2020-2021 England Referee Appointments (EPL+) [Rs]

Good summary.
Maybe it's just semantics but you use "Big Six" rather than balu's "top six", which may be a more appropriate moniker for this type of analysis, and this would lessen my criticism somewhat. I agree that there is not much harm in it other than perhaps leading to a false impression.

It seems to me that the top referees should get sent to the most critical matches, either at the top or bottom of the table, and that the lower ranked ones get the games in the middle of the table and this is often what happens. This would be a better way to judge which referees are more highly ranked overall than simply using matches between a preselected handful of teams, if that is the purpose of keeping track of which referees get the important games. I think the listing would be very different from the list currently shown. Maybe two lists should be compiled and then compared at season's end.

Incidentally, FWIW, West Brom and Burnley have been members of the Football League longer than most of the others, the exceptions being Everton, Aston Villa and Wolves, so a big match from a tradition standpoint!

I want to add that I do appreciate the posting of the complete assignments in the EPL. It is a quick and useful reference.

PH

 

I know a lot of y’all on here are down on Kavanagh, but I disagree and I am a fan of his. IMO, he’s England’s #5 option right now (Oliver, Taylor, Atkinson, Dean) and only behind Oliver and Taylor in Europe. He’s still quite young and has a lot of room for growth- wouldn’t be surprised if he is in line to be primed for the 2026 WC.

 

Unfortunately, Oliver will probably be around 41 at that time. So he’ll be competing alongside M. Oliver For WC26. I don’t think kavanaugh can compete with Oliver unless we see him step up significantly or Oliver drops off heavily.
I actually agree with your order tho. Oliver, Taylor, Atkinson, Dean, Kavanahhh. Although, some posters think Dean is closer to the top 3 (Pierre lol) I think they’re part of the old guard. A pair of trusted hands if things get sticky for the other officials with European competitions but not the 1-2 officials to be selected.
I’m actually kinda curious with Bobby Madley back With the pgmol if he works his way back up to the top.

 

Arlo White thinks Pickford should've been sent off anyway.

Am I right in thinking the ref doesn't have the option of doing that? Could it be classified as VC?

There's no doubt it would be SFP if not for the offside call.

 

The explanation officials gave to NBC was ... unclear.

 

It's equally frustrating when the explanation we receive from officials, such as the one given to Rebecca Lowe, is unclear.

I think this can be a learning experience for the public, the commentators and maybe even the officials involved in this match. That will require a bit of humility and an open discussion.

So my questions would be:

1. When was that offside call made? I only saw the replay.

2. What was Oliver checking with VAR?

3. While the semantics over VC v SFP may be irrelevant in the eyes of an official, I think they're helpful in explaining the Laws to befuddled supporters and commentators. Which would it be in this case? If Oliver accepts the offside call and gives a red card, what's going on the report?

4. Is there any argument that, if the ball is deemed to be in play, Pickford's challenge isn't SFP?

 

It appears the referee certainly acknowledged that a PK would be warranted if not for the offside call. So he knows it's a foul. How is it not a card? I don't understand in what universe that challenge is merely "careless."

 

AR raised the flag when VVD got involved with the GK there.

As @MassachusettsRef stated above "if it's not offside, it's a penalty." So VAR is confirming the offside, and if it's not offside, they're going to tell Oliver such, and he'll call the penalty, and likely a caution (my guess on the last bit).

Violent Conduct, because officially the ball was OUT of the play when the tackle was made, due to the offside offence happening before the tackle.

If the ball is in play, and that deemed to be red, then it would be SFP.

 

Thanks.

I'm still curious about SFP vs. VC just for the definition of "in play." Perhaps it's merely academic in this specific case, but I could see other circumstances in which the definition would be relevant.

 

Thanks very much.