Boss reveals he scrapped passing game against Hull
The Terriers were lucky when Josh Koroma should have been sent off for his lunge against Stoke 10 minutes before he scored. Shortly after that goal Tom Lees gave away a clear penalty that wasn’t given after a save by Lee Nicholls.
Against Preston away they were thankful that a handball and another Lees challenge were both not given as penalties.
On Friday night with VAR inground their winner would have been ruled out as Lees would have been judged to have been offside.
This is the issue at its core. We can’t carry on with the level of attention we give to refereeing decisions and expect it not to have consequences.
We also can’t expect VAR to come in and our game to not be affected – for some that is a far worse option than living with the officials as is. Town have suffered and benefited at the hands of poor officiating this season, do we live in hope (as the old footballing adage would have it) that these things even themselves out?
It is legitimate to question a big decision in a game but to dwell on it is to want VAR in truth, another set of eyes on that which causes the most confusion. I don’t actually think refereeing standards have dropped dramatically over the last 10 years although it does feel like every weekend there is something to talk about.
The single biggest issue is the speed of the game, everything moves so much quicker now even in a League Two game. Who wins in a footrace, any referee you want to mention or Sorba Thomas? There are some linesman who are struggling with only half a pitch to cover.
What we can all lose sight of (myself included) is the fact that being a referee, particularly in a televised game, is really hard.
Town were playing in a Friday night game after an international break where they are now in the promotion pack and of interest to the fans of arguably six clubs, at a stretch eight.
Pressure game, big decisions, huge responsibility. The sums of money for movement between leagues are eye-watering these days, everything counts way too much more than it should.
And then post-game Harry Toffolo is asked directly about the decisions to provide another soundbite, another comment on the refereeing. He side-stepped it completely, and rightly by reminding us he’s not there to question the officials. Other players may not have been as diplomatic.
We reported Michael Hefele’s comments in the Sky studio ourselves because they were both of note and newsworthy. The questions were leading, the focus entirely on the officials.
What we can also lose sight of (myself also included) is that refereeing decisions have quickly become a crutch.
Why did Town lose to Millwall and Bournemouth?
Some would say the reason for dropping two points at West Brom was because of the home side being given a penalty they should not have had. In reality the referee did not make Town lose their professionalism for the next five minutes at the Hawthorns and concede an equaliser. He had nothing to do with the next two games.
There is no pithy sign off to this article, no easy answer or conclusion that makes decisions like Friday night’s go in Town’s favour and it’s then a much easier second half.
If VAR comes in there will still be debate and, in my opinion at least, we will have lost something from the game – not ruined by any stretch but VAR does take some of the emotion from it even if we gain more correct decisions overall.
Town fans feel they have been at the sharp end of some poor decisions but then so does every other fan of their own club.
In reality we all love a good moan about the referee but it’s been taken mainstream and is now genuinely hurting the standards which could honestly get worse from here.
Maybe we all need to be a bit more understanding but it’s hard in such an emotionally-charged sport.
Huddersfield Town are having an excellent season regardless, here’s hoping that form continues to the point where we, me included, have some better answers.
TOWN boss Carlos Corberan admitted he sacrificed his team’s passing game to gain a vital 1-0 win at 10-man Hull.
The Terriers chief directed his team to pump more crosses into the home box than would normally be the case as the visitors attempted to break down a stubborn Tigers defence that had been reduced to 10 men by Tom Eaves’ red card in firsthalf stoppage time.
It was a tactic that eventually paid off in the 79th minute when substitute Danel Sinani swung in a free-kick from the right and, after Tom Lees’ header had been parried by Hull goalkeeper Matt Ingram, left wing-back Harry Toffolo grabbed his second goal of the season from close range.
A pleased Corberan said: “Having arrived at the game on the back of two defeats, it was very important to change the dynamic in this match in terms of the result. We didn’t always manage the ball well in the middle of the pitch at the start of the first half, but then we started attacking the wide areas better.
“We put a lot of balls into the box and could have been awarded penalties in certain situations, but we kept going. Whenever we put the ball in the box, it created good situations for us and we’ve learned that, sometimes, accumulating passes doesn’t create chances.
“Sometimes – like this match and the home game with Cardiff – we need to put balls in from the sides, into the box, to create chances and that happens when Jordan Rhodes is in the box. It gives possibilities and opportunities to us.”
Being a referee, particularly in a televised game, is really hard