First, I’m going to have a real rant about the Blackburn game.ย ย As most of you who read my blog have found. I do not take the popular views of decisions which are given for and against us.
I highlighted this in my last ref’s watch.ย ย Overall, I thought the referee was top class.
His positioning and ability to get always in 10 yards of play at every decision was phenomenal. This is so hard do, especially at local level where you don’t have linesman. This adds so much running.
The reason for my rant is against idiotic pundits trying to jump on the Swans get favourable decisions. There were 3 calls to make. The first one against Guehi was a coming together. His strength and size just made him more favourable to win the challenge. Had the same decision had been an attack for the Swans I’d be saying the same.
Secondly, the potential handball.ย ย I have to be honest, at first glance I thought it was, however the picture on Swans TV wasn’t the best and the ref’s positioning was excellent. Maybe he saw it not touch the Blackburn defenders arm. Onto the Swans penalty. Had a Swans player made a similar challenge for the penalty, I’d be absolutely giving that player grief over such a silly challenge. It was stonewall.
As mentioned, yes we’ve had for me 2 favourable penalties. However, why there was no dispute for this one.
Now, onto the Luton game. Its almost nice to write that there is almost nothing to write about.
The only potential contentious decision was the alleged handball against Manning.ย Again had this been in the Luton area, I would be saying it wasn’t handball. His arms were against his side. But, as we’ve seen this year, handball has become subjective and no one really knows what’s going to be given or not.
But, for me it wasn’t.
As mentioned, I’ve become extremely angry at what I would say are fair decisions in our way. Why the pundits are jumping on the band wagon is beyond me. Surely their job is to be fair and honest. This is something I’ve always tried to uphold in my blog. Yes, I’m a Swans fan, but I will always try to give 1st decisions by laws of game and 2nd what I believe is correct
Even if its unpopular. This is the role of the referee