and centre and he proved to be that in the game. Fussy and inconsistent, he certainly didn’t help the spectacle.