Philips red card

Well I’m very much an anti conspiracy theorist type but but when I look at what has happened to the reds not just this season, but season after season it’s got to more than just coincidence.
Penalties - remember them? The other seven teams to finish in the top eight this season were awarded an averaging of just under 7.5 penalties apiece with the Wendies naturally at the top of the table with 9. Need I remind you we got just one. Even the relegated cubs averaged over 4
If you look back at the Stendel season it was a similar story. From memory we were second to bottom for penalties that season despite breaking our all time points record

 

Its strange that that football has cried out for technology to help out...we get that and its all still down to personal interpretation. There is nothing wrong with VAR as a tool to help major decisions, its just we don't use it properly.
Interesting that almost all the neutrals (pundits etc) called the two major decisions, which kind of gives me some peace.
The footy league do not like being accountable...its like the wishy washy fit and proper tests for owners, the points reductions for cheating owners and of course VAR. Message for authorities...let's look at these things analytical not critical...there is that better for the EFL.

 

I think part of this is down to having a young team. A lot of the gamesmanship comes with experience, so they don't try and influence the ref like older heads and if they do it's easier for a ref to ignore a kid than a seasoned pro.

 

Perhaps but you can hardly apply that theory to the ‘no penalty’ at Burton Albion

 

Absolutely. There's been some absolutely baffling decisions as well

 

I also think the experienced lads know how to make it look more convicing.

 

Agree. Gregory wasn't hurt but made it look like he was.

After sleeping on it, I can understand why Phillips was sent off. He looked out of control when making the tackle and therefore it could be deemed dangerous. That will be the EFL get out if we appeal imo. Much as he's been excellent this season, Adam's not blameless either. I've no idea why he made the challenge. I recall Michael Duff saying he set the tone with a thunderous tackle at the start of one game (can't recall which one) and I suspect he was trying to do the same. Nevertheless, it was a mis-judgement. This isn't a dig at him, these things happen. And if I'm allowing Adam the benefit of the doubt then I think I have to give referees the same. So I get why in the heat of the moment he wasn't completely sure about the penalty and so didn't give it. But with the benefit of multiple angle replays it's just unforgivable that the VAR referee didn't ask him to look at it again. It would be given every time in the PL in my view. Baffling and worrying and in particular infuriating that we're on the wrong end of that incompetence.

After the game and on the drive home I was sad but very proud, of the herculean efforts of the team and equally of the fans. I thought our support was magnificent yesterday. This morning, having watched it back, I'm still proud, still sad but with a real sense of anger in there too. It serves no purpose and will subside over the next few days no doubt but that's how I feel today.

My first season was 68/69 and I don't recall any season where we've been on the wrong end of so many bad decisions. If I was a part of the management team during pre-season I'd be stoking the frustration and anger to drive the team to put it right.

 

Completely agree with this. Phillips mentality was to get on the front foot imo and that drove his decision to try to win a big tackle. Had the penalty been given (and was scored) he'd have been more measured I'm sure. Besides which, the passage of play would clearly have been different.

 

At the point the ball is played Phillips' foot is low, studs down as he attempts to play the ball with his instep. His foot comes up after it is already past Gregory which makes it look worse.

If there's a player who had his foot high with studs showing at the point of the coming together it's Gregory.

 

Two players going for the ball in exactly the same manner. One plays for a big club, the other gets sent off.
Go figure.

 

And there will be a point where both Gregory’s feet leave the ground as well.

 

I think we should appeal even with the threat of them extending the ban.

Appealing does, however give the officals a
3rd chance to get the decision correct. They won't though, as its admitting they (fa, VAR, efl, referrees association are all wrong)

The argument used to be the ref only gets a quick look once. Well that is bull crap now so why are they always ******* wrong.

 

It's just not a red in a million years

 

I think you have to take into account an effect of this game being a high profile televised game at Wembley.
If you're the VAR Ref - are you more or less likely to call "clear and obvious error" and make your colleague, the on-field Referee, do the walk of shame to the monitor in front of 70,000+ baying fans.
I reckon if you're the VAR in this game the "clear and obvious error" call is set at a higher bar than usual.

 

Exactly!

 

Never a red card, but also never going to be looked at again a million years (apart from by us).

 

Couple of things on this,

1) all VAR is there is to advise the official of a possible error
2) nobody would have criticised the ref over both the penalty & sending off decision if he had reviewed and changed his mind due to the speed etc of the offences. In fact historically people tend to praise both VAR & the officials when this happens
3) it happens in nearly every PL game, CL game which are much higher profile and even in the WC.

The reason I asked the questions was because whilst I think he was wrong I can accept the ref made a wrong decision, but if VAR failed to advise then that is a different issue altogether.

 

It needs much more transparency fans in the ground and watching need to hear the discussion between them to understand why they make these decisions or decide not to even review etc.

 

Totally agree with this.
My main problem with the penalty is I just don’t understand the logic / thought process
At least if I knew what it was it could make some degree of sense