Honest Mistakes - Week Nine
Bringing us up to date with the big calls reviewed from Match Week Nine in the SPFL.
This leads us onto VAR being introduced in an accelerated manner in the following week but not for the games involving the top two.
This week, Celtic were at St Johnstone whilst The Rangers hosted St Mirren.
The impact of that call being incorrect can then be evaluated using the framework outlined here -> Honest Mistakes in the SPFL.
08/10/22 St Johnstone vs Celtic
Incident 1
Referee Euan Anderson Game Minute 50th
Incident Giakoumakis heads in from a free kick Outcome Goal disallowed and free kick to St Johnstone for offside Evidence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDOtGIdIPh8&t=72s
At 1:56
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Giakoumakis heads in from free kick
Initial on field decision: Offside, free kick awarded to St Johnstone
Incredibly tight offside call here goes against Giakoumakis. This is millimetres either way. From the footage presented and still image, I’d say this was probably the right call.
However, in real time at full speed the assistant referee surely could not have been certain either way?
Verdict: A very narrow, correct decision
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
Incident 2
Referee Euan Anderson Game Minute 52nd
Incident Maeda challenges for Haksabanovic’s cross Outcome Goal kick to St Johnstone Evidence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDOtGIdIPh8&t=72s
At 2:18
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Maeda challenges for Haksabanovic’s cross
Initial on field decision:
Goal kick to St Johnstone
The footage seems to clearly indicate the ball does touch the Celtic player last so goal kick is correct.
However, there is the question of a possible penalty/hand ball offence involving the Sat Johnstone player in close proximity.
As Maeda tries the overhead kick, the defender at the last minute instinctively reacts to a potential boot to face, by raising his arms to protect his face.
I would agree the ball does momentarily clip his hand before bouncing onto Maeda, but given the lack of thinking/response time, proximity to the ball and his arms are not extended at all, I would not expect the referee to deem this as anything other than accidental handball, body shape totally justified to that particular incident.
Verdict: Correct decision
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
Incident 3
Referee Euan Anderson Game Minute 53rd
Incident Kucheriavyi penalised for fouling Hatate Outcome Free kick to Celtic; YC to Kucheriavyi Evidence BBC iPlayer - Sportscene - Premiership Highlights 2022/23: 08/10/2022
At 6:48
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Kucheriavyi penalised for fouling Hatate
Initial on field decision:
YC to Kucheriayvi and free kick to Celtic
Pretty clear-cut foul here, more of a contention around the punishment. Should we have seen a red card instead of the yellow card for possible violent conduct?
In real time it appears to be a fairly innocuous incident. However, when reviewing the slow-motion footage, you can clearly see the St Johnstone player have a quick glance first, to see where the Celtic player is. He then puts his arm to shield the expected, incoming contact.
This arm does catch the Celtic player in the face. If the referee sees and deems this as a deliberate swing of the arm, then he could have been justified in showing the red card.
Having watched it several times, the lack of any clear intent or swinging/aiming of the elbow makes me few like a yellow card for a reckless challenge is, on balance, the correct decision.
The initial glance hints at an element of the player knowing his surroundings, but with an element of ‘benefit of the doubt’ not enough to say this was violent conduct or a challenge with excessive force that endangered opponent’s safety.
Verdict : Correct decision to issue the yellow card
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
Incident 4
Referee Euan Anderson Game Minute 93rd
Incident Wright scores from a free kick for St Johnstone Outcome Goal to St Johnstone Evidence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDOtGIdIPh8&t=72s
At 3:50
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Mitchell scores from a free kick for St Johnstone
Initial on field decision: Goal awarded to St Johnstone
Free kick is launched into Celtic penalty area, bodies coming together, ball lands at feet of Mitchell. He scores from close range. In the build-up, one of the replays appears to show a different St Johnstone player pulling on the front of Giakoumakis and potentially impending his ability to contest for the ball.
Given the numbers of bodies in the box and the expected ‘mutual contact’ between the players it is easy to see how this shirt pull has not been spotted. I suspect if the referee sees this shirt pull, he would have blown for a defensive free kick, as Giakoumakis has a good chance to actually win the header, if he is not impeded.
Verdict: Incorrect decision, defensive free kick expected outcome.
Expected Points
Outcome
Celtic -0.9 xPts
08/10/22 The Rangers vs St Mirren
Incident 1
Referee Nick Walsh Game Minute 30th
Incident Colak goes down under Gallagher challenge in box Outcome Penalty to TRFC Evidence (1) SPFL - YouTube
At 24:15
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Colak goes over in the box under challenge from Gallagher
Initial on field decision: Penalty awarded to Rangers
Video quality not the best with this one but my gut feeling is that Colak has won a soft decision here.
He appears to get his toe to the ball first, as the St Mirren defender stretches to block the challenge. Colak momentum then sees him hurdle the outstretched leg before dropping to the floor.
I don’t believe the defender makes contact with either the ball or man here. By diving him, he is forcing the referee to make a quick decision as to if any contact has been made here. But on replay, I don’t see any contact.
Verdict: Incorrect decision. No foul committed
Expected Points
Outcome
TRFC +0.32 xPts
Summary
My thanks as always to the Yorkshire Whistler.
Two big calls wrong that benefit The Rangers / hinder Celtic.
Crawford Allan, Head of Refereeing was on the TV five days straight and the Daily Record ran a 10-page special on the state of refereeing in Scotland.
And then I woke up.
Update to the overall picture:
Based on the in-match game state when the decisions were made (or not made), The Rangers have 1.08 MORE points than expected due to the cumulative impact of Honest Mistakes and Celtic 1.45 LESS.
A swing of 2.53 xPts.
Celtic lead by two points after nine matches.