Do I need to comment? The damning view of Sky Sports ref expert as West Brom fume over Portsmouth decisions
Sky Sports has been putting referee Elliot Bell’s big shouts in Pompey’s Championship draw with West Brom under the microscope today.
Referee expert Dermot Gallagher has delivered a clear view over the big decisions which went against West Brom in Pompey’s Hawthorns draw.
The respected former Premier League referee felt the Baggies were denied a clear penalty and Regan Poole took down striker Aune Heggebo outside the box, as the striker went through on goal in the 1-1 Championship clash.
Dermot Gallagher on Ref Watch: ‘That is a penalty’
And Sky Sports pundit Jay Bothroyd has branded the call not to give the home side a spot kick 'ridiculous', as Connor Ogilvie challenged the Norwegian striker in the box.
Elliot Bell’s calls were under the microscope on Ref Watch today, with West Brom boss Ryan Mason dismissed for his protestations over them not going in his team’s favour.
Gallagher was clear in his view Mason and West Brom could justifiably feel hard done by.
Speaking on Ref Watch, Gallagher said: ‘Do I need to comment?
‘That is a penalty and the easiest decision to give there (Poole contact with Heggebo outside the box).
‘One of the clues here (Ogilvie's challenge) is what would put the forward on the ground? Why would he end up on the ground with the ball at his feet?’
Bothroyd was more forthright in his view over Bell getting the Ogilvie challenge wrong, in particular.
He added ‘The first one is ridiculous, I don’t know how the referee doesn’t see that, I’m sorry.
‘He might have been somewhere else at the time. Ultimately that is one of the most obvious decisions we’ll see all season.’
In the case of Poole challenging Heggebo outside the box, Bothroyd felt the West Brom player’s honesty probably counted against him.
He said: ‘If he goes down there he makes the referee have to make a decision.
‘The fact that he stays on his feet, he stays strong and honest. He’s gone through but ultimately the referee should take it back and say “it’s a red card”. If the defender doesn’t put his arms out and grapple with him he’ll take a touch forward and have a shot - he might score.
‘It’s more difficult because he’s outside the area and it’s still not an easy chance, but he’s the last man.’
Bothroyd and Gallagher were at odds over Mason’s red card and whether his dismissal should be overturned, after the former Spurs man's demonstrative protests.
Gallgaher said: ‘I understand he’s upset, but we all get upset at times - it’s how we deal with it.
‘I’d be absolutely amazed if it was (rescinded) because the fourth official has said “this is what he’s done” and he’s quite clearly done it”.
The discussion then turned to whether Bell and referees should be made to explain their key decisions, especially when they appear incorrect.
Bothroyd felt the official concerned should admit their mistakes, over ref body the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) doing likewise.
Dermot Gallagher: ‘Sympathy for referees in short supply’
Gallagher didn’t see that scenario working in the long term.
He said: ‘If the referee says I’ve seen a video and made a mistake you’d say “it hasn’t helped me, I’m not going to get the penalty.
‘I think it would work for a very short period of time, because if a referee stood there and said that today everyone in your camp (who agrees with Bothroyd) would say "wow that’s fantastic".
‘When it happens the next week it’s okay, but when it happens on week four people would say “hang on we’ve heard this - when are they going to get it right?’
‘Sympathy for referees is in very short supply.’