MarcusX

47 minutes ago, transfer reader said:

VAR checked both penalty appeals.

First one would have been soft and while I've seen them given, that almost entirely been when the attacker was heading towards goal which wasn't the case here.

2nd one just wasn't.

 

With White I think he got away with the barge on Vicario because he had moved away and there was enough time for the relevance to be over before the header on goal (for the Havertz goal)

For the own goal, Vicario was focusing on pushing White away at the time that Hojbjerg headed the ball.

Can’t argue with any of that to be fair, all valid points.

Second half Spurs decided to protect their keeper, not sure why someone didn’t take responsibility for that sooner though after the first!

14 minutes ago, transfer reader said:

Ben White an absolute menace at corners.

For both of the ones where Arsenal scored he was undoing the keepers gloves

It’s clever, I like it, but I’m not sure how just barging into the keeper off the ball isn’t a foul? 
 

VAR didn’t even seem to look at the two penalty appeals before the second goal either, although the second one probably wasn’t a foul and the first would be soft.

Theres something unlikable about some of this Arsenal team, these “dark arts” that Arteta has brought in to the side, but I think it’s what they’ve needed to get to the next level. They were far too soft for years.

6 hours ago, LondonBristolian said:

Personally I'm hoping we can hold off on the protests until at least October...

Definitely bought himself some time, but depends on the strength of that start.

6 hours ago, Northern Red said:

Our last two promotion seasons were both on the back of strong finishes to otherwise poor previous ones.

In a lower league where we should be expected to at least be competitive given our stature and wage budget.

6 hours ago, ChippenhamRed said:

Momentum possibly not the right word. But it does at least mean we go into the summer in a positive frame of mind, with a bit of optimism, and it won’t harm summer recruitment or season ticket sales to finish in the top half rather than the bottom.

I was certainly Manning out before this good run, but without a doubt he has earned the summer now. Fair play to him.

I could have picked one of a few replies but yes I’d agree with that. I don’t think it’s “momentum” in the sense of week on week performances but definitely positive atmosphere and mood can carry through.

It’ll give any players / agents a better sense of confidence in Manning and City too so can sway signings.

5 hours ago, Graham76 said:

We don’t know the whole story so can only trust Mannings judgment.  We certainly shouldn’t be sympathetic just because he’s made a few sacrifices to come here on loan.   That being said, I would rather he’s not even put on the bench and it’s given to one of the lads from our own academy. 

Whilst I agree, and I’m happy for City to do what’s best for them, on a personal level I feel for the lad. He’s only 19.

It’s hard to speculate on much else without knowing the circumstances, I’m not putting blame on the club - if he’s turned out to be not good enough then fair enough although it’s all very weird.

Credit where it’s due, decent end of season run and some good performances in there to match. A real shame we lost those Cardiff, QPR and Sheff Wed games now.

I don’t think momentum into a new season is really a thing though, it’s a new start in August and that’s where we can really judge protest.

Just now, petehinton said:

Pretty sure he went down the tunnel into the changing room before the game had even finished

Not for the first time apparently?

Feel sorry for the lad tbh. Not good enough to play, but for some reason sits on the bench every week. Doesn’t even feature for u21s either.

The lads moved countries for this too.

I don’t know or care for blame necessarily just seems a little unfair on him.

So my shirt arrived this week after ordering in the second release back in Feb.

The shirt is lovely, but the quality is questionable - where the badge is applied is creased, and not just in need of iron but the way the badge has been applied it seems.

Also it came with a matchday programme which was a nice touch, however that was also damaged presumably by the courier.

In fairness to the club they got back to me straight away and are arranging a replacement, and sending another programme.

Did anyone else have any issues?

Not just footballers, lots of every day people having them done.

Each to their own, but think the bright whiteness of them looks ridiculous

On 23/04/2024 at 23:45, Three Lions said:

Grealish's arm is in a natural position for jumping and for that specific situation, Check law 12. putting your arms behind your back and jumping isnt natural. 

VAR doesn't look at goal kicks. VAR would look  to a potential serious incident missed and review and as they don't goal kick the on field decision stands.

If you stick a ? up i will answer it but i'm off posting till the weekend.

You are missing the point.

The ref didn't think it even hit Grealish arm. That is a clear and obvious mistake.

On 23/04/2024 at 23:10, arrytheb said:

Wait, so you agree Grealish shouldn't have been a penalty but Wan Bissaka should?

Grealish who was stood 10 yards away, with the shot starting from a 'stopped' position so no instinct reaction. When stood in a wall, the arms really really do not need to come out to the side. 

And to make the VAR decision worse, the fact a goal kick was given, the ref clearly thought the ball didn't hit anything on the way through, with is factually incorrect. On that basis they should, at the very least, inform the ref that ball has hit an arm on its way through, which you must have missed, so probably worth just taking another look. 

Absolutely terrible use of the VAR process. At least let the ref know it's hit an arm so he can then make a decision based on what actually happened rather than what he missed. 

This is a good point, surely the very definition of a clear and obvious error in that he didn't think the ball hit the arm.

He should definitely have been instructed to go and take a look, and then I reckon it would have been a penalty.

It's a baffling decision because it suggests VAR have said stick with the onfield decision - which was it didn't even hit the arm, goal kick. It couldn't be any clearer that was a mistake.

14 hours ago, East Londoner said:

They certainly didn’t have any issues about the integrity of VAR then or Jon Moss being from Leeds 

John Moss isn’t from Leeds, he’s from Sunderland?

14 hours ago, Mr Hankey said:

Not saying it stands in this case, but did always think that VAR was a potential way for corruption to creep in to the game if a wrong un gets involved. Astonished that Forest didn’t get at the very least 1 penalty.

I think what they need to do is make the conversation audible, at least to TV audiences. That would ensure there's at least an understanding of the process

18 hours ago, Maltshoveller said:

I didnt think any were pens 

At least two, first one was soft but the handball should have been (but maybe not if you follow the Grealish one?!) and the third was a nailed on pen

22 hours ago, Three Lions said:

Forget about City v Huddersfield look at each situation and that was miles off look at each incident as unique chuck the law at each incident. You can have your arms out to the side of you if its natural in the laws of the game. Is Grealish making himself unnaturally bigger for what he is doing? Grealish is jumping arms move when you jump. Dont think the ref is miles out and for it to be reviewed it should not be marginal. I dont think it was a penalty too marginal not convinced that is a unnatural position. 

I would say it's not strictly "unnatural" (your arms do move when you jump) but I'm regularly told on a Saturday afternoon by referees when standing in the wall, that you can cover your bits but cant have your arms out by your side. I would say yes Grealish is making himself bigger.

It's ok to say take them in isolation, but this is what is most frustrating in football - and this rule in particularly - there's no continuity. What's a pen one week, isn't the next and it means no one has a clue what's going on.

52 minutes ago, TV Tom said:

Can't remember anyone moaning at the time, an ex-England keeper and a manager that won the Championship with a record points total that still stands today, hindsight is a wonderful thing 

Wasn't even ex-England, he'd just come back from the World Cup (albeit a disastrous tournament)

I personally was very happy with signing James at the time.

Another shocker yesterday IMO

Chelsea free kick hits Grealish’s outstretched arm in the wall.

Ref doesn’t even give a corner, but a goal kick.

Now I didn’t see it in real time but I saw the replays and discussion after. On the basis of what is given these days I can’t understand how it isn’t. Every free kick these days the wall are told you can use your hand to cover your face, or your bits, but anything out to the side is in danger.

I don’t understand how it’s not a penalty, especially compared to the one we got last week.

Also, I know VAR can’t over rule goal kicks but that conversation must have been amusing. Hold on Ref, you’ve given a goal kick but we’re just checking a possible handball.

Check complete, it did hit Grealish but no penalty - stick with the goal kick  it makes no sense.

how dare they change the Red Cross!

I know it’s a bit silly, but it’s amazing there’s not the same discourse isn’t it?

On 16/04/2024 at 20:13, phantom said:

Those above Dubai have been messing around with cloud seeding, the past 24 hours saw the results (literally) of the perfect storm, with one a half years rainfall falling in just 24 hours 

 

 

 

I think the problem is that they’ve talked about using seeding before and people are assuming that means it’s been used here.

They’d forecasted this rain and potential storm ahead of it happening, and predicted a years worth of rain.

I’m not sure they’d have intentionally dumped that much rain on themselves and wide spread areas? Or that seeding is even capable of causing such dramatic changes. I believe it only affects individual clouds, not future weather events.

17 hours ago, SecretSam said:

Still haven't found my keys after that night

I’m sure they’ll turn up, usually find them in the last place you look

Out of interest why did we have BC82 instead of a badge on the shirt?

I was genuinely looking forward to reading some feedback on his time at Bath City 

As ex-Chippenham I don't want Bath to go up, but would be good for him to have a promotion on his "CV" at an early age

On 15/04/2024 at 20:32, DolmanGaz said:

I wish Southgate would at least try in one friendly palmer, saka and foden behind Kane with Bellingham next to rice. Lose a bit dropping Bellingham back but gain so much more with palmer on the field instead of another DM...

I could be wrong, but I don't think there's been an occasion they've all been fit - certainly not since Palmer has burst on the scene.

I don't think we do lose much dropping Bellingham back because he's also a brilliant ball carrier. And any argument debating that should also acknowledge that Rice has been playing higher for Arsenal quite often with Jorginho sitting deeper so you could argue we lose a bit with Rice by playing him CDM.

On 15/04/2024 at 21:02, Bris Red said:

Agreed he is such a talent.

In forward areas we are as strong as any nation in the world at the monent especially with the depth of talent we have. 

It's defensively i worry and on tonights showing Pickford is not a goalkeeper that should fill us with any confidence going into a major tournament..

Probably a good job we don't judge players on one game then. I think it's mad the criticism Pickford gets (albeit I didn't see Monday's game) He's never let England down at a major tournament and don't forget he's probably the hero of Euro 2020 (21) if Saka puts his penalty in. 2 saves in a major final penalty shoot out!

As for this season he has the second highest clean sheets this season in the Prem and second or third for save percentage too I think. Everton have conceded the 4th lowest goals this season.

There's no better option than Pickford at the minute, and he's the least of our concerns in that back 5.

I think on current form and injuries our front 6 should be the following :

Rice Bellingham (not necessarily a flat 2)

Saka Foden Palmer

Kane

But, to counter the point about players playing out of position they need to be given the freedom they clearly had against Belgium to inter-change. Foden and Bellingham seemed to be given free roles and we need to do that and trust their ability.

Defence is questionable at the moment, needs to be decided closer to time and hope we have no further injuries. Think left back is the main concern

Probably one of the best away games I’ve been to, up there with palace away in the playoffs.

How refreshing it was to go somewhere needing a win and doing it so comprehensively?

12 hours ago, W-S-M Seagull said:

So you don't think we could have beaten Huddersfield x2 +4 points

QPR x2 +5 points

Cardiff x2 +6 points

Without adequate investment? Beating just those 3 teams twice would now see us sitting comfortably in the play offs. 

I can list many other other games where we could and should have got more than we got. 

Whilst I think we should have signed 1-2 more in the summer, we have enough to have done better than we've got. 

Blaming it on 'investment' is just you doubling down. 

 

That’s not how football works, win one of those and everything else changes afterwards. It’s not as simple as you’ve made it.

On 11/04/2024 at 06:22, ExiledAjax said:

At FT as well.

Almost out of the play offs but not quite. The maximum we can now get is 69 (nice), and Norwich in 6th have 68.

and now mathematically confirmed to be in this league next season, play offs officially out of reach