Football 2019/20

[RB1961]

I've not posted on here about my team as I don't want to get banned!

As for VAR (my view) is that if the ref went to the sideline as they did in the World Cup to look again at least it would then be his decision right or wrong you then don't move the blame to a faceless person.
Offsides are well offside so as long as it's consistent as in a toe nail for Sheffield Wednesday is a toenail for Liverpool/Arsenal etc then there can be no grey area.
As for handball in the game yesterday the 1st one was but as foxy said the second one wasn't. This rule has to many grey areas.
As for the Gunners well 2 shots on target in 2 games is not good enough. I won't mention the defence.

[Onelife]

I haven't looked back over previous posts to see if anyone shares my view but l think VAR is ruining the beautiful game ( not that l watch a lot of football other than when England are playing. I personally feel that VAR should only be used for goal line disputes and leave it to the Ref and his side line men/we on to make decisions involving such things as handball, fouls, etc.

[Manoverboard]

Luddite …..

[Onelife]

If it ain't broken don't change it comes to mind

[towny44]

I don't object to change if it is an improvement, but the way VAR is currently operating has not improved things, in fact controversy is much worse than before.

[Manoverboard]

The Hornets have been the victim of several erroneous VAR decisions, confirmed by VAR HQ, but also a couple that went in our favour. The problem to me is that the officials in the remote site can still favour the BIG SIX if they have a mind to and the way to solve that is by the ref using the pitch side monitor and the remote site displaying the VAR footage at the ground. 5G will also help.

It is for me a step in the right direction but we have yet to reach the end game.

I also think that it makes a huge difference how one feels if one's team is being adjudicated by VAR rather than simply being an onlooker as it were.

[towny44]

Moby the idea of VAR was to eliminate erroneous decisions made by the on field officials, the fact that it hasn't is proof enough for me that it has been badly designed and operated. If it only overturned incorrect calls made by referees then there would be no controversy, but it has created more controversy in the way it has interrogated these decisions. Football needs to have some arguments about all its aspects, including referees decisions, and unless VAR has firm evidence that a decision should not have been made by a competent official, then the on field decision should stay.

[Manoverboard]

I agree that the ref should have the final decision …. unless he is wrong of course.

Pre VAR it was regularly the Ref's Assistant who fell short of their responsibilities, the ref can't solve that one.

Controversy is too strong a word perhaps and can be used by pundits who are basically anti VAR. I think there have been mistakes as the system evolves but that is surely to be expected and indeed welcomed if it generates genuine discussion between the Clubs, refs and players leading to a better system in the fullness of time.

[Manoverboard]

Watford are about to appoint their third Manager for this season, easy come easy go

Flores delivered a dire style but was a tad unlucky because we potentially lost 9 points due to VAR HQ failing to pick up handballs leading to goals by the opposition, Newcastle, Spurs and Southampton.

Hopefully there will be a ' New Manager Bounce ' on Wednesday

[Frank Manning]

I wish Luton could have a new manager, but he has a three year contract, and they are so hard up they cant afford to sack him. Even after going down 7 -0 to Brentford! What a humiliation.

[oldbluefox]

VAR is the business.

Sorry to see your manager get the heave ho Mob. I expect we will suffer the backlash

[towny44]

VAR is the business.

Sorry to see your manager get the heave ho Mob. I expect we will suffer the backlash

I have been vociferous in my objection to the way VAR has been implemented, and the parameters that have been set to decide on referees decisions, but in light of the way previous offside rulings have been overturned I accept that the Foxes winning goal had to be declared on side. However I cannot condemn the linesman for his initial decision, at normal speed Iheanacho looked offside, only with stop action could you determine he might have been onside, and only with all the camera tricks of VAR could it be declared onside. In any pre VAR game most fans would have accepted either decision from the linesman as being reasonable, and I hope that the current way VAR is being used undergoes a major overhaul at the end of this season.

[barney]

So, with the deadline day upon us, who's had any interesting ins and outs

Gills have let go both of the strikers on loan from Premier clubs.
Njoli from Bournemouth and Jakubiak from Watford never broke into the team as regular starters and have both been moved on.

Both the Southampton youngsters have been regular starters and have improved their game as the season has gone on.

We've bought in on a permanent deal, a bruiser of a lower league striker called John Akinde.
He has made an immediate impact with his influence on the game.
Another forward from Ipswich called Jordan Roberts who looks very lively so far and a lad from Wolves called Jordan Graham is being announced today.

Being six points from the playoffs, it appears that the chairman is going all in in a bid to get into the top six.

It will be an interesting end to the season.

The only concern is that we have a very small squad of available players .
About 17 or 18 by my reckoning.

[Manoverboard]

Not a lot of movement either way but thankfully we have a number of players returning from their injuries … main task for us of course is to get out of the relegation zone, fingers crossed.

[Ray B]

Anyone watching the Spurs v Norwich game on I Player were treated with a fast moving game in which the best team at the bottom of the Premiership won.

[oldbluefox]

Norwich are a decent team. It beats me why they are stuck down in the relegation places but if they continue to play as they have been doing lately they could well escape the drop.

[Ray B]

It's the old story Foxy, we can get the ball in the area, but seem to have a job netting it.

[oldbluefox]

It's the old story Foxy, we can get the ball in the area, but seem to have a job netting it.

Unless you are playing us.....

[Manoverboard]

Well, what on earth should I do this afternoon … it's Saturday and there's no footy

[towny44]

If this pandemic lasts into July, do the leagues then have time to finish their fixtures, always assuming the players can remain fit?
If not does that mean Liverpool won't be champions and Leeds won't be promoted? I would be disappointed for Klopp, but delighted for Leeds.

[Manoverboard]

If this pandemic lasts into July, do the leagues then have time to finish their fixtures, always assuming the players can remain fit?
If not does that mean Liverpool won't be champions and Leeds won't be promoted? I would be disappointed for Klopp, but delighted for Leeds.

There's a meeting due next Thursday to decide the finer points ….

[Quizzical Bob]

Football? What football?


I was supposed to be in Norwich this afternoon but now I’m just sitting around trying to avoid doing any chores.

[screwy]

I would be absolutely delighted if the season was declared Null & Void, nochampions,promotions,relegation, It would be hilarious if the Scousers had to wait another 30 yrs.

[Quizzical Bob]

I would be absolutely delighted if the season was declared Null & Void, nochampions,promotions,relegation, It would be hilarious if the Scousers had to wait another 30 yrs.

Indeed

Every silver lining has a cloud.

[barney]

Gills would have won eleven nil, had they played today