I wonder if this is the reason there wasn't much spending in the window from anyone? They knew this may be coming.
Might explain Pep’s mood recently too. Although being so far off the pace is more likely.
Haven’t worked it out, and just picked it from twitter, but if City’s ban stands, Liverpool have qualified for the champions league. In February. Although, from what I can see, the most Sheffield can achieve is 75 - 39 with 12 to play. Liverpool already have 76. So I’m not sure it matters whether City are in or out? Anyway, it’s nice to have top four secured. 😀
City’s appeal will take two years , cost lots of money , someone in Fifa will get a new holiday home and all will be well when the court of arbitration for sport(sic)rules in favour of manC.
Oh you cynic, you! Spot on though.
😬
Will Liverpool cantering to the Premiership, all the fun is watching the Championship this year - more twists and turns than a twisty turny thing on a Waltzer. At Christmas you would have put lots of money on West Brom and Leeds being promoted (well, perhaps not Leeds given what happened last season). Then suddenly Forest, Fulham and Brentford came strong, now everyone is dropping silly points (and often at the death). Fulham being beaten 0-3 to the bottom club, Leeds giving a three goal lead away and drawing 3-3 recently. Bonkers.
all the fun is
Liverpool cantering to the Premiership
VAR Playing a blinder tonight🙄
VAR is consistently inconsistent- the one thing it was meant to rule out. Get rid. It’s not worked!
It’s still got a subjective element in the guy in the bunker at Stockley Park. Ref should have more say if he’s alerted to possible doubts.
Well Ole's 2 new signings looked good last night. Bruno Fernandes and Anthony Taylor. 😀
When slabhead hoofed Batshuayi in the slats and it went to VAR, I thought he was off for sure.
It's looking like another repeat of last season, where that 4th (or now 5th) Champions League spot is going to go to the team that is slightly less rubbish than those around them.
I did enjoy the United away fans latest slightly modified version of their well known City chant
This is how it feels to be City,
This is how it feels to be small,
This is how it feels when your passport's back in the drawer
VAR is amazing...just a shame no-one thought they might need to review the rules or how those rules are implemented by the poor sods in the middle of the green bit before getting all tech-jiggy. That's progress for you I suppose.
OGS - classic Fergie-channelling - it was never a foul...hahahaha - retrospective action possible for Maguire given that VAR said no red card and ref gave nothing???
Bloody VAR shambolic shambles. Premier league refereeing really couldn’t be any worse.
Premier league refereeing really couldn’t be any worse.
It has been. Frequently.
I'm of the opinion that VAR is not the issue, it's a valid tool that is being used in a poor fashion.
I’m of the opinion that VAR is not the issue, it’s a valid tool that is being used in a poor fashion.
I want to give it the benefit of the doubt but sadly it seems to be doing it’s best to be awful..
“It” isn’t doing “its” best or worst to be anything.
As ever, it's the human element that's lacking.
This is how it feels to be City,
This is how it feels to be small,
This is how it feels when your passport’s back in the drawer
Is this the same City who are playing at the Bernabéu next week? 🙂
Would be amusing if Utd got fifth and missed out because the punishment is suspended while the appeal to the CAS is ongoing!
It's the lack of consistency thats the issue. So in that respect its exactly the same problem as pre-VAR. The fact that everyone is sat around waiting for a decision, which could still be just as wrong as the original (like last night), just amplifies it
So Maguire got away with no sanction last night, yet Son was shown a straight red for an identical foul a few weeks ago. I thought it was a straight red before the VAR replays (there may well have been some swearyness about the daft **** getting himself sent off for something so stupid), more so afterwards, yet the decision to not even give a yellow stood.
Would be amusing if Utd got fifth and missed out because the punishment is suspended while the appeal to the CAS is ongoing!
There's that, but the way its looking at the moment, with everyone looking so inconsistent and fifth place now being in play, I'm more intrigued to see if Sheffield United end up in the Champions League next season.
It’s the lack of consistency thats the issue. So in that respect its exactly the same problem as pre-VAR. The fact that everyone is sat around waiting for a decision, which could still be just as wrong as the original (like last night), just amplifies it
So Maguire got away with no sanction last night, yet Son was shown a straight red for an identical foul a few weeks ago. I thought it was a straight red before the VAR replays (there may well have been some swearyness about the daft **** getting himself sent off for something so stupid), more so afterwards, yet the decision to not even give a yellow stood.
So - long story short.....it’s made things worse.....& VAR was supposed to make things better.
The implementation of it has failed. It really should be withdrawn & rethought.
The implementation of it has failed.
What are your criteria for “has failed” compared to previous seasons where it hasn’t been used? E.g. are you happy for goals where there is offside in the scoring or build-up to stand?
“Long story short” might allow you to simplify a complicated issue, but are you really happy to dump video assistance which has helped loads of other sports enormously? What happens when* it’s re-implemented after your arbitrary period of withdrawal and investigation. Is it to be re-withdrawn as soon as Chris Sutton starts whinging about it again on 606?
*I say “when” because I’m convinced it’s not going away. It might even lead to some rule changes on offsides, handball etc. But hey, HOORAY! rules can be changed. It’s happened in other sports post video introduction. Although, I must say, I miss my team being able to waste time by passing back to the keeper for the last twenty minutes of a game.
Besides all the inconsistency in the Premier league VAR's use in the FA Cup is a joke. If you're playing at a Premier league stadium then it's used, if you're not it isn't.
That's a competition that now has 2 sets of rules. Ridiculous.
That’s a competition that now has 2 sets of rules. Ridiculous
No it doesn't, all cup ties have the same rules, but lower league grounds have drawbacks, as they always have done, lack of undersoil heating, less cameras, shit pitches, more exposed etc.
The magic of the cup. 😊
That’s a competition that now has 2 sets of rules.
Other than “we’ll use VAR if it’s available,” what other rules differ in these two “sets?”
The use of VAR - it's pot luck if you have it or not, that's not a level playing field in my eyes.
You wouldn't be saying that if your strikers eyebrow had strayed offside?
Or, as it turns out, if he'd walloped someone full-on in the cobblers with his studs up 😀
it’s pot luck if you have it or not
It most certainly isn’t. Premier league grounds have it. Others don’t.
that’s not a level playing field in my eyes.
In any game (in the cup), both teams are playing either with or without VAR. What’s not level about that? It’s not like the premier league team gets everything checked and the lower league team doesn’t.
binners, a debate like this requires participants with a grasp on facts and not entering the early stages of dementia in their fifties. Could you just go away and rant about Rebecca-Long-Bailey or something?
Its a fair cop Bravissimo
*Wanders off to wind up the communists.....*
Oh, before I go, did you notice that Roy Keane's withering disdain for Jamie Carragher seemed to scale even further heights last night while they were punditting?
Carragher: "Liverpool will get more points than the Man Utd Treble Team this season"
Keane (utterly contemptuously): "When you win a Premier League medal Jamie you get one medal, you don't turn it over and it says how many points you got"
😂
Living in the past binners, like yourself.
Good win for City! Is there a finer sight than Real getting beat and Ramos getting sent off?
Phenomenal result for Gerrards Rangers team tonight, the first team to get to the last 16 of the europa cup having been in it since qualifying round 1.
Hopefully Celtic can get through tomorrow, and cement Scotland getting 2 champions league places in 2021. 👏🏻
Good team Braga, IIRC they knocked wolves out?.
Wolves are still in but Braga took 4 out of 6 points against them in the group stages. 9
Was at Ibrox for the home game against Braga last week and the atmosphere was incredible. I'm almost hoping they get someone like Arsenal or Man Utd in the next round, just to see if they can step it up again.
IIRC the SPL already has two Champions League places for next season now so I wouldn't be too upset to see Copenhagen win tomorrow.. 😉
Not this season nobeer, Wolves are going great guns in the Europa League. 4-0 up on Espanyol from the first leg. They’ll be a tougher opponent than Arsenal or Man U!
Absolutely, I'd rather have Man United than Wolves!.
Big George Edmundson, a lad we picked up from Oldham, was imperious last night, what a unit of a man he is!.
Arsenal were very Arsenal like last night! And Celtic reverted back to their usual European performance after a couple of better results.
Are United fans singing that bloody Oles at the wheel song again yet?
A few outlets speculating on a coronavirus-shortened season today. Probably on account of Switzerland cancelling all games this weekend.
Would be quite a turnup if Liverpool didn't win the league, but most reds I know are level-headed, fair minded sorts who would take things in their stride - the public health issue at large is clearly of a different magnitude, that puts everything in perspective.
Relegation would be a thorny one to resolve.
Would be quite a turnup if Liverpool didn’t win the league
I think they'd sneak it under the Duckworth Lewis Rule.
They need to win 4 more games! I think they’ll want to get it done! Denied by a virus originating in a meat market in the middle of China might hurt even more than Stevie G’s slip.
Well, all good things must come to an end, I suppose...
Looks like we can share that consecutive wins record for a bit.
It’s been coming - some of the performances in the last few weeks didn’t really merit a win. I’m pleased it wasn’t any of the “big” sides (or ManU or Everton) - fair play to Watford. They’ll love this one. Don’t think it’s any coincidence that Henderson being out has resulted in a big dip in their level. To be honest, they must be mentally fatigued at this stage.