Saturday, 16 June - Wroclaw - 2:45 EST Czech Republic : Poland Referee: Craig THOMSON (SCO) Assistant Referee 1: Alasdair Ross (SCO) Assistant Referee 2: Derek Rose (SCO) Additional Assistant Referee 1: William Collum (SCO) Additional Assistant Referee 2: Euan Norris (SCO) Fourth Official: Fredy Fautrel (FRA) Reserve Assistant Referee: Frédéric Cano (FRA) UEFA Delegate: Nodar Akhalkatsi (GEO) UEFA Referee Observer: Iouri Baskakov (RUS) This thread is for all pre-, play-by-play, and post-match discussion of the referee and other officials on the match. Only news and analysis or other facts/information related to the referees and the officiating should be posted here. This is not a team or rivalry thread and will be heavily moderated to ensure it remains that way. Please read the stickied thread at the top of this forum if you have further questions. Thank you.
here we go! Side-net shot had everyone fooled. Sorry, i cant bring myself to watch Greece. I think soccer in hell is watching Greece play Greece.
Given the delay and the fact the AR didn't flag, I think that first caution came from the AAR. You also seem him being active, talking to the players, before the free kick. Looked like great teamwork overall. Subtle and probably not noticeable at all for non-refs, but that's one of the things that the AARs are supposed to do.
Seemed pretty late. If not, PI. The first foul he committed, nearly in exact same area, was definitely tactical. I think it's a good card.
And a very correct either PI or tactical yellow on Limbersky. Second quick foul for him in a promising area for Poland. Thomson calling it well so far.
The replay I saw showed no ball and all leg. I think the card is for tactical reasons, rather than the severity of the foul.
But if it is not a foul, it is not a tactical foul. I agree it wasn't for severity. The announcer, not that they are reliable, even says "he got a piece of the ball and then the man". Looked to me that he got ball.
I was just wondering: PI tactical or just marking drawing a line in the sand. The first one looked more tactical to me. (And the replay has a hint that it was a "clean tackle").
Meh, its splitting hairs. A slowed down replay might have shown the faintest of touches. The referee saw it in real time and called the foul. Looks like he may have had help from the AAR as well who was about 5 yds away.
Anyone else notice that referees seem to be issuing cards in the same manner? I see the motion of pulling the card out, holding it aside, beckoning the player, showing the card and then putting it away. I've seen professional level referees throw the card instantly and others run to the area, talk to the player, then show the card. It seems to be consistent mechanics all around - and I've seen about 80% of the games this euros.
I think it's the preferred style of Thomson, Kuipers, Skomina and Eriksson. I have not noticed others doing it, but it could be an instruction. I sort of doubt that Collina & co (all having been former Elite referees) would rigidly impose an instruction like that at a tournament, though, knowing that each referee has probably been going with his own style for ~20 years. And that was probably the first cautionable foul that I've seen Thomson ignore. I guess his physical presence, being right there, was enough to manage it.
I think he did get a piece of the ball before the man, but it was still a foul because of the follow-through.
I love how Derek Rae has found a way to name 4 of the 5 Scottish officials. Only William Collum to go. Probably worth noting that Derek Rose, the JAR, spent a year in the United States recently. He had to work here, in 2010, I believe. Lived in NYC area. Actually came off the FIFA list for a year, went right back on, and was put back in Thomson's normal trio. Must be incredibly well-thought of in Scotland for that to be allowed!
I do believe that was a very bad foul from #5. Fourth official could have helped, but Thomson just went to talk to the Polish player. OOH! Again. Thomson is definitely trying to talk his way through this, which I'm sure the players appreciate. But #5 could be gone, nevermind booked.
Thomson has always shown yellow cards in that manner - it's just his style. So far, very impressed with Thomson. Some great teamwork to get decisions correct as well, with Thomson overruling his AR and either his AR or AAR helping to change his mind on a GK he'd given that was a corner. Can't see what the argument is about the first YC. Player about to get into the area and is then taken down unfairly. YC all day for me. Similar to that YC just given to the Polish defender!
Elbows are flying here, though. It really is the one thing Thomson hasn't dealt with--at all, really.
HA! That's how to deal with timewasting. Great from Thomson but do not try that at home, as the cliche goes.
Watching this game, I couldn't help but think that the respect the players had for each other helped Thomson a lot today. In my opinion there were quite a few trifling or doubtful fouls called, and his card mechanic was rather robotic. He didn't emphasize the importance of his cards in the way they were administered, which may have contributed to the final total being eight cautions. If the players didn't respect each other, some of the missed elbows or the flare up over time wasting could have gone a lot worse, IMO.
Looked like a stonewall penalty to me. The call wouldn't have helped Poland's case (too little too late), but Russia were efficiently thrown out due to the decision.