Handballs apparently only given if it hits your leg first. There were a few joke desicions but we were carp, no fight and no plan b.

You dont know how to appeal for decisions.

Aguero just smiled. And Richards got straight up as if it was his own fault!

When we do appeal we get labelled as arrogant and classless.

Not betting on you again until Balotelli's ban is over.

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You dont know how to appeal for decisions.

Aguero just smiled. And Richards got straight up as if it was his own fault!

so true drenthe did 2 bookable offences on richards not inc the red and everytime richards carried on as if he had won the ball. I also thought it was a foul on Dzeko for there goal but havent seen it again and could be wrong!!

o true drenthe did 2 bookable offences on richards not inc the red



i mean not inc the challenge that should of been red

It's a sad state of affairs that we rely on appealing for desicions rather than the ref being able to do his job properly.

That Drenthe was terrible. Awful tackler and suckered the ref in with a few dives too. Can't see him lasting long in the Prem.

It's very sad that Peter Waltons dreadful performance last night could've been anticipated such is the appalling standard of officials( linesmen included) in the premier league.As much as people say it evens itself out is just missing the point
In cricket,umpiring is now a much higher standard through ex pros being fasttracked onto the panel.
Perhaps if the job was more attractive to lower league pros who get released we might see a better standard.

I was always a firm believer that 'it evens itself out', one week you get a last minute penalty from a player who should have been sent off earlier, the next you have a goal ruled out wrongly for offside. That sort of thing.

But in the past month or so, I can count over half a dozen game changing desicions that have gone against us, and only one that has gone for us. Standard of refs is dire and we're dropping points at the moment as much for poor performances as we are poor desicions.

comment by Paulpowersleftfoot

Perhaps if the job was more attractive to lower league pros who get released we might see a better standard.
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Sadly they too will suffer from the terrible affliction of matchday panic attack.

The thing I cant stand is the ridiculous theory of trying to keep the game flowing.

Refs will go through an entire half letting everything go and then all of a sudden give a flurry of yellows. Its a lottery!

It would definitely help if refs had actually played the game to a decent standard

I just long for a City game when we can talk about our performance rather than the Ref. destroying the game and being the main topic of conversation!

When will we all wise up and quit complaining about the officials. They do an outstanding job under the conditions that they are forced to work under. Recent example was the STOKE-MAN. U. where the announcers complained about the penalty awarded to Man. U. They initially claimed that there was no contact with the player on the tackle. It was only after they saw several different views of the play that they finally agreed that the Ref. "got it right".

If you want perfection in a game that has more players who are bigger, faster and more skilled than at anytime in F.A. history, then use technology. Allow vital plays to be reviewed. We don't even use techology to determine whether or not the ball has crossed the goal line!

Sorry but they do not do an 'outstanding job' under the conditions, they do a difficult job poorly.

The FA do not help by having a rule book as vague as is physically possible. The laws of the game need reforming to ensure they remain contemporary, and to give refs some guidance.

However that does not excuse referees giving desicions without properly seeing incidents, if in doubt, don't give it, not consulting their linesman properly, being influenced by fans and players, and giving inconsistent desicions.

The standard of refereeing in English football at the moment is poor, but there is also nothing being done to resolve this.

I think the point best raised is that referees don't use their assistants enough. Take the NFL for example. If someone sees an infringement they'll still get the view of the other officials to ensure they are making the right call.

It's not a bad thing to seek others help. In europe has anyone actually seen these touchline judges make any kind of call on a penalty or whatnot?

I can't believe what I'm reading here:

(1) gratedbean.."under the conditions, they do a difficult job poorly"....how poetic! You make my point, use technology!! When it comes to helping officials, Soccer/Football is the most primitive sport in the world!!!!

(2) Plastic Manc: Are you really serious when you compare the NFL with Soccer/Football? The NFL has at least 6 officials on the playing field. More officials in the press box AND SOMETIMES IT INTERRUPTS THE GAME TO REVIEW MULTIPLE CAMERA SHOTS!!! Surely you can't be serious. How many officials do you want on the field and do you want the game to be interrupted to get every "call" right??? If you do, then you can introduce the NFL into the discussion.

How much time is wasted on players surrounding refs after a contentious decision, surely whilst the players are badgering an swearing at the ref the fourth official could review the situation an via head set tell him one way or the other.

4th official job description is basically stand there and be called a cnutt for 90mins by two football managers.

Haha grated