Referee

[Bladesman]

They regularly get instructions to come to the Lane and not get intimidated by the crowd. The assessor is there observing looking at that. Believe it or not we are regarded as one of the harsher stadiums/crowds to referee. They take it too far. A few examples from this game were the fouls on Brooks first half. It's almost gone full circle from the Warnock days when refs would often give us everything.

Not sure they gave us that much under Warnock, he used to slag most refs from what I remember and berate the officials on the sidelines.

 

[Houston_Blade]

I don't think he was as bad as some say and he got the big decisions right but he had absolutely no idea how officiate corners. It was genuinely weird how obsessed he was with looking for fouls. I don't think it affected the result but he definitely needs to be coached on this because he basically ensures there is no point in having a corner

I was happy he blew up on a few corners, it saved Hamer or Burrows perfectly finding the front man or booting it beyond the far post. We’ve been good at corners this season but we were terrible at them today.

 

[nopigfansintown]

I was happy he blew up on a few corners, it saved Hamer or Burrows perfectly finding the front man or booting it beyond the far post. We’ve been good at corners this season but we were terrible at them today.

It's a strange one. We've been crap again since Charlton imo. There's patches in the season in which we've looked brilliant then famine periods where we look absolutely shocking. No rhyme or reason.

 

[SwissBlade]

I can’t be the only one who thought he was absolutely terrible tonight?

And he was only terrible for one side, he gave us absolutely nothing and they went down like a sack of shit and got a fk every time.


We were shit tonight, but that ref is a right twat.

He was ok, got most decisions right but seemed to give them some soft free kicks as the game went on. Early in the game he was letting tackles go in, but seemed to get fed up of some of our players whinging and whining instead of getting on with the game. We can be aggrieved that we didn't get a couple of free kicks when they'd had them for seemingly softer incidents, but I don't think it was a bad refereeing performance overall.

Tanganga, as captain needs to get on with the game and lead the side instead of just whinging at the ref after the event.

 

[Hodgesleftpeg]

The foul on Brooks that he didn’t give was the worst of a bad bunch.

That was as much to do with the assistant who was looking straight at it from 10 yds away who would've told him it wasnt a foul.

Ref was still poor though

 

[Blademan89]

I think Ayling must have most refs as mates on social media because they seem to give him every decision and its been like that since his Leeds days.

The foul on Tanganga late on seemed like the ref could have thrown a red at them for? Not seen it back though.

Also, when the ball didn't go out of play in the first half in their box and Brooks gets back to the ball and is being pulled back, that looked like a penalty to me as their player isn't attempting to get the ball.

Like I have been banging on about for a while I think Wilder is now seen as Warnock among refs. It seems like we don't get much from many refs these days.

Im not sure if I can remember a time we have ever been the favoured team with any ref, certainly not in my life time.

Referee just seemed to allow them to do what ever they wanted, you could hear Ayling shout time slow down in first 5-10 mins when ball went out, which their player obliged and referee just watched it and didnt seem bothered.

Also how was that not a yellow card for Hackney in closing stages when he just went through Tanganga in our half? He gave Brooks a yellow card for similar at the start of 2nd half.

 

[Gimli]

He’s got a proper ref look about him.

If I’d never seen him before the game you could line him up in an identity parade of 50 people and ask me to ‘identify the one that’s a ref’ and it’d be obviously him

 

[Trigger Blade]

The foul on Brooks that he didn’t give was the worst of a bad bunch.

The only thing I can think of is that Brooks had knocked it too far and it was going out for a goal kick. The ref/lino reckon he wouldn’t have caught it, therefore no free kick. Terrible refereeing.

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

Little man syndrome and the game was at too fast a pace for his tiny scrappy doo legs to keep up with.

Yep. Groans all around us when he marched out of the tunnel before KO and was obviously about 4’8”. They’re always the worst.

See also: the Langford twat.

 

[mattbianco1]

I think the only thing he got right was the red card. It was all the 50/50 niggles that weren't even fouls, but each and every one went to Boro

 

[Nedski]

So let me get this straight. Ayling has telegraphed that he goes down easily after contact for his entire career. There are two distinct approaches to take to this behaviour:

a) don't be so fucking stupid as to contact him and give him chance to win free kicks
b) cry about it

Personally I'd go for a) but I can understand people going for b) as blaming others rather than taking responsibility for your own mistakes is a really easy thing to do

Actually it's c) the ref should know the difference between a push and someone diving after contact.

There is absolutely no way that the contact involved is enough to push a 6ft athlete to the floor. The ref should be able to easily spot this but doesn't.

 

[Yewsman]

Seen the Rothwell red on TV. It’s a definite red. Thought Rothwell looked awful. Give him the benefit that he’s not match fit but Phillips who has hardly played looked really promising.

 

[fifty shades of blade]

So let me get this straight. Ayling has telegraphed that he goes down easily after contact for his entire career. There are two distinct approaches to take to this behaviour:

a) don't be so fucking stupid as to contact him and give him chance to win free kicks
b) cry about it

Personally I'd go for a) but I can understand people going for b) as blaming others rather than taking responsibility for your own mistakes is a really easy thing to do

So let him do what he wants and boss you throughout the game then? You ever played men's football? It's all about contact. Maybe Ayling should be a proper man instead of a man bunned fanny, and refs should have played the game at adult level too. Because like you many of these skinny little gimps don't understand that a man shouldn't fall down if someone sneezes near him.

 

[Large Mendonca]

He’s got a proper ref look about him.

If I’d never seen him before the game you could line him up in an identity parade of 50 people and ask me to ‘identify the one that’s a ref’ and it’d be obviously him

They all have that “last player pick on the playground” look about them don’t they? But that’s ignoring the fat kid….

 

[chesblade]

Thought they were slow taking throw ins, goalie slow timing his kicks and he did nothing. I thought they seem to be waisting time from the minute they scored

 

[Shawy24]

I told you so. Post 21 Match Thread.

 

[Varkanoid]

Several times Boro conned the ref they need to get a grip on these silly decisions. A few were when we were in good positions.

 

[derfblade.3]

There was a close up on him after he gave Boro a dodgy free kick and the cunt was smirking.

 

[Davalon]

Because our players never dive or try to con the ref do they.

Some of our fans have a severe case of paranoia on a weekly basis.

Championship refs aren't the highest quality for sure but it's whinge whinge whinge whenever we lose yet there's no issues when we get decisions going for us which we do regularly.

 

[jt64]

Actually it's c) the ref should know the difference between a push and someone diving after contact.

There is absolutely no way that the contact involved is enough to push a 6ft athlete to the floor. The ref should be able to easily spot this but doesn't.

This is an interesting post. Not only does it prove my point as it is textbook cry about it, but it also doubles down on what you said in your initial post about football being a contact sport, which, believe it or not, is not actually the case outside of a very limited number of situations, primarily shoulder charges and incidental contact after a clean and safe play on the ball. A push or similar is not legal and "he's a big lump" does not make it so, if your argument is that shoving Erling Haaland would be fine but the same shove on Benie Traore wouldn't be then you're being ridiculous

 

[Nedski]

This is an interesting post. Not only does it prove my point as it is textbook cry about it, but it also doubles down on what you said in your initial post about football being a contact sport, which, believe it or not, is not actually the case outside of a very limited number of situations, primarily shoulder charges and incidental contact after a clean and safe play on the ball. A push or similar is not legal and "he's a big lump" does not make it so, if your argument is that shoving Erling Haaland would be fine but the same shove on Benie Traore wouldn't be then you're being ridiculous

Who's crying about it? I'm certainly not.

It's a limited contact sport. There was nothing reckless or excessive about the challenge. The contact was minimal and Ayling's response was exaggerated aka simulation.

It's embarrassing that you'd accept this as part of football and can't see it for what it is - cheating.

 

[jt64]

Who's crying about it? I'm certainly not.

It's a limited contact sport. There was nothing reckless or excessive about the challenge. The contact was minimal and Ayling's response was exaggerated aka simulation.

It's embarrassing that you'd accept this as part of football and can't see it for what it is - cheating.

Quote - "It's a contact sport and a small push isn't enough to knock over a fully grown man"

What part of you are not allowed to push players do you not get? There is everything excessive about the challenge - pushing an opponent is not a legitimate way to win the ball. You may not like that, and you may feel Ayling is exaggerating that he is being fouled, but he is being fouled and the solution to him not winning a free kick is not to foul him in the first place. You may not like that, but there is a difference in what you think the laws of the games should be and what the referee thinks the laws actually are, and only one matters. You might think they are bad laws, that's fine.

The ultimate test is if a week on Sunday someone does that to Bamford in the box and he goes down, are you going to be screaming for a penalty? I'm going to hazard a guess what the answer will be.

 

[Bladesman]

We also going to ignore their lads blatant theatrical dive trying to win a penalty.

As per usual opposition players don't seem to get booked for that against us, play is just allowed to continue.

 

[bakeblade]

Seen the Rothwell red on TV. It’s a definite red. Thought Rothwell looked awful. Give him the benefit that he’s not match fit but Phillips who has hardly played looked really promising.

Hopefully Rothwell improves, we've got him for another season after this one.

 

[bakeblade]

I think the only thing he got right was the red card. It was all the 50/50 niggles that weren't even fouls, but each and every one went to Boro

His decision to stop the game for the Hackney non injury summed up his performance.

 

[vas borbokis]

There are pushes happening both ways but we seem to be penalised every time whereas when our players get pushed, often just as they jump for a header, nothing is ever given.
There's a real imbalance as I see it. Not just this season either. Refs basically give us nothing unless it's nailed on.

 

[Nedski]

Quote - "It's a contact sport and a small push isn't enough to knock over a fully grown man"

What part of you are not allowed to push players do you not get? There is everything excessive about the challenge - pushing an opponent is not a legitimate way to win the ball. You may not like that, and you may feel Ayling is exaggerating that he is being fouled, but he is being fouled and the solution to him not winning a free kick is not to foul him in the first place. You may not like that, but there is a difference in what you think the laws of the games should be and what the referee thinks the laws actually are, and only one matters. You might think they are bad laws, that's fine.

The ultimate test is if a week on Sunday someone does that to Bamford in the box and he goes down, are you going to be screaming for a penalty? I'm going to hazard a guess what the answer will be.

A small push is minimal contact and within the laws of the game. Falling to the floor as a result of a small push is exaggeration and simulation which is a bookable offence.

If Bamford or anyone goes down like Ayling I can assure you I won't be screaming for a penalty. I might lean forward and look for the refs decision but I won't be screaming as I wouldn't expect a penalty for that sort of contact. If we get one we get one, and if we score it of course I'll celebrate.

 

[Iffy Onuora's Shiny Head]

Refereeing needs a complete overhaul

For me, refereeing has become far too mechanical and completely detached from common sense.

No one seems willing to referee the intent of what’s happening anymore, just the letter of the law, and it’s killing the flow of games.

Take the example the other week where a player went down off the pitch, then casually wandered back on to receive treatment. Everyone in the stadium knew exactly what he was doing. Time-wasting, pure and simple. Yet it’s waved through because technically he’s allowed back on. That’s where common sense should kick in.

Same with the little “accidental” kicks of the ball away after a foul. Players know exactly how far they can nudge it to slow the restart without triggering a yellow. It’s blatant game management by players, and referees let it slide far too often.

Throw-ins are another joke. Half of them are taken five or ten yards from where the ball actually went out, and no one bats an eyelid. Add in the constant grappling, blocking and wrestling at corners and it’s chaos. This is one areawhere I do feel for referees. You’ve got 20 players all pushing the limits at the same time, all trying to cheat in small ways to gain an edge.

This is one area where I actually think VAR could be useful. Not for drawing offside lines down to the millimetre, but for spotting repeated time-wasting, off-the-ball fouling, and cynical behaviour that refs inevitably miss in real time.

Until refereeing shifts back towards judging intent and game flow rather than just box-ticking, players will keep exploiting the grey areas and we’ll keep watching the same nonsense every week.

 

[SuperSonicBlade89]

It's happening far too often to be conspiracy, that refs just seem not to like us. It's just become blatantly obvious within the last 12 months or so. Is this because of all the fines last season I wonder...

From the guy who cannot count 10 yards a few months ago. To this guy last night who allows Middlesbrough players to wrestle our players in the box at a corner (both hands around our players waists on the goalline), but pretty much always gives a foul to them as soon as the ball is kicked!

Brooks was clean taken out in the first half, obvious foul any day, but then gives similar fouls later on. Its just stupidly inconsistent in how refs apply the rules.

 

[Bladesman]

It's happening far too often to be conspiracy, that refs just seem not to like us. It's just become blatantly obvious within the last 12 months or so. Is this because of all the fines last season I wonder...

From the guy who cannot count 10 yards a few months ago. To this guy last night who allows Middlesbrough players to wrestle our players in the box at a corner (both hands around our players waists on the goalline), but pretty much always gives a foul to them as soon as the ball is kicked!

Brooks was clean taken out in the first half, obvious foul any day, but then gives similar fouls later on. Its just stupidly inconsistent in how refs apply the rules.

It goes further back, my conspiracy theory is based on Wilder's sandwich comment. Since then Wilder is about as popular with them as a shit on the carpet and his comments on RS last night won't have helped.