This is why refs are pressured into favouring "big clubs"

At the moment that is the system and I guess publicising wouldn't necessarily guarantee anything; for me and other people, I guess the issue is that the mistakes are only highlighted by the few.

There are numerically less media outlets/fans outwardly giving an opinion/a damn about the decision at Arsenal last week. But as far as the fans are concerned, the issue is swept under the carpets and no one in a position of any kind of authority can/dares talk about it. I was slightly relieved in his post match interview that Puell decided not to talk about it for fear of FA sanction, that couldve been an even longer interview!! But if the players cant/wont, the managers cant/wont nothing seemingly ever happens and the referees are "free" to make the decisions again or cock up in a similar fashion without anything ever happening.

As I said before, the topic of refereeing is a little taboo and people love to have a pop but most dont think constructively about how they could improve. I think overhaul is needed urgently, but the relations between the FA, EPL and the PGMOL are tenuous at best as it is. Technology is coming no doubt, and I am a big advocate of keeping things traditional but it will be interesting to see how things pan out.

PS-I thought the ref was bloody awful too about the lack of yellows for our players who confronted him-but thats an argument for another day I guess.

 

The standard of refereeing is always a good subject , but the point of this thread was more specifically about how the media can sway refs to favour the "big" clubs. Onionman posted about how large and noisy crowds can influence decisions and I wouldn't disagree, it takes a strong personality to go against the crowd but I think it's more than just that. As I said above, the media holds long and in depth analysis about decisions that go against the top teams while the smaller clubs feature a lot less in this type of article. IMO it must put pressure on refs to favour the top teams.

 

Tonights Officials are all German, I expect ruthless efficiency, with orders that must be obeyed.

 

Too true, although I only ever refereed school football, there were some very tough calls in some very tetchy matches with parents and other school kid howling derision in either way; might just be me, but I almost got tunnel vision with these decisions as often it was a penalty/free kick and you needed to have a good think for a second or two before you gave the decision. A lot is gut feeling, but some needed thinking about and I suspect it would need a good hard slap to wake me from those thoughts; however, I suspect there may be a biiiig difference between schoolboy football and Old Trafford/Emirates.....!!

 

That creates some great imagery in my head....!!!

 

He didn't need to as they are miked up. He did it to have some time to think and take a little heat out of the situation.

 

So Koscielny's goal last week would be ruled out too as he contacted Clasie (think it was Clasie.)