DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
RateTheRef
HTML https://ratetheref.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: General Discussion
*****************************************************
#Post#: 94518--------------------------------------------------
West Brom v Portsmouth - Elliot Bell
DIR By: Doombar
Date: August 23, 2025, 4:31 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
From what I can see, Elliot Bell is part of the National List of
Referees and not part of the Select Group 2, so I am not quite
sure why he was appointed to this Championship game. (I am happy
to be enlightened).
It was one of those games that you felt that if the temperature
increased, he wouldn’t have responded accordingly. From the
beginning he never came across as confident and almost appeared
unsure of his decisions. The main decisions he had to make came
close together in the second half.
The first was a challenge by Ogilvie on Heggebo which looked
like a clear penalty to West Brom, but this was ignored. This
was followed a couple of minutes later when Heggebo was being
pulled back by Poole (who had already been cautioned) for
10-20metres in a one to one situation when attacking just
outside the penalty area. Again, what should have been a FK and
red card (the shirt pulling and holding was clear) was ignored
and play allowed to continue. The latter led to a red card for
West Brom’s Ryan Mason for his reaction. Towards the end of the
game, Portsmouth also had a strong penalty appeal ignored with
no acknowledgment of the appeals or obvious decision being
communicated.
These KMI’s had a major impact upon the game and were not even
acknowledged by Bell and were not confidently handled. He
appeared to shy away from these major decisions, especially with
the Poole shirt pulling, as this should have been a second
yellow as a minimum. A positive, confident response was
required in these situations, giving reassurance in the
decision, but this was not evident.
Bell was not helped by his Fourth Official who let Portsmouth
manager, John Mousinho, constantly question every decision that
was made. He was constantly by his side asking for an
explanation, even with obvious FK’s for blatant pushes. A
stronger approach was required. By all means allow questions
when reasonable, but this was not evident, with him being
allowed to question everything for the full 90mins without any
rebuke, resulting in him undermining the FO’s authority.
Overall, IMO this was no Elliot Bell’s finest game and
hopefully, as the song says, things can only get better.
#Post#: 94519--------------------------------------------------
Re: West Brom v Portsmouth - Elliot Bell
DIR By: TA_Ref
Date: August 23, 2025, 4:38 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
The possible West Brom penalty I think would be hard to spot for
any referee. It’s virtually on the 6 yard line and Elliot Bell
would’ve been looking through a sea of bodies. The angle behind
the goal probably suggests it was penalty - maybe needed
assistance from an AR, possibly 4O if he could see it.
The shirt pulling and tugging back of the WBA striker is an
unbelievable decision though. The striker should not have to go
sprawling to the floor to get a decision. It’s things like this
which increases the amount of diving we see on a week-to-week
basis. Unfortunately for Elliot Bell that is a bit of a stinker
from him.
However, I still think he’s a very fine young referee who will
continue to develop at a fast rate, a bit like Sam Barrott did a
couple of years ago. Hopefully he realises his errors and learns
from them - sometimes that’s all that can be done.
#Post#: 94520--------------------------------------------------
Re: West Brom v Portsmouth - Elliot Bell
DIR By: DerbyLad90
Date: August 23, 2025, 4:49 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Had a bit of a stinker at Stoke vs Derby, so accountability
still not in motion from Howard Webb
#Post#: 94528--------------------------------------------------
Re: West Brom v Portsmouth - Elliot Bell
DIR By: Failed Ref
Date: August 24, 2025, 3:44 am
---------------------------------------------------------
The DOGSO is hard to understand. Common sense suggests that the
attacker was always going to get in front of the defender who
was caught out. And I agree, the attacker shouldn't need to go
down to get a decision.
Maybe this is an example of a greater acceptance of physical
contact messing with a referee's mind?
The penalty wasn't clear to me as I didn't see it clearly enough
and maybe the referee couldn't see it.
Given the size of the Championship VAR should be considered.
However, it would require huge referee resources, it would be
expensive and many like the absence of var. Maybe a VAR light as
in Scotland. Their Premier League is not bigger that the
Championship?
#Post#: 94644--------------------------------------------------
Re: West Brom v Portsmouth - Elliot Bell
DIR By: Vissla7
Date: August 26, 2025, 2:49 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I wonder if Elliot was either a high performing referee last
season or if he's now part of ERDP.
Last season, appointments like this were given ERDP officials
who were aligned to the National Group of Referees and as such
we've seen the introduction of the supplementary SG list with
most of those officials (or "Select Group 2.5" as the unofficial
name on this forum)
#Post#: 94709--------------------------------------------------
Re: West Brom v Portsmouth - Elliot Bell
DIR By: ryan80
Date: August 27, 2025, 10:08 am
---------------------------------------------------------
We have once had one list of referees and then moved to premier
league and then football league and now have so many lists that
we have 1.5, 2.5, 3.654 to the extent that nobody knows what
they mean.
It wasn’t too long ago that a referee new to the football league
would by December be refereeing in the championship and usually
without any problems. Within 2-3 years being promoted to the
premier league. In those days we didn’t have nonsense about
referees being out of their depth, it was just accepted.
Mike Riley and Howard Webb massively gained themselves from this
system but between them have made things so complicated that we
seem to have lost the fluid system where referees in form can be
awarded.
*****************************************************
Page 1 of 1