A conversation today between myself and a friend equally riled by recent events epitomised the problems referees face when a decision needs to be made regarding a potential red card challenge.
Three red cards yesterday typified the problems referees face when making a decision. The first incident was perhaps the most simple to clear up and involved West Ham captain Kevin Nolan.
On first look his challenge looked like two players going in hard but a replay clearly showed Nolan jumping in two footed and planting one of them on Jack Smith’s leg. Straight red card.
Mike Jones was one hundred per cent correct. But to often these incidents are missed at first glance, as has already been seen this season when Yohan Cabaye lunged in on Jay Spearing and was not given even a yellow card.
The tackle yesterday led to our debate. My friend, who hadn’t seen a replay, said that it was “six of one, half a dozen the other,” because both players were lunging in. The referee may have mistakenly taken that stance himself, which as mentioned has happened elsewhere this season, but after seeing the immediate replay it was a clear red.
Incident number two was much more difficult for referee Martin Atkinson after what looked from behind to be a vicious lunge by Stoke City’s Robert Huth. The German centre-half charged towards Sunderland’s David Meyler and slid in, admittedly along the floor, on the midfielder who in turn leapt over Huth and performed a series of rolls followed by foot grabbing and ankle holding.
All very convincing and from Martin Atkinson’s position the situation screamed red card. But Tony Pulis reaction suggested something was awry. Replays clearly showed Huth had made no contact with Meyler, had not left the ground and in fact the Sunderland midfielder would have probably been booked for diving had Atkinson witnessed the incident side on.
Going back to my conversation, after getting past the fact that Stoke’s reputation as a side for lunging tackles may not have helped the situation, it was concluded a kick directed at Meyler, reminiscent of Real Madrid’s Pepe, may well in this incident have been warranted given the large degree of play acting involved.
But on a more serious note, the replay which Pulis had obviously seen to infuriate him so much was almost immediate. Had Atkinson seen it and been given chance to check his decision before sending Huth off, the result of the fixture may well have been different.
The final incident illustrated another problem facing referees. Djibril Cisse’s red card for raising his arms twice was by the letter of the law, correct. What this incident highlighted was the indifference between managers and referees. Both Mark Hughes and Mick McCarthy acknowledged that by the letter of the law Cisse deserved to go. However, they also agreed Roger Johnson’s tackle which triggered the Frenchman’s reaction was a poor one.
The recent furore over what rules apply to slide tackles in the modern game clearly played a part in Cisse’s reaction. Given what has happened in recent weeks, he would have expected Johnson to perhaps be reprimanded. These rules need to be cleared up and fast.
The conversation I had this morning illustrated how unclear these rules are and also how difficult it must be for those at the FA to come up with a set of guidelines that players, managers, fans and referees can all agree with. Despite this, it could be aided easily if referees were allowed, as officials are in other sports, to use replays during the game.
Fans see replays within seconds and managers used to be able to. Given the time often spent arguing between players after a controversial incident, referees could easily check a replay and increase the chances of getting decisions correct dramatically.
We would all at least no that referees were not making rash decisions and managers would know their appeals had been given more consideration. It would also help them combat the issues raised here.
Play-acting, confusion and disagreement over the rules, fast pace of the game and managers comments all make the job for referees even more difficult when making decisions which change games.
My Sunday morning football catch ups may also be based more on match results rather than refereeing mistakes.
