Standard of Referees (Sponsored by Steven Reid)

[Tartan Tart Ups]

Standard of Referees "Numpty-Hood-Watch"

I am interested to hear the views of other supporters on the standards of Referees/officials at the City Ground.

The inconsistancy shown from the ref's we have had so far has been nothing but shocking. A good ref will generally keep the game flowing and show a spread of fairness to both teams, but this has not been evident at the City Ground so far. Are we being targeted?

 

[adam09]

Inconsistancy is the main frustration for us I think.

Yesterday, Earnie (tiny) went to make a challenge on DeMerit (massive) but pulled out and ever so slightly bumped into him and didn't affect the guy at all... they both carried on and DeMerit cleared the ball, but the ref gave a free kick.

Then there was an incident where I think it was Bennett was running straight towards the ball and a Watford player simply shoulder charged him over. Ref and linesman both think that's ok somehow, despite all the Forest players being up in arms and the crowd going mad... you'd think that'd be a giveaway.

They were both such simple decisions, I can't understand how they can get them wrong. Even James Perch got a bit annoyed in the second half and followed the ref and had a word with him

 

[sedgred]

Why should Forest be targeted.....................Did Prince Phillip kill Princess Diana........................Who killed Kennedy..................Why does my car petrol tank need a refill after I have travelled 400+ miles ?

 

[Rich]

I thought yesterdays ref was quite good.

He let a lot go for both sides.

If you see letting things go as poor, then he was equally poor for both sides, which is the best thing a ref can be.

I'd personally like to see more refs let the game go on, and not pander to those footballers who play the game by 'convincing' referees of certain things.

 

[winnits]

I thought the referee yesterday was very hit and miss; whilst Rich and I talked about perhaps preferring a 'free flowing ref' to a nit-picky one, this one was a bit too free-flowing for me.

He let blatant fouls go for both teams, as well as a few petty ones - like giving a corner for their first goal when it was clearly a goalkick, giving us a throwin in the second half when the ball hadn't gone out.. etc..

... we've definitely had a lot worse than him, though!

 

[redrob]

And no bookings yesterday really helps

 

[Tartan Tart Ups]

I think that his positioning was poor through out the game and this resulted in a few wrong decisions, mainly in Watford's favour, but saying that the linesmen are there to support the ref, but they also seem unable to make a decision, 2 or 3 times yesterday the ref looked to his linesman for assistance but none was given.

 

[adam09]

The linesman in the Watford half was alright and thankfully didn't stick his flag up every time the Watford defence stuck their arms up (which was every bloody time... been watching too much Liverpool).

 

[Flaggers]

I could just about live with a poor ref, but what I really crave is CONSISTENT refereeing, (of any standard, really!)

I'm sure I've got my Forest blinkers on, but how often do you watch a game at the CG and see foul after foul after foul by the oppos, but the instant, the very instant we do anything similar out comes the yellow card?

Another one that's REALLY starting to get on my wick was exemplified yesterday.

Lee Martin was running towards the Watford goal line and was not in playing distance of the ball, and was (imho) flattened from behind by a defender who also wasn't.

Ref and (admittedly useless tosser) Linesman take no action.

Either:
It's a foul from behind, and free-kick Forest;
Or:
Martin dived and should be booked for simulation.
Bottom line, with the current rules, the one thing the ref can't do is do nothing, yet how often do you see it...

Please don't get me started on linesmen and foul throws either...

 

[winnits]

The linesman in the Watford half was alright and thankfully didn't stick his flag up every time the Watford defence stuck their arms up (which was every b****y time... been watching too much Liverpool).

The linesman had a tricky job there, to be fair - because Martin was always teetering on the brink of offside - through a combination of well timed/curved runs and the fact he was making them ahead of the rest of our team being on his wave length - because let's face it, Martin was generally a good few seconds ahead of most of our team lol

 

[Flaggers]

let's face it, Martin was generally a good few seconds ahead of most of our team lol

Come on, Winnits...is quite a few cases, that's not particularly difficult!
I'm sure in at least one case, the delay is better measured in minutes...

 

[winnits]

I think he and Earnie are on the same wavelength.

I think Benno takes around 48 minutes to catch up lol

 

[birkin youth]

I genuinely felt that Forest players were a bit hard done by really... especially with the whole handball episode. Super Rob gave away a free-kick, fair enough. But when they handled it 3 times in the next minute, we were given nothing.

There were also a couple of really bad offside decisions given against us - but I didn't keep a tally of how many incorrect decisions went in our favour, so it may have equalled out.

And, our 3rd goal was the result of a free kick, so it's not all doom & gloom.

 

[FBS]

Ref's in league one were aweful. This season they seem to be slightly better

 

[Tartan Tart Ups]

Im glad many on here seem to think the same, I thought I may have been watching the games through Forest glasses. I am a FA Ref (obviously not at this level) and I know how difficult it can be out in the middle of the park, but my focus is always on good positioning and trying to be as consistant as possible, while still having full control of the game.

 

[adam09]

Good positioning really is key. Look at where the ref was when he gave that penalty to Swansea against us... not even in the picture! Must have had a terrible view and I think he guessed.

 

[george lyall]

what really p****S me off is when a referee puts a 'marker' down in the first few minutes that you know he can't live upto, because if he did there would only be 7 aside after 45 minutes. The ref on saturday was neither one thing or the other a baffling mix of jekyll and hyde!

 

[winnits]

Good positioning really is key.  Look at where the ref was when he gave that penalty to Swansea against us... not even in the picture!  Must have had a terrible view and I think he guessed.

He must have guessed as he can't have actually seen what happened!

He was much closer to hand when Earnshaw was flattened in their area and gave nothing - personally I didn't think it was a penalty, but compared to the one given against us it was a penalty and a red card! lol

 

[Rich]

And, our 3rd goal was the result of a free kick, so it's not all doom & gloom.

A free kick that, without Forest blinkers, was a surprise to be given. Harsher challenges had gone unpunished!

 

[winnits]

Ture.

It should have been given, but the referee had indeed turned a blind eye to many more serious fouls, I thought (from both teams).

 

[adam09]

Yeah the guy jumped into Moussi a little bit but that kind of thing happens all the time. Think it was one of those 'make up' free kicks because he'd not given us ones beforehand.

 

[cmw]

Im sure we come off worse with most referees because we have never argued with refs from the glory days. Take Saturday, Aidy Boothroyd is renowned for having a go at refs so if the refs unsure of a decision he'll give it to them to make his life easier.

 

[barky]

Im sure we come off worse with most referees because we have never argued with refs from the glory days. Take Saturday, Aidy Boothroyd is renowned for having a go at refs so if the refs unsure of a decision he'll give it to them to make his life easier.

I think it's the other way round, I think refs are much more likely to give a 50/50 decision in favour of the team that is more friendly towards him rather than the team that has a go all the time.

 

[Tartan Tart Ups]

Again today we were robbed at least a point by the standard of refereeing. Inconsistancy, bad decision making and poor positioning are all contributing factors.

 

[Lee]

I think it's the other way round, I think refs are much more likely to give a 50/50 decision in favour of the team that is more friendly towards him rather than the team that has a go all the time.

Didn't work today...