By Hughie Southon
Ok lousy performance against a Fulham team who, if they had a striker to speak of, would probably be half way up the league.
But none of that matters because as things stand the disgraceful Mike Dean has ensured that probably our most influential player Tomas Soucek won’t be around for three games.
I say “as it stands” because I can’t believe the club won’t appeal that and get it reversed just as Southampton did when Dean sent off two players in their 9-0 defeat.
One of them, whose name escapes me, saw his over-ruled by the FA and was back in the team today for the match at Newcastle apparently.
It all hinged on Tomas Soucek lifting his arm away from the play-acting Mitrovic who was pushing at him and immediately crashed to ground as the midfielder’s elbow brushed his face.
VAR took a look and refereed it back to Dean who took three full minutes looking – meaning he must have been uncertain – but produced a red card anyway.
Ah no wait minute Dean loves the limelight and three minutes of him looking at a TV screen while their cameras are on him are as Jamie Redknapp puts it just the way he likes it
What a shocking little man – what a shocking ref.
You would have though hr would have learned his lesson at Southampton but NO he comes to Craven Cottage and does precisely the same thing and I have no doubt he will again be shamed by the FA.
This man is a bigger curse to the game than some believe VAR to ne
What you see is soucek being manhandled and it is natural to respond to that situation by defending yourself from the assault however intense the level of assault. Maybe the best action to take was for soucek to clutch his face and go down to win a second free kick nearer the goalmouth when forcibly pushed in the chest. But he is too honest to act out the same charade that mitrovic played out. Mike dean represents like mitrovic all that is inherently abysmal about football now . They are no longer part of the great game as it once was but a cancer in the decline of it’s pure form
Absolute disgrace of a referee, and as we all know needs his 3 minutes every now and again and again and again. I’d be surprised if the red card isn’t rescinded.
Soucek was trying to free his arm in order to jump and achieve elevation. There was no intent to harm the other player. Emmy award to Mitrovic who should get a ban. For Dean another Oscar.
Sack every PL ref and linesman they are all useless except Sian Massey, replace them all with people that are not influenced by their ego’s.. or stupid rules. Mike Reid appeared to be apologising to Soucek for sending him off but that he was following the rules, if that’s the case the rules are wrong… common sense should influence decision making, the reason we need VAR is because male referees are incompetent in interpreting the law it has been thus way for 30 years so get rid of the men and look at other options, maybe all female officials or robots…
Agree that Sian Massey-Ellis is an outstanding official, always clear, concise and right! Sadly, as good as she is, Dean is bad. What’s worse, everyone knows it!! Clubs fear him reffing because he is bonkers incompetent. Time the FA hooked this clown.
Trouble with common sense and interpretations is that we’ll be having throw-ins in first 5 seconds and goalkeepers eating pork pies at half-time. I would rather do away with the match fixing and the betting companies with their ‘markets’. Make the rules a lot simpler. Rule number one – don’t cheat. Then allow referees to make their decisions on what they see assisted by the extra eyes of linesmen.
COYI