Maybe, just maybe this one wasn’t about Michael Oliver. To a hammer everything looks like a nail and a large portion of the online response to Liam Roberts’ challenge – transl: insane flying head-kick – on Jean-Philippe Mateta was anger at Oliver’s refusal to give an instant red card. It did seem obvious straight away from the stands that this was a red card. But both managers said after the game they weren’t clear in the moment how bad it had been. It was also clear Oliver hadn’t missed it, didn’t show a deluded yellow or wave play on, but was instead allowing himself to lean on VAR, letting the tech freeze the moment and make absolutely sure. The right decision emerged almost instantly. It wasn’t an oversight, or further damning evidence of incompetence. It was, as the phrase goes, “good process” given the tech is there and referees are supposedly a team. This may have felt like the right moment for an instant punitive brandishing of a card. But Oliver wasn’t the villain here. Barney Ronay
For a start, he did give a yellow card didn't he if I remember rightly? Secondly, his job is to spot fouls and given cards appropriately, not wait for VAR to do it. He had this view, why the he'll as a professional referee did he need VAR?
Comments
now for palarse to fuck off
Come on Fulham.
If he was that concerned, why not follow him to hospital rather than hijacking the HT discussion.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/mar/03/fa-cup-fifth-round-talking-points-from-the-weekends-matches
Oliver right to let VAR punish Roberts
For a start, he did give a yellow card didn't he if I remember rightly?
Secondly, his job is to spot fouls and given cards appropriately, not wait for VAR to do it.
He had this view, why the he'll as a professional referee did he need VAR?