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

[Bedfordblue]

Another example of double standards in refereeing last night, Martinelli tries to push an injured player off the field, starts a melee and he gets a yellow card, Keane tugs the hair of an opponent and gets red. I still believe that these decisions are not a result of a conspiracy to protect certain teams but just sheer cowardice and incompetence. The reason I think this is that if you were perpetrating a conspiracy you wouldn’t introduce VAR which continually shows that you seem to be perpetrating a conspiracy. You would have to be unbelievably incompetent to do that. But they really are unbelievably incompetent.

Pushing an injured player off the field can surely be considered serious foul play? These are the sort of calls where there’s so much down to interpretation it leads to inconsistencies.
What’s weird is when a majority of fans see it one way yet these refs seem so disconnected from public opinion.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Pushing an injured player off the field can surely be considered serious foul play? These are the sort of calls where there’s so much down to interpretation it leads to inconsistencies.
What’s weird is when a majority of fans see it one way yet these refs seem so disconnected from public opinion.

Moyes brought up the incident last night as an example of how ridiculous the officiating has become

 

[Parker]

If you dont think Arteta is already on the phone to Calafiori telling him he aint putting a bobble in his hair now...

What a stupid sport.

 

[Lob]

Just as if they were ever going to reverse it. Doesn't change the fact though that Everton and Moyes have to be far more vocal about the very low standards and continuous inconsistencies with referees and VAR. When you hear any audios from VAR, you can see that their mindset and intent is to try and be an influence on the game. It is a god complex. That level of intent should be trying to find a reason to stay out of it and let the game flow naturally and not be too much of an influence on it. The whole mindset is back to front and malicious. They have made the best league in the world the worst officiated league in the world.

Struggle to watch any premier league games now because you just know that the gods in a building nowhere near the game are going to influence the outcome to their own needs and bias.

 

[blulouie]

So our player grabs a handful of shirt that just so happens to have a bunch of dreds hanging in it and given a red for violent conduct.

So as they say , it evens out over the season we'll get a pen and the perpetraitor a red card the next time we have a player hauled to the ground , physically asaulted in the box.....right ?

 

[Alanbileysfeathercut]

Disgraceful decision not to rescind the Keane red card

And no doubt we'll roll over and get our tummies rubbed

 

[Runub]

There must have been a dozen more actions in the Wolves game more violent than Keane’s hair grasp. Three game ban is a joke. Everton are the world champions of getting shafted at every opportunity

 

[Davideeyore]

As much as it's pathetic, Keane shouldn't have pulled his hair. Never a red

 

[Lob]

VAR should never have even intervened. They should have had the common sense to see that yes he grabbed his long hair but it wasn't off the ball, it was 2 players jumping for the ball and players often instinctively grab something usually shirts or shoulders. The player wasn't hurt, it was nothing malicious and at worst maybe a yellow card if the ref had seen it. Seeing as the ref missed it and in that sort of circumstance they should only intervene for red cards, they should have made the decision to just stay out of it because it was at worst a yellow.

Doesn't fit their God complex and wanting to influence games with their own personal bias that though.

 

[wandyr79]

Im more trying to say there's shouldn't be a court case on the field or off it. But the fact you have 3 people or more reviewing incidents makes it so.

No VAR means that incident gets missed and everyone gets on with their lives. The fact it exists then brings in the implementation of subjective rules and their interpretation.

Fair points made.

VAR is there though and I think as it is there, it should have a quick check on things like the Keane incident, but without competent people they are just winging it. The correct way the other night goes is VAR has a quick look and clears it.

 

[Gilbert..]

Just as if they were ever going to reverse it. Doesn't change the fact though that Everton and Moyes have to be far more vocal about the very low standards and continuous inconsistencies with referees and VAR. When you hear any audios from VAR, you can see that their mindset and intent is to try and be an influence on the game. It is a god complex. That level of intent should be trying to find a reason to stay out of it and let the game flow naturally and not be too much of an influence on it. The whole mindset is back to front and malicious. They have made the best league in the world the worst officiated league in the world.

Struggle to watch any premier league games now because you just know that the gods in a building nowhere near the game are going to influence the outcome to their own needs and bias.

Posted this yest and previously a few months ago. Its becoming more and more obvious that its about them changing the game just because they can. Wether they think they have to justify being there or its an ego thing who knows. Ego comes into it imo. It can alter a whole season as well. West hams 2nd goal against forest this week. They go 2 up. Forest aint coming back from 2 nil. They close the gap to 1 point in the table. VAR get involved and chalk off the goal for offside that the forest defender knocked back. The onfield decision was correct. VAR have changed two clubs seasons massively because they simply can not wait get involved.
Influencing games is exactly right when the whole reason for it was meant to be clear and obvious errors only.
Its who they have put in charge is the problem. Most referees these days want coverage. They want the limelight. They see themselves as big a name now as the players.

 

[kenada_blue]

VAR should never have even intervened. They should have had the common sense to see that yes he grabbed his long hair but it wasn't off the ball, it was 2 players jumping for the ball and players often instinctively grab something usually shirts or shoulders. The player wasn't hurt, it was nothing malicious and at worst maybe a yellow card if the ref had seen it. Seeing as the ref missed it and in that sort of circumstance they should only intervene for red cards, they should have made the decision to just stay out of it because it was at worst a yellow.

Doesn't fit their God complex and wanting to influence games with their own personal bias that though.

I see it like that. But i can also see why the officials, once they saw it, felt the need to do something and interpret a law to punish it

Thats the modern game. The annoying thing is thats its so wildly inconsistent and still reliant on opinion.

 

[ToffeeTim]

So just off the top of my head, so far this season we have had

2 soft handball penalties against us back to back to start the season. One meant we lost a game 1 nil

A player booked for taking a free kick too quick, that resulted in a suspension for the next match

A player sent off for slapping a team mate - obviously entirely our own fault that one.

No penalty against Arsenal for the most obvious kick on our player you'll see in the box

A couple of goals disallowed for very questionable and subjective offside decisions that often are given as goals - against Fulham and Spurs IIRC

Various handball calls turned down for penalties, some of them far more obvious than the ones went against us, including a really obvious one at Burnley

A player sent off and given a 3 game suspension for a momentary accidental hair pull while trying to win a header.

A player given 2 yellows both for dissent, the second of which for clapping a decision, because he got frustrated at abysmal officiating

No red card awarded on VAR for a terrible challenge by a Wolves player down the back of Armstrongs calf. Almost identical to a challenge on Van Dijk recently which almost everyone agrees was correctly a clear red card.

 

[Obes]

So just off the top of my head, so far this season we have had

2 soft handball penalties against us back to back to start the season. One meant we lost a game 1 nil

A player booked for taking a free kick too quick, that resulted in a suspension for the next match

A player sent off for slapping a team mate - obviously entirely our own fault that one.

No penalty against Arsenal for the most obvious kick on our player you'll see in the box

A couple of goals disallowed for very questionable and subjective offside decisions that often are given as goals - against Fulham and Spurs IIRC

Various handball calls turned down for penalties, some of them far more obvious than the ones went against us, including a really obvious one at Burnley

A player sent off and given a 3 game suspension for a momentary accidental hair pull while trying to win a header.

A player given 2 yellows both for dissent, the second of which for clapping a decision, because he got frustrated at abysmal officiating

No red card awarded on VAR for a terrible challenge by a Wolves player down the back of Armstrongs calf. Almost identical to a challenge on Van Dijk recently which almost everyone agrees was correctly a clear red card.

I feel like it’s this way every season. An avalanche of decisions against us and nothing made of it by anyone outside of Everton yet, the odd occasion something goes in our favour (Tarky against RS last season) you never hear the kin last of it.

We definitely are refereed differently, or to a different standard for some reason. Some of the softest red cards and penalties you’ll ever see. Think the pen awarded against Keane at Brighton, Allan’s red against Newcastle. These incidents do not result in the same outcome for other teams, no way.

 

[Miked1e]

Glad it has been called out in an interview.

We need to write to the league requesting that everything be released including Audio, panel reasoning and in particular asking why other incidents go unpunished.

Whilst we are at it, also please request the audios for the handballs against us and not given for us along with the Arsenal audio.