There have long been proponents for referees to conduct post-match interviews. They will get their wish as part of new plans in La Liga. But most people who want this are not curious about decisions or inquisitive about how they are reached. They want officials put in the stocks so that reporters can make them squirm. For refs, this will only come with downsides. 📝 Graham Scott (@Refsplaining) 🔗 nyti.ms/4BvSTVX

nytimes.com/athletic/7739781… I would have been delighted to take part in a post-match press conference, just so long as some important ground rules were set…

I don’t get this one. I understand the ref’s call in real time but don’t see violent conduct on the replays, only a frustrated, aggressive act from a player on the receiving end of two extremely robust tackles in ten minutes. I’d have rescinded the red and waived the suspension

Good to see the KMI panel has drawn a line in the sand by saying Botman should have been sent off against Villa. I have criticised their weakness on such tackles in the past so credit where it’s due Serious foul play should be judged more on intensity than the point of contact

Catch me discussing this on @tSHandJ from 2.45pm tomorrow (Wednesday) on @talkSPORT Feel free to send in your questions to Paul Hawksbee and Andy Jacobs @TheAthleticFC

Ex-Premier League referee Graham Scott (@Refsplaining) has shared his verdict on whether Mikel Arteta is being unfairly targeted for his touchline antics: I’d say Mikel Arteta is in the spotlight because Arteta has decided to make an issue of Arteta’s treatment. Arteta is in complete control of his own behaviour on the touchline, from where he chooses to stand to how he decides to react. He is the one employing an analyst to review footage of the Premier League’s technical areas. He did not have to reveal this. The Premier League could stop all of this by fixing a camera on the benches and fining miscreants every time they step out of line (literally). But the league likes the pantomime and has never minded the officials being cast as villains, so a change of approach is unlikely. 🔗 nyti.ms/47NLV11

nytimes.com/athletic/7729009… What it's like being fourth official to Mikel Arteta, whether Cole Palmer should have seen red, and the thorny issue of English refs doing games in the UAE were all in my postbag this week

nytimes.com/athletic/7702321… It felt like a quiet week for the refs - to me at least - so here’s your chance to ask less topical questions too

I rest my case

This KMI system is broken. If 2/5 judges say it wasn’t a red card, then surely VAR was wrong to intervene even if 3/5 think it should have. Based on logic that VAR shouldn’t intervene on a split opinion decision

Sat 10: Referee makes a decision so obviously wrong that the VAR tells him to change it Thurs 14: Expert panel tells the FA that the VAR was obviously wrong Wed 20: Premier League says the VAR was obviously right and the ref was obviously wrong From now on: Confusion. Obviously

■ How did Sven Botman avoid a red card? ■ Were Rogers or Garner lucky? ■ Can players kick the ball away now? ■ What are the rules over crowding the ref? In his latest Ask the Ref column, former EPL referee @Refsplaining answers your questions. 🔗 nyti.ms/4k5w2dA

A Premier League weekend of ferocious tackles and pretty lenient refereeing. We’re told that this is what fans want, which is possibly true. But the long-term effect of too much “letting the game flow” is actually that games don’t "flow" at all. ⬇️ nytimes.com/athletic/7704488…

I don’t know whether @mikeparry8 is really a ‘serious broadcaster’ but if so he should be stood down for a week to reflect on this bone-headed (his word) post

‘Scuffle’

‘We should scrap VAR and just accept refs make mistakes sometimes’ Meanwhile…

The KMI panel was supposed to improve the scrutiny of refereeing. It hasn’t worked out that way. This is what you need to know about the panel and why it isn’t working, including: ▪️ Who is really on the panel ▪️ How it feels to be judged post-match ▪️ Explaining the voting - and what training panellists receive ▪️ How it can be improved 📝 @refsplaining nyti.ms/3Tjb2VY

THE FOOTBALL CLICHES PODCAST with ex-Premier League ref @Refsplaining 🔊 The "card happy" threshold 🔊 The non-evolution of anti-referee chants 🔊 Jay Bothroyd: chief referee assessor 🔊 Niche refereeing body language: deciphered 🔊 AND MUCH MORE pod.fo/e/671d29