Everton/West Ham & Utd/Villa

[tiger76]

First footy action of 2021, no Keane for Everton he's on the bench, Pickford plays.

[Vegas Claret]

yawn fest so far !

[FactualFrank]

Got the darts on, but may give the United/Villa game a go.

[Bosscat]

Am watching "The Greatest Showman" on Ch 4 bestest ever musical of recent times

[ClaretTony]

Got the darts on, but may give the United/Villa game a go.

I’ve just watched the first half. I’d recommend sticking with the darts.

[Firthy]

I’ve just watched the first half. I’d recommend sticking with the darts.

Makes our games look exciting

[THEWELLERNUT70]

A shocker of a game so far

[Vegas Claret]

Everton 0 WHU 1

[Vegas Claret]

Soucek has been a brilliant signing for the Hammers

[tim_noone]

Soucek continues to bang em in the net!!

[tim_noone]

Soucek has been a brilliant signing for the Hammers

We shudda n cudda....

[tiger76]

Everton choking again when they get the chance of closing on the top, it'll be a great start to the year for the Hammers if they hang on.

Yes we'll need to keep a close eye on Soucek, he's a dangerman all right.

Pickford at fault for the goal?

[Vegas Claret]

good win for WHU

[tim_noone]

Everton choking again when they get the chance of closing on the top, it'll be a great start to the year for the Hammers if they hang on.

Yes we'll need to keep a close eye on Soucek, he's a dangerman all right.

Pickford at fault for the goal?

No way.....

[Myk]

Still don’t understand why it’s not okay to shake hands before the game etc due to covid risk etc it soon as the game is finished you can all bundle up and shake hands and alsorts.

[rufus lumley]

Not seen it at as currently reading Tess of the d'Uervillies but I will say yes Pickford was at fault.

[tim_noone]

Soucek should be given an interpreter ffs...not his fault.

[rufus lumley]

Wednesday won both since sacking Pullis out of the bottom 3 for the first time this season.

[LeadBelly]

I thought WHU played well there and deserved the 3 points. Defence was very organised and calm and they played the ball out well. Lacking up front with Haller (seems a big lazy sod to me), improvement was clear when Antonio came on as sub.

Everton seemed very flat and C-L barely got a kick (other than when he came deep to pick up/lay-off). Pickford did Ok, no chance with the goal and distributed decently well though, as usual, he showed his tendency to make a bit of a drama of things sometimes.

[taio]

1-0

[Vegas Claret]

there's no way Martial should score there, 3 defenders all stand and watch him

[tiger76]

United going level on points with Liverpool as it stands, not many would have thought that a couple of months ago.

They surely have to be considered title contenders now.

[nyclaret]

United being in a title race pretty much sums up how bonkers this season has been.

[taio]

Man United have looked excellent many times this season especially going forward - the speed at which they attack as a team coupled with individual pace is impressive.

[taio]

Deserved equaliser

[Vegas Claret]

and just think that had the goal line technology been working at Villa park then they would be in the Championship

[taio]

United pen

[taio]

2-1

[Vegas Claret]

tripped himself up, surely they can't give that

[CharlieinNewMexico]

tripped himself up, surely they can't give that

Michael Oliver gets fooled time and time again by that in the box. Can’t wait to get his whistle to his mouth. Has no clue when it comes to the “dark arts”

[gsyclaret]

Bloody hate it when Neville gets to do co commentary on his ex **** team, biased sod.

[Vegas Claret]

Michael Oliver gets fooled time and time again by that in the box. Can’t wait to get his whistle to his mouth. Has no clue when it comes to the “dark arts”

I think he gets worse every season, some of the free kicks he's given have been embarrassing tonight

[Moorite]

Matty Cash's crossing is delightful to watch

[NewClaret]

Matty Cash's crossing is delightful to watch

Thought he was poor defensively at times today but the lad can certainly cross a ball.

[tiger76]

Michael Oliver gets fooled time and time again by that in the box. Can’t wait to get his whistle to his mouth. Has no clue when it comes to the “dark arts”

That's where VAR should come into it's own, but as we know to our cost they rarely intervene and overrule the officials.

[CharlieinNewMexico]

That's where VAR should come into it's own, but as we know to our cost they rarely intervene and overrule the officials.

Right? that one today and the one he gave to Arsenal against Chelsea to me both the same kind of thing and both “clear and obvious” errors. But they just cover up for each other. Like how Oliver was the VAR for that Leeds pen and he gave it a 2 second look.

[chekhov]

Michael Oliver gets fooled time and time again by that in the box. Can’t wait to get his whistle to his mouth. Has no clue when it comes to the “dark arts”

Hmmm...interesting because to me it was a penalty. A bit soft maybe, but Pogba certainly doesn’t trip himself up. His rear leg is knocked onto his standing leg which precipitates his fall. Have another look at the replay.

[ewanrob]

Think this league is taking its toll on Watkins,
a shadow of his early performances.

[chekhov]

Matty Cash's crossing is delightful to watch

There were some great displays tonight. Thought Wan Bissaka was excellent too. Really entertaining game.

[CharlieinNewMexico]

He did the old “click my heels together” trick. Contact does not = foul. The defender barely grazed his calf.

[Hibsclaret]

The problem is the nonsense clear and obvious rule. If it’s Man U or Leeds the refs give the pen automatically so that it has to be clear and obvious that it’s not to get it overturned. If it’s Burnley we never get the onfield decision to start with....

This is why the rule is nonsense until they have an assessment from the VAR to be pen/no pen. Not saying every decision should be done by VAR just anything goal or pen related. The clear and obvious bs just allows them to continue to favour big clubs....

[RammyClaret61]

“There was contact, he had every right to go down, penalty”!

It seems to confirm what Sean said after Leeds about the refs being told to give more penalties. Any contact, no matter how slight, how soft, if the player goes down.... PENALTY!

[nyclaret]

Just the 33 penalties in 59 games for United...

[NewClaret]

Just the 33 penalties in 59 games for United...

Clearly get a few lucky ones, but to win a pen you have to be carrying the ball in the box, something United do a lot of. Wish we’d try it occasionally instead of crossing from outside every time.

[NewClaret]

“There was contact, he had every right to go down, penalty”!

It seems to confirm what Sean said after Leeds about the refs being told to give more penalties. Any contact, no matter how slight, how soft, if the player goes down.... PENALTY!

If you can’t beat them, join them, I’d say.

We know how easily they are given so I’d like to see Charlie, Dwight, Josh, Robbie all charging in to the box more often to see if we can get them. I don’t mean play for them, I’m not keen on that, but learn how to attack the box in a way that commits defenders.

We’re not going to change the game by complaining about it, that’s clear, so we should learn to compete.

I thought Benson had a good shout for one vs Leeds (where the ref must’ve known he’d fluffed the Mee foul) but he got back up and Barnes stayed on his feet vs Sheffield United.

[Hibsclaret]

Clearly get a few lucky ones, but to win a pen you have to be carrying the ball in the box, something United do a lot of. Wish we’d try it occasionally instead of crossing from outside every time.

You can cross from outside, get assaulted by the keeper who then wins a free kick....we could carry the ball in the box but we still wouldn’t get pens...absolute nonsense for teams to be getting 1 pen every other game when we get 1 or 2 a season if we’re lucky. Something about it smells, playing style or not....

[NewClaret]

You can cross from outside, get assaulted by the keeper who then wins a free kick....we could carry the ball in the box but we still wouldn’t get pens...absolute nonsense for teams to be getting 1 pen every other game when we get 1 or 2 a season if we’re lucky. Something about it smells, playing style or not....

I don’t watch an awful lot of United so I can’t say really. I thought today’s was soft but a penalty. A foul anywhere else. They probably do get some favourite treatment but having watched how many attacks they put together today, and how much of their play was in Villa’s box, it doesn’t surprise me that they win a lot of pens.

I suppose my point is that I rarely see pens given from crosses. All the shirt tugging and arms flailing seems to be okay on a cross. And of course, the keeper can commit ABH within the rules of the game. But there must be areas of the box, scenarios and positions that, if exploited, statistically improve your chances of winning them & I wish we were more aware to that.

[Hibsclaret]

I hear what you’re saying but our style is our style...and we don’t have 100m players like Bruno etc. I’m sure if we had players to run around in the box we’d do it...but we don’t and even if we did I’m not sure we would get some of the ones given to the likes of Man U...for the reasons highlighted further up the thread...

[NewClaret]

I hear what you’re saying but our style is our style...and we don’t have 100m players like Bruno etc. I’m sure if we had players to run around in the box we’d do it...but we don’t and even if we did I’m not sure we would get some of the ones given against us...for the reasons highlighted further up the thread

No 100m players yet

Not suggesting we abandon our style, just mix it up. Dwight/Charlie don’t have to cross every time, just learn the right times to attack the box. We’ve done it a few times recently and nearly won one, just not gone to ground under a bad challenge.

[scouseclaret]

Right? that one today and the one he gave to Arsenal against Chelsea to me both the same kind of thing and both “clear and obvious” errors. But they just cover up for each other. Like how Oliver was the VAR for that Leeds pen and he gave it a 2 second look.

I’ve been thinking about this recently because I think the reluctance for refs to call each other out is a big part of the problem. But why do VARs have to be current refs? Experienced refs retire because they get too old to run around the pitch, but why should that stop them being VARs? Using retired refs might introduce a bit more objectivity.

Or if you want to be a bit more radical, why not use retired players? They tend to have a much clearer angle on what players are up to.