Match Day Thread Wolverhampton Wanderers FC v Sunderland AFC – Saturday 2nd May 2026 - KO 15:00
- Thread starter RTB
- Start date
-
Please bear with us on the new site integration and fixing any known bugs over the coming days. If you can not log in please try resetting your password and check your spam box. If you have tried these steps and are still struggling email [email protected] with your username/registered email address
-
Didn't watch the match but was following updates on SKY & the BBC. Sue Smith covering our match said it was a red card and Mike Dean initially agreed so I went with their opinion, ranting about it. Then I got messages saying it was very harsh. Watching a video later online of the decision and it does look very, very soft. By the letter of the law it probably is a red card but it's not intentional and more a shirt pull where a couple (at most) of his dreads are caught by accident. It's not as though he's grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked it, the shirt pull was more obvious. Where's the common sense? A genuine sneaky hair pull, yeah that I'll go with, but to unintentionally catch someone's hair?
I'm angry at Ballard for doing it, it's a stupid thing to do which ran the risk of allowing a **** decision to be made and we paid the price for it. That said it's not deliberate, not very obvious and very very soft. Without that red card we win that game comfortably. I'm happy that we came away with a point, playing for 70 minutes down to 10 men is very, very hard no matter how poor the opponents are. It's physically and mentally tiring, especially in the later stages.
VAR really isn't fit for purpose. I'm not against it in principle, if it's used correctly it is an aid and can stop controversial incidents, like in the play off final. But it's not being used properly. We're seeing goals chalked off when someones knee is half an inch offside, fouls being awarded for one team where more blatant ones for the opponents are ignored. There's almost no consistency in game let alone between different games. And I think it's making referees worse. They're avoiding making some decisions and hoping VAR will bail them out. But you've got **** refs on VAR making **** VAR decisions. We've been on the rough end of a few bad VAR decisions this season, it feels like most have come since Christmas. Liverpool at home where we should have had a penalty be half time, Bournemouth down there, Fulham was one of the worst referee performances I've ever seen capped by the fact that dirty twat Jimenez should have been sent off for persistent fouling before half time scoring twice for them in the second half. I do wonder is this pay back because of the criticism Brobbey got from some quarters against Spurs? "You might have got away with one there, so we'll even it up next chance we get, even if it's wrong".
Edit. I don't know what Mike Dean said after he initially said it was a red because my mate phoned me ranting about it, so I'd muted the tv. If he's come out and critisised it later as reported he must have changed his mind pretty quickly.
I'm angry at Ballard for doing it, it's a stupid thing to do which ran the risk of allowing a **** decision to be made and we paid the price for it. That said it's not deliberate, not very obvious and very very soft. Without that red card we win that game comfortably. I'm happy that we came away with a point, playing for 70 minutes down to 10 men is very, very hard no matter how poor the opponents are. It's physically and mentally tiring, especially in the later stages.
VAR really isn't fit for purpose. I'm not against it in principle, if it's used correctly it is an aid and can stop controversial incidents, like in the play off final. But it's not being used properly. We're seeing goals chalked off when someones knee is half an inch offside, fouls being awarded for one team where more blatant ones for the opponents are ignored. There's almost no consistency in game let alone between different games. And I think it's making referees worse. They're avoiding making some decisions and hoping VAR will bail them out. But you've got **** refs on VAR making **** VAR decisions. We've been on the rough end of a few bad VAR decisions this season, it feels like most have come since Christmas. Liverpool at home where we should have had a penalty be half time, Bournemouth down there, Fulham was one of the worst referee performances I've ever seen capped by the fact that dirty twat Jimenez should have been sent off for persistent fouling before half time scoring twice for them in the second half. I do wonder is this pay back because of the criticism Brobbey got from some quarters against Spurs? "You might have got away with one there, so we'll even it up next chance we get, even if it's wrong".
Edit. I don't know what Mike Dean said after he initially said it was a red because my mate phoned me ranting about it, so I'd muted the tv. If he's come out and critisised it later as reported he must have changed his mind pretty quickly.
Last edited:
Seriously, when you look at the endless grappling Brobbey endures, what Ballard did isn't even a foul.
Imho both Champions Keague Semi-Finala had the VAR blight... silly penalties
Iirc handball was when it was intentional... now it's any time a lower arm or hand is hit by the ball.
Offside by a millimeter is ridiculous. From the moment a player first kicks the ball for a cross, the ball is deflated slightly, then leaves the foot... that is something like a few inches when an offside line is drawn.
Did I hear correctly, covering your hand with hand is going to be red card offence at the WC!
When was the last time VAR pronounced a dive/simulation and a yellow card.
VAR as currently operated by muppets is not fit for purpose
Iirc handball was when it was intentional... now it's any time a lower arm or hand is hit by the ball.
Offside by a millimeter is ridiculous. From the moment a player first kicks the ball for a cross, the ball is deflated slightly, then leaves the foot... that is something like a few inches when an offside line is drawn.
Did I hear correctly, covering your hand with hand is going to be red card offence at the WC!
When was the last time VAR pronounced a dive/simulation and a yellow card.
VAR as currently operated by muppets is not fit for purpose
Definately a soft red and in my humbel opinion should only be a yellow. It wasn't a "hair pull" as such but rather a "hair hold" as it appears in this image. He's only got hold of the hair with his left hand as there's no stretching of the shirt near his hand. Happy to stand corrected.
You must log in or register to see images
I’m pissed off it was a soft red but, as with soft penalties where the defender hardly kicks the attacker, if you do it then there’s a chance the ref will penalise. Don’t grab the shirt and accidentally catch the hair as well then it’s not a red card.
Ballard will learn from this and sometimes you’ve just got to let the player get control of the ball without grappling and pulling.
I’d love for it to be overturned but it’s not an outright clanger. My faith in the PGMOL would be slightly restored if they do see sense, mind.
Ballard will learn from this and sometimes you’ve just got to let the player get control of the ball without grappling and pulling.
I’d love for it to be overturned but it’s not an outright clanger. My faith in the PGMOL would be slightly restored if they do see sense, mind.
Look, gutted as I really think that was 3 points if DB had stayed on the pitch. He’s been brilliant this season so it is what it is. We can all be disappointed regardless of point of view on the red card but still points available so HWTL
As a protest the players should all wear hair extensions next week!
That is the important word. If you jump with your arms up, unintentionally elbowing someone, it’s at most a yellow (mentioned before). But that is way worse than accidentally pulling someone’s hair, which is a straight red and end ifof Ballard season!
The rule has to change. I’ve said it since the first one. Mind Arsenal had one far worse and far more intentional, but somehow VAR decided not to “stick to the rules” in that instance
Wolves initially said they wouldn't play unless the ref was changed because they said he favoured Sunderland. He obviously was trying to change their minds. so many issues, Brobby being assaulted several times, pushed out to the byline, hand ball by their defender, our player being pushed to the ground in a corner where they scored. Nothing given! Ballard's non hair pull...red card. Even with 10 men we could have won that. I must admit I think Brobby, while being very strong, is not agile enough for some of these games. not sure if Wilson would have been better from the start.
VAR hates us!
VAR hates us!
le bris should be gone after last week we know what is coming next season with these in charge these players not interested or the owners oh and VAR will help relegate us next season cos it has been **** this season and Brobbey is not Darren bent or super Kev will we get £50m for him lol i hope then sign Thiago a proper striker
You must log in or register to see images
For some reason this image appears in my head when Monty has one of his rants
I like Brobbey but he does have limits. We need another strong option with movement and more goal threats. Able to beat a player with the ball. A better quality more consistent version of Isidor basically with an all round game.
I would have brought Isidor on much earlier, give him something to run onto.
Long hair should be kept in a net or tied up for safety reasons.
Seen a few wolves fans it isnt a red and it killed the game.
More worryingly, iv3 seen loads turn on RLB after yday.
Saying his negative tactics costed us 2 points.
Saying he needs to go in the summer, we need to get some more positive and attacking
More worryingly, iv3 seen loads turn on RLB after yday.
Saying his negative tactics costed us 2 points.
Saying he needs to go in the summer, we need to get some more positive and attacking
