I think I predicted a top ten finish based on the good form at the end of last season and we only lost PEH from the previous one and it looked like Ralph was happy with his options at full-back at the time. It is frustrating that we appear to have regressed but there are valid reasons as to why the second half of the season never matched the pre Xmas form. Injuries to virtually all of the first team, some of them multiple (key players like Danny and KWP in particular), Covid affecting recovery, some awful officiating and a relentless fixture list. 11th to 14th is par for us and add a S/F to that and it is a passable season so these last few games are important for morale and momentum going into the summer. As I've previously posted getting round pegs in round holes is important and the results of the past two seasons show that filling in players into unnatural positions has cost us dearly (start of last season and the second half of this one). The recent fan forum has shown that Ralph recognises this and we should be starting next season with adequate cover in all positions. Add to this a full pre-season and a normal fixture list and i'm optimistic that the results will be better.
I would suggest Burnley as an equivalent. They have done the exact opposite: started really poorly and lots of injuries picking up few points before picking up some momentum. Saints just did it the other way around!
I would say that no one above 13th has a comparably thin squad and no reason to expect us to finish above them.
That's one of those where I'd have liked Taylor to stick with his on field decision. Bailly got the ball but his follow through was reckless.
It seems remarkably similar to a recent situation involving vardy and vesty no? Yet there’s a clear and obvious error in this case but not in the other. VAR used when it suits. I’ve really had my fill of officiating this season, the inconsistency is so sickening, seen it so many times now.
The onfield referee didn't see the touch on the ball tonight. Once that was brought to his attention, he overturned it. Rightly so in my view. Whereas with Vestergaard, the onfield referee did see the touch on the ball. And yet still thought it was a foul/red!!
I'm not sure what you mean. I think you're agreeing with me? Still the fact that the ref went to the monitor and reviewed a penalty but didn't for our sending off boils my beans. Identical scenarios except if anything Bailly was lucky to connect with the ball, vesty was much better timed.
What I'm really mad at is ManU handing the win over so weakly and letting Pool have a sniff of Champs League again. Dicks.
My point is that you should be looking at the onfield referees. They were the reason for the different decisions. Our referee saw everything he needed to live. And he messed the decision right up! Aim your anger at him - it was awful from him. Whereas tonight, the referee didn't see everything he needed to. He (apparently) missed the touch on the ball. Once the VAR informed him of that, there was reason for him to review his original decision. What he saw on the replays was different he what he thought he saw live.
I hate to say this, Tom, but I think he realised it was McTominay and that if he gave the foul, he would have no option but to book him and send him off, as he’d just booked him. I always look at that kind of challenge and think would it be given outside the area? The answer was clearly “yes” even though McTominay slipped, he rugby tackled Mane ...... Ridiculous decision .....