Both should have been reds or perhaps should not have been, but the decision should have been consistent. Instead we have ManU benefiting from both decisions. You could also say it's not a 'clear and obvious error', so VAR should not have been involved. How many times do we hear that the ref has made a decision, may not be right but it's not a clear error so VAR *hasn't* got itself involved. Apparently the commentators are happy with that when it happens - like when it's happened with us. Yet here is a similar situation where other times they've let the ref decide but VAR suddenly gets involved? I said last week that VAR are going into overdrive to get ManU that 4th CL spot and they're already at it.
I don’t know why people get wound up about decisions. Football has created a rod for its own back. Every game has numerous controversial and marginal decisions because: 1. It’s almost become a non contact sport. 2. Technology means that TV images can be analysed to show that a tackle was a tenth of a second late or a player was a quiff offside - decisions so petty it brings the game into disrepute. 3. Rules are changed so frequently that nobody knows what the handball and offside rules are any longer. 4. There is a lack of control by officials, compounded by a lack of respect from players for officials, which results in a myriad of problems not seen so often in other sports- indecision, inconsistency, undue pressure placed on officials etc. Football should look to both rugby codes for how officials should control games effectively and to cricket for how technology should be used (albeit that it is far from perfect in that sport).
Don't laugh. My step dad took me to Spurs in the 40's and stood me in the Park Lane End. The twit let me go by myself,in that crowd!,to the toilet.Of course,I couldn't find him and had to find my own way home.No recollection of anything else!.......and I still became a Spurs fan.
Man Utd have been charged because their players surrounded the ref: https://theathletic.com/news/manche...rounded-referee-in-brighton-win/yXxBK7827r1Q/ They arguably got a yellow turned into a red. Who gives a **** about some piddling fine? Potter's spot on here: “It was a yellow card live, (Adam) Webster’s around on the cover,” “It’s not clear and obvious that he can’t get there, so I don’t understand the intervention. “As soon as the referee goes to the monitor, it seems it’s only going to go one way.” Everyone's equal under VAR. It's just that some teams are more equal than others.
Quite ironic as Maguire got away with one like that recently. Didn't see it but wonder if he was one of those surrounding the ref? Completely agree with you that the fine is pointless as the damage has been done. Whether the decision was right or wrong, it certainly wasn't "clear and obvious" that the decision was wrong, so there was no reason* for VAR to intervene. VAR has not done so on numerous other occasions this season because of the lack of a clear and obvious mistake. * other than the basic "red rule" as encompassed in the name of the system "Virtual Assistance for Reds".
There was an article yesterday by the athletic about Southampton: Not sure if they did this in our game, but it's interesting timing. They seemed to get a 2nd wind late on after appearing to run out of steam. Highlights something of an issue with the current rules, in my opinion. Sportsmanship is essentially dead, so we shouldn't count on it any more. If a player is injured, then the physios should be able to come on and the game should continue. Head injuries and other similarly dangerous problems should be an exception. Faking such things should be heavily punished.
Timekeeping should be done off field with precise timing for all stoppages so that we end with a real 90 minutes. Referees are completely inconsistent with what they add on. Often time wasting is rife in extra time and extra extra time seldom makes up for it. It pays to cheat in the modern game. A player is brought down as he is about to run through on goal with just one player in front of him. He gets a free kick and the entire team are now in front of him. Obviously it's a better option to bring a player down and suffer the free kick. That's just one example another is the onset of cramp in the final stages of a leading team. It could all be sorted if there was a will but it makes good tele so it wont be.
I don't think that precise timekeeping would be that helpful, as counter-intuitive as that sounds. Timewasting is as much about disruption as it is running down the clock. Preventing it is better than adding on additional time, in my opinion. Don't stop for injuries, dish out bookings more readily and don't treat the keeper like he's immune.
