Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier was stunned by an admission from ref Mike Jones during their draw with West Brom.
Dier found it impossible to hide his frustration on the pitch from the moment Ben Foster stole the ball from a ball boy to delay a Spurs corner in the first half.
He was then stunned when hearing Jones' explanation for not penalising the Baggies goalkeeper.
"He said he doesn't want to be the referee who blows the whistle for someone holding the ball for longer than six seconds because no-one does," said the Spurs and England defender.
"But if someone doesn't do it then the goalkeeper is going to end up holding the ball for 30 seconds, 45 seconds. Sometimes it was a lot longer than 20 seconds, for sure. I guarantee you.
"Watch the game again and just add up, from the first minute, the amount of time that was wasted by their goalkeeper. I think you would find a big number."
Foster was booked for time-wasting in the 82nd minute and Dier said: "It's confusing that you would wait until the 80th minute to penalise it when it's been happening from the first minute. It doesn't make sense. It's something I really don't understand.
"It's up to the ref to stop it early doors with warnings, yellow cards. It makes no sense to wait until the 80th minute. By then it's too late."