Wazzy's Ref Watch - Mark Halsey

[First Wazzock 902]

Mark Halsey

I was please to see we were going to get one of the ''elder statesmen'' of the Premier League for this game. Especially after the contentious decisions we have faced over the last 3 games. He probably deserves some respect, having battled against cancer to resume his career at the top level and seems to be the master of common sense refereeing.

However today''s game has changed that.

Early on we saw the common sense element of his game - the assistant flagged for offside, and with the ball sailing through to the keeper he played on - good to see. As the game wore on his fitness appered to be totally lacking (which surprised me as I know they have to face a stringent test before the season). He ran a striaght line up and down the picth (no diagonal) and was not up with play or in a good enough position to make any judgement on the major issues. Once or twice getting tangled up with play, on one occaision nearly costing us a goal. He was not even looking at Foster the goalie to watch how he was dawdling about taking the kicks.

3 yellow cards in the game, one issued after allowing play on - which was very good. Surprisingly only a talking to and no card for Foster after some dreadful time wasting, and he allowed all manner of time wasting at free kicks around their penalty box. Another thing I didn''t like was holding the game up just to talk to players - you can shout in their ear when passing them or when the ball is dead, but not stopping the game just to speak to them peanlises teams taht want to get on with the game.

The awarding of free kicks left a bit to be desired one or two obvious ones took an age to blow up for and one or two given that shouldn''t have been.

The major issues.

This was all about penalties, or the lack of them.

From where I sat there appeared to be very little if any contact for their penalty ( I probably need to see it again as I have heard 2 different opinions on this). A good marker always used to be, watch how the players react. NONE of their players appeared to appeal for it and I think their fans were just as surprised as anyone at the decision. There were 2 good shouts for penalties at the other end with Morison being wrestled to the ground and Vaughan taking a nasty bang in the face, neither of which found favour with the out of position, slow moving official.

If this is what we are facing every week, God help us.

 

Mark Halsey 3

[I am a Banana 0]

Fair assessment for me, although he did seem to put his whistle to his mouth and then wave play on an awful lot when the other team got possession. He was also slow at times giving decisions. One that sticks in my mind was Johnson and a WBA player tangling legs near the dug out. Johnson got up quicker made a few yards and then the ref gave a free kick to WBA.

[Gingerpele 0]

First Wazzock, i think your reports should be sent to the FA. Your definatly know what your talking about here, and even trying to take away the Norwich bias, you still have to say the ref was poor.

[Mahogany 0]

No way their''s was a penalty if anything it was obstruction by their player as he moved into Morison with no intention of playing the ball.

The elbow was disgraceful, in the replay you clearly see their player looking round, noticing Vaughan and the twatting him in the face. I expect him to be given a retrospective red for that. Our other shouts were very soft and if theyd been given against us we''d all have complained.

[@jayncfc 0]

I have tried to move away from the whole Ref thing in my match report, see what you guys think! Norwich 0 - 1 WBA

[First Wazzock 902]

[quote user="First Wazzock"]

Mark Halsey

I was please to see we were going to get one of the ''elder statesmen'' of the Premier League for this game. Especially after the contentious decisions we have faced over the last 3 games. He probably deserves some respect, having battled against cancer to resume his career at the top level and seems to be the master of common sense refereeing.

However today''s game has changed that.

Early on we saw the common sense element of his game - the assistant flagged for offside, and with the ball sailing through to the keeper he played on - good to see. As the game wore on his fitness appered to be totally lacking (which surprised me as I know they have to face a stringent test before the season). He ran a striaght line up and down the picth (no diagonal) and was not up with play or in a good enough position to make any judgement on the major issues. Once or twice getting tangled up with play, on one occaision nearly costing us a goal. He was not even looking at Foster the goalie to watch how he was dawdling about taking the kicks.

3 yellow cards in the game, one issued after allowing play on - which was very good. Surprisingly only a talking to and no card for Foster after some dreadful time wasting, and he allowed all manner of time wasting at free kicks around their penalty box. Another thing I didn''t like was holding the game up just to talk to players - you can shout in their ear when passing them or when the ball is dead, but not stopping the game just to speak to them peanlises teams taht want to get on with the game.

The awarding of free kicks left a bit to be desired one or two obvious ones took an age to blow up for and one or two given that shouldn''t have been.

The major issues.

This was all about penalties, or the lack of them.

From where I sat there appeared to be very little if any contact for their penalty ( I probably need to see it again as I have heard 2 different opinions on this). A good marker always used to be, watch how the players react. NONE of their players appeared to appeal for it and I think their fans were just as surprised as anyone at the decision. There were 2 good shouts for penalties at the other end with Morison being wrestled to the ground and Vaughan taking a nasty bang in the face, neither of which found favour with the out of position, slow moving official.

If this is what we are facing every week, God help us.

 

Mark Halsey 3

[/quote]

Having just seen the GBH on Vaughan I''d like to alter his score, as he was not in a position to see it

Mark Halsey 1