Honest Mistakes - Week 34
Week 34 of the SPFL Premier season saw comfortable wins for the top two from tough away assignments. Despite this, there were a few incidents of note for the Yorkshire Whistler to give the virtual VAR treatment to.
BACKGROUND - I outlined a framework to assess the impact of Honest Mistakes in the SPFL.
23/04/22 Motherwell vs The Rangers
Incident 1
Referee Nick Walsh Game Minute 28th
Incident Balogun challenge results in red card Outcome Foul to Motherwell, Red Card to Balogun Evidence Motherwell 1-3 Rangers | Ten-man victory! | cinch Premiership - YouTube
At 01:14
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Initial on field decision: foul to Motherwell and Balogun sent off.
Balogun commits to a challenge near the touch line and at full speed this looks like a robust challenge that takes the ball and man.
The referee is well positioned and instantly sees this as a tackle with excessive force that endangers player safety - which meets the criteria for a red card.
On review I would agree with refs decision. Whilst I have a small degree of sympathy with Balogun as I feel he is going for the ball, he launches into the tackle. His outstretched lunge means the extended leg studs raise off the ground. We then see these studs going over the top of the ball and into the Motherwell players ankle.
Verdict: Correct decision
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
Incident 2
Referee Nick Walsh Game Minute 62nd
Incident Sakala goes down in the box Outcome Penalty to TRFC Evidence Motherwell 1-3 Rangers | Ten-man victory! | cinch Premiership - YouTube
At 03:43
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Initial on field decision: Foul and penalty awarded to Rangers.
Salaka skips past a challenge and breaks into 18-yard box. Motherwell defender attempts a slide tackle and is adjudged to have fouled player.
Again, great positioning from referee, up with play, wide angle, unobstructed view. This helps him quickly make what I feel is the correct decision in awarding the penalty.
The defender attempts a last-ditch tackle with his right foot but on the Rangers player left hand side, so this immediately makes it look like an awkward, off balance challenge.
I feel he catches the Rangers player leg first and so the foul is committed.
Verdict: Correct decision.
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
24/04/22 Ross County vs Celtic
Incident 1
Referee Kevin Clancy Game Minute 23rd
Incident Furuhashi given offside from O'Riley through ball Outcome Goal disallowed and free kick to Ross County Evidence Ross County 0-2 Celtic | Kyogo Furuhashi Scores Early Opener! | cinch Premiership - YouTube
At 0:46
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict The Celtic forward almost times his run to perfection to latch onto a pass and slot home but assistant referee makes an incredibly tight call and rules him off side.
At full speed I felt this was a tight but correct call and even in slow motion I still feel this was just the right call. VAR if in use will have drawn up the lines and aligned to the defender’s rear leg and at the time of the pass, it is so close to call either way.
Verdict: Correct Decision (just)
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
Incident 2
Referee Kevin Clancy Game Minute 56th
Incident Maeda header from corner connects with Randall's arm Outcome No decision Evidence Ross County 0-2 Celtic | Kyogo Furuhashi Scores Early Opener! | cinch Premiership - YouTube
At 02:35
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict Initial on field decision: No offence committed
Maeda and the Ross County defender jump up together in an aerial challenge. In real time the ball appears to hit the defender and his arm does look outstretched so I can understand why there is a penalty appeal.
However, having reviewed the footage replay, we can see that the ball initially hits the defender’s torso, before then ricocheting onto his arm, whilst his arm is still relatively ‘tucked in’.
The arm only begins to out stretch, after the contact has already occurred.
Given the initial contact is elsewhere on the body, the nature of the challenge at close proximity and the arms initial position, there is no element of accidental hand ball with unnaturally bigger body shape that can’t be justified.
Verdict: Correct Decision
Expected Points
Outcome
No impact
Summary
My thanks as always to the Yorkshire Whistler.
Congratulations are due to Walsh and Clancy for getting the big calls correct in this crucial game week.
No movement in the overall xPts position then.
After this week’s errors, Celtic have 3.64 LESS Points than expected and The Rangers have 1.47 MORE points than expected due to the cumulative impact of Honest Mistakes.
The overall difference, therefore, is 5.11 points.
Celtic currently lead by 6 points with four matches left. Had VAR been in place in Scotland (and staffed with competent, neutral officials), Celtic would be looking at potentially 1 more point to clinch the league.