MLS Officiating

[Laggard]

I watched my first MLS game this weekend (DC-Chicago) and in the first half the center conferred with an AR three times. I rarely see this during EPL matches.

I was wondering if this is common and how good or bad MLS officiating is considered.

To be honest, I was only able to watch 40 minutes of the match. The play was just so disjointed and the restarts so frequent that I couldn't stand it. I really wanted to enjoy it.

[Ref Flunkie]

Sounds like your typical MLS game. I can't say I remember many games where I've seen the center chat with the AR once, much less 3 times, so perhaps that game was not typical. However, most people on these boards consider MLS refereeing substandard, with a few exceptions.

[MassachusettsRef]

That of course, depends on what you consider to be an acceptable 'standard'. When people complain about the level of officiating in MLS, the name most envoked is that of Collina. Comments like, "well, Collina controls a match and manages players like this" and "Collina is retiring in Italy, maybe we can get him", are almost invariably attached to the normal "[fill in an MLS ref's name] sucked today" threads.

If Collina is the standard, then fine, MLS referees do not compare to the best in the world. But if that's the case, then our players don't compare to Figo, Zidane, or Henry, either. As the league grows and improves, so will the officiating.

Ultimately, if you truly compare MLS refereeing across the board to some of the top leagues in the world, I don't think we come across that badly. Inferior (on the whole) to England, Germany and Italy? Probably. But, compared to places like Spain, Portugal, France and Brazil, I'll take our collection of CRs anyday. And, like many, I'll take our ARs over any that the world have to offer. Guys like Eddy, Lowry, Fereday, Clement, Tamberino and Reed (the last two retired) are some of the best ARs I've ever seen.

[brichter]

Interesting observation. I watched an EPL game this weekend, and the referee did confer with the AR, and then issued a caution to a player.
Expect to see more and more of this as the ARs are being encouraged to participate more in the game. At the USSF clinic this year (late winter or early spring, depending on how you look at it), one of the on-field exercises was exactly this: Informing the referee of anything the AR may have seen that the ref may or may not have, managing player confrontations, managing the wall, etc.
If done properly, it will not impact the flow of the game very much, since for most of these issues play is already stopped. It also allows play to be restarted more quicly in the case of free kicks close to the AR, as the referee does not have to come across the field to set the wall, then move back into position before restarting the play.
The key here is to do it properly, if you cover these situations in the pregame then it works well, if not, well let's just say that whatever you don't cover in the pregame, you'll probably be covering on the field later. ;-)

[stillgreyhound]

I too watched the DC chicago game and I cant let this one go by. I am quick to criticize MLS officiating so I should be equally quick to praise. THE REFF WAS THE BEST IVE SEEN in long time in MLS OR anywhere(did you see the Porto v deportivo debacle?). He controlled the game well and used cautions as necessary to prevent escalations. He called the game that the players presented him.....period. I have been more and more outraged by the seeming inability of MLS reffs to control the players on soccer saturday and it was a refreshing change to see this reff shine on national tv.......He finished the game with 22 players on the field and no major incidences. If the MLS players saw more reff like this one then they would understand and change thier play to reduce the misconduct and beautify the american game. Instead they walk all over the typical milquetoast referees that seem to get MLS centers and produces an ugly product that none of us enjoy. You know what I dont know the reffs name and idealy you shouldnt even notice he was there.

[Alberto]

I too watched the DC chicago game and I cant let this one go by. I am quick to criticize MLS officiating so I should be equally quick to praise. THE REFF WAS THE BEST IVE SEEN in long time in MLS OR anywhere(did you see the Porto v deportivo debacle?). He controlled the game well and used cautions as necessary to prevent escalations. He called the game that the players presented him.....period. I have been more and more outraged by the seeming inability of MLS reffs to control the players on soccer saturday and it was a refreshing change to see this reff shine on national tv.......He finished the game with 22 players on the field and no major incidences. If the MLS players saw more reff like this one then they would understand and change thier play to reduce the misconduct and beautify the american game. Instead they walk all over the typical milquetoast referees that seem to get MLS centers and produces an ugly product that none of us enjoy. You know what I dont know the reffs name and ideally you shouldnt even notice he was there.

Ricardo Valenzuela was the referee.
Referee's Assistants: Kermit Quisenberry; Bahij Salman
4th Official: Erich Simmons

http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/scoreboard/game.jsp?match=04242004_CHIDC

[Ref Flunkie]

Yet if you listened to the commentators, they thought he was as bad as the rest (can you tell I hate Stone and Wynalda?). I do agree though, I thought he did a good job.

[kevbrunton]

Yet if you listened to the commentators, they thought he was as bad as the rest (can you tell I hate Stone and Wynalda?). I do agree though, I thought he did a good job.
I thought he did a very good job except the card on CJ Brown. Adu stumbled and fell into Brown when he realized Brown was going to beat him to the ball but Valenzuela, apparently wanting to protect Adu, cards Brown for a cleanly won ball. IMO, his only significant mistake.