Officially Speaking – with Keith Hackett
PREMIER LEAGUE REFEREE PERFORMANCE REVIEW MATCH WEEK 16
FRIDAY 10TH DECEMBER 2021
BRENTFORD V WATFORD Score 2-1
Referee: Michael Oliver. Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett. Fourth official: Mike Dean. VAR: Jarred Gillett. Assistant VAR: Dan Cook.
Watford’s Dennis opened the scoring and the equaliser came late into the game in the 84th minute. Brentford then went on to score the winner from the penalty mark in added time. Michael Oliver delivered another top-class performance.
SATURDAY 11TH DECEMBER
MANCHESTER CITY V WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS Score 1-0
Referee: Jonathan Moss. Assistants: Marc Perry, Timothy Wood. Fourth official: Martin Atkinson. VAR: Andre Marriner. Assistant VAR: Matthew Wilkes.
When I am coaching young referees on more than one occasion, I will refer to the process of decision making which is to SEE, RECOGNISE, THINK and ACT.
NEVER, NEVER GUESS!!
Experienced Referee Jonathan Moss was the referee for the Manchester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers game.
VAR for this match at Stockley Park with the lifebelt at the ready was another experienced referee, Andre Marriner.
This game’s result hinged on what was a guess by experienced referee Jon Moss. He was not well positioned when the ball was crossed into the Wolves penalty area by Bernardo Silva. Wolves defender Joao Moutinho had a raised arm, when the ball struck him. Moss, from some distance away, pointed to the penalty mark. I watched the instant replay and it was clear that the ball had struck the defenders armpit not his arm.
This was an easy call for the VAR Andre Marriner and I expected him to advise Moss to visit the pitch-side monitor. The decision by Referee Moss was a clear and obvious error resulting from a guess.
His colleague for many years having had more than one look decided to compound the error by supporting the Referee’s decision.
This was an unacceptable decision by two referees both who frankly need to start to collect their pension and make way for some younger colleagues
Wolves’ Raul Jimenez should be docked his wages having let his own fans down by receiving a yellow card and within seconds a second one for delaying the restart. It left Moss with no option other than to raise the red card and point to the dressing room.
I would however liked to have seen the referee take a more active role with regard to the restart. This is easily done, by standing over the ball ensuring that the defending players retire to 9.15m then signal for the game to re-commence.
ARSENAL V SOUTHAMPTON Score 3-0
Referee: Jarred Gillett. Assistants: Adam Nunn, Neil Davies. Fourth official: Anthony Taylor. VAR: Michael Oliver. Assistant VAR: Scott Ledger.
Australian Referee Jarred Gillett can be very satisfied with yet another low-key, efficient performance. Arsenal scored a third goal which was correctly ruled out for offside.
Arsenal’s goals came from Lacazette after 21 minutes, Odegaard after a terrific passage of play six minutes later and Gabriel in the 62nd minute following a terrific application of advantage.
CHELSEA V LEEDS UNITED Score 3-2
Referee: Chris Kavanagh. Assistants: Dan Cook, Dan Robathan. Fourth official: Tony Harrington. VAR: Mike Dean. Assistant VAR: Mark Scholes.
Raphina scored the opening goal for Leeds from the penalty mark. This following a mistimed challenge by Marcos Alonso on Daniel James.
Chelsea scored an equalizer through Mason Mount
Chelsea was awarded a penalty kick in the 58th minute after an incident which saw Referee Kavanagh out of position and with a poor view awarding a corner kick. However, VAR was on hand to advise him to look at the monitor. He did and could see the foul and pointed to the penalty mark.
Chelsea was awarded another Penalty kick in added time when Mateusz Klich brought down Rudiger.
Three penalty kicks in this game with VAR Mike Dean demonstrating what a good VAR he is.
LIVERPOOL V ASTON VILLA Score 1-0
Referee: Stuart Attwell. Assistants: Harry Lennard, Simon Long. Fourth official: Graham Scott. VAR: Lee Mason. Assistant VAR: Simon Beck.
The only goal of the match came from the penalty mark in the 67th minute after Villa’s Tyrone Mings bundled Salah over. Salah made no error in dispatching the spot kick into the back of the net
I thought that Attwell had one of his better performances.
NORWICH CITY V MANCHESTER UNITED Score 0-1
Referee: Darren England. Assistants: Constantine Hatzidakis, Peter Kirkup.
The game was decided when Norwich City’s Max Aarons hauled down Ronaldo and to his credit Referee Darren England pointed to the penalty mark. The incident was checked by VAR and confirmed the award.
Ronaldo sent Norwich goalkeeper Krul the wrong way.
There was a moment of concern when Victor Lindelof was taken off clearly appearing to be suffering with chest pains.
SUNDAY 12TH DECEMBER
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION V TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR KO 14.00
Referee: Robert Jones. Assistants: Eddie Smart, Mark Scholes. Fourth official: Andre Marriner. VAR: Lee Mason. Assistant VAR: Simon Bennett.
GAME CANCELLED DUE TO COVID IN SPURS CAMP
BURNLEY V WEST HAM UNITED Score 0-0
Referee: Graham Scott. Assistants: Darren Cann, Richard West. Fourth official: Craig Pawson. VAR: Jonathan Moss. Assistant VAR: Timothy Wood.
I thought that West Ham United were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty kick when Dwight McNeil brought down Craig Dawson.
It was surely a clear and obvious error and VAR Jonathan Moss should have sent Referee Scott to the monitor. This was a decisive moment in the game and the reason why VAR was introduced. In fairness to the referee it is likely that players obstructed his vision of this incident.
LEICESTER CITY V NEWCASTLE UNITED Score 4-0
Referee: Peter Bankes. Assistants: Gary Beswick, Ian Hussin. Fourth official: Anthony Taylor. VAR: Paul Tierney. Assistant VAR: Lee Betts.
Referee Peter Bankes can be satisfied with his performance today, maintaining good concentration and movement. However, the penalty kick awarded when Maddison was judged to have been fouled was a big error at an important time in the game. Replays showed clearly that Maddison was going to ground prior to any contact from his opponent. He had manufactured contact and deceived the referee and frankly should have been yellow carded for an act of simulation. Newcastle United have every right to feel aggrieved. A one-sided affair, highlighting the need for the new owners at Newcastle needing to splash the cash
CRYSTAL PALACE V EVERTON Score 3-1
Referee: Andy Madley. Assistants: Adrian Holmes, Simon Beck. Fourth official: Tony Harrington. VAR: Stuart Attwell. Assistant VAR: Harry Lennard.
Connor Gallagher opened the scoring in the 41st minute after an error by Everton’s Gray who passed the ball back towards his own goal and left it short for a colleague to clear.
Tomkins scored a second in the 62nd.
Then the game livened up again after Everton’s Rondon scored. Rondon replaced Richarlson who frankly did not like his managers decision and it showed in his facial expressions.
One challenge by Benteke on Coleman was naughty with the Palace player coming in and planting his foot on his opponent. This challenge was worthy of a sanction.
Palace scored a third after an error by an Everton player who rushed his free kick.
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