Manchester United | Stonewall penalty denied because it will "cause a lot of talk".

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I am fuming!

The quality of referring in the English Premier League is in the dumps and has been there for a while now even before VAR. VAR has made it more apparent just how bad the referees are.

What is much worse is the fact that the PGMOL -Professional Game Match Officials Limited- and the FA are trying to sweep the dirt under the carpet instead of implementing reforms to improve the standard.

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I bring it back to the Chelsea vs Manchester United game that was played today, Sunday, 28th of February.

Manchester United was denied a clear, stone-wall penalty against Chelsea after Callum Hudson-Odoi was seen to have handled the ball in his penalty box.

Now, handballs are not as subjective as most fouls where you probably have to judge whether the contact was sufficient to bring a player down or if there was even contact at all.

For handball, the rules are very clear. It is a handball if:

"The hand/arm is above/beyond their shoulder level (unless the player deliberately plays the ball which then touches their hand/arm)"

In this case, CHO's arm was way over his shoulder. The ball from Mendy's clearance then ends up hitting the back of his hand as he tries to beat Mason Greenwood to the ball.

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Source: Screengrab from game footage.

What follows next is probably the most definitive proof of how disgustingly inept the referees in the EPL have become.

In the post-match interview on Sky Sports, Luke Shaw revealed the reason the referee gave to Harry Maguire on why he did not give the penalty.

Get this:

"If I say it is a pen then it is going to cause a lot of talk afterward" ~ Referee Stuart Attwell

My word! Since when do referees make decisions based on avoiding a PR crisis post-match?

Ever since Lampard (sacked), Klopp, and Mourinho started making comments regarding the penalties Manchester United was getting, the referees have done an entire 180 denying United definite fouls and penalties.

The week before, Maguire was tripped in the West Brom box, but after a VAR review, the referee reversed the decision.

All this incompetence is coming at a time when you have an organization suggesting a campaign to 'clap for referees'.

"It's called the 'Give The Ref A Hand' campaign. We want all clubs at grassroots level, or higher, to clap the referees out on our first weekend back and to just give them a hand to make football positive for everyone."

It is pathetic, to be honest, and it is costing teams valuable points. It is killing the beautiful game we love because the people in charge have their heads buried in the sand.

Fix up or ship out!



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2 comments
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I agree referees have to play to the rules and stand by what is right and wrong. They say it balances out over the course of a season, but that is not the point. I watched the game and thought of the Everton match when they were denied a clear penalty by something fairly similar and it cost Everton 2 points against United. They need to fix this and can't with the standard of officials reffing the game.

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(Edited)

I agree but I absolutely despise that argument that it balances out because it absolves the referees of responsibility keeping us mark timing in this mediocrity.

For instance, last season Aston Villa survived relegation even after the the goal keeper dragged the ball into his own net. For some reasom goal line tech did not work but you could see it on VAR.

This season, the new West Brow strike, Diagne, had his hand wrapped around Lindelof's face as he headed the ball for their opener but VAR did nothing.





The same at Sheffield. De Gea got pushed in the back in the most obvious manner, but in both this situations the argument was that they should have been stronger.

Yet, on the other hand, City are getting away with offside goals and close-range handball penalties.

I am in disbelief!

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