Honest Mistakes – Week 8

At 0:15

Initial on field decision: No foul

Hearts defender challenges for the ball between two Rangers attackers. As he jumps to clear the ball, his arms come out, prompting a penalty appeal.

One review here is enough to determine the hall hits around the defender’s chest and shoulder joint. Straight forward decision.

Verdict: Correct decision to not award handball

Outcome

At 2:18

Initial on field decision: Foul to Rangers, red card shown to Devlin

Very naughty challenge here. Looks worse each time on review. The Hearts player runs from distance and decides he’s going to stamp down at the ball/Rangers players leg. Appears to be a frustrated challenge. Clearly the stamp sees his studs drill into Rangers player lower ankle.

Clearly this meets sending off criteria for serious foul play: a tackle with excessive force/brutality or endangers players safety.

Verdict: Correct decision to issue the red card

Outcome

At 2:45

Initial on field decision: Free kick awarded to Hearts.

This decision is made immediately after Gordon has come to stretch and attempt to claim a cross. You can argue that Gordon had already spilt the ball, but just before the Rangers player can stab the loose ball home, a foul is committed by his team mate. His run barges straight into the path of the keeper. Regardless of whether Gordon would have blocked the resulting shot, I feel the foul was committed first and rest comfortable with the decision to award the free kick.

Verdict: Correct decision

Outcome

At 3:10

Initial on field decision: No foul committed

Abada breaks down flank and at close range to Lamie, fires ball into the box. Lamie is doing what any defender would do and close down and attempts to block cross.

In Lamie’s defence the ball is fired at close proximity but what I can’t justify is why his arm is extended behind him as he is moving forward to block the cross.

This is not an attempt to interfere with a promising attack but rather an accidental handball, so no 2nd yellow card should have been produced in this instance.

However, I feel the extended arm did meet the criteria of making Lamie’s body shape unnaturally larger and this could not be justified by his expected movement/situation.

Verdict: Incorrect decision. Hand ball and penalty kick expected outcome.

Outcome

Reminder: Had Celtic scored when already 2-1 in the 73^rd minute it would have added 0.25 to their xPts. We multiply this by the odds of scoring the resulting penalty (0.79) to get the final xPts.

At 4:10

Initial on field decision: Foul to Motherwell and red card shown to McGregor.

As Celtic attempt to play out from back, McGregor gets sold short by a team mates pass and as a result McGregor looks like he will get beaten to the ball by the Motherwell forward. There is a coming together and McGregor is adjudged to have deliberately impeded the player and so is sent off for a DOGSO (denial of obvious goal scoring opportunity)

On review I believe the correct decision is made. As the players come together it is the Motherwell player that appears to have won the race. As expected, we see McGregor make contact attempting to win the race, but as soon as he uses first his left arm, then his right arm to tug the Motherwell player back, the foul is committed.

McGregor’s immediate reaction also confirms this incident. He makes no attempt to remonstrate with referee. but rather has a go at his team mate for making the poor pass.

Verdict: Correct decision to issue the red card

Outcome