[Albion] Tonights ref Kevin Friend

[Doonhamer7]

I thought he did an excellent job of wasting time - must have taken 5mins off the game with his talks to player

 

[Acker79]

I'm in the 'he was inconsistent' camp. Was generous to us at times, generous to them at other times. Rest of the time was mostly fair, I guess.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I'm in the 'he was inconsistent' camp. Was generous to us at times, generous to them at other times. Rest of the time was mostly fair, I guess.

 

[AZ Gull]

I checked our record with him before the game. Over the last five years, we haven't lost a game when he officiates.

Well, apart from the 4-0 defeat at Anfield in May.

Oh, and the 2-0 defeat at the Emirates last October.

Oh, and the Carabao Cup defeat to Bournemouth last September.

But apart from those, not a single defeat!

 

[mreprice]

Looks like I was the only person who thought our penalty was correct. The angle down the ground (Friends angle!) shows he clearly collected Izzy and started behind him. A tackle from behind is a penalty even if you get the ball.

 

[Mackenzie]

Izquierdo penalty was soft/wrong.
Murray penalty claim WAS a penalty.
Duffy decision correct, but was a consequence of the Murray incident.
Zaha should have had (at least) a second yellow for his stamp on Andone.

Poor game from the ref, but I guess it adds to the drama!

 

[Sussexscots]

Zaha shouldn't have been on the pitch to earn them their penalty... But after last night, the referee's performance is not what will linger in my memory!

 

[Simster]

I didn't think Izquierdo's was a penalty and I didn't think Murray's was either, to be honest. But them's the breaks, and the NigeIs only have themselves to blame.

 

[Wozza]

First pen shout: Should have been an Albion free kick from two yards out - McArthur got a touch and the keeper picked it up!

Second pen shout: Should have been a goal kick (we got the corner and scored, of course).

All perfectly reasonable.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Palace are really not in any position to moan about soft penalties.
I thought our one was not dissimilar to theirs against Arsenal ( without the salmon leap dive obviously).

That's what happens in the premier league and they would have been down a long time ago if that wasn't the case.

 

[father_and_son]

I'd have said he got all the little things right but the big ones wrong (although I think it mostly levelled out). First Pen.. No. Second Pen.. Yes. Red.. Yes, but wouldn't have happened had he got the Pen call right. Third Pen.. No. Zaha.. 2 yellows (min).

Having said that, I thought he kept the pace right, most of his advantage calls were spot on, he managed to defuse most of the bad-tempered stuff (that he didn't cause himself) but was very soft on Zaha.

A 6/10 from me. Mistakes but no bias. Ok performance.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Looks like I was the only person who thought our penalty was correct. The angle down the ground (Friends angle!) shows he clearly collected Izzy and started behind him. A tackle from behind is a penalty even if you get the ball.

I must admit, thought it wasn't a pen, then saw that angle from behind and he does go through Izzy to then get the touch on the ball. Not a clear cut soft penalty as people are suggesting.

 

[batch_91]

View from the TV (via laptop>via dodgy stream).

Murray pen - Shocking decision, 100% won the ball. Hilarious
2nd pen not given - actually a pen, levelled out the earlier one. Wasn't a corner either, all worked out nicely in the end.
Duffy red - stupid, literally right in front of the ref, only one possible outcome
Zaha studs on Andone - not a 2nd booking or straight red, Z has gone to turn with his foot on the ball, A has slid in and kicked the ball away from underneath. Painful studs on knee but no intent from Z in all fairness
Balogun pen - absolute stonewaller even for Zaha, daft challenge, no complaints

Generally the ref did a decent job of telling players (Zaha, McArthur, Tomkins, March) to keep a lid on it and seemed to be in good control, despite getting our two pens the wrong way round.

 

[Eddiespearritt]

I think for Kevin Friend it is a performance he'll look back at and know he got a lot of stuff very wrong. God forbid when VAR comes in - the games will be 20 minutes longer - and still just as contentious no doubt. Look at the penalty Cardiff got at West Ham last night - exactly the same as the reckless barge on Murray.

For humour the moments of Friend and Milllilliiilovec rolling the ball backwards and forwards on the penatly spot was pure comedy - and then Bissouma innocently rolling it off again (for a cheap yellow card) while whistling "Sussex-by-the sea" - brilliant stuff.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

I think for Kevin Friend it is a performance he'll look back at and know he got a lot of stuff very wrong. God forbid when VAR comes in - the games will be 20 minutes longer - and still just as contentious no doubt. Look at the penalty Cardiff got at West Ham last night - exactly the same as the reckless barge on Murray.

For humour the moments of Friend and Milllilliiilovec rolling the ball backwards and forwards on the penatly spot was pure comedy - and then Bissouma innocently rolling it off again (for a cheap yellow card) while whistling "Sussex-by-the sea" -
brilliant stuff.

Palace lad should have been booked for the Penalty moving the ball back and forth with the ref. He was in the refs face and moved the ball away from where the ref wanted it at least 3 times. Bisouma moved it once and was booked.
Izzy penalty I though was harsh on them but viewed from behind the defender did go through Izzypenalty stopping him from moving forward. Still no pen for me though. Murray incident was a clear penalty for me. Defender pushed him to the ground, clear cut from my view. It was however not a corner as it came off Murray.
One thing Friend also got wrong was Zaha should not have been on the pitch after his second booking. He made three rash tackles which resulted in free kicks for us plus the constant winging to the ref, he was a lucky lad to stay on. His penalty was a penalty all day long, no questions from anyone there. I was willing Saha to go as he actually deserves a 3 match ban for petulance.

 

[PTC Gull]

Based on this (poor) screen shot from the tv footage it shows where Friend was and his view of McCarthy lunging in from the left. Can see why he gave it. VAR would have changed it though.