Is it me or was that not a penalty to Croatia? He has an open goal and dived for me. Presumably to get Rodri sent off? Bizarre, but missed by Oliver and the VAR
VAR and the automated offsides do well for the first two games. In comes Michael Oliver and it's immediate Useless ****er.
He kicks the ground and falls over, but Rodri did kick him just beforehand. Absolutely nowhere near the ball, so he should be off. He wasn't trying to play it.
Incredible wasn't it. Clear dive but given as a penalty even after VAR check. Then 3 Croatian are in the area when penalty is taken, but it's disallowed for a foul.... ****ing useless tossers!
Rodri barely touched him and it was a clear dive. But a yellow card??? Is it only a red if outside the box and a penalty can't be given?
Double jeopardy is supposed to prevent a penalty and a red, unless it's a deliberate foul. It was a deliberate foul. He was absolutely nowhere near the ball and had no chance of playing it. Didn't make a lot of contact, but just deliberately kicked him.
First time in 18 years Italy haven’t lined up in a tournament with at least one of Chiellini or Bonucci. We can tell
The only time VAR has not been a slick almost unnoticable prescence is when Michael Oliver and his mate Attwell are in charge. See that case? It's mine and it's rested.
That Polish goal highlights one of the issues that I have with our defending of set-pieces. Ashley Williams rightly points out the failure of the blockers on zonal marking allowing the easy header. Why is someone like Memphis Depay being tasked with that job, though? Leave those that can't or won't defend out of the equation. Someone like Son for us should be sent up near the halfway line. He doesn't do headers and really can't tackle, so allow him to defend by setting up to attack. If we win the ball back and play it up the pitch, then the opposition are ****ed. That's far more useful than having an ineffective body in the box.
