Snapshot: The 2010/11 Premier League Table ‘Without Referee Errors’

Chris Wright

30th, August 2011

13 Comments

By Chris Wright

How about that? Some diligent fellow by the name of Tim Long has gone over the entire 2010/11 season, spending 250-ish hours reviewing over 700 incidents across all 380 Premier League games to compile a league table in which every single ‘significantly incorrect’ refereeing decision has been rectified and accounted for.

As you can see, according to Long’s pain-staking research, Arsenal would have finished runners-up to Manchester United, Blackpool and Birmingham would have staved off relegation and Manchester City (the biggest beneficiaries off referee error by quite a margin) would’ve been a massive nine points worse off…

Amazing. Largely pointless. But amazing.

Thanks to Pies fan Morgan for the nudge. [Image: Sporting Intelligence]

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13 Comments

  1. Bob says:

    This table is clearly completely meaningless because the changing of any one single incident would necessarily change the course of the game from that point onwards. However it does help support the point that technology should be used to analyse certain incidents during a game. What is interesting is that on average there are deemed to be only two controversial refereeing decisions per game, tentatively undermining the arguments that the introduction of the use of technology will disrupt the game.

  2. David Attenbrough says:

    Whoever made this must be very bitter and have no life.

  3. Colin says:

    A Birmingham or Blackpool fan would be my guess.

  4. unitedFixation says:

    Probably arse fan …

  5. Paul Kirkland says:

    Arsenal back in the top 3 ;D

  6. Charlie Adam says:

    Bob’s spot on with his first sentence.

  7. AGB says:

    What’s the difference between a referee making a professional error and a player doing the same thing, like a missed chance or giving aay a penalty? So does that mean that these factors should also be chucked into the mix to give a picture of the final league table plus/minus referee mistakes plus/minus player errors before the finally finl league positions can be estbalished.

    FFS. Life is unfair, get over things and move on.

  8. K says:

    Tottenham gaining no points? Without the referee mistakes wouldn’t the Chelsea game been 1-0 Tottenham instead 1-2 Chelsea?

  9. Al says:

    I knew it, West Ham were screwed!

  10. […] more here: Snapshot: The 2010/11 Premier League Table 'Without Referee … Related Posts:Alternative Premier League, Gameweek 3: City Surpasses United At … Goals? Did […]

  11. df says:

    its funny how west ham got 5 points but still got relegated in this table!

  12. […] study, it was shown just how much inept decision making cost certain teams. Have a look here to see just how different the league would have looked if referees didn’t make costly […]

  13. blah says:

    Think its interesting how Rugby commentators rarely say the ref has made a terrible decision but it is a regular occurance in football. I agree the final score is how it should stand but more could be done to help the ref’s who clearly don’t have 20:20 vision!

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