Todays football

[Rileybobs]

Unless I'm wrong and the commentators are right, dangerous play is still only an indirect free kick. The commentators were so determined that it ought to be a penalty that I thought the law must have changed, but I've checked and it appears not; it was just the commentators being appallingly unprofessional.

But that means VAR wouldn't be relevant because VAR doesn't assess indirect free kicks unless the possible offence immediately leads to a goal.

Good point. I must admit I didn’t know that dangerous play was only punished by an IDFK so I stand corrected.

[Spiral]

However the referee didn’t actually blow his whistle until after Pickford’s challenge. So how can they deem the challenge to be unpublishable. Wasn’t Richarliason sent off in the same match, by the same referee, for a challenge that took place after the referee had blown for a foul?

It's weird, man. It sometimes works, but there seems to be at least two or three instances every weekend in which VAR somehow compounds some otherwise forgivable (if we're being kind given the pace of the game) refereeing mistakes.

[RammyClaret61]

Still trying to work out the clash between these two?

2EFB4430-09A2-41AD-8259-51B9320C8136.jpeg (199.43 KiB) Viewed 1617 times

[Bosscat]

In fact, wasn’t Richarliason sent off for a similar challenge on Thiago after the referee had already blown for a previous foul?

Exactly

[Foulthrow]

Exactly. Things have become so complicated and coloured by regulation that they lose sight of common sense. If that challenge happens in the midfield area by an outfield player, it’s a straight red. If, after an offside whistle Pickford were to jump up and punch van Dijk it’s a straight red. The ball being dead is irrelevant around a player being out of control. He was out of control and could have snapped van Dijk in half.

Maybe it’s because it was Pickford and Southgate had a word and reminded them, he is in fact the second coming of Christ?

I think you’re on to something here. After all, Jesus also stumbled whilst trying to claim a cross.

[Conroysleftfoot]

In fact, wasn’t Richarliason sent off for a similar challenge on Thiago after the referee had already blown for a previous foul?

That's what I thought After watching the game on MOTD. Lineker and his mates never even mentioned that.

[Tall Paul]

Over the seasons before VAR there were thousands of goals scored "that weren't goals" if VAR had been around.

It works both ways, there were also thousands of attacks that were stopped for offside that weren't offside if VAR had been around.

[Steve1956]

Exactly. Things have become so complicated and coloured by regulation that they lose sight of common sense. If that challenge happens in the midfield area by an outfield player, it’s a straight red. If, after an offside whistle Pickford were to jump up and punch van Dijk it’s a straight red. The ball being dead is irrelevant around a player being out of control. He was out of control and could have snapped van Dijk in half.

Maybe it’s because it was Pickford and Southgate had a word and reminded them, he is in fact the second coming of Christ?

Brilliant

[Stayingup]

Yeah that’s true. The reason is you can forgive officials for getting marginal decisions wrong, well I can. But when they make such a dog’s dinner out of it with the evidence to hand, and what seems like a long time to make the call, it’s far less forgivable. Why wasn’t Walker’s high foot punished in the City v Arsenal game, for example?

VAR has made the referees job easy at times. One problem with it is no discretion at all. Its fixed and frankly its ruining the game for me.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

VAR would work if you didn’t have inept officials in charge of it. The same referees making the same mistakes even with the benefit of slow motion and multi camera angles.

[Steve1956]

VAR has made the referees job easy at times. One problem with it is no discretion at all. Its fixed and frankly its ruining the game for me.

Ruining the game for me to SU,suppose we better get used to it,its here to stay and will probably get worse,can see many people turning their backs on football if its allowed to continue,VAR totally ruined a fantastic Merseyside Derby yesterday.

[basil6345789]

Ironic that level used to be offside but they changed it to on at the onset of the "make football more spectacular/more goals" era. Now we've got fewer goals.

[Hipper]

They've rushed to make the top of the arm not-handball to stop some ridiculous penalties being given and in the process have made it a playable part of the body, thus the offside for Mane's goal. A better solution would be to accept that some rules in football are a bit weird and contradictory, making the top of the arm legal when contending a penalty or free kick (handball) decision, and not-playable when adjudicating offside. That kind of contradiction is practical. Being absolutist about what part of the arm is playable has caused the problem here, and it could be addressed with a bit of a more nuance in the handball laws. This would work because offside decisions don't concern themselves with which part of the body a player eventually controls the ball with, only which parts of the body fall behind or in front of the offside line.

You mean 'in the opinion of the referee...' That phrase has I believe been removed from the Laws.

There was always going to be a gap between 'consistency' and 'common sense'. In the days of referees opinions we got mostly common sense but also contradictions, a lack of consistency. Now, since the large increase in televised football, probably more accurately called money, in the game, there is a bigger demand for consistency. The result is we are tying ourselves in knots to achieve something that just isn't possible.

[Bosscat]

Or Pickford's legs-akimbo finisher move on Van Dijk's knee? We're told that the phase in play was offside, and so subsequent offences don't count (or that everything that happens after the offside movement doesn't count, or something...I don't know anymore, because the flags don't go up right away), but if in a lull in play in between the whistle a player jumped into another's knee like that he's be gone. He wasn't spared a red because it wasn't a red card challenge - it was - he was spared because the refs somehow had it in their heads that offences outside the whistle don't/can't happen, or something. It wasn't a tactical foul, it was reckless play.

Wasn't Richarlison sent off for a challenge after the whistle had already been blown for another offence

[Colburn_Claret]

Still put it down to the way we use VAR
I would do away with lines across the pitch, a linesman doesn’t have any lines to use. If the ref can't see an obvious offside with his naked eye, even on replay, the goal should stand. A toe here, an armpit there, it makes a mockery of the game, which imo is the intention of the establishment in the first place, to make VAR fail so that they can get rid of it.

[Leisure]

I don't know whether the current law makers have changed this on purpose or if they are too stupid to realise they have changed it at all, but changed it they have. All they need do to put it right is to stop drawing lines on the screen and look at the picture with a linesman's eye. Was Mane level? Yes he was. The goal stands. It's quick, it keeps the law the same as it has been for 30 years, and it fulfills the original aim of the rule change in that it gives the forward an extra half yard to play in.

Agree but unfortunately that makes just too much sense for the powers that be.

[vinrogue]

Wasn't Mane sent off for a high boot a season ago, yet Walker is allowed the same type of high boot challenge?
No action for Pickfords assault as the whistle had gone.
Richarlison whistle has gone but bugger it we will send him off.
As for the two off sides, if it wasn't for the fact I don't like Liverpool I would be somewhat perplexed as it is I will just stick with,
Ben Mee plays a ball like Walker did, Red Card
Pope assaults VVD after the whistle has gone, Red Card
Anyone v BFC is on side unless your grannies dad has a signed letter saying it isn't onside submitted 3 weeks in advance
VAR useless, pointless and ruining football at the moment.

[FactualFrank]

Can somebody work out what division we'd be in, if all goals like that were disallowed?

[Rileybobs]

Wasn't Mane sent off for a high boot a season ago, yet Walker is allowed the same type of high boot challenge?
No action for Pickfords assault as the whistle had gone.
Richarlison whistle has gone but bugger it we will send him off.
As for the two off sides, if it wasn't for the fact I don't like Liverpool I would be somewhat perplexed as it is I will just stick with,
Ben Mee plays a ball like Walker did, Red Card
Pope assaults VVD after the whistle has gone, Red Card
Anyone v BFC is on side unless your grannies dad has a signed letter saying it isn't onside submitted 3 weeks in advance
VAR useless, pointless and ruining football at the moment.

The whistle hadn’t gone when Pickford challenged VVD.

[Tall Paul]

Ironic that level used to be offside but they changed it to on at the onset of the "make football more spectacular/more goals" era. Now we've got fewer goals.

This season so far has seen significantly more goals per game than any other (in the PL).

[corporal jones]

Everything that happened in that game involving the officiating sums up what a pathetic state the game has been allowed to descend into. The authorities are so determined to make var work they are blind to its failings. How Pickford goes completely unpunished is farcical even if the whistle had gone.

[Spijed]

Fulham miss penalty still 0-0

[Spijed]

Sheff United look all over the place at the back. So different from last season.

[ElectroClaret]

0-1 Fulham

[ElectroClaret]

Penalty to Blades.

Scored. 1-1

[FactualFrank]

Penalty to Blades.

Scored. 1-1

What do we want... a draw?

[ElectroClaret]

Would be best.

[Spijed]

Sheff united's next 3:
Liverpool
Man City
Chelsea

[FactualFrank]

Sheff united's next 3:
Liverpool
Man City
Chelsea

I just want us to pick up a bloody point.

[Spijed]

I just want us to pick up a bloody point.

Well at least we might be able to ride out the storm a bit if other teams around us are struggling as well.

[kritichris]

That result puts us bottom now, the only way is up.

[ElectroClaret]

Penalty to Palace.

Scored.

[RalphCoatesComb]

That penalty decision, and others like it, are the reasons why people are turning away from the game. So sad

[Boss Hogg]

A good start could have vindicated the board for such a poor window. Early days but we are the only team on no points and now bottom. Brings a bit of pressure if we have another poor result on Monday.

[FactualFrank]

Well at least we might be able to ride out the storm a bit if other teams around us are struggling as well.

I've almost got to the point of not caring.

Leeds for example are where they are due to money.

Give us the money that Leeds are pi$$ing against the wall and we'd be top 6 - maybe top 4. It's pathetic and it's gradually removing the need for a manager. My sister could win the Premier League with the likes of Man City's money.

[Rileybobs]

That penalty decision, and others like it, are the reasons why people are turning away from the game. So sad

It’s never a pen. But I hear a lot of people saying they’re giving up on the game, but they don’t.

[SalisburyClaret]

It’s all about how good clubs are at shopping

Coaching skills come way down the list

[FactualFrank]

It’s all about how good clubs are at shopping

Coaching skills come way down the list

I disagree. Give a club enough money and they can't fail - or they shouldn't fail. The coaching and managing is secondary.

Leeds have thrown £100+ million at the wall and should, IMO finish top 10, because of that. Give us £100 million? Blimey, we'd be cruising.

Some clubs are so bad, that even £100 million isn't enough. But overall, money buys success.

[Spijed]

I've almost got to the point of not caring.

Leeds for example are where they are due to money.

Give us the money that Leeds are pi$$ing against the wall and we'd be top 6 - maybe top 4. It's pathetic and it's gradually removing the need for a manager. My sister could win the Premier League with the likes of Man City's money.

It does need some coaching. That's why many of the clubs who have spent millions will never get into Europe. Prior to this season Fulham and Villa had spent the best part of £250 million. One got relegated and one survived only on the last day.

[FactualFrank]

It does need some coaching. That's why many of the clubs who have spent millions will never get into Europe. Prior to this season Fulham and Villa had spent the best part of £250 million. One got relegated and one survived only on the last day.

Of course it does. I'm not suggesting you can leave them to themselves. And there ARE clubs who are so bad, that they don't get much better.

But overall, money buys success.

And it's getting worse as time goes on. And I think it's pathetic.

We can complain about Burnley not spending this, that, and the other. But remember one thing - we're doing it the right way. We're spending what we can.

[jrgbfc]

I disagree. Give a club enough money and they can't fail - or they shouldn't fail. The coaching and managing is secondary.

Leeds have thrown £100+ million at the wall and should, IMO finish top 10, because of that. Give us £100 million? Blimey, we'd be cruising.

Some clubs are so bad, that even £100 million isn't enough. But overall, money buys success.

Why have David Moyes and Solksjaer both struggled at United then? Money helps obviously but it's not the be all and end all.

[RalphCoatesComb]

It’s never a pen. But I hear a lot of people saying they’re giving up on the game, but they don’t.

Let's see what happens when people are allowed back into the grounds.

VAR was brought in to aid referees. VAR is not the problem, the interpretation of it is the problem. Disgraceful decision by all the match officials. Wood had a much better claim for a penalty against Southampton but, we don't get penalties.

[FactualFrank]

Why have David Moyes and Solksjaer both struggled at United then? Money helps obviously but it's not the be all and end all.

I've said it's not the be-all. I've also said it's pathetic to fail when they have it. It should be an absolute given. It's embarrassing to fail with that sort of money.

You said why have Moyes and Solksjaer failed - you've not backed or argued the case. They are both crap managers.

[addisclaret]

It’s never a pen. But I hear a lot of people saying they’re giving up on the game, but they don’t.

I see his wikipedia page has already been updated.

Loan return to Crystal Palace

On 10 September 2020, Batshuayi returned to Crystal Palace for his second loan until the end of the 2020–21 season. He previously played for the club on loan in the second half of the 2018–19 season.[56]

On 18 October 2020 in the game against Brighton & Hove Albion , Batshuayi dived and threw himself to ground, winning a penalty which was converted by Wilfried Zaha.

[ElectroClaret]

1-1

[Rileybobs]

Dunk sent off for doing a Pickford on Cahill.

[Bordeauxclaret]

Dunk doesn’t come across as the most level headed player.

[Bigvince]

In fairness to Dunk, at least he apologised after trying to break his leg

[Spijed]

In fairness to Dunk, at least he apologised after trying to break his leg

Did Pickford even offer an apology?

[addisclaret]

Did Pickford even offer an apology?

No need to, he's a goalkeeper, they can do what they want and usually get the decision in their favour as well.