Refs have been asked to clamp down on all sorts of minor infringements and it's making for a petty spectacle where players are getting booked for non issues and coaches are getting booked for just being passionate about their team's performance
imo, the refs should be as anonymous as possible during a game and just let it flow as much as possible. I get the timewasting thing is annoying, but as they are doing, just add on the time at the end. Or better still introduce a system where the clock stops when the ball goes dead.
At the moment, refereering, VAR and all of the associated nob jockery that goes with it is becoming more of a spectacle than the actual games and that is ****ing up the beautiful game as we know it.
A problem happened at my lots game yesterday with the official, and although no one has mentioned it, I do see it as a problem with the new rules, in not being allowed to kick the ball away.
A Mansfield attack was thwarted by a foul, the ref blew to stop play, and got the yellow card out, but Mansfield took a quick free-kick catching even the ref unaware and they scored - the goal stood!
Now although in the rules it does say you can take a freekick, it's only if the ref has not started the process of disciplinary via booking.
Rules: 'Once the ref has decided to caution a player, play must not be restarted until the sanction has been administered, unless the non-offending team takes a quick free kick, has a clear goal-scoring opportunity AND the ref has not started disciplinary sanction procedure'
They can take a quick freekick but not if ref has started the cautioning, which he had from my view - card out,player turning etc
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So the lesson learned here is fook sportsmanship and the rules, just hold onto the ball or kick it away whatever the situation. Even without var we argue lol.
they didn't win 8 out of their first 9 league games