RefWatch – Arsenal v Sunderland (05/03/2011 15:00) « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News, supporting the club, the players and the manager
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RefWatch – Arsenal v Sunderland (05/03/2011. 15:00)
By DogFace
- Referee: Anthony Taylor
- Assistant 1: Dave Bryan
- Assistant 2: Andy Garratt
- 4th Official: Peter Walton
Good morning stat-fans and welcome one and all to the now [im]famous RefWatch! This week is seems that the PGMOL (in their [in]finite wisdom) have rather mugged me off in terms of their appointment for this match, insomuch as we have a referee who has never taken charge of and Arsenal match and only officiated for one match involving our opponents [Sunderland]… that’ll stop Walter moaning that familiarity breeds contempt in the rather limited gene-puddle of the PGMOL Select group!
Alas, it seems that, for Sunderland, once was enough to foster contempt as Steve Bruce, at his Fergiesqe best, described young Anthony as “totally inadequate” for sending off Lee Cattermole (for a second bookable offence) and holding Sunderland to a 2-2 draw with Birmingham in August 2010 – the implication was that Anthony double-booked the poor, misunderstood, gentle desert flower of a man [Lee Cattermole] more on his reputation than the actual challenges he made. Ahem – So far so good then.
Let’s have a look at the referee:
- Full name: Anthony Taylor
- Date of birth: 20-Oct-1978 (Age 32)
- Place of birth: Wythenshawe, Greater Manchester, England
- EPL Referee Since: 2009/2010
- EPL Games to date: 11
Wae’aye man don’t send us off – you really gone an’ hurt me feelings…
I have no graphs for Anthony Taylor as he’s been fast-tracked into the Select group and we have next to no data… so we’ll have to look at the only thing left to us – his rise through the ranks; and if we look at his professional career, we can see that he has gone through the leagues like shit through a veritable goose:
| Competition | Matches |
| Premier League | 11 |
| Championship | 45 |
| League One | 21 |
| League Two | 12 |
| League Cup | 7 |
| FA-Cup | 8 |
| J. League Division 1 | 2 |
| J. League Division 2 | 1 |
| Total: | 107 |
So – 107 full professional matches and already in the Select Group… he must have something about him; but where are all the rest of these dynamic young referee’s that should be breaking into the top flight and expanding their number? And while we are on the subject, where are all the perfectly good referee’s that get overlooked promotion.
I think the point I’m trying to make here is that this guy has been ear-marked for promotion at every turn… so presumably, this time next season (somewhere around the 130 game mark), he’ll be looking forward to getting his FIFA badge. He’s either very good at his job or very good at something else – a quick google reveals a number of debatable (quote “ridiculous”) decisions so we’ll be watching him closely today.
The only other thing worthy of note is that he did a stint in the J-League – but there’s nothing wrong with that, nothing at all – just ask Le Boss! Hey – maybe Steve Bruce could do a “He’s a novice and should keep his opinions to Japanese football” style rant about that?
So – what to expect from this referee..? I’ve absolutely no idea – sorry – but I won’t leave it there; as always, in these times of statistical famine, I cast doggie my eye further afield to the other games that might interest us and I see…
…hmm…
Liverpool Vs Manchester United
Under Phil Dowd you say? With his reputation and SAF effectively gagging himself après weekend mugging?! And Liverpool, with Manchester United’s next opponents [Bolton] snapping at their heels, really jolly well needing the points to get into Europa League now that Birmingham have spawned themselves a place?
I will assume that the Red Devils will face an uphill struggle there… incidentally I tweeted the result of the ‘Chelsea Vs Manchester United’ match a day before it kicked off… Martin Atkinson you see.
Blackpool Vs Chelsea
The dynamic duo take control of this one with Mike Dean at the whistle and Howard Webb on security detail… so it smells fishy already. What with Dean’s best mate ‘onest ‘arry coveting a Champions League place (with associated carte blanch to ‘bung’) we must assume the worst – in other words; what have Chelsea and a Hen night got in common?
They both travel up to Blackpool expecting to get screwed.
Narf narf.