Premier League 2019-20 Assignments and Discussion [Rs]

These next couple matches for Chelsea, Leicester and Man United are going to be critical now that CAS has ruled City to not be in violation of FFP (which is a whole different conversation I don’t want to even get into).

I’d consider LC v. SHU a way more difficult match versus a Liverpool v. arsenal.

Interesting selection of Jon Moss and Lee Mason for Chelsea and City match respectively. Maybe saving some options for the LC v. United and Chelsea v. Liverpool fixtures coming up.

 

Absolutely correct.

However, from a Referee standpoint, most of the really challenging games that remain are at the other end of the table, with Friday's game (West Ham v Watford) being one of the biggest.

That's why, at this period of the season, you shouldn't pay attention to who gets games involving the "big six" as they are frequently less important. Hence, you get Tierney on the "usual" marquee game, Arsenal v Liverpool, while it is Atkinson who goes to West Ham v Watford.

 

Doesn’t the game to decide promotion from the championship usually have a premier league ref team? Tierny did it last year. Seems like of all games, that would not be the one to have a ref team that has no rapport/familiarity with those players,

 

Generally speaking, yes. I know Anthony Taylor did the Championship playoff final two years ago.

In my opinion, I think it does make sense to put a "neutral", Premier League crew on the match. The impact of that game is so big, and in normal times you have a big and loud crowd at Wembley. Plus, if there's any history - good or bad - with a SG2 referee working the match, you know that the stakes of that particular match with the millions of dollars of Premier League money riding on the game will generate controversy if there's a questionable call. Far better to have a totally neutral crew work the match and remove at least one variable for potential controversy. The SG1 referees will do their research and video study to be ready.

If I’m guessing, I’d say the Kavanagh/Massey-Ellis team is assigned that match this year.

 

Fair point on Kavanagh. With the exception of Taylor a couple of years ago, it seems like this assignment goes to a relatively new English FIFA, but not one who is a brand-new FIFA. Kavanagh seemed to fit that bill as I was thinking about the list of English FIFAs.

Given the implications of the pandemic, this year's match has more riding on it than previous years. It probably isn't out of the realm of possibility that one the Premier League's very highest tier takes the match. So that would probably include Oliver, Taylor, Dean, or Atkinson (understanding that Dean and Atkinson are no longer on the FIFA list, but they are still two of England's most experienced referees). I would imagine that the playoffs wouldn't have VAR if the rest of the competition hasn't had VAR, but no decision regarding VAR in England surprises me anymore.

 

very interesting. it's almost another reason to use sg2 refs if there's no var. i mean, when's the last time sg1 refs did a game that did not have var? will the ARs immediately be able to readjust to their older instructions/thresholds for a single game?

 

Are the games played at venues that are set up for VAR?

 

Current teams in places 3-6 are Brentford, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, and Cardiff City. Swansea is in 7th.

I would think that if they want VAR for the Championship playoffs, they'll have it. If I'm guessing, I bet that they will not have VAR in the semifinal legs (SG2 not as used to it as SG1) and will have VAR in the final with a Premier League crew. But that's just a guess on my part.

 

Sixth place Cardiff played while you were posting and won, which eliminated 12th place Blackburn. Leeds will guarantee first or second with 4 points in 3 games, and they host Barnsley in 24th (which is last) and Charlton in 21st. Third place Brentford leads in goal differential at +43, so they will win the tiebreaker if they tie Leeds for second. Leeds is second in goal differential at +35. West Brom is second in points and third in goal differential at +33. The bottom is also close. Barnsley is last, but with 3 games left they could pass 7 clubs. 8 clubs could get relegated, and only 5 clubs are guaranteed to stay. The season ends on Wednesday July 22.

 

This is an extract straight out of the EFL Rules of Competition for this season. As you will see (hopefully!) from the bottom line, the decision was made, before the start of the season, that VAR would not be in operation for any play-off matches in this season's play-offs. I guess they could change it, but I wouldn't think that they would.

 

They need at least four points to avoid relegation. Their last three games are against teams currently in the top six so it is unlikely, but odder things have happened.

 

don't have footage,,just read about it today ..Burnley gets a pk against wolves in injury time,.apparently Burnley player does overhead kick and wolves defender puts hand up to protect himself..does anyone have footage..wolves really need a win

 

https://streamable.com/esugji

 

I don't see that as controversial at all. He jumped at the ball with his arms out in front of him towards the ball.

 

thank you..I didn't stream peacock..so I couldn't see it live.

good call.sucks for wolves..

 

Correct, though there is also an appeal pending, which might simplify matters!

But, let's assume Wigan lose the appeal for the purposes of this discussion.

As per the rules of the EFL, the 12-point deduction actually doesn't get applied until the season is over. That way, they ensure that the penalty is applied in a manner that "punishes" Wigan. This means that had they got relegated the "traditional" way, the deduction would not apply until the start of next season - that is, they would start life in League 1 at -12 points.

But, since they have now officially avoided relegation the "traditional" way, the 12-point deduction will take effect at the end of this season. So, with two games remaining they are really on 45 points, level with Hull and Luton, but with a vastly superior goal difference.

 

OK, I'll fess up. I didn't pay enough attention to the pre-movement where the defender has a legitimate chance to head the ball, and I erroneously inferred he was coming in late with no chance. (And I was probably overly-influenced by a pet peeve of referees who don't call handling in cases where a player charges in with hands up "protecting himself" by making himself a bigger blocking space.)

This is a headable ball--I agree PIADM would be more appropriate (I can't tell if there is contact, so could be kicking, but doesn't make a practical difference here which is called.) But (unfortunately), I think if you don't go with PIADM, the current language seems to make this a hand ball offense. His arms are away from his body making him bigger, which only leaves us with the question of whether that is unnatural. (The the Laws don't have a specific protection exemption--that was always a concept of what it meant to be deliberate such that an "instinctive" response was not deliberate; now that we have hand ball offenses that aren't deliberate, this is harder to no-call on that basis when arms are in places that make the player bigger.)