Delighted to see that Liverpool are in the lead; I'd love for them to win the Premiership this year.
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The 2019-2020 Football Thread
- Thread starter Lord Blackadder
- Start date
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Agree. To much chasing and shouting at the ref in the modern game. Not something VAR has improved. Probably made it worse to be honest.
I think they deserve it, but I don’t like what’s happened in this game. That botched refereeing really turned the tide quickly.
I don’t mind them winning (although would prefer City to keep things tighter), but would have preferred a goal or two from Mane. My fantasy team need the points.
However a come back for Stirling would also suit!
However a come back for Stirling would also suit!
Well, personally, I think it would do Liverpool (the city), Liverpool (the team) - and the whole idea of romance and reward for work, team-work, ambition, vision, and effort - a lot of good were Liverpool to claim the Premiership this year.
I think that’s it for this game.
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Looks like you got a goal from Mane ?
Well, @Apple fanboy, you got your goal from Mane, as @Strelok points out.
Liverpool lead (Manchester City), by three goals to nil.
Liverpool lead (Manchester City), by three goals to nil.
General purpose rant.
There was a cup final in Seattle today. Toronto FC dominated play throughout the game. When the first goal was put in around 57', the Seattle player up in the corner of the box went around one player and the shot bounced off a Toronto defender to go in. As the Seattle fans were in the process of confounding local seismographs, several Toronto players were surrounding the Ref, pleading their case, which was, well, I have no idea what they could have been pleading.
This kind of behavior crops up in a broad range of sports. Why is it tolerated? Officials should be treated by thechildren players as invisible. There really is no excuse for any player to say any ref, linesman, umpire or other rules enforcer (unless directly addressed by (invited to converse) by the official. I would take it to the extreme, visiting protesting players with the prospect of being sent off.
I have also observed a few games where the winning team seemed to have played the shabbier game and wonder if it may be an actual strategy, making the opponent work a little harder and build up their confidence so that your team can slip in under their attentions and score the actual points that decide the game.
There was a cup final in Seattle today. Toronto FC dominated play throughout the game. When the first goal was put in around 57', the Seattle player up in the corner of the box went around one player and the shot bounced off a Toronto defender to go in. As the Seattle fans were in the process of confounding local seismographs, several Toronto players were surrounding the Ref, pleading their case, which was, well, I have no idea what they could have been pleading.
This kind of behavior crops up in a broad range of sports. Why is it tolerated? Officials should be treated by the
I have also observed a few games where the winning team seemed to have played the shabbier game and wonder if it may be an actual strategy, making the opponent work a little harder and build up their confidence so that your team can slip in under their attentions and score the actual points that decide the game.
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I didn't think Liverpool would win this match, but in fact they were quite clearly the better team, VAR controversy notwithstanding. It's still far too early in the season to draw conclusions, but I think it is fair to say that Liverpool are in a better position this season than the same time last season. c
My opinion - In real time it looked like an obvious handball by Alexander-Arnold, but he ball actually hits Silva's arm and then ricochets into Alexander-Arnold's arm - given the positions of the players and their movements at that moment, and the speed of the ball, both instances of contact are unintentional and unavoidable, and Alexander-Arnold's "handball" follows directly and inescapably from Silva's "handball." Under these circumstances, I don't see how the ref can punish Alexander-Arnold and not Silva, or vice-versa for that matter? From this perspective, I think it makes more sense to deem both handballs not deliberate and play on.
Why can't FIFA just mic the on-pitch ref and VAR reviewer like in rugby so we can at least hear WHY they are making a call? We can then agree or disagree with their reasoning, but as it stands we are all in the dark. VAR is a classic black box.
I think there should be a rule that only captains may speak with the ref, for anyone else - speak when you're spoken to or it's a yellow card.
The MLS Cup final today was meh - partially because I don't really care much about either team. I dislike TFC more so I suppose I am satisfied with the result.
My opinion - In real time it looked like an obvious handball by Alexander-Arnold, but he ball actually hits Silva's arm and then ricochets into Alexander-Arnold's arm - given the positions of the players and their movements at that moment, and the speed of the ball, both instances of contact are unintentional and unavoidable, and Alexander-Arnold's "handball" follows directly and inescapably from Silva's "handball." Under these circumstances, I don't see how the ref can punish Alexander-Arnold and not Silva, or vice-versa for that matter? From this perspective, I think it makes more sense to deem both handballs not deliberate and play on.
Why can't FIFA just mic the on-pitch ref and VAR reviewer like in rugby so we can at least hear WHY they are making a call? We can then agree or disagree with their reasoning, but as it stands we are all in the dark. VAR is a classic black box.
I think there should be a rule that only captains may speak with the ref, for anyone else - speak when you're spoken to or it's a yellow card.
The MLS Cup final today was meh - partially because I don't really care much about either team. I dislike TFC more so I suppose I am satisfied with the result.
My issue with it is that AA clearly had his arm in an unnatural position and made himself much bigger while it just brushed Silva while his arm was at his side IIRC. Based one some previous calls this season, that seemed extremely lucky by Liverpool. The funny thing is the second handball was probably called correctly, his arm was in a natural position but I wouldn’t be surprised if that had been called if it were against MC. Either way, Liverpool was a lot less wasteful in their chances. Bravo definitely didn’t help MC here, but I guess that’s what happens if you rely almost 100% on a single GK.
Yes, but those little dives in penalty areas - and Manchester City are pretty good at extraordinarily balletic dives - are also irksome.
I think it's a call that could have gone either way - and regardless which way it went, it would be deemed controversial and we'd all be arguing about it.
The unnatural position debate is such a massively unhelpful grey area for me...is it "natural" for players to sprint up and down a pitch with their arms glued to their sides? It's natural to stick one's arms out for balance when stopping or suddenly changing direction, as AA and Aguero both were when the "handball" happened - a physical reality that many referees seem totally unaware of.
I say this not merely in defense of AA - more and more I am seeing the concept of "ball-to-hand" being totally forgotten.
Oh, dear.
Does she not much care for Manchester United, or are there other reasons for her unhappiness?
She not a fan for sure, she is a City lady! But, she and her husband, a retired SAS soldier, looked after my home for a number of years while I was working, so she is forgiven for her lack of taste in a team. She has the audacity to wear her Man City jersey in my home once. Millie, my cat, let her know that would not work!
Actually, the Manchester City jersey that the team wore for the Charity Shield - a retro style shirt, designed to look like those worn by the team during the 1960s - (and blessedly devoid of screaming sponsored names or nouns) - was surprisingly and unexpectedly attractive.
Did a cold supper await you, then?
As a punishment, it would be a lot more effective this time of year, than it would be during (a real) summer.......
Of course, a plate with a can of tuna was left for me.
I’m sure Millie wouldn’t have said no!
In other words, putting the Canadians back in their place after that recent aberrant win.
Such a boring international break this weekend...please give me a match I can actually care about, somewhere...Finland - Liechtenstein was probably the most meaningful match of the weekend and that isn't saying much (but congrats Finland).
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