Incompetent v Corrupt. Is there any mileage in the theory that, given MLS challenge was pretty cynical, Oliver reached for the red, then realised he couldn't give it for denial of a goal scoring opportunity, didn't want to back down and therefore made up with this crap about serious foul play.
A question for @gunnerblog.bsky.social - the Athletic article on the abuse aimed at Oliver uses the words “social media” abuse, but the PGMOL statement doesn’t. Can you clarify where your colleagues got that from, and even better tell us how the abuse is finding its way to Oliver if not online?
I like that your denouement (and lead photo) is Webb, because while I think it's obvious by now Oliver has it in for Arsenal for whatever reason (be it corruption or just a vendetta), it ultimately comes back to the man overseeing all this. Fantastic summary of where we're at as a sport in England.
Create two new "bodies" one for professional referees that are not only from England and not all of the from the north of England...
And then another organisation to handle VAR.
I agree but why do clubs and fans NEVER speak out when their team benefits from a mistake? When did you last hear a manager say "The ref got that decision completely wrong, their player should not be been sent off"
Until then it just comes across as childish whining by clubs.
Especially as they spend large portions of the games trying to deceive the refs. Winning fouls that aren't there, feigning injury, claiming a throw-in when they know full well it's not their ball.
That’s life, people.. everyone has motives, targets etc.. everyone is looking for gains. He got caught.. and recieved the wrong punishment. You dont think players are doing stuff to each other behind the refs back?
Yea they definitely are, of course. But the game has to mature beyond the cheating and deception. I refer to trying to continually deceive the refs and win decisions they know aren't right. Integrity of the game is lost.
The premier league seems way worse than the championship and lower leagues
It’s based on the rules of the game or should be.. Lets say Oliver makes an honest mistake, they correct him, based on the laws of the game. That’s not subjective, that incident, is it?
You see more of the Premier league though, i doubt there is any tangible difference imo, i’d also say as Arteta would say, its fine margins, you could argue if MLS hadnt tripped him, this conversation never happens, so its all on MLS. I’ts professionalism, its not cheating either imo.
You try to win a pen with a dive, you get it, or you likely get a card, you’re running a risk now and for your team. I’ve heard people say for example, if i was playing against Cantona, i’d punch him or the like... NO THEY WOULDN’T..as theyd get fined, possibly lose their place etc. I
Howard Webb was always idolised by the British media. First referee to be part of the UCL and world cup final the same year. Since then he is revered as some sort of Buddah in the refereeing world. Humility has long left his vocabulary and he is running PGMOL like a godfather.
Even PGMOL apologist Dale Johnson on ESPN finally agreed it should have been downgraded to yellow by VAR after much a do about nothing trying to justify Oliver's call on the field.
People like Oliver and Webb get a weird power-trip out of enforcing rules and being the centre of attention. The more criticism they get, the more entrenched they become due to their narcissistic self regard. Once, a good ref was anonymous as they officiated without drama. We have the opposite now.
A thought occurred - last week he was booked when leaving the pitch and then whipped up the crowd. How much of this red was PGMOL putting a young player 'in his place' with an early red to 'humble' him?
To add to this, remember the first yellow MLS got, for going and telling Raya to have a sit down, when MLS wasn't even on the pitch? Guess who gave him that yellow? Now, doesn't that create a presumption of personal bias between the two, especially given Oliver's history of odd decisions against us?
Well said Blogs. They need to take the P out of PGMOL as there is nothing professional in the way they conduct themselves. Drastic cultural change is needed.
Absolutely spot on. You can only hope that Webb or somebody in PGMOL reads this and looks on it constructively, but we all know that won't happen, unfortunately.
Call me crazy but given the structure of the PL and the PGMOL, can't the PL fire the PGMOL and contract specialist officials to officiate PL games? I wonder why this hasn't been explored.
Watch all the wankers on sky sports circle the wagons. Every ref gets abused after every game. Convenient now it's too much. Gaslighting 101, blame the victim not the perpetrator
Weird…seems like the South Yorkshire Police has its share of bad apples. I hope they get weeded out. I’d have the same hope for bad referees in PGMOL, but the way they’ve doubled down and then circled the wagons and turned Oliver into a victim tells me it’s business as usual. 🤦♂️
Great read! Accountability has to come from the top. Admit the mistakes, don't double down on them, and learn from it. Instead we have an organization that for the most part seems immune to accepting responsability!
Not quite as bad as every football pundit save Ken Early denying any foul with a smug Not for Me as they showed replays of Alonso scoring as he nearly separated Hector’s head from his shoulders.
Great read and 100% agree with what is being said. I’ve always felt that all clubs in the primer league need to band together to ask why the PGMOL are failing as they do. Standard won’t be improved until everyone calls it out
Upgrade Gunnersaurus to the officials changing room
Put these fuckers in the car park like a Sunday league ref.
Reserve a seat for Howard Webb in the Northbank if he wants to come to our games
Well put it's such a shame they couldn't come out and admit his error. Let's face it every other tackle or foul from here on is a sending off offense based on MLS red card. They are just making the situation for themselves even worse in all fairness They're not fit for purpose it's mind boggling
This gross mismanagement (possibly far worse), complete lack of duty-of-care to players & doubling-down on the pedantic BS that no one gives a rat’s arse about have to stop.
Our beautiful game is being ruined by the people that are there to protect it.
Nobody said anything about perfection! We're talking about obvious decisions and differing standards that are applied week after week.
If we give the referee the benefit that he can miss that call on the pitch, there is absolutely no excuse for a trained match official watching it in a VAR studio.
So should referees swallow their whistle? Refs ARE in the game because the player ethic is "if your not cheating your not trying." Refs don't need to inject themselves -- players (and a bouncing ball) inject refs into the game.
Replays in extreme slow motion, Picture in Picture zoom on the foot, added screen shake at the point of contact and bonus points for a subwoofer-rattling thud / Wilhelm scream
Perhaps they could also get Matt Doherty’s wife and children on, adorned in black, sobbing into their handkerchiefs at the horrendous violence MLS inflicted. Might help set the tone.
Great blog! If you can never admit you are wrong, you will never change & so with no accountability or auditing it will continue as is. Needs Prem League intervention to make it change, but controversy sells so not going to happen. It’s gonna need financial loss, the media & fans to force the issue
A PR disaster:
- Oliver's name forever gets tied to his decisions to AFC beyond our fanbase;
- set a bar for red cards that's untenable and will be referred to endlessly by fans when questioning calls;
- gone to war with everyone, as if they own the rules and are the only ones who can interpret them
Great post. I spared reference to the specific police force our ‘good friend’ hails from in an earlier social media post, but thanks for pointing it out
It strikes me that PGMOL behave as though they are part of the product rather than being caretakers of it
Perhaps it began as an honest attempt at transparency, but they have involved themselves far too much in the media & the old boys club wants to protect itself first & foremost
👏 Well put as always Blogs. This has to be the end days for PGMOL, they’re just not fit for purpose and an embarrassment to the game. Fans deserve better.
I haven't heard it talked about, and decisions should not be based on the player committing any offence, but the decision is so harsh on a young player.
I'm sure the people in PGMOL's pockets will say 'teach him a lesson early', but what a way to treat an upcoming star.
I would love for an investigative journalist to try and do a proper expose on how PGMOL is run and any potential bias being applied, unconscious or otherwise. There must be private WhatsApp chats or other communications that could shed some light on this murky organisation.
A great read and totally echoes my sentiments. Howard Webb's ego train is out of control.
I hope that the red will be quickly rescinded on appeal, given that its not ref's that do the appeals, but ex-players and managers who understand what it is to play the game. What is actually a serious foul.
100% - the decision stank, but worse than Oliver, it was that his buddy on VAR backed him rather than following the facts, then PGMOL doubled-down on it.
PGMOL need to stop looking at their own navels and wake up, or clubs will vote to put in place their own agency to referee the Premier League.
Brilliant read. Perfectly encapsulates the situation. The PGMOL's "band of brothers" approach is doing more harm than good, yet they're too stubborn to realise.
Excellent read & you’re right to highlight that Oliver being used as the fall guy from a much greater problem/person in Webb.
I have to question the integrity (I know, what integrity, right?) of the statement about the abuse towards MO. Just how has he received said abuse with no social media etc?
That’s fair, but said twats would also be working like MI5 agents if they’re tracking down personal addresses or emails etc. They’d also not really have time to do anything pre statement (not like they can post hate mail as it wouldn’t arrive on a Sunday), so I just find the whole thing very fishy…
This is true. Just wondering why they’ve gone balls to wall in defending their man this weekend and not like in previous when mistakes have happened, refs have been vilified, yet no PGMOL statements are made.
Because a) they have publicly said he's their best and b) if they come out and say it's a mistake, people will scrutinize his previous calls against Arsenal.
I’m just assuming at this point, but let’s face it, this wouldn’t exactly be out of character for a PL ref, but I reckon he’s gone full narcissist and is just searching his own name online via a burner.
You have framed the entire issue very well!! While abuse directed towards anyone is not acceptable, the point of poor refereeing remains and it is compounded by the act of doubling down by PGMOL!! Ultimately, all teams should come together and work with the Premier League to work on real solutions!
I knew he was a copper but didn’t realise he worked for THEM. Should have known. Good point about the tribalism stopping anything actually being done. Easier for rival fans to point at Arsenal/Arsenal fans and blame them rather than think there may be a wider problem which may impact them next week.
The most vociferous defenders of this decision are all Liverpool fans, who have conveniently forgotten just how massively PGMOL fucked their season last year by screwing up the VAR check on Diaz's "goal" against the Spuds, when all we need is to just agree that PGMOL is, at best, grossly incompetent
Hopefully the end of Michael Oliver as a referee, too. The bias/possible corruption shows every single time he referees Arsenal (or City). I find it very hard to believe this was a mistake when we play City at the weekend & his team next week. Let him referee in the UAE, but he isn't fit for PL.
How is it possible for the Premier League to pay and use a product that is so ineffective? All Premier League Football clubs are contributing to the PL and should demand accountability from it for PGMOL. All fan bases should unite and insist for a changes. The more the better. That's the only way.
Because arsenal have literally won trophies off the back of terrible refereeing decisions. You'll get no sympathy now that you're being treated like the rest of us.
What trophies in particular?? I am struggling to remember ones where a shocking decision handed us a trophy? An example would be good. Undeniably we have benefited from poor decisions in years gone by but I can also remember some bad ones that cost us.
This would be great evidence if Arsenal didn't have players sent off for nothing tackles, yet a few instances of stray elbows that aren't violent play, apparently.
I get that this is the case at the moment. But all clubs suffered from poor referring decisions in the last few years. Since VAR is more outrageous. Somebody should write an article showing all the huge mistakes (different clubs) and try to unite the fans voices
What I am concerned about is how any appeal on the red card from Arsenal will be handled, now that PGMOL has dug its heels in.
I wouldn't be surprised if we lost any appeal (as ridiculous as that seems).
Might be too late Blogs, but FFS don’t listen to Second Captains…will send you into a rage all over again. Really bad take on it all, which is a bit predictable at this stage sadly.
Well said. While we feel Arsenal have been at the wrong end of some egregious decisions, I wonder how straightforward it would be to get supporters of other clubs to document their grievances as well, to remove the partisan aspect of it. Have you spoken to fans/bloggers of other clubs about it?
I know clubs can’t take legal action against the league
I am curious if there were angles under UK law for fans/fan groups to push their (PL/PGMOL’s) systemic ineptitude regarding officiating into the courts (if only to create PR/media pressure) for essentially negligence & ripping off consumers.
Can't stand any of these pricks. Have zero sympathy if they are getting abuse although I note Oliver isn't actually on social media so don't know how he's getting abuse. Just yet more lies from the useless pgmol
Comments
Create two new "bodies" one for professional referees that are not only from England and not all of the from the north of England...
And then another organisation to handle VAR.
This PGMOL mafia has to end!
Until then it just comes across as childish whining by clubs.
The managers and coaching staff are as bad.
The issue runs deeply through the game.
The premier league seems way worse than the championship and lower leagues
it's an issue of subjectivity. One persons view.
We keep trying to make football a scientific exercise but you can't. It's down to humans and mistakes happen.
And he's beyond awful at this job too!
The issue you raise re player safety makes me wonder if the Players Union may be looking at the situation....though I highly doubt it.
PGMOL cannot succeed in this operating model and approach in the long term because the EPL pay their wages.
Put these fuckers in the car park like a Sunday league ref.
Reserve a seat for Howard Webb in the Northbank if he wants to come to our games
This gross mismanagement (possibly far worse), complete lack of duty-of-care to players & doubling-down on the pedantic BS that no one gives a rat’s arse about have to stop.
Our beautiful game is being ruined by the people that are there to protect it.
I would be interested to know what can be done in terms of fan power in this age. we have eyes too and enough is enough.
If we give the referee the benefit that he can miss that call on the pitch, there is absolutely no excuse for a trained match official watching it in a VAR studio.
I'm old. I remember when every game was wildly different per the ref. Decisions are so much better, and more consistent, than they were then.
Diving infuriates me too.
But right now the referees trying to be the centre of attention and injecting themselves into games is a much bigger problem in my opinion.
But this is ok from the same referee 🤯
- Oliver's name forever gets tied to his decisions to AFC beyond our fanbase;
- set a bar for red cards that's untenable and will be referred to endlessly by fans when questioning calls;
- gone to war with everyone, as if they own the rules and are the only ones who can interpret them
Perhaps it began as an honest attempt at transparency, but they have involved themselves far too much in the media & the old boys club wants to protect itself first & foremost
Time for change
It is going to be fascinating watching this play out this week.
All eyes on the appeal.
I'm sure the people in PGMOL's pockets will say 'teach him a lesson early', but what a way to treat an upcoming star.
I hope that the red will be quickly rescinded on appeal, given that its not ref's that do the appeals, but ex-players and managers who understand what it is to play the game. What is actually a serious foul.
PGMOL need to stop looking at their own navels and wake up, or clubs will vote to put in place their own agency to referee the Premier League.
I have to question the integrity (I know, what integrity, right?) of the statement about the abuse towards MO. Just how has he received said abuse with no social media etc?
They were always going to back him.
Melton FFS!
What I am concerned about is how any appeal on the red card from Arsenal will be handled, now that PGMOL has dug its heels in.
I wouldn't be surprised if we lost any appeal (as ridiculous as that seems).
I am curious if there were angles under UK law for fans/fan groups to push their (PL/PGMOL’s) systemic ineptitude regarding officiating into the courts (if only to create PR/media pressure) for essentially negligence & ripping off consumers.