The General Football Thread

I actually felt like that was a fix.

 

They managed to get two dodgy pens tonight. They are a great side but they do get favourable decisions.

 

There is a slight logic to why the bigger teams appear to get more favourable decisions.

If we presume that all 'dodgy' decisions come at the same rate, let's say 1 in 10, then the more you attack the more you'd expect to benefit.

Having said that I thought first was a penalty, 2nd was not.



What I really want to see now is what happened with that Di Maria chance?!?!

 

I have no ill feelings towards sides like Barcelona, because I barely think of them at all, but I don't think VARs wouldn't help situations like that match because there would be secreted brown envelopes in the video booth. At least, that's the feeling that one gets.

 

The real victims. On the whistle report writers.

 

Really gutted I missed everything between Cavanis goal and the winner

 

Of course, the record books will show that Barca came back with a record overturn. And everyone will forget that a couple of goals we're questionable at least if simply wrong decisions when players dived. And what about the foul on Di Maria when clear in the penalty area.?

I can't get all excited about what amounts to cheating, I'm afraid. Especially officially condoned cheating.

 

That last sentence is ridiculous.

 

Ha.! On the one occasion I have to get up really early tomorrow morning, Radio 5 ring me while I am in the shower asking me if I want to speak to Chappers after I texted them to suggest a fix. They volunteered that they also felt that way in the studio.
So I am in bed and using my phone. Don't think I want to speak to Mark Chapman while under the covers. Ooer.

 

Why.?

 

Barca can be very annoying when they use every trick in the book to get a decision. When Messi walked off the pitch in Paris, he was furious so they obviously sat down to gather their heads and thought about how to go about getting back into the tie. But 3 goals in the last 7 minutes?

Wiith the possibility of 4 La Liga teams going through, one of the qfs has to be all Spanish, no doubt it will be Sevilla (I am optimistic) against Barca. No chance there.

 

No one hs talked about Dortmund slipping through!!!!

 

Who do we want to win the EL? A Belgian team, someone from Russia, Schalke from Germany, Olympiakos are long overdue winning something! Anyone but Manchester United for me!!!!

 

Having it be certain kinds of attacks help, as well: ones where a defender is back-pedaling (or flat-out running) backwards and is forced to make split-second decisions 1v1 will result in more penalties called, because it will feature more contact (minor or major), a lot of it happening while the officials are scrambling into position. Thus did Leicester 'get every call' last year, even before anyone thought they'd be a top half outfit, let alone title winners...they created a tonne of situations where a defender had to lunge, or grab, and indeed many in which they merely made enough of such an action that it allowed for a timely dive.

If you don't play in such a manner, you won't get that many penalties. Want proof? From 2014-15 through today in the Premier League, guess which of the following teams has the fewest penalties awarded in their favour: Southampton, West Brom, Crystal Palace, Swansea, Bournemouth, Stoke, West Ham, Sunderland...or Manchester United. It's Man United, naturally*, because otherwise this would be a really stupid list to put together, and yeah, Bournemouth has more in their two years in the PL than Man U has in three. That is because the latter took to playing turgid football with not a lot of dynamic movement that would force a team into making the sorts of moves that might concede a penalty (or chance to simulate one), and no matter one's preferred conspiracy theories, if you don't get into positions that draw penalties, you will not draw penalties, no matter the renown of your club or manager or players.

*Unless I am very much mistaken, no team that has been in the PL in each of those three seasons has gotten fewer pens.

 

Morning pepys.
Anyone seen Arsene Wenger and Groundhog Day?

http://bbc.in/2mTmLd5

 

Well they were going over like nine pins.

 

So you didn't speak to him? What a shame.

 

Man Utd, definitely. Never had anything against them, & the EFL final hasn't really changed that. Of the so called "big clubs" in England, Utd, Arsenal and Liverpool have tje history to confirm their status.

Plus the relative success or failure of English clubs in Europe will have an effect on how many qualification places are available. I want to see Saints in Europe again soon.

 

We need United to be successful or we will lose a place in Europe....not giving up hope of finishing higher in future seasons, but 6/7th has to be our best hope in the near future.

 

Yep, good point there Archers, but if they crash out with Jose pounding the frozen ground till blood runs from his knuckle I'll not shed a tear!