Honest Mistakes: Week Nine
That lonely little Yang anomaly.......
Celtic took a trip to Fir Park whilst The Rangers tried to get their season back on track with a home game against St Mirren.
The impact of incorrect big calls can be evaluated using the framework outlined here -> Honest Mistakes in the SPFL.
27/10/24 Motherwell vs Celtic
Incident 1
Referee: David Dickinson
Game Minute: 34th
Score At Time: 0-1
Incident: Maeda scores for Celtic.
Outcome: Foul to Motherwell for handball against Maeda.
At 34:00
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict:
Initial on-field decision: Foul to Motherwell for handball.
Similar to the incident reviewed last week where an accidental hand ball results in the ball going directly into the goal will be ruled out for the handball offence, we see Maeda's hand clearly touch the ball and help it into the net.
Given that Maeda is falling to the ground as this hand on ball contact happens, there is a question of if Maeda was fouled immediately prior which sent him to the floor.
O’Donnell’s arm does come out towards Maeda slightly as he tries to get to the ball before Maeda, but for me, this contact is not enough to be penalised. Both players tumble to the ground, but no clear foul committed and so the on-field decision is the correct one.
Verdict: CORRECT decision
Expected Points Outcome: No impact
Incident 2
Referee: David Dickinson
Game Minute: 90th
Score At Time: 0-3
Incident: Gordon fouls Idah.
Outcome: Foul to Celtic and YC to Gordon upgraded to RC following VAR review
Evidence: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0024kpd/sportscene-premiership-highlights-202425-27102024
At 34:05
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict:
Initial on-field decision: Foul to Celtic, YC to Gordon. Upgraded to RC to Gordon on VAR review
Gordon stretches to make a tackle and catches Idah on the inside right ankle. In real time, I didn’t think the tackle looked excessive and felt a caution about right. However, on video review, you can see
Gordon’s body is fully off the ground and his leg fully extended as the stud of his boot then drives into the ankle of Idah. I can see why VAR recommended a review as I suspect from a different angle the in field ref might have issued the red card initially. Once reviewed the sending-off is the expected outcome for a tackle with excessive force.
Verdict: CORRECT decision
Expected Points Outcome: No impact
27/10/24 The Rangers vs St Mirren
Incident 1
Referee: Callum Scott
Game Minute:
Score At Time: 1-1
Incident: Barron fouls Olysanya.
Outcome: Foul to St Mirren.
Evidence: Sportscene - Premiership Highlights 2024/25: 27/10/2024 - BBC iPlayer
At 1:01:35
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict:
Initial on-field decision: Foul and free kick awarded to St Mirren
Barron goes to play the ball with his left leg quite high as the St Mirren player puts his head in. The St Mirren player goes down but is a little theatrical as there doesn’t appear to be any contact made. If there was then a red card would certainly have been the outcome. Here I feel as if there is no contact a yellow card should have been shown for making a reckless challenge in the attempt to play the ball.
Verdict: INCORRECT decision. A yellow card is the expected outcome once the foul is given. VAR protocol wouldn’t allow them to recommend a review for a non-yellow card to yellow card offence and they also felt the criteria for a possible red card was not triggered here either.
Incident 2
Referee: Callum Scott
Game Minute: 63rd
Score At Time: 1-1
Incident: Olusanya goes down in the box.
Outcome: Foul to St Mirren outside the box.
Evidence: Sportscene - Premiership Highlights 2024/25: 27/10/2024 - BBC iPlayer
At 51:12 and 1:01:59
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict:
Initial on-field decision: Free kick outside the box for a prior challenge
The referee sees a clear foul in the build up and appears to let an advantage unfold but upon seeing Olysana go down in the box, pulls the play back for the initial free kick offence. The referee clearly feels no advantage had unfolded and more importantly a foul has not been committed in the box on Olysana, as he only appears to blow the whistle after Olysana goes down in the box.
On balance I would agree with this outcome. Good proactive refereeing not to blow the whistle straight away, wait and see if an advantage can unfold.
Olysana might feel a bit of contact by the Rangers defender but this contact is minimal and not consistent with how Olysana delays before falling to the ground not in keeping with how any contact might have been felt.
Good decision to then pull the play back for the free kick instead.
Verdict: CORRECT decision.
Expected Points Outcome: No impact
Incident 3
Referee: Callum Scott
Game Minute: 90th
Score At Time: 2-1
Incident: Dessers goes down in the box.
Outcome: No decision following VAR review.
Evidence: Sportscene - Premiership Highlights 2024/25: 27/10/2024 - BBC iPlayer
At 55:20
Yorkshire Whistler Verdict:
Initial on-field decision: No foul after VAR review.
Dessers in a one-on-one situation looks to go around the keeper and then drops to the ground claiming a penalty amid contact from the outstretched arm of the St Mirren keeper.
In real time I felt this looked like a half-hearted attempt to win a penalty and the replays back this up in my opinion. Dessers almost seems to be waiting for any contact before going to the ground. Any contact from the keeper is minimal and I’m not that certain there is any made. Either way not enough to impact Dessers in the way he goes down.
Verdict: CORRECT decision
Expected Points Outcome: No impact
Summary
My thanks as always to the Yorkshire Whistler.
Some may not agree but there is a large subjective element to judging what’s a foul, what is reckless, what is excessive force etc.
This leaves the overall position thus:
Celtic have 0.46 MORE expected points, and The Rangers also have 0.46 MORE due to the impact of Honest Mistakes. So, no “advantage” for either team.
Celtic lead by six points after nine matches.
The YW is WAY too deferential to the refs. Even the masons at the SFA have admitted they screwed up the Maeda one. And a few of them admitted that St. Mirren deserved a penno too. Come on now.
Interesting Yorkshire Whistler and SFA disagreeing on the Motherwell pen. Hopefully shows the impartiality of the Whistler if anyone was in doubt!