Honest Mistakes to Week Thirteen
This piece takes us up to date with a review of the big calls as we eagerly await the resumption of the league campaign in Scotland.
The impact of big calls being incorrect can then be evaluated using the framework outlined here -> Honest Mistakes in the SPFL.
SPFL Game Weeks Twelve and Thirteen
04/11/23 Ross County vs Celtic
Incident 1
Referee David Munro Game Minute 5th Score At Time 0-0
Incident Scales scores for Celtic Outcome Free kick to Ross Co for foul by Oh Evidence BBC iPlayer - Sportscene - Premiership Highlights 2023/24: 04/11/2023
At 2:09
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Initial on field decision: Free kick to Ross County for foul by Oh
Oh appears to jump into the back of the Ross County defender as the ball is played into the box. Scales receives the loose ball and drills home but play is pulled back for initial foul.
I would agree with this call. Oh’s right arm looks to push down on the shoulder of the Ross County player and prevents him from fairly jumping and attempting to head the ball away.
VERDICT: CORRECT DECISION
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
Incident 2
Referee David Munro Game Minute 8th Score At Time 0-0
Incident Brown fouls Yang Outcome Free kick to Celtic, YC to Brown upgraded to RC on VAR review Evidence BBC iPlayer - Sportscene - Premiership Highlights 2023/24: 04/11/2023
At 2:57
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Brown brings down Yang
Initial on field decision: Foul to Celtic. Caution to Brown that is upgraded after VAR review to a sending off offence.
On edge of Ross County penalty area Brown stretches to make a challenge on the Celtic player and appears to catch him late. Referee is in proximity and feels the tackle is reckless in nature and issues caution.
However, on review, the challenge by Brown does look to be worse. His right foot is fully extended, and his studs get planted around the inside ankle area of the Celtic man.
Once this contact is brought to the referee’s attention, we would expect to see this kind of challenge deemed to be an act of serious foul play due to the excessive force used and endangering the opponent’s safety - therefore a sending off incident.
VERDICT: CORRECT DECISION TO UPGRADE TO A SENDING OFF OFFENCE.
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
Incident 3
Referee David Munro Game Minute 30th Score At Time 0-0
Incident Oh scores for Celtic Outcome Goal to Celtic overturned for offside by VAR Evidence BBC iPlayer - Sportscene - Premiership Highlights 2023/24: 04/11/2023
At 5:00
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Oh scores for Celtic
Initial on field decision: Initial goal ruled out for offside after VAR review.
Oh gets on end of cross and scores from close range but after VAR intervene, offside decision is awarded.
I understand there is some debate around which frame was used by the VAR team on the game to make the offside decision. I don’t have enough knowledge or inside information to address that issue. All I can base my observations on, is the first freeze frame taken from the highlights package presented. An incredibly tight call as we would expect, but my gut feeling is that the Celtic right-side player who crosses the ball, does appear to be offside due to the position of his right knee at the moment the ball is played to him. I do not see any other images/evidence that conclusively contradicts my opinion.
VERDICT: CORRECT DECISION TO AWARD THE OFFSIDE
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
12/11/23 Livingston vs The Rangers
Incident 1
Referee Steven McLean Game Minute 14th Score At Time 0-0
Incident Goldson scores for TRFC Outcome Free kick to Livingston on VAR review for offside interference by Dessers Evidence Livingston 0-2 Rangers | Dessers And Tavernier Give Rangers Win | cinch Premiership - YouTube
At 0:23
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Initial on field decision: Goal initially awarded to Rangers but then awarded as offside against Rangers player Dessers deemed to be interfering.
Goldson scores after the Livingston keeper initially parries the original free kick. Although Goldson is clearly onside when he scores, I think this clip demonstrates excellent teamwork between the on-field referee and the VAR team.
The VAR will instruct the referee to award offside as a factual decision in almost all cases of offside, which is why you do not normally see the on-field ref review the screen for offside decisions.
But here, the reason Dessers is ultimately adjudged to be offside, is that he moves towards the ball but doesn’t play it. Under Law 11 – “offsides, a player should be deemed active for an offside offence when ‘clearly attempts to play the ball which is close when this action impacts on opponent
Or makes an obvious action which impacts the ability of opponent to play the ball”
This is more of a subjective decision and can only be decided by the on-field referee as to whether he believes Dessers meets these criteria. The VAR will have said Dessers is stood offside as the ball is delivered, but they wouldn’t say if he was ‘interfering’ on not. The referee makes the final call after being brought to the pitch side monitor.
For the record, I felt this was a great call by the referee. Dessers stretches out his boot to play the ball, which clearly impacts the goalkeepers positioning and reactions to this attempt – which then causes his to parry rather than catch the ball.
VERDICT: CORRECT DECISION TO OVER RULE THE GOAL
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
Incident 2
Referee Steven McLean Game Minute 22nd Score At Time 0-0
Incident McAusland goes down in the box Outcome Penalty to TRFC Evidence Livingston 0-2 Rangers | Dessers And Tavernier Give Rangers Win | cinch Premiership - YouTube
At 1:24
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict McCausland goes down in the box
Initial on field decision: Penalty awarded to Rangers
McCausland attempts to get to the ball before the Livingston keeper and is adjudged to have been fouled and penalty awarded. I was surprised the VAR didn’t ask the referee to review this decision as I feel this is a very soft penalty decision. The Rangers player looks to anticipate any contact here and is already going down before the minimal contact from the left arm of the Livingston keeper is made. Not nearly enough in this for me to see a penalty awarded.
VERDICT: INCORRECT DECISION; No foul committed here, and penalty not expected outcome
Expected Points
Outcome
+0.46 xPts for TRFC
Incident 3
Referee Steven McLean Game Minute 44th Score At Time 0-1
Incident McAusland scores for TRFC Outcome Goal to TRFC overturned by VAR for a foul by Sima Evidence BBC iPlayer - Sportscene - Premiership Highlights 2023/24: 12/11/2023
At 31:27
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict McCausland scores for Rangers
Initial on field decision: Initial goal ruled out by after VAR review due to foul committed by Sima
In the build up to this goal, Sima challenges for the cross and the referee deems this to have been a foul. I’ve watched clip back several times over and although I see the defender go to ground and Sima is in proximity, I don’t see the Rangers player do much wrong here.
There is minimal contact from his right arm, certainly not enough for a clear push and it looks like the defender simply loses his footing. Player’s reaction sometimes gives us clues about what may have happened and interesting the defender does not look at the referee or appeal for a foul against him. This confirms my belief that no foul committed in the build-up.
VERDICT: INCORRECT DECISION. GOAL SHOULD HAVE STOOD
Expected Points
Outcome
-0.9 xPts for TRFC
Incident 4
Referee Steven McLean Game Minute 77th Score At Time 0-1
Incident Ball hits Devlin in the box Outcome Penalty to TRFC for handball Evidence Livingston 0-2 Rangers | Dessers And Tavernier Give Rangers Win | cinch Premiership - YouTube
At 4:13
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Long cross into the Livingston box
Initial on field decision: Initially no foul committed, but after VAR review, penalty awarded to Rangers for hand ball by Devlin
Cross into box and Devlin and Rangers player both jump to head the ball. In real time it is hard to see what part of Devlin’s body clear the ball but under video review you can see that his left arm is higher than his head and the ball hits this raised arm.
I have a little bit of sympathy for the defender as he is under pressure from the Rangers man and although it is not an intentional hand ball, I can see why it is given. I understand players to raise their arms a little as part of natural body position when jumping to head – but as soon as you raise the ram higher than your head, you are getting into the area of making your body shape unnaturally larger not expected for that situation.
VERDICT: CORRECT DECISION TO PENALISE THE HAND BALL OFFENCE AND AWARD THE PENALTY
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
12/11/23 Celtic vs Aberdeen
Incident 1
Referee Willie Collum Game Minute 50th Score At Time 2-0
Incident Rubezic and Kyogo clash for the ball Outcome Free kick to Celtic and YC to Rubezic Evidence BBC iPlayer - Sportscene - Premiership Highlights 2023/24: 12/11/2023
At 8:25
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Rubezic & Furuhashi challenge for the ball
Initial on field decision: Foul to Celtic and Rubezic cautioned for a reckless challenge.
This looks a painful challenge and I suspect Furuhashi certainly had a sore head the following day. Rubezic also appears to have suffered a blow to head here.
Both players have eyes on the ball and are determined to win the header and it is the Celtic player who gets there fractionally first. I believe this is genuine head collision and attempt to play the ball by Rubezic.
I feel both players were correct in their attempts to try and head the ball and as such do not feel Rubezic committed any act of serious foul play here. I believe the caution for a challenge reckless appropriate sanction here.
VERDICT: CORRECT DECISION
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
Incident 2
Referee Willie Collum Game Minute 77th Score At Time 2-0
Incident Oh goes down in the box under challenge from MacKenzie Outcome Penalty to Celtic on VAR review Evidence Celtic 6-0 Aberdeen | Furuhashi and a Korean Hat-trick as Dons are Thrashed | cinch Premiership - YouTube
At 2:25
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Oh goes down in the box
Initial on field decision: Penalty awarded to Celtic after VAR review
Referee initially awards corner kick after Aberdeen player challenges Oh for the ball. However, when watching incident back you see Oh win the ball before the Aberdeen player catches him on the left thigh and the defender gets nothing on the ball at all.
VERDICT: CORRECT DECISION TO AWARD THE PENALTY
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
Summary
My thanks as always to the Yorkshire Whistler.
A couple of lively ties in Dingwall and at Livingston generated some unexpected drama.
A personal note from me on the “challenge” by Aberdeen’s Slobodan Rubeži? on Kyogo. Trying to ignore club loyalties here and secondly this comment is in no way aimed at the Yorkshire Whistler. His appraisal I would posit reflects accurately the prevailing attitude to head injuries within professional football. I find it sad that within football such challenges do not generate uproar irrespective of the victim.
In rugby, which I know has different dynamics, such a collision would have seen not only a red card for Rubeži? but likely a lengthy ban. Football is slow to move away from the all-mitigating “the ball is there to be won” and towards players having to account for the safety of their opponents. Sometimes the ball is simply not there to be won at any cost. Which is complex, I admit.
Anyway, back to other things that seem immune to change.
In terms of the overall position:
The Rangers have 0.6 less points and Celtic 0.8 less than expected due to the impact of Honest Mistakes. The Rangers are 0.2 xPts better off thanks to honest mistakes.
Celtic lead by eight points after 13 matches having played a game more.