Linesman pays price for Latics errors
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Juan Mata grabs an injury-time winner for Chelsea at home to Wigan
The assistant referee who failed to spot two controversial offside goals as Chelsea beat relegation-threatened Wigan 2-1 at Stamford Bridge has been stood down from his next scheduled Premier League fixture.
Linesman Dave Bryan was set to officiate in Blackburn's clash with Liverpool at Ewood Park on Tuesday but has been removed from duty following a ruling from the Professional Game Match Officials Board.
Bryan, and match referee Mike Jones, allowed goals from Chelsea duo Branislav Ivanovic and Juan Mata to stand against Wigan on Saturday, but TV replays showed both strikes should have been ruled out for offside.
Latics boss Roberto Martinez was "furious'' with Bryan's performance, branding it "disgusting'' and "horrific'' and claiming his side had been "robbed''.
Martinez is now waiting to learn whether he will face a Football Association charge for his outspoken attack.
The withdrawal of officials for matches is not necessarily a punishment for poor performances. It is understood referees' chief Mike Riley treats each case on its merits, with the decision partly based on whether it is best for an official to be given another match quickly or to be taken out of the limelight for a short period.
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Stood down, he should be put down for that awful display. Wigan have every right to feel incensed & no doubt Martinez will receive some sort of punishment from the FA for saying out loud what everyone else who watched the match was thinking. I'm sure even the Chelsea players will be embarrassed when they watched the two incidents again
Unlucky Wigan you were robbed
I know the Wigan decision was offside but officials have it so hard these days ...Years ago hardly any game was televised and certainly decisions were not replied a thousands times and analysed to death by critics just waiting to rip them to shreds and hardly ever praise them when they get it right The game today is 100% faster than it was in years gone by
But the biggest test that they have is cheating players trying everything in the book to gain an advantage that are backed by their blinkered managers who to a man never ever criticise the player when it is clear to all that they dived or fouled or handballed or whatever
Wouldn't it be refreshing if managers said that their players were wrong instead of backing them to the hilt Players and managers need to get their own house in order to give officials a decent chance
There still is a female lines person - Sian Massey - & she is a heroine for Swansea City served us well on a number of occasions this seaon.
Roberto has every right to be "disgusted" & should be allowed to express his opinion for what is critical for Wigan - could all be ended by TV technology being approved, and it will be in due course - as it already is in Cricket & Rugby
