Bad ref decisions - for and against - season 2025/26

[Somerset Blue]

More you think about it, the madder it is.
It’s not about the hair pull per se, but whether it met the bar for violent conduct…..

I don’t think it did. The other examples involved petulance or clearly premeditated hair pulling, but regardless of that, is pulling someone hair during a challenge any more violent than leading with an elbow or pulling someone’s arm as you jump with them? Can’t see myself.

If you were to confront a player and drag them by their hair then of course that’s clearly violent, but that today? Nah.

Absolute joke, the ref looked out of his depth. You see more violent intent at every corner in the PL!

 

[Pittsburgh Footy]

Just mad how it was even spotted. Just seem to be eagle eye whenever we make an infringement and then turn VAR cameras off when it's against us.

Because increasingly all sports, not only football, are being watched and legislated by narcs that suck at sports.

 

[Rollo Tomassi]

Think both of ours were reds, but so was this

How can you let that go when you have deemed a hair pull as violent conduct?

 

[HalfTimeSayers]

How can you let that go when you have deemed a hair pull as violent conduct?

Armstrong did him a favour buy not screaming and rolling around like modern players have too. And none of our players ran over to batter Hwang and make the ref realise it was a genuine red card tackle.

I get the ref may have thought he was trying to get his leg/body in front of our player, but he was about 10 minutes too late. They always say it looks worse when slowed down for VAR, and yes, it looks horrendous and the kid is very lucky.

 

[BullensRoad]

How some fans think it’s a red is beyond me. It feels like we have been fed a diet of dreadful decisions in football over the years that fans just accept it.

It’s so obvious he’s just trying to stay tight and grab his shirt, his hair gets in the way. Ref should just say act with common sense and have a word saying don’t do that again etc.

Just an awful decision.

The Grealish one is fair enough as well. Clear second yellow.

You'll always have virtue signaling as some sort of self comfort they're in the right.

I disagree with the Grealish second yellow. He was being kicked about all over the place and he joined in with the fans clapping a clear foul.

Ref lost the game, but like some other refs they think having controversial decisions against teams like Everton makes them proud. Any normal ref would have let that slip considering the circumstances.

 

[BlueInNZ]

Think both of ours were reds, but so was this

That was by a long way the worse challenge of the match and a clear red card. He not only catches him but continues to follow through with force.

 

[NorthernBlue]

How can you let that go when you have deemed a hair pull as violent conduct?

Thing is I’m not arsed that wasn’t a red. It’s a yellow all day long but tackles like that happen. How a little hair pull is deemed worse than that is astounding. Like what are they doing.

 

[Marius57]

More you think about it, the madder it is.
It’s not about the hair pull per se, but whether it met the bar for violent conduct…..

I don’t think it did. The other examples involved petulance or clearly premeditated hair pulling, but regardless of that, is pulling someone hair during a challenge any more violent than leading with an elbow or pulling someone’s arm as you jump with them? Can’t see myself.

If you were to confront a player and drag them by their hair then of course that’s clearly violent, but that today? Nah.

I think it did. The rules for violent conduct literally state about pulling hair. And there definitely some force as his head moves backwards.

“make a clear action to pull the hair of an opponent or any other person with force”

So by the letter of the law, which the players should know, it is a red. Even if we think it’s a bit silly or soft.

Their foul on Armstrong should also have been a red. And grealish was rightly a second yellow within the rules, even if we can argue a top team wouldn’t get it.

 

[Taifi gorm]

Think both of ours were reds, but so was this

It raises questions about Chris kavanagh missed this but was able to spot the hair pull. Like he was studying one side for errors.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Football is obviously about opinions. But I'm sorry I can't understand how anyone could think Keane deserved a red card. Its one of the poorest decisions I've ever seen. Beyond incredible that VAR even got involved.

 

[DOMNOLAN]

I’m actually livid. Think I need to log off for a bit…

 

[coollino]

How did anyone even notice the Keane thing lol

 

[Rollo Tomassi]

It raises questions about Chris kavanagh missed this but was able to spot the hair pull. Like he was studying one side for errors.

Kavanagh on VAR, well say no more eh.

 

[ToffeeTim]

How did anyone even notice the Keane thing lol

Yet the VAR didn't notice Armstrong get stamped on half way up his calf.

 

[MerseySamurai]

I’m certain VAR exists solely to create drama in games by making mental decisions, and for no other reason.