REFEREES.
Sir Alex’ favourite people.
There have been many changes of personnel since I last looked at the Professional Game Matchday Officials,to give them their correct title.
Gone are such “favourites” as Mike Riley, Who is now “chief cook and bottle washer” of the outfit. Kevin Stroud, Rob Styles, Alan Wiley and Steve Tanner, have also moved-on.
By far, Howard Webb is now considered our best official. Indeed he is held in the highest esteem by the governing bodies of both FIFA and UEFA, as his prominent appointments have shown.
He leads a bunch of people who are looked down upon by almost every supporter in the land. Unjustly.
Referees make mistakes just like everyone else. Occasionally that mistake changes the course of the game. Unfortunately. Of course then there is a clamour for the poor bloke to be moved off the list, excommunicated and banished from the country.
No one seems to consider that players often make worse mistakes, with even more dire outcomes. The ball goes thru’ the ‘keepers legs. The full-backs back pass, makes it as far as the oppositions lurking striker, with the logical conclusion.
A shot on goal is going wide until the defender decides, for no fathomable reason, to take the lace out of the ball and concede a penalty. These things happen and are quickly forgiven and forgotten by the supporters. But the referees refusal to give a “nailed-on” corner is the main topic in every discussion until the next weeks game.
These guys do a job not many would volunteer for. Until we have up-to-date technology to hand this will be the status quo.
So next time you think about having a go at the referee, why not have a go at the F.A. and other ruling bodies and get them to change their stubborn “No Technology” stance. If enough supporters clamoured for change it will come. Sooner rather than later.
Referees, despite what we think, are fairly consistent. Below are card stats for the last three seasons.
Games Yellows Reds Yellows Reds Average Average Per Game. Mike Dean 2008/09 30 116 6 3.9 0.2 2009/10 30 114 6 3.8 0.2 2010/11 30 104 2 3.5 0.1 Mike Riley 2008/09 23 89 4 3.9 0.2 Steve Bennett 2008/09 22 78 0 3.5 0.0 2009/10 29 108 5 3.7 0.2 Andre Marriner 2008/09 21 74 4 3.5 0.2 2009/10 28 97 9 3.5 0.3 2010/11 27 97 3 3.6 0.1 Howard Webb 2008/09 34 119 5 3.5 0.2 2009/10 28 101 3 3.6 0.1 2010/11 29 95 2 3.3 0.1 Stuart Attwell 2008/09 5 17 2 3.4 0.4 2009/10 15 58 2 3.9 0.1 2010/11 14 51 2 3.6 0.1 Chris Foy 2008/09 24 82 3 3.4 0.1 2009/10 26 69 2 2.7 0.1 2010/11 27 74 3 2.7 0.1 Lee Mason 2008/09 16 54 3 3.4 0.2 2009/10 22 62 6 2.8 0.2 2010/11 23 103 3 4.5 0.3 Steve Tanner 2008/09 11 37 3 3.4 0.3 Martin Atkinson 2008/09 26 85 6 3.3 0.2 2009/10 32 126 5 3.9 0.2 2010/11 25 84 11 3.4 0.4 Michael Jones 2008/09 12 40 3 3.3 0.2 2009/10 20 64 1 3.2 0.1 2010/11 26 83 3 3.2 0.1 Phil Dowd 2008/09 30 97 6 3.2 0.2 2009/10 29 87 5 3.0 0.2 2010/11 30 111 9 3.7 0.3 Rob Styles 2008/09 26 78 5 3.0 0.2 Alan Wiley 2008/09 28 81 2 2.9 0.1 2009/10 26 81 5 3.1 0.2 Lee Probert 2008/09 11 26 0 2.4 0.0 2009/10 22 74 6 3.4 0.3 2010/11 27 73 5 2.7 0.2 Keith Stroud 2008/09 5 12 0 2.4 0.0 Peter Walton 2008/09 27 66 3 2.4 0.1 2009/10 27 66 4 2.4 0.1 2010/11 26 88 5 3.4 0.2 Mark Halsey 2008/09 28 39 1 1.4 0.0 2009/10 1 0 0 0.0 0.0 2010/11 20 39 1 1.9 0.1 M. Clattenberg 2008/09 1 0 0 0.0 0.0 2009/10 31 84 5 2.7 0.2 2010/11 23 62 4 2.7 0.2 Kevin Friend 2009/10 12 40 4 3.3 0.3 2010/11 19 65 6 3.4 0.3 Anthony Taylor 2009/20 2 5 0 2.5 0.0 2010/11 13 50 3 3.8 0.2 Neil Swarbrick 2010/11 2 3 1 1.5 0.5 Jonathon Moss 2010/11 2 6 0 3.0 0.0 Michael Oliver 2010/11 17 56 2 3.3 0.1
What do these stats tell us? Mainly that, despite what various managers and pundits would try to make us believe, referees, in general, if not in particular, are consistent. Only one referee has a seasons average of, yellows per game, above 3.9.
These figures cover fifty-four season totals /averages, in all, and only in seventeen of those totals does the “average” figure drop below THREE. So despite many misconceptions, the “man-in-the-middle” is very consistent in his deliberations.
It’s easier to get a good average figure for yellows rather than red. To do justice to “reds” it would be necessary to go down to at least three decimal points. Even then it would not provide us with much more info that we could use on a match by match basis. The possibility of a RED in any game is more likely to be apparent by checking previous match returns. The Merseyside Derby immediately jumps to mind. Twenty reds in twenty games.
As with any set of stats, they can usually prove more useful when used in conjunction with other figures. Matches which have previously returned below average YELLOWS would once again look a likely choice for a low score if Mark Halsey was to be in charge. Whereas, local derbies with a less lenient man in charge would well be considered for a “high count” of cards.
Matches with a “history”, Man. Utd versus Arsenal being a good example are always there with the possibility of a bundle of cards being issued.
Delving into past results will often give a better insight to the cards possibilities of any match than a referees own stats. Always remember, it’s the players who “earn” the cards, not the referee. He’s just there to see fair play.
Last season’s “new boys”, seemed to acquit themselves quite well. No outcry as with a certain Stuart Attwell a season or two back. Despite all those protestations, he too seems to now be accepted as “one of the boys”.
Remember, bet sensibly. Only with money you can afford to lose.