No I don't blame Mike Dean. If it had been me, yes, I would have just ignored it, it was too close to the end of the game. But the person to blame is either the player raising the elbow OR the player rolling on the ground like a fanny. It's too easy soemtimes to blame the ref.
If on appeal the red card gets lifted, then the other player should be red carded for being a dickhead.
He didn't have to give anything, though. Soucek accidentally elbows Mitrovic and he goes down. Does he know it's accidental? Maybe. Probably not worth a card to either player. Dean loves the headlines, though. He does things constantly that get him in the papers.
No, you are right, he didn't have to give anything, but once again we seeing players trying to con either the ref or the cameras. The only thing that needs deciding is which of the two is it. The only way you will stop all this fannying about is by dealing with it. Mike Dean dealt with it, the only thing I'd question is whether he sent the right player off.
They should appeal. Imagine if two consecutive red cards from Dean get overturned when he's literally watched them again. Bloke's an absolute tosser.
I think if a player feigns injury he should be subject to the same rules as if he had commited a foul.
By doing what he did though he's encouraged the play acting though surely? There's no way that's ever a red card for violent conduct. It's beyond mental.
That's because people don't like Mike Dean. The only question for me is why did the Fulham player go down holding his head/face. I think it's pretty obvious why, he was trying to get the West Ham player sent off, he succeeded.
On that point you are bang on the nail, personally I think he sent the wrong player off. If it was me I would have ignored it, he chose to deal with it.
He loves being the centre of attention and has said as much iirc. Be hard for the powers that be to continue to defend him if they've admitted he's made two wrong decisions despite watching it again.
Mason has as many, if not more questions to answer tbh, as it’s him who’s advised him to have a look at it. Again.
