Debatable Decisions EPL – Week 4

Round four of the Premier League season and Week Four for the Debatable Decisions panel sees the return of Simon Furnivall after a while out injured. Welcome back to Simon and a massive thank you to @NFBblog who filled the void during the Simon’s absence, David will join us for the podcast throughout the season, so it isn’t the last you’ve seen of him.

Now, onto the basketball…..Enjoy!

Man Utd – Wigan

Welbeck Penalty

Simon M – I’m not sure I can say anything about this decisions that hasn’t already been said, other than question whan on earth Al-Habsi was upto rushing out to that ball rather than staying on his line. The reaction of Jonathan Pearce on MOTD says it all, he’s taken by surprise when the referee points to the spot. An incredibly poor decision.

Mike – People are foaming at the mouth about Welbeck here and I can understand it. I do honestly feel that, even without contact, the adjustment needed to avoid being cleaned out sometimes takes an onrushing player down, and Welbeck was going at full tilt. But as I said, I can still understand people’s disgust because he does more than just fall naturally. He clearly tumbles into a full stretch dive, although it’s odd that he doesn’t appeal. Still, it’s cheating and it would be nice to have to talk about this kind of thing so often.

Ant – Twitter went mental over this and the conspiracy theories started to appear. It was a terrible dive by Welbeck possibly one of the worst in recent memory and these sort of things need to be looked at after the game and punished.

Simon F – Welbeck has left his leg dangling and the brush of contact is certainly not enough to break his stride, therefore he is not impeded and a penalty should not have been awarded.

Callum – A soft one? Jesus. That is one of the most blatant dives I have ever seen. Incredible. Not a penalty, and a booking to Welbeck.

Overall Verdict – Incorrect Decision

Fulham – West Brom

Odemwingie Red Card

Simon M – This is the type of decision that leaves you wondering what to write about it, it’s that obvious. Absolutely mental from Odemwingie and anyone who doesn’t think that deserved red deserves a clip round the ear.

Mike – I’m not really sure what’s debatable about this. It’s petulant and stupid and, in all honesty, there’s the chance he could have done Riether some damage, so it’s also potentially dangerous.

Ant – Another example of a footballer doing something really stupid a well deserved red card for a stupid act.

Simon F – Even without a camera angle on the goal line, I’m pretty confident in saying that this one wasn’t even close to fully over the line, so the officials made the right call.

Callum – It’s a stupid kick, it has to be given. Correctly sent off.

Overall Verdict – Correct Decision

Fulham Penalty

Simon M – Last ditch, desperate defending and just timed ever so slightly wrong. It’s an honest challenge, no malice, but it’s late and takes the man rather than the ball. Referee had no choice but to award the spot kick.

Mike – The angle isn’t great for this one and it happens so fast. Perhaps this is one of those cases where you really can sympathise with officials. I know I’m struggling to be sure if there was much in it or not. On balance, I think it looks like a foul.

Ant – There’s no contact with the ball and he clips the Fulham player so it’s got to be a penalty.

Callum – Again, another correct decision, contact made, clumsy challenge.

Overall Verdict – Correct Decision

Aston Villa – Swansea

Ball Over Line?

Simon M – We include these because we’d get told off if we didn’t, but that clearly isn’t over the line and the only thing I can think to mention is how it shows the benefits of having a man on the post during set plays.

Mike – It doesn’t look to me like the ball crosses the line. It certainly doesn’t look like the whole ball crosses.

Ant – Not the best angles but it didn’t look over the line on the replays I saw.

Simon F – Even without a camera angle on the goal line, I’m pretty confident in saying that this one wasn’t even close to fully over the line, so the officials made the right call.

Callum – Nowhere near the line.

Overall Verdict – Correct Decision

Stoke – Man City

Crouch Handball In Build Up To Goal

Simon M – I’m going to the lone voice of insanity here and say that I’m not entirely sure if this handball was deliberate or if his arms were in an unnatural position. Perhaps that’s because it’s Peter Crouch and he never looks to be in a natural position, who knows. Anyway, obviously hits his hand, but I couldn’t be definite one way or the other.

Mike – There are two instances of ball hitting arm. I wonder if they should both be considered as separate decisions? Anyway, I feel that the second one is just blasted at his arm and would be harsh. But the first one looks like he’s controlled the ball with his arm.

Ant – Another handball but not the type we usually judge. I think Crouch knows what he is doing and the first handball it does look like he controls it with his arm then it hits his arm again, the officials should have spotted this.

Simon F – It’s not just handball, it’s Thierry Henry vs Ireland handball (admittedly in a less critical situation). It does look like the referee’s view may have been blocked, so he needed help from his assistant and non was forthcoming.

Callum – The angles given don’t really help, but I do think it has hit his hand. If not then, it has as the ball is kicked up at him. Not sure that would belong in the NBA though Mancini.

Overall Verdict – Incorrect Decision

Free Kick For City Equaliser

Simon M – All that fuss about the Crouch goal and hardly anything was said about this one. I thought this was an incredibly soft free kick and there’s no way on earth Balotelli was fouled, nevermind the fact that someone as big as Balotelli shouldn’t be jostled off the ball like that.

Mike – This is very soft. Balotelli only goes down because he knows he stands a chance of getting a free-kick, which I suppose isn’t the worst offence in the world. Still, I think it’s an even tussle and shouldn’t have been a free-kick.

Ant – I don’t think the Stoke player really touches him and he should be stronger.

Simon F – It could be considered soft but the Stoke defender is clearly shoving Balotelli in the back and I would side with the referee on this one.

Callum – Jostling for the ball I think, Balotelli’s big enough to stay up there. Don’t think that should have been given as a foul.

Overall Verdict – Incorrect Decision

Possible Elbow on Balotelli

Simon M – Bizarre decision from the referee because it looks, from the replay, as if he’s staring right at it. Thankfully the FA have charged Wilkinson retrospectively and rightly so, he’ll be on the receiving end of a three match ban.

Mike – From that kind of distance it’s absolutely impossible to know if Balotelli felt anything or not. But what you can see is an arm being swung in the direction of his head. No surprises that it’s Andy Wilkinson, the least gifted player in the entire league doing the only thing he’s good at.

Ant – Not the best view of this but after watching it a few times it does look like the elbow is swung at Balotelli and therefore the Stoke player should have been sent off.

Simon F – I couldn’t be less surprised that a Stoke player did something like this, and I fully expect Wilkinson to be given a retrospective ban. A clear, unquestionable instance of violent conduct.

Callum – Looks like Balotelli’s been hit in the face there. Red card for the Stoke player.

Overall Verdict – Incorrect Decision

Sunderland – Liverpool

Suarez Penalty Shout

Simon M – I’ve made comparisons to the Johnson penalty last season, when he “left his leg in”, before and I’ll do it again now. Johnson was clever, Suarez is a cheat. For what it’s worth, it wasn’t a penalty and the yellow was justified, but Johnson’s wasn’t a penalty either. Consistency is the issue here. Good call on this occasion, though.

Mike – It’s not the finest piece of defending ever, but Suarez’s pathetic dive is even worse. It couldn’t have looked more amateurish.

Ant – Another act by Suarez that once again sent twitter into a frenzy. As a Sunderland fan I am so glad this wasn’t given, I think Suarez looks for it and he is going down before any contact is made at all. At times his reputation can make people assume he dived but this time it does look like a blatant act of cheating. I watched this game and was surprised to see John Barnes and Craig Burley on ESPN say it should have been a penalty.

Simon F – Suarez was already going over before the slight brush of contact with O’Shea, he left his leg hanging to ensure that there was that brief contact with the defender and the referee was right to book him for diving.

Callum – Dive, yellow card. Correct decision made by the officials.

Overall Verdict – Correct Decision

QPR – Chelsea

Terry Penalty Shout

Simon M – Absolutely shocking from the officials, that’s as clear a penalty for holding as I’ve seen this season and wouldn’t have been out of place at the Britannia. Nelsen waffling about Terry being a “little girl”, what a lot of nonsense. He dodged a bullet there.

Mike – It looks Ryan Nelsen is trying to mount John Terry. I had no idea the bloke was so irresistible! Foul, in any case.

Ant – Nelson claimed on MOTD that Terry was like a little girl under this challenge but he is wrong, it’s a clear penalty and too many times this sort of thing gets over looked.

Simon F – I hate defenders getting away with pulling and pushing like this at set pieces, and there is no doubt in my mind that Chelsea should have had a penalty.

Callum – Nelsen is all over him there, but Terry has ran into Torres then gone down. Seen them given, but not as stonewall in my opinion as many have made out. Think the decision not to give the foul was correct.

Overall Verdict – Incorrect Decision

Hazard Penalty Shout

Simon M – One big incorrect penalty call in a heated game is poor, two and you start to wonder if the referee has bottled it. This was another clear penalty, shirt pulling and hacked down. Awful refereeing.

Mike – You could give a penalty for the tug back or the trip. What you shouldn’t do is give nothing.

Ant – There’s not much contact but what little there is trips Hazard and although he goes down a little theatrically it should have been a penalty.

Simon F – Wright-Phillips clips Hazard’s heel, enough to put the Chelsea man off balance and certainly enough to warrant a penalty.

Callum – That’s a penalty. Nowhere near winning the ball, and has tripped Hazard. Penalty should have been given at the absolute minimum, would have expected a booking too.

Overall Verdict – Incorrect Decision

Norwich – West Ham

Norwich Penalty Shout

Simon M – As always we try to give the referees a pat on the back when they get it right, so there’s a massive slap coming their direction from me for this one. Looked like a penalty in real time and Twitter went daft for it, but replays showed that it was just outside the area and a cracking spot from the officials.

Mike – It was a depressing day for the officials, so fair play for getting this one right. It’s a foul, but it’s just outside the area.

Ant – The challenge is just outside the area so it’s correct in that way but I’m not sure if there’s any contact made at all.

Simon F – How the referee managed to spot this at full speed I don’t know, until I saw it slowed down I was convinced that Norwich should have had a penalty. The contact was just outside the area though, a great call by the officials.

Callum – Just outside the area. Free-kick was the correct decision.

Overall Verdict – Correct Decision

Reading – Spurs

Walker Possible Handball In Area

Simon M – The commentator drew attention to the foul before the handball, which was obvious, but I don’t think a foul took place. The Reading player is attacking the ball and Walker loses his footing and throws his hand in the air. Penalty, in my opinion.

Mike – think that Walker is being fouled here. If he wasn’t, I’d say it was a penalty because his arm is in a crazy position. But I think he’s being climbed on and should have had a free-kick.

Ant – Yet another handball to judge, I think this should have been a penalty, why was his hand that high? For me he wasn’t fouled either.

Simon F – I don’t think the Reading player was fouling Walker, and with his arm up and away from his body like that, Walker was very lucky not to concede a penalty.

Callum – Yep, handball, arms all over the place. Don’t see how there’s been a foul there either.

Overall Verdict – Incorrect Decision

Sigurdsson Possible Over Line?

Simon M – This is a lot closer than the Villa v Swansea one, but it’s the same result. A brilliant piece of defending and a good call from the officials.

Mike – It really doesn’t look as if the whole of the ball is over the line.

Ant – The ball is not over the line a very good clearance.

Simon F – A great piece of defending that just stops the ball short of fully crossing the line.

Callum – Ball isn’t completely across the line, good decision from the officials.

Overall Verdict – Correct Decision

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You can follow all five judges on Twitter; Simon M – @Deb_Decisions, Callum – @callummaclean91, Ant – @Acidburn81, Mike – @mkobylko and Simon F – @SFurnivall.

Tags: Aston Villa, Chelsea, Fulham, Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd, Norwich, QPR, Reading, Spurs, Stoke, Sunderland, Swansea, West Brom, West Ham, Wigan