FA Accept the Linesman Got It Wrong Against Arsenal

 

When the FA decided Luiz Felipe Scolari’s comments about the level of officiating in our game against Arsenal weren’t anything to get their y-fronts twisted about, I wondered whether it was because they actually agreed with him.

 

And whilst they haven’t come out and admitted as much directly—because that would be way too honest for them—they’ve still more or less supported the criticism in a round about way by dropping the linesman in question from this weekend’s games.

 

It might not get Chelsea any points back, but what it should do is make the rest of the flag-waving, whistle blowing inadequates sit up and take note.

 

Harsh words? Maybe, but the inconsistencies in the game, not just from week-to-week but from game-to-game drive most of us nuts.

 

Of course they’re only human, but aren’t we all? That doesn’t excuse the rest of us from doing our jobs as outlined in our various job descriptions and neither should it the officials. If they can’t even get something as basic as an offside decision right then there’s no hope is there?

 

John Stokes had a clear view of Van Persie and yet whilst even the local nursing home residents without the aid of their bifocals could’ve called that one, his flag remained at his side—probably because he’d worn his arm out earlier waving Kalou offside when he wasn’t.

 

Once, you might just about regard as a mistake, but twice? The man clearly needs to remind himself of what constitutes a decent offside decision.

 

Mind you, whilst the Professional Game Match Officials have excluded Stokes, Mike Dean—who refereed the game—still gets to take charge of Saturday’s game between Newcastle and Stoke City, which hardly seems fair given that he completely overlooked John Terry’s two-footed lunge.

 

Taking the whole ‘Respect The Ref’ thing a little too far maybe?