UPDATED: NEIL WARNOCK BLAMES REFEREE FOR CARDIFF'S DEFEAT

Neil Warnock 'flabbergasted' at Premier League choice of referee for Cardiff City's clash at Watford

The Cardiff City boss was far from happy after his side's 3-2 defeat at Vicarage Road and felt the referee made a lot of wrong decisions.

BBC

Saturday 15th December 2018


The Cardiff City boss was far from happy after his side's 3-2 defeat at Vicarage Road

Neil Warnock delivered a strongly-worded message to the Premier League's decision-makers after being "flabbergasted" at the choice of referee for Cardiff City's game at Watford.

Andrew Madley officiated the game at Vicarage Road, which ended in a 3-2 win for the Hornets, the young referee's first Premier League game of the season.

In fact it was only Madley's second ever match officiating in the English top tier, a decision which left Warnock bemused.

The Cardiff boss claimed Watford striker Troy Deeney should have been booked for a challenge on Neil Etheridge and believed Josh Murphy should have had a free-kick in the build-up to the Hornets' opening goal.



NEIL WARNOCK:

"I was disappointed in one or two things," said Warnock.

"I thought Murphy should have had a free-kick, I thought it was very similar to the one he gave on the edge of their box.

"And I thought Troy Deeney was lucky not to get a card if I'm honest. Conditions were poor but once he started sliding in and the goalie was going to get it, he could have pulled his foot away.

"When I've got Andre Marriner sat at the side of me and I've got a young referee who's (refereeing) his first game of the season, I don't understand that at all.

"Whether it's just because 'it's only Cardiff City and we'll let someone have an experiment today..."


Warnock revealed he brokered the issue with the officials after the game and wants the PGMOL group (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) to look into it.

He joked that Cardiff are likely to get a more experienced referee when Manchester United visit Cardiff City Stadium next weekend.




NEIL WARNOCK:



"We've got one of the best referees at the side of me," he added.

"I'm flabbergasted. We're in the Premier League!

"Let them experiment with a top game, see how that goes.

"I've just mentioned it in the referee's room. I don't understand it at all me. I suppose it's one for Mike Riley and his bosses.

"Little old Cardiff can have this referee? I don't understand it. I wish they'd put someone else who was inexperienced alongside me rather than Andre Marriner.

"I think we might get somebody (more experienced) against Man United."



On the match itself, Warnock refused to criticise his players too much, despite a dispiriting performance that saw them trail 3-0 after 68 minutes only for a late comeback to bring respectability to the scoreline.

He added: "They never gave up, it was disappointing as we wanted to frustrate them and have a go in the last half hour, but we were about 3-0 down by then.

"Again individual errors led to goals and while you get away with them in the Championship, you don't in the Premier League. So all credit to the boys.

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I don't think Murphy helped himself by trying to find any excuse to go down for most of the first half, unfortunately. It's not the first time either.

Also there was way more wrong with today than a few refereeing decisions. I think Warnock was very fortunate that we staged a late comeback because I feel a lot more people would be having a go at him otherwise.

I don't understand why we look so scared away from home, sure, it's not all Warnock, but you would have thought we were playing away to Man City the way some of our players were reacting to theirs.

With Man Utd and Spurs as our next two home games and our away form so poor we could now go awhile without a win.

Kafka, did you expect us to go there and play Hollywood football then. I think Warnock and the team did fantastic, they have a guy on loan from Barca, aw what's the point.. .

Kafka, did you expect us to go there and play Hollywood football then. I think Warnock and the team did fantastic, they have a guy on loan from Barca, aw what's the point.. .

No, unfortunately I expected us to go there and play with ten men behind the ball, hoping a long ball would drop to our makeshift striker so a defender can fall over and we might hopefully have a chance on goal.

I expected us to go there and be scared to attack. I expected us to go there and see Watford quickly notice our makeshift right back doesn't know how to position himself there correctly despite having a right back on the bench.

That's the problem. I expected it and so did everyone else, because we don't seem to learn when we are away.

In a serious answer to you question, where do I insinuate that I want us to play Hollywood football? I just want us to have a go away from home. It seems like we are so scared of teams. I don't expect a gung-ho kitchen sink everyone forward attack. But hoilett having to cover with Manga in the first half does nothing but leave Paterson even more isolated up top. If he's going to do that we may aswell play 5-4-1 and have Manga more centralised and have Peltier at RB. Then we can have two wingers to actually play as wingers.

I'm always proud of the team, you can't fault the commitment, but you can fault the tactics.

Warnock has done wonders, I love the guy. But just because he has gotten us promoted it doesn't mean he's unable to get criticized. And I think it's warranted today. The two late goals seem to have papered over the massive crack that we were awful today.

"We wanted to frustrate them and have a go in the last half hour"

And there in one sentence you have our entire philosophy for approaching away games.

No suggestion that perhaps we could take the game to the opposition, perhaps put them under pressure when they have the ball, perhaps try to win the ball back high up the field when we lose it.

We seem to be quite happy to allow the opposition as much time on the ball unchallenged as they like until they get to our penalty area (and sometimes beyond - see today's first Watford goal) and when we go behind as we inevitably do we have absolutely no clue as to how to get back in the game.

Don't be fooled by the scoreline and the last 10 minutes. We were comprehensively outplayed in every area of the pitch today and it is no exaggeration to say that without the brilliance of Etheridge we could very easily have conceded 8 goals against a Watford team who man for man (with the exception of our goalie) were miles better than our players.

Wish Warnock would be a bit more adventurous away from home.

Honestly cannot see where an away point is going to come from if we continue playing this way away from home.

He may have a point but his argument of a yellow card and maybe a foul leading to a goal. Deflection at its best.

The key to the game was the total control of Deulofeu . Gunnars should have stopped this, but totally failed. We need another defensive midfielder in January as much as a striker. I like Gunnars, but sometimes he just isn't mobile enough.

The key to the game was the total control of Deulofeu . Gunnars should have stopped this, but totally failed. We need another defensive midfielder in January as much as a striker. I like Gunnars, but sometimes he just isn't mobile enough.

The fact we had only Gunner as a DMF going into the season was shocking and effected Ralls confidence who is never a DMF but gave his all.

The key to the game was the total control of Deulofeu . Gunnars should have stopped this, but totally failed. We need another defensive midfielder in January as much as a striker. I like Gunnars, but sometimes he just isn't mobile enough.

The fact we had only Gunner as a DMF going into the season was shocking and effected Ralls confidence who is never a DMF but gave his all.

Appears we have several players playing in positions they were not bought for? Something wrong in the planning of the season..

Our defence is killing us. Individually, great guys you would love to have in your team. Collectively, a strikers' dream at this level

No doubt you were all there then lads shouting and singing yourselves hoarse for our lads who are giving there all. I suppose we could go out and spend 100 million like Fulham and get the journey men players in like Olly did. Give Warnock a call lads meet up ask for a job, directors of football.He's a bit green is our Neil.Inexpereined maybe.

Come off it Neil we were shit. Did not have a clue. Worst performance of the season. Stop blaming everyone else and be man enough to admit it.

Yet another poor, misleading thread title. Warnock didn't blame the referee for the defeat at all.

FA wait for report before deciding to take action against Cardiff boss Neil Warnock

The Football Association will wait for the match report before deciding whether to take any action against Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock for his post-match comments about referee Andrew Madley.

Warnock was unhappy with Madley's decision not to book Watford striker Troy Deeney for his challenge on Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Etheridge during the 3-2 win by the Hornets at Vicarage Road on Saturday.

Madley, who is the brother of former Premier League referee Bobby, was taking charge of his first Premier League match of the season and Warnock was unhappy that an inexperienced referee was officiating.

Following the game the Cardiff boss said: "I think Troy (Deeney) should've been booked for the challenge on our goalkeeper. If that had been down the other end, there would've been five or six lads surrounding the referee.

"I thought he could've pulled out and the studs went up, but we've got an inexperienced referee (Andrew Madley), the first game he's had in the Premier League (this season), we've got Andre Marriner stood at the side of me.

"I think it's a disgrace.

"Why should we be an experiment? Is it just because it's Cardiff City? I don't accept that, I think it's poor today. I think an experienced ref would've done something about the challenge."


Watford raced into a 3-0 lead courtesy of goals from Gerard Deulofeu (16), Jose Holebas (52) and Domingos Quina (68).

Cardiff pulled a goal back with 10 minutes remaining through another stunning strike from Junior Hoilett and, two minutes later, Bobby Reid poked home the second.

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Every premier league referee has to have a first game & I didn't think he was any better or worse than the others so far this season. Some would have booked Deeney & some wouldn't, a lot of fuss about nothing in my opinion.

Only luck the keeper wasn't hurt.

As said above Warnock did not blame the ref for defeat.

He simply pointed out a fact. Would an inexperienced referee be given Man united v Liverpool on Sunday? No. Why are our games any different? I'm with him.