Source: Telegraph
Refereeing blunders: Howard Webb under spotlight for controversial penalty
Mike Riley and Howard Webb – demonstrating admirably that even the best official in the country is not prone to slip-ups – are the latest to have come under the spotlight for their howlers in recent days. Here we review some of the worst refereeing mistakes of the season. [LNB]Stuart Attwell and Nigel Bannister, Watford v Reading, 20 September 2008:The Premier League's youngest referee, Stewart Attwell, is fast becoming notorious for his howlers this season. In what is certain to be the blunder of the season, Attwell awarded Reading a goal during their 2-2 draw with Watford even though the ball never made it across the goal line, instead going wide of the post. To be fair to Attwell, it was lineman Nigel Bannister who failed to notice that the ball had gone wide, and after some back-and-forth football in the Watford penalty area, he signalled an own goal against John Eustace. To the confusion of players, managers and spectators alike, Attwell went with his linesman's decision and mistakenly awarded the goal. "My conclusion is obviously that it wasn't right," Reading manager Steve Coppell said afterwards. "If the authorities decide a replay is the correct thing to do then I've got no objections whatsoever."[LNB] Related ArticlesJenas: Webb crumbled under pressureGiggs voted PFA Player of the YearGiggs' best momentsGrieving Defoe to miss United contestO'Neill wants Young to kick onManchester Utd 5 Tottenham 2Rob Styles, Bolton v Manchester United, 27 September 2008: Rob Styles has come under fierce criticism this season for a number of questionable decisions, and the referee was apparently driven to verge of resignation earlier this season after FA decided to rescind a red card that he issued to Habib Beye during Newcastle's 2-2 draw with Manchester City. However, it was his decision to award Manchester United a penalty against Bolton, for a tackle that video replays revealed was totally legal, during United's 2-0 win, that brought most condemnation, and even sparked the genesis of a Facebook group demanding his resignation. Styles pointed to the spot when Cristiano Ronaldo plunged to the turf in the area, even though the United forward had been fairly tackled by Jlloyd Samuel. Bolton were drawing 0-0 at the time and the resulting penalty, converted by Ronaldo, proved the turning point in the match. Styles, 44, had a clear view of the incident, and has since conveyed his regrets to Bolton for awarding the penalty. [LNB]Alan Wiley, Everton v Stoke, 14 September 2008: Alan Wiley was forced to apologise to David Moyes after failing to award Everton a penalty in their Premier League match against Stoke. Wiley refused the spot-kick on the advice of an assistant, who deemed that Leon Cort had handled outside his area when television replays clearly revealed that the offence had occurred inside the box. "The FA have to do their job and I have my job," said Moyes, who was impressed that Wiley had telephoned to offer an apology. "I had my opinion and the referee has since contacted me. He didn't need to phone and what Alan Wiley said will remain private. We have a Respect campaign in football now which is really important. You earn respect and I would say that the referee has earned a lot more from me for what he has since said."[LNB]Stuart Attwell, Derby v Nottingham Forest, 2 November 2008: Already infamous for awarding a phantom goal in Reading's favour in their Championship match away to Watford in September, Stuart Attwell was again the focus of opprobrium when he disallowed two stoppage-time goals for Derby County during their 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest at the start of November. Attwell first disallowed Miles Addison's headed goal, instead awarding Derby a penalty for a handball in the area (which they duly missed), and when Addison again headed the ball into the top corner two minutes later, Attwell once more overruled, indicating that he had seen a shove in the area. "He's seen a push," an apoplectic Jewell said afterwards. "It must be an optical illusion." Jewell later revealed that he received a call from a referees' official allowing that the goal should have stood. A senior refereeing source said of Attwell: "He will be given some appropriate operational advice."[LNB]Mike Jones, West Bromwich Albion v Blackburn, 1 November 2008: After making a number of controversial decisions during the Premier League fixture between West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn at the Hawthorns earlier this month, Mike Jones came under attack from both Tony Mowbray and Paul Ince in their post-match press conferences. Jones' assessment that Albion's Ryan Donk tugging at Jason Roberts' shirt in the area in the 13th-minute warranted a penalty found opposition from Mowbray, and issuing Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy a second yellow card for a tame handball on the halfway line incensed Ince. "Give red cards for dangerous tackles where the studs are up, but it's not a game for women," the Blackburn manager fumed. "Referees have got to be stronger than that." McCarthy was similarly unimpressed: "It was a diabolical decision to send me off. They say players have to respect the referee but how many times have referees given decisions like that?" Even Mowbray agreed. "In the real world refs do not give decisions like," the West Brom manager complained. [LNB]Rob Styles, West Bromwich Albion v Manchester United, 27 January 2009: Styles was again in the news when the Football Association decided to rescind another red card he issued, this time against Paul Robinson at West Bromwich Albion. Robinson was penalised for a sliding tackle against Ji-Sung Park, but the FA later decided the challenge was not worthy of a red. The episode led Tony Mowbray to publicly slam Styles, accusing him of crawling to the superstars, and not knowing West Brom's players' names. "It's almost as if refs want to be friends of the stars," Mowbray said. "We had Mr Styles at Chelsea. It was: 'Frank (Lampard) this and Frank that'." And it's not just in England Italian referee Matteo Trefoloni was the focus of vilification in September when he sent off Aalborg centre-back Michael Beauchamp for tripping a goal-bound Celtic forward Giorgios Samaras in the Champions League. Samaras had indeed been fouled, but it was clear to all observers – except one – that it was another defender entirely, Michael Jakobsen, who had committed the deed. Uefa eventually overturned the decision and handed the one-game suspension to Jakobsen. [LNB]Mike Riley, Everton v Manchester United, 19 April 2009: It could be argued that the decision that may have cost Manchester United a place in the FA Cup final started before a ball had been kicked in anger. With a mind-game worthy of the master, Sir Alex Ferguson, David Moyes, the Everton manager, cast doubt over the Football Association's decision to appoint Riley as referee for Everton's FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United, suggesting that the official was a closet United fan before the match. Those criticisms must surely have been at the back of Riley's mind when Danny Welbeck was brought down in the area by Phil Jagielka. It was a clear penalty, even for a victorious Moyes, but Riley refused to award it. The game ended 0-0, and Everton won in the subsequent penalty shoot-out. Ferguson, in fairness, did not jump at the chance to criticise Riley, but he did say that Moyes' pre-game comments could have influenced his decision. "I think it might have been. It can prey on a referee's mind. When he [Riley] sees it he'll probably realise he's made a mistake."[LNB]Howard Webb, Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, 25 April 2009: It could have been the decision that secured United the championship, and by the man who is regarded as the best referee in the country. Two goals behind at half-time, Sir Alex Ferguson knew that his side needed just one goal to swing momentum back in their favour. Then Michael Carrick was brought down in the area when Spurs goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes came out to intercept the midfielder, who had collected Wayne Rooney's superb through pass and was bearing down on goal. Gomes made contact with Carrick, but also took the ball, in what was a fine save. But Webb, who was almost 35 yards away, and behind play, saw an infringement. He was the only one who did. Cristiano Ronaldo converted from the spot, and Spurs imploded. The momentum shifted, and United scored a further four goals in just 22 minutes. Jermaine Jenas said: 'That was a prime example of a referee crumbling under pressure at Old Trafford." Harry Redknapp agreed: "The players can't believe it," he said. "It changed the game."[LNB]
