Sheffield Wednesday: Four refereeing decisions that Carlos Carvalhal feels have prevented Owls from rising

Whenever Carlos Carvalhal is asked to comment on match officials, he chooses his words carefully.
Carlos CarvalhalCarlos Carvalhal
Carlos Carvalhal

He doesn’t like to criticise referees - partly because he doesn’t want to land himself in trouble with the Football Association - but also because he understands it is a tough job.

But Carvalhal couldn’t bite his tongue after the Owls’ four-match winning run came to an abrupt end against Brentford in midweek.

Fernando ForestieriFernando Forestieri
Fernando Forestieri
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Carvalhal was scathing in his criticism of referee Darren Bond after their 2-1 defeat, describing the Lancashire-based whistler’s first half performance as a “disaster”.

He berated Bond’s call to not award the Owls a penalty after Fernando Forestieri was bundled over by Bees skipper Harlee Dean with the score goalless. It was a game-changing decision and that, allied to a lacklustre first period by Wednesday, cost Carvalhal’s side dearly.

Carvalhal cut a frustrated figure post match and implied there was a refeering conspiracy against the Owls.

Fernando ForestieriFernando Forestieri
Fernando Forestieri

“We don’t have luck in the games we play when we can go near the first positions,” he said. Is there any substance to Carvalhal’s claims? He pointed to four other occasions where calls have gone against them:

FERNANDO FORESTIERI’S RED CARD AT PRESTON NORTH END

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The forward was given his marching orders following two bookable offences. He was harshly penalised for simulation with his first booking. Owls dropped from fifth to sixth and Forestieri sat-out their draw with Queens Park Rangers. The result dented their automatic promotion aspirations.

ANOTHER RED FOR FORESTIERI AT HULL CITY

Forestieri picked up a contentious second booking for diving and was sent off for the second match running. It was hard on Forestieri and deprived Wednesday of the striker’s services for two matches (both of which they failed to win). Three points would have put them level on points with fifth-placed Derby County.

BARRY BANNAN’S DISMISSAL AT NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Bannan was controversially shown a straight red for a tackle on Eric Lichaj.

“Last season, when we were near the first positions, there were very poor decisions with Bannan and Forestieri and so on,” claimed Carvalhal. Despite the debatable decision, Carvalhal’s side won their next three outings.

DERBY COUNTY HANDBALL SHOCKER

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Wednesday made a strong start at Pride Park and should have been awarded a penalty when Richard Keogh clearly handled Adam Reach’s shot on the line. Nothing was given and the Owls slipped to a 2-0 defeat.

Carvalhal said: “It was a critical moment when we could have jumped. The referee was very, very poor. We didn’t have luck. I’m just talking about facts.”

Wednesday fell from fifth to seventh in the standings. A win would have ensured they remained fifth.