GRAHAM POLL: Stop bleating United and Co - it's NOT always the ref's fault

11 November 2009 01:17
Welcome to former World Cup referee Graham Poll's exclusive online column. Here every Monday throughout the season as theformer top referee assesses the major Premier League storiesand controversies. Graham's keen for you to engage with his debates- so please post your questions to him using the comments section atthe bottom of this page. He'll return later each Monday to offer hisresponse...[LNB] There is a massive over analysis of referees' decisions and quite frankly the way they are criticised week in week out is becoming boring.[LNB] Taking a tumble: Sunderland striker Darren Bent was on his way down before Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes caught him[LNB]POLL'S POSERQUESTION: Can you clarify the situation regarding being in an offside position and 'playing the ball' please? In the Chelsea v Mancheser Utd game, when Terry or Anelka headed the ball towards goal, Drogba was in an offside position, directly in front of the goalkeeper. Drogba then attempted to make contact with the ball, which to me appears that he was 'playing the ball'? Also, I would of thought that his position was also a distraction to the goalkeeper and therefore he was interfering?- Alan McCann, Swindon[LNB]GRAHAM'S RESPONSE: FIFA's instructions to referees are that a player is only deemed to be interfering with play if he touches the ball. A player is deemed to be interfering with an opponent if he impedes him from playing the ball or in the case of a goalkeeper is directly obstructing his line of sight of the ball. Therefore according to those instructions Drogba -if he was in an offside position - should not have been given offside.  I'm not saying I agree with that just clarifying FIFA's position and that of the referees. [LNB]A free kick here, a push there and after careful scrutiny with thebenefit of super slow-motion replays and numerous different cameraangles it is concluded that the ref was wrong to give a free kick whichcost one team the game.[LNB]How come that a centre forward who misses a great chance doesn't cost his team the game? [LNB]Why is it that when a centre half misses a challenge he is not pilloried by managers and pundits?[LNB]Looking at the weekend just gone, Steve Bruce blames Kevin Friend for not dismissing Heurelho Gomes, which would have changed the game in Sunderland's favour. [LNB]Never mind that Friend applied law correctly and ignore the fact that Darren Bent allowed his legs to fold way before any contact from the Tottenham keeper. [LNB] Enlarge Red-hot pressure: Wayne Rooney (left) and Darren Fletcher (centre) berate referee Martin Atkinson during Manchester United's 1-0 defeat at Chelsea[LNB]Having pushed the ball past Gomes why not hurdle his body and prove his manager right. After all Bruce stated that he fancied Bent to score from that position.[LNB]Then there is Manchester United, who feel that they only lost the game at Chelsea due to a free kick being given on the touchline in the 76th-minute of a 90-minute game. What nonsense. [LNB]  More from Graham Poll... GRAHAM POLL'S OFFICIAL LINE: Germany could hold the answer to combating divers like David Ngog11/11/09 GRAHAM POLL'S OFFICIAL LINE: Diving David Ngog should hang his head in shame10/11/09 GRAHAM POLL: Branding Darren Fletcher a cheat was a terrible slur04/11/09 GRAHAM POLL: Record nine red cards show inconsistency in refereeing... just ask Liverpool and Aston Villa02/11/09 Graham Poll's verdict on the nine Premier League red cards01/11/09 GRAHAM POLL: The official line - Forget Fergie, a REAL refereeing crisis is looming 28/10/09 GRAHAM POLL: Big games like Liverpool v United need brilliant referees but we're down to 11 top officials for 10 matches - there used to be 24 to pick from26/10/09 Graham Poll's Official Line: Sir Alex, you're wrong - Vidic rightly saw red 25/10/09 VIEW FULL ARCHIVE  The free kick could be argued either way but it was just a free kick that they could and should have defended better.[LNB]The weekend before there was outcry at the record number of red cards issued by the besieged referees. Why is it then that when Stuart Attwell uses his discretion and lectures Pablo Zabaleta and Stephen Jordan after their impression of rutting stags, commentators are incredulous at the lack of disciplinary action?[LNB]And why when Blackburn's Pascal Chimbonda flicks out at Jamie O'Hara, barely touching the Portsmouth midfielder, does the analyst on the game scream for a red card? [LNB]I saw no violent conduct at the weekend and that is required for a red card.[LNB]You see, referees can't win. [LNB]Be strong and you have no feel for the game. Use discretion and you're inconsistent.[LNB]My dad, who was a local park ref, always used to say that he was right even when he was wrong. [LNB]Laws of the game protected him as the laws start with the phrase, 'if in the opinion of the referee'. [LNB]Now it seems that the opposite is true.  [LNB] GOOD WEEK FOR...Stuart Attwell (above), Kevin Friend and Phil Sharp [LNB]Just for doing their jobs well andapplying the laws as they are instructed to. Also well done to ScottLedger, the assistant who gave the penalty for hand ball by JoleonLescott in Manchester City's 3-3 draw with Burnley.[LNB]BAD WEEK FOR...Those people waiting for the dismissal of Phil Brown from the manager'sjob at Hull City[LNB]Following an excellent win against a strong Stoke team, which took The Tigers out of the bottom three and could wellearn Brown a reprieve, hopefully, as he's a really nice guy.[LNB]  Sir Alex Ferguson has the Blues: Manchester United boss vents his fury over Chelsea winnerBrown claims foul after tangle with Drogba before Anelka's match winnerTHE LIST: Football's greatest penalty kings - Nos 50-41  Explore more:People:Pascal Chimbonda, Steve Bruce, Stuart Attwell, Joleon Lescott, Graham Poll, Wayne Rooney, Darren Fletcher, Darren Bent, Martin Atkinson, Phil Brown

Source: Daily_Mail