Wasn’t Shsmrock addressing the idea of having ex-players in the VAR box, which doesn’t really seem to be a solution, or addressing the fundamental problems? Keys and Gray are talking about another idea, which is a bit more to the point. Transparency is a key issue for me, although their idea only begins to touch on constructive incremental solutions.
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Just wondering how you go 30 years without a title if thats the case and a some southern teams winning it in between.
There’s a modicum of opinion held on this issue here worthy of conversation and then There’s another level that’s just off the radar.
I don’t think there is any grand conspiracy but I do believe teams and players acquire reputations and those reputations can sometimes influence the snap decision making of referees in high profile moments.
Arsenal has a reputation for having clown players like Mustafi, Luiz, and Xhaka who do stupid shit and get red cards. So when a referee is thinking “Did that Arsenal player just do some stupid shit deserving of a red card?” its easy for them to say “Eh, probably” because it fits with this larger narrative.
City and Liverpool right now have reputations for being smart, tenacious, well managed clubs whose players don’t do stupid shit in huge moments. So when a referee is thinking “Did that guy just do something incredibly stupid?” - like Rodri handling the ball for no reason in the penalty box or Naby Keita foolishly going studs up into Chalobah’s nuts in a cup final - its easy for them to default to “Lets let it slide” because it doesn’t fit with the preconceived narrative about these squads.
The same is true for certain individual players like Harry Kane. The narrative is that England captain Harry Kane is absolutely not somebody who gets sent off in a big match for no reason, so when he loses his head with a studs up attempted leg breaker then the referee is inclined to let it go.
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We must be owed a few personal calls
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What the fuck is a personal phone call worth lol
I’m sure Everton would prefer the 1 point
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No guarantee they score the penalty. Also the reason why any transparency won’t work as all we will get is this reaction.
It’s a fallacy that people will ever accept the ref saying he got something wrong.
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Mike Riley should have dropped to his knees and got to work on Mikel after the Luiz sending off at Molineux last year.
Getting an apology for this lol, not even remotely the worst decision that’s been made this season.
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It’s also Liverpool who might want an apology as well, especially if Man City win the PL by a point.
Although some Everton supporters might consider losing a couple of points to stop their rivals winning the PL title worth it. 
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British bias at full work. Like any foreign manager gets a personal apology like that. It’s the same reason why the likes of Harry Kane is allowed to get away with murder. Same with Rooney a decade ago.
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I agree.
Kane gets away with far more than almost any other PL player.
As for Rooney, I remember a referee saying that he got treated differently than other players when he swore at them because that’s the way he was, almost as if he couldn’t help it and had Tourette’s or something.
But that Man U team used to get a lot of decisions going their way.
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Fergy was an English footballing institution, refs were terrified of him. At times it felt like you had to beat them and the officials.
The amount of decisions that went their way over the years…you need only look at the 2-0 loss at OT back in 04. Ferdinand, Neville and RvN should have all been sent off. Cole and Reyes could have been stretchered off.
Glad Cesc lobbed a pizza slice at Fergy, hopefully it was still hot and the pizza sauce got in the bastard’s eye or something. Fucker.
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Just shows what a joke the refs and the entire org are, wasn’t even 100% clear it was a wrong call yet he schedules a blowie for Frank over it??
Confirmed even more of a dickhead.
I see this argument made a lot and mocked but it’s a really good example of the difference between a bias and conspiracy.
There is absolutely a bias towards English players. All you have to do is look at the chummy way the refs engage with English players, calling Wayne Rooney “Wazza” (yuck) and stuff like that.
It is wild to me with how big soccer is in London that there are no PL refs from London. You’d think at some point down the years you’d find someone who loves the game but maybe couldn’t play it at a high level who turned to referee school.
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Did Mikel ever make such an appeal for an apology? It’s not really frequent that I see any manager doing what Lampard did
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Stop crying Frank Lampard
Edit: I may be projecting too much thought onto it but Everton are in deep shit. Lampard isn’t a great coach but he is English and he has a big footprint in the English media. Maybe he wanted to draw attention to it in the hopes they get some 50-50s down the stretch?
Arteta used to play for fucking Rangers he’s like the 5th most British manager in the league
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Took me more than ten years but I finally understand Scottish sectarianism in soccer.
Doesnt make sense this though. The foreign coach got the decision, the English one the apology and loses the game.
Where you coming from on this argument. Trying to hard on this one.
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Well yeah, that’s why I said I might be projecting too much.
I do think there’s an inherent bias towards English players and English managers.
I also think Pep and Klopp whine about the refs too. I also think everyone assumes other teams get favorable calls.