Quick Throw: Hope Howard Webb enjoys Coca-Cola...

In a move in no way induced by karma, Howard Webb will be calling contentious penalties in the Colaship this weekend, overseeing Reading v. Birmingham after royally screwing things up on Saturday in, ahem, that match.

The best part is Graham Poll's comment about the matter. Remember Poll? Guy who gave out 3 yellow cards to the same player in Germany '06? It's always nice when someone more incompetent than you turns up to help people forget.

[Guardian Sport]

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Mercy for Bosingwa is not bestowed upon the linesman

In a season marred by contentious referring decisions, the rakish move of unibrowed right-back Jose Bosingwa is perhaps the worst, as both Riley and the linesmen decided no action should be taken. In the insane world of the FA, the non-call on the pitch has rendered them impotent and unable to review and properly discipline Bosingwa, despite the fact that they set the rules and could/should probably change that particular clause so they can ban the lad for 10 games or so.

That said, the mercy shown to Bosingwa by Mo Matadar, aka the guy who was inches from the incident and shown on tape waving his flag like a man possessed, was not returned in kind, as the FA have dumped him down to League Two for a while.

Mo will be running the touchline at the Grimsby Town/Exeter match, where he'll no doubt realize the error of his ways and will perhaps learn to assert himself better on the pitch next time.

I do like that the FA punishes its staff for egregious errors on the pitch (still waiting for Riley's rebuke, by the way), but honestly, is this the right way to do it? Now all it means is that some poor, struggling lower league minnow is stuck with incompetence that could possibly ruin their game as well.

To further emphasize this point, the ref in Matadar's game will be Stuart Atwell, the moron who gave a goal even though it hit the side netting in a recent Reading/Watford Colaship clash.

So look out Mariners and Grecians fans, the failed officials are heading to your game.

Prepare rotten fruit/veg accordingly.

(In case you missed it the first time...)

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Seeing Yellow.

Praying won't help pal.

Here at UF we have noticed an increase in the ridiculous refereeing that has been on display this season. Bullshit penalties, ticky-tack incidents and refs failing to spot players making up for Andy Johnson's injury absence with efforts that these two would be delighted with.

Well... The numbers are clear so lets call out some card crazy cretins...

Would it surprise you to know that after just 7 EPL matches, referees have issued a whopping 231 yellow cards already! TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY-ONE. Now I don't know about you, but I've watched plenty of Premiership footy this season and certainly haven't noticed an increase in violent conduct.

What I have noticed is an abundance of free kicks issued for 'bumping' into an opponent. By their logic, I should have been sent off 14 times on the subway alone this morning. Are the refs spending too much time on their real jobs to properly focus on the one that affects millions of people? So who are the main offenders, the yellow waving power freaks determined to get some TV time on the highlight shows?



Let's call out Mike Dean (seen here below, doing the YMCA) first. He has 'worked' 7 games this season and issued 32 yellow cards. Last Saturday he carded 7 players at Upton Park as he took charge of the Hammers home game with Bolton.


The week before he booked another 7 at Portsmouth as Pompey added to Spurs' woes at Fratton Park. The week before at the Hawthorns? 6 went in the book.

But he is not the worst, oh no. That accolade goes to Mike Riley. Mr Riley has only worked 5 games this season and shown 26 yellow cards. That's an average of 5.4 a game, or one every 16 minutes! He carded 8 players during Chelsea's draw with United a couple of weeks back, and 6 at West Ham when Blackburn were in town.

The Hammers again, eh? Are they just dirty? They have been issued 12 yellows in the last 7 games.

So who are the dirtiest?

That honor goes to Blackburn with 17 yellow cards, with Manchester United a close second with 16. Guess what? Mr Riley has officiated 3 games involving Rovers and United this season, issuing 15 yellows! That's 10 of United's total 16!

Numbers do not lie and it does appear that Blackburn ARE the dirtiest, Riley's interventions aside!

Just for the record, the dirtiest players are Kieran Richardson of Sunderland, Ian Ashbee of Hull, Scott Parker of West Ham and Alvaro Arbeloa of Liverpool. Of those 16yellows, Riley and Dean have issued 4, and Dean in particular has carded Arbeloa twice.

Riley: He even sent-off a man dressed as a lion.

So who flashes cards the least? Out of the 18 refs employed by the EPL this season, and of those who have worked 5 games or more, Alan Wiley has shown the fewest yellow cards, 12, at an average of 2.4 a game.

Howard Webb, Mike Dean and Andre Marriner have used the most red cards: two each.

All of the yellow cards and bad decisions I have seen this season seem to point to one essential shortfall: one referee is no longer capable of dealing with the modern game. Throw in simulation and the current pace and you are left with pissed-off fans and frustrated players. This is an issue that needs addressing now.

A second ref? One replay per team or a fourth official with a TV on the sideline?

Any of those options would be better than watching today's refs huff-and-puff 30 yards behind the action only to stop the play for nothing. The entertainment is in danger and the biggest losers, as always, are the fans.

-Bigus.

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