[FOOTBALL] Champions League Round of 16 2nd Legs; Europa League Ro16 1st Legs; more

[Reg]

All the European stuff is on BT's various channels, with Barcelona v PSG and Schalke 04 v Borussia Monchengladbach on Showcase.
http://www.live-footballontv.com

19:45 unless stated.

TUESDAY
Arsenal (1) v (5) Bayern Munich
Napoli (1) v (3) Real Madrid

Birmingham City v Wigan Athletic
Blackburn Rovers v Cardiff City
Bristol City v Norwich City
Derby County v Preston North End
Fulham v Leeds United
Huddersfield Town v Aston Villa
Ipswich Town v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Nottingham Forest v Brentford
Queens Park Rangers v Barnsley
Rotherham United v Brighton & Hove Albion
Sheffield Wednesday v Burton Albion
Reading v Newcastle United - 20:00

WEDNESDAY
Barcelona (0) v (4) PSG
Borussia Dortmund (0) v (1) Benfica

Man City v Stoke City - 20:00 SS2

Deportivo La Coruna v Real Betis - 17:45 SS2

THURSDAY
Televised
FC Rostov v Man Utd - 18:00
FC Copenhagen v Ajax - 18:00
Olympiakos v Besiktas - 20:05
Schalke 04 v Borussia Monchengladbach - 20:05
Lyon v Roma - 20:05
Full list. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/europa-league/fixtures)

[Pleb]

Arselol are 33-1 to overturn their first leg loss according to the beeb.

Worth a punt Mahow?

[Adamski]

Mahow only specialises in the Ukrainian long shots these days.

[Giggles]

Any of the betting websites show Derby and Preston?

[Lewis]

Watch Arsenal win 2-0.

[Spammer]

THE MIGHTY BLADES are stomping all over Oxford tonight. Hopefully.

[Waffdon]

THE MIGHTY BLADES are stomping all over Oxford tonight. Hopefully.

@ evens, I hope they do.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Arselol are 33-1 to overturn their first leg loss according to the beeb.

Worth a punt Mahow?

Not a chance.

[niko_cee]

Watch Arsenal win 2-0.

Wouldn't the more traditional outcome be 3-0 or 4-1?

Followed by a long grinding drive into the top 4.

[Magic]

Lol at Fulham's OG. Increds.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Walcott doing something in a game which should be a 'big game' but isn't because of the first leg sums him up.

[Magic]

What the hell was that by Neuer?

[Reg]

Great goal by Napoli. Game on.

[Giggles]

That's about three times in five minutes that Ramsey has been a complete waste of space.

[phonics]

Ramsey has been our best player. Not sure what you're talking about.

We're going to win 3-0, should be most of the way there with the penalty denial.

[Magic]

Marik Hamsik. :drool:

[Smiffy]

I'm predicting red cards, a Bayern comeback and a typical Arsenal meltdown in the second half.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Koscielny :harold:

[Magic]

Arsehole and Crapoli are both out then (fo real I mean).

[Pen]

Didn't see that coming as the Arsenal comeback seemed inevitable.

Both ties over :(

[Magic]

Lol at Edna Crabapoli's defending.

[Reg]

Allan looks a nightmare for a ref. Also has a bizarre moustache that he can't pull off. Should have gone full Dali with it.

There can't be a better centre back at scoring headers than Ramos.

[Waffdon]

Ramos is something else.

[Giggles]

Lol at Edna Crabapoli's defending.


Arsehole and Crapoli are both out then (fo real I mean).

Yeah, stop that.

[Giggles]

Chamberlain trying to finally be a proper player is cute.

[Pen]

Didn't Terry score a ridiculous amount one season too? Ramos has been in great scoring form, not taking anything away from him, but just thinking scoring centre backs for Reg.

[Magic]

Galipoli losing their heads.

[phonics]

I'm on the Angelsaint train, these matches are fixed.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Naldo got 13 in one season.

[Reg]

Yeah I think he had one or two seasons in particular, Pen.

[Magic]

Naldo got 13 in one season.

Lol I also just read '14 free scoring centre backs who should have been forwards'.

[Waffdon]

Didn't Terry score a ridiculous amount one season too? Ramos has been in great scoring form, not taking anything away from him, but just thinking scoring centre backs for Reg.

Scores when it matters.

Toni Kroos is the exception to Jimmy's rule on folk taking corners for big clubs.

[Shindig]

"#4: Stephen Taylor."

[Magic]

On a slightly related note, did anyone else know Sol 'Sol' Campbell's real name was Sulzeer Jeremiah?

[Giggles]

That defending :drool:

[phonics]

Has anyone ever seen a player given a yellow, then talk to the opposition team. And then been given a red? It seems absolutely mental.

[Raoul Duke]

Turned it on to see Ramos don Napoli single-handedly, so I've switched over to Arsenal to see them get an absolute fisting on aggregate. Jesus H. Christ - Douglas Costa as a sub :cab:

[phonics]

Just a reminder (outside of his 45 against Liverpool) Sanchez has been absolute dog shite for about a month.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Douglas Costa :drool:

God I love watching Arsenal get smashed.

[Pen]

Scores when it matters.

Toni Kroos is the exception to Jimmy's rule on folk taking corners for big clubs.

Tru dat. Apparently nine goals for him so far this season.

Quick google reveals that from the centre backs who didn't take penalties Terry is in a league of his own with 39. Gallas second with 25 and Hyypiä third with 22 (Prem only).

[Magic]

:harold:

[Raoul Duke]

Crazy how all these left-footed players keep cutting inside and shooting on their favoured foot!

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Lol I also just read '14 free scoring centre backs who should have been forwards'.

Nah, I remember he had a nose for goal so Wiki'd him.

I did then read about Materazzi and his SEVENTEEN in a season, in only 31 games too.

[Magic]

:harold:!

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fucking glorious.

[Smiffy]

Obvious.

[Raoul Duke]

Merked

[Reg]

I'm predicting red cards, a Bayern comeback and a typical Arsenal meltdown in the second half.
Fair play. I'm watching the other game but I imagine this will put quite a lot more pressure on Wenger to resign...

[Lewis]

This is like something from the mid-nineties.

[Mazuuurk]

Has anyone ever seen a player given a yellow, then talk to the opposition team. And then been given a red? It seems absolutely mental.

The red was apparently for denying the goalscoring opportunity (straight red), not for talking.

Anyway, this is so sad. Arsenal are usually a bit of a shambles every year at some point, but this year they have really fallen apart a bit beyond what you usually expect. The club needs an overhaul to be honest.

[Pen]

Has anyone ever seen a player given a yellow, then talk to the opposition team. And then been given a red? It seems absolutely mental.

Seemed very odd judging from the short clip I saw. The ref didn't even give him a second yellow (or at least that wasn't shown in the clip) so would that mean it was a straight red for unsportsmanlike conduct?

[Adamski]

The red was apparently for denying the goalscoring opportunity (straight red), not for talking.

Anyway, this is so sad. Arsenal are usually a bit of a shambles every year at some point, but this year they have really fallen apart a bit beyond what you usually expect. The club needs an overhaul to be honest.

I don't think it's much different to any of the last couple of years. They'll still finish third and hit the FA cup later stages/win it.

[Lewis]

What is the process for deciding to stay behind and boo? Do you just decide when you would normally get up to leave, or do you spend the entire second half psyching yourself up for it?

[Magic]

The red was apparently for denying the goalscoring opportunity (straight red), not for talking.

Anyway, this is so sad. Arsenal are usually a bit of a shambles every year at some point, but this year they have really fallen apart a bit beyond what you usually expect. The club needs an overhaul to be honest.

Leicester mk2. Snakes.

[Giggles]

Fucking lol.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

:drool:

[niko_cee]

I've not seen this Koscielny one, but the way they've fudged the new no double punishment penalty/red card rule to exclude Luis Suarez style bastardry is a bit of a mess.

[Magic]

:D

Oh lol.

[Max Power]

Love the cold ruthlessness from Bayern. Make them cry

[niko_cee]

That must be the biggest blue box in BBC live text commentary history.

[-james-]

Arsenal really 10-2 struggle in the knock-out stages, don't they.

[Magic]

I like how 'Wenger Out' flags have started to appear, so the spineless fuckwits took them just in case they got whomped. Faggots.

[Raoul Duke]

This is The Round Of Arsenal, so it's fairly appropriate they get beasted here

[Reg]

Maybe Wenger won't, but no other manager in the world would survive a 10-2 on aggregate.

[Magic]

Fuck sake. Stupid fucking sending off in the 90th after basically a stalwart defensive display and they score at the death.

[Pen]

I know we've since passed on from this, but saw this on Reddit regarding Ramos: Of Sergio Ramos' 21 goals since the 2014 Champions League final, 18 have come when Real Madrid are losing or tied. Haven't checked if that's correct, but very a impressive return if true and as Waff said scoring when Real need it, not the 4th against Arsenalor the like.

[Yevrah]

That's actually embarrassing.

[Waffdon]

Fuck sake. Stupid fucking sending off in the 90th after basically a stalwart defensive display and they score at the death.

Won me £100 so all good. Go dry yourself aff wi a hairdryer again, mate. Looked like you enjoyed that.

[Shindig]

7 points from the last three is still a good return. If we're going to drop points to one of them, Reading's the one that's less damaging. Still in for a tense finish.

[Gray Fox]

At least someone from Arsenal enjoyed it. Again.

https://gyazo.com/0c6c3d1a8012751f8d091fd1f802f6ad.png

[Giggles]

What's this 'double punishment' thing and when did it start?

[Shindig]

I think it's a Premier League thing. Started this season to allow teams to have a full compliment after penalty decisions.

[niko_cee]

What's this 'double punishment' thing and when did it start?

You don't get red carded for giving away a penalty in a 'goal scoring opportunity' situation if you are legitimately trying to play the ball. Problem is, if you go shoulder to shoulder in a last man situation, for example, and the ref says it's a foul then you get no such dispensation as you aren't playing the ball. I assume the rule is there to stop bastards hacking people down and chancing a penalty miss (and for on the line handballs) but they way it has been interpreted sometimes this season has been a bit mad - Newcastle got a right shafting against Forest as I recall. It's not just a Premier League thing, it's a FIFA rule, I believe.

[Giggles]

Talk about complicating things.

[phonics]

No but how does the ref give a yellow for a decision and then give a red for the very same decision. Surely you can't do that?

He clearly says penalty and yellow (soft but fair enough) and then gives him a red. It makes no sense outside of a fix.

[niko_cee]

Greek ref, German team . . .

[Giggles]

No but how does the ref give a yellow for a decision and then give a red for the very same decision. Surely you can't do that?

He clearly says penalty and yellow (soft but fair enough) and then gives him a red. It makes no sense outside of a fix.

Was it not a yellow for the foul and a second yellow for mouthing off?

[phonics]

Nope. He was given a yellow and then a straight red. No second yellow.

[Giggles]

Nope. He was given a yellow and then a straight red. No second yellow.

Ah right, hadn't copped that there was no yellow in between. Bit dodgy sounding alright.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Past-it ideologue in north London taking the red team towards new depths on a daily basis. A winning machine at the turn of the millennium, they're now in danger of becoming irrelevant and it's got so bad he's being openly laughed at by his own troops. But does anyone have the power to get rid of him?

[niko_cee]

:D

Job swap.

[phonics]

Ah right, hadn't copped that there was no yellow in between. Bit dodgy sounding alright.

I was always a bit wary about it but ever since the Van Perdue incident (sent off for attempting to score 0.3 seconds after the whistle went vs Barca) Saint does seem more correct.

[Jimmy Floyd]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/03/08/madridification-barcelona-barca-went-mes-que-un-club-just-another/

Fascinating read on Barcelona losing their soul.

[Lewis]

Backwards-run club realises self-indulgence costs money. Read all about it. Besides, most of the pre-'Pep' history was based on signing the best players for loads of money, so file that one under short memories.

[Disco]

Exactly. You wonder how many would be happy to have ridden their principles (ie sentimental wank) to 8th place every year.

[Mazuuurk]

Ah right, hadn't copped that there was no yellow in between. Bit dodgy sounding alright.

No from what I understood it was more like he handed a Yellow, but then changed that Yellow to a straight Red because the linesman told him it was a straight Red.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

No from what I understood it was more like he handed a Yellow, but then changed that Yellow to a straight Red because the linesman told him it was a straight Red.

This is it.

Because of the new rule the fifth official told him that Koscielny hadn't attempted to play the ball so it was a red card.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't get the logic of the 'double punishment' anyway. It's just yet another reward for cynical play, which isn't limited to instances when no genuine attempt is made to play the ball.

[phonics]

Which is exactly what this was

839231878225866755

[John Arne]

I don't get the logic of the 'double punishment' anyway. It's just yet another reward for cynical play, which isn't limited to instances when no genuine attempt is made to play the ball.

Yup. Plus, if you miss, then there is effectively very little punishment at all (bar the yellow card).

[Jimmy Floyd]

Which is exactly what this was

I'd say that's more simulation.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Yup. Plus, if you miss, then there is effectively very little punishment at all (bar the yellow card).

Linking foul play with a skill-based follow up for the victims is bollocks, foul play should be linked to definitive sanctions. Either cards or, as in rugby, a penalty goal.

[CJay]

I hadn't seen the penalty incident until now. That's pretty clearly not a foul. No newspapers seemed to agree with this today though?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Mings has been banned for 5 games and Zlatan for 3.

[Baz]

I hadn't seen the penalty incident until now. That's pretty clearly not a foul. No newspapers seemed to agree with this today though?Do you read all the newspapers? (Not trolling)

[phonics]

I hadn't seen the penalty incident until now. That's pretty clearly not a foul. No newspapers seemed to agree with this today though?

Doesn't fit the NARRATIVE.

[niko_cee]

Fucking hell, I hadn't seen that Arsenal red/penalty.

:D

Dear lord. Is there another angle that makes it look any better? There is definitely something in the Premier League teams getting the raw end of 'continental refereeing', probably harking back to when Barcelona absolutely robbed Chelsea care of that Norwegian (?) idiot. Nani's red against Real, City have been shafted numerous times (not least against Monaco when there is no doubt that Arsenal's 'keeper would have been sent off for the effort on Aguero), I'm sure there are others. Big decisions seem to be a bit of a one way street.

[Disco]

It's because the standard of officiating in the rest of Europe is awful.

[Lewis]

There was also that time they fixed the draw for the Italians/Spaniards, and they fined Alex Ferguson for daring to EXPOSE them.

[Magic]

Here we go. :drool:

[Giggles]

Aubameyang making up for being turd in the first leg.

[Lewis]

Was this City game only arranged this afternoon?

[Smiffy]

The average age of that Stoke bench...:drool:

[Magic]

Barca look shit.

[Max Power]

Two absolute nonsense goals for PSG to concede. They are gonna bottle this

[Magic]

PSG. :D

Lololol.

[Bernanke]

http://i.imgur.com/Z8hbhna.gif

[Magic]

Giggles how is Raith doing?

[Giggles]

Giggles how is Raith doing?

I have switched off all football for the evening.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If they lose this it just confirms everything we know about the French.

[Gray Fox]

What was the ref looking at there?

[Max Power]

This is utterly embarrassing from PSG. Heads have gone. Red incoming

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

They better not fucking do this.

[Lewis]

If they lose this it just confirms everything we know about the French.

And it will throw the entire Barcelona NARRATIVE into reverse. Happy days.

[Waffdon]

Was Di Maria carrying a knock? PSG will score here.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Cavani finally doing something :drool:

[Waffdon]

Mahow fooled again. :drool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Fucking hell.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Suarez deserves an Oscar for that.

[Gray Fox]

What is this game?

[Magic]

Holy shit.

[Gray Fox]

What. The. Fuck.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

French wankers.

[Davgooner]

Holy motherfucking shit.

[-james-]

Fuck me.

[Waffdon]

Lol

[Magic]

Oh. My. God.

[Pleb]

:serious:

[Kikó]

Luis Enrique :cool:

[Max Power]

PSG should disband.

That was top class from Neymar to set up the goal.

[Magic]

Mahow. :cool:

[Guybrush]

Jesus Christ.

[Pleb]

Is Michael Owens having a fit?

[Dark Soldier]

Wow that's fucking insane

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

UEFA should chuck them out for Suarez's dive to win the penalty for the 4th.

[Offshore Toon]

Fix.

[Vim]

That's probaby the end of PSG as a club. How do you recover from this? That's every player leaving this summer.

[Adamski]

That's probaby the end of PSG as a club. How do you recover from this? That's every player leaving this summer.

Why are they all leaving? :D

[Waffdon]

Atletico are winning this on the basis of being the only team capable of defending.

[-james-]

That's probaby the end of PSG as a club. How do you recover from this? That's every player leaving this summer.

By continuing to pay your players millions of euros each a year, I presume.

[Magic]

That's probaby the end of PSG as a club. How do you recover from this? That's every player leaving this summer.

Agreed they should liquidate right now.

[Disco]

The Saurez penalty was appalling, as was Neymar who can't have gone more than 10 paces all evening before throwing himself on the ground.

[Boydy]

That was quality to watch for the last twenty minutes or so. Also Barca won me like £20 so that was nice.

[Lewis]

Deportivo doing Milan in 2004 was better.

[CJay]

Madness. I turned it on when they scored the 5th. Nice to see Pique performing the Robert Huth role so well. What a result.

[Waffdon]

Neymar for the sixth was fucking brilliant.

Suarez's shithousing won them it though.

[Mazuuurk]

Yeah me too, had money @7.2 on them Advancing.

Was so fucked off because I was literally about to trade out when the goal happened, but then this happened :cool:

[spokej]

Normally you'd be pleased for a team coming back like that but they're a horrible shower of diving bastards.

[Reg]

Amazing. I thought it was done at 3-1. Fans and players crying. That was great.

Football, eh?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Meanwhile, 'Pep' draws 0-0 at home to Stoke.

[Waffdon]

Still not as good as Crystal Palace in 2014.

[Adamski]

Deportivo doing Milan in 2004 was better.

Was that a stunning victory for Club Lewis too? At least you've always got Pep watch :cool:

[Pleb]

:D

Football.

[Mazuuurk]

Yeah you have to feel for PSG.

Looking at the replay now that last pen from Suarez was actually an even worse penalty than I thought.

[Max Power]

What if Guardiola was the binman all along and Luis Enrique is the football genius redefining the way we think about life and sport???

[Disco]

Then they probably wouldn't have lost 4-0 in the first place.

[Pleb]

Arsene must be seething right now.

[Magic]

Meanwhile, 'Pep' draws 0-0 at home to Stoke.

Fucking poetic.

[Max Power]

Really can't grasp just how pathetic PSG were tonight. If they played football with half as much intensity as they moaned at officials they would have cruised the tie easily.

[Foe]

We've seen some seriously shit refereeing the last few days.

The refs don't stand much of a chance when the players are such diving bastards. Think tv replays are needed to kick the game back into shape. The honesty has completely gone. It's all gamesmanship now. /money.

[Magic]

I text my mate saying holy shit and he replied 'aye didn't think that would be 0-0'.

LOL.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

839595645400920065

Genuinely disgusting.

[Magic]

The seethe. :drool:

[Pleb]

Yep that's a dive :baz:

[Adamski]

Having that as a penalty all day long. Contact with arm and leg.

Soft as hell but 'genuinely disgusting' :harold:

[Reg]

Really can't grasp just how pathetic PSG were tonight. If they played football with half as much intensity as they moaned at officials they would have cruised the tie easily.
I'm not sure why they sat back and let Barca play from the start (they could have done that a lot better, mind). They see them beat teams in La Liga every week when opposition do that. To play that brilliantly and positively in the first leg and then completely abandon that style?

The players didn't look pumped up for it, which is amazing really.

[Pleb]

Was that offside? :D

[SvN]

Obviously the BT panel are totally overlooking the dive by Suarez - that would ruin the #STORY

[Foe]

Bigschlongjesse has nailed that one bang on.

[Waffdon]

Having that as a penalty all day long. Contact with arm and leg.

Soft as hell but 'genuinely disgusting' :harold:

It's clearly a dive but 100% should be applauded. Should be about winning and nothing else.

[CJay]

So no one mentions Lewandowski's blatant dive (apart from lone crusader for truth Phonics), then everyone kicks off when Suarez does it? :baz:

Racists.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Unai Emery is a maniac which doesn't really help.

[Adamski]

It's clearly a dive but 100% should be applauded. Should be about winning and nothing else.

Yep agreed.

[Mazuuurk]

Guys calm down, can't you see he nudged his throat? He could have died you know.

[SvN]

So no one mentions Lewandowski's blatant dive (apart from lone crusader for truth Phonics), then everyone kicks off when Suarez does it? :baz:

Racists.

#somehowaboutlivepool

[Offshore Toon]

DIving allows referees more opportunities to effect the game and complete the orders. #FIX

[Gray Fox]

Poor Arsenal can't even win best bottlejob.

[Pen]

So no one mentions Lewandowski's blatant dive (apart from lone crusader for truth Phonics), then everyone kicks off when Suarez does it? :baz:

Racists.

That was very soft it wasn't as bad as Suarez. And it didn't matter much as this one so maybe that's why it didn't create so much controversy.

[Lewis]

Was that a stunning victory for Club Lewis too? At least you've always got Pep watch :cool:

It wasn't around back then.

[CJay]

#somehowaboutlivepool

#somehowaboutsomehowaboutliverpool

[CJay]

That was very soft it wasn't as bad as Suarez. And it didn't matter much as this one so maybe that's why it didn't create so much controversy.

Just as bad I reckon. A quite deliberate con. Both of them.

[Pen]

Even if for arguments sake I agree that they were equally bad, the reason people don't care so much about the former is the fact it meant very little whereas the latter helped Barcelona through.

[Vim]

They conceded 6 goals, there should be no excuses here.

[Magic]

Why aren't they analysing the shitnesz of PSG?

[Vim]

Why are they all leaving? :D

Surely bottling a 4-0 lead just highlights the lack of future of PSG as a Champions League contender. I think many players will want to forget this and try their hand at this competition with another team.

Every star I should say, rather than every player. I can see Verratti, Rabiot, Di Maria leaving after something like this.

[Disco]

Arsenal were always going to get humped again because they're Arsenal, this one had an impact on the result.

[Magic]

Owen I'm sure has learning disabilities.

[CJay]

Even if for arguments sake I agree that they were equally bad, the reason people don't care so much about the former is the fact it meant very little whereas the latter helped Barcelona through.

So diving should only be judged in hindsight based on how the dive affected the result? Lewandowski got a man sent off - Arsenal only needed 3 more goals and had played very well up until that point in the game.

[phonics]

To be honest, I thought the Neymar one was worse. The guy clearly falls over a good 5 yards before Neymar even gets near him and one of the best in the box strikers in the world is not supposed to have the reactions necessary to avoid the contact?

This football larks easy when the refs just give you free momentum.

[Adamski]

To be honest, I thought the Neymar one was worse. The guy clearly falls over a good 5 yards before Neymar even gets near him and one of the best in the box strikers in the world is not supposed to have the reactions necessary to avoid the contact?

This football larks easy when the refs just give you free momentum.

Why would he want to avoid contact?

[phonics]

I'm not a fan of the kick a ball past a man/goalkeeper with no chance of actually getting on the end of it penalties being given so when it's done via a player just falling over, it's seethe o'clock.

The Suarez one was a genuine dive whereas the Neymar one was just shitty application of the rules.

[Adamski]

There's contact for Suarez 100%. It's as clear a penalty as last nights was.

[Pen]

So diving should only be judged in hindsight based on how the dive affected the result? Lewandowski got a man sent off - Arsenal only needed 3 more goals and had played very well up until that point in the game.

It was in reply to why people are on about todays penalty and not Lewandowski's. No one cares if it doesn't have a big impact on the proceedings of the game. Arsenal might have only needed 3 goals and anything can always happen in a game of football, but today it did actually happen, hence the interest in the penalty call.

My views about diving itself are mixed. On the other hand you are supposed to win games for your team and there have been instances where not going down has resulted in penalties not being given when there has been a soft foul that could have been given, but then you get shit like today that's just plain deceiving the officials and nothing more.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Turned to smack tonight, Adamski?

[Adamski]

Turned to smack tonight, Adamski?

You think there was zero contact from the defender on Suarez?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

His arm tapped his chest, that isn't a penalty.

[Magic]

Lol this cunt thought Beaton did a sterling job the other night.

[Adamski]

His arm tapped his chest, that isn't a penalty.

Take a look at his legs. It's a pen, crywank.

[Lewis]

His legs aren't impeded in any way until he throws himself to the ground.

[niko_cee]

Meanwhile, 'Pep' draws 0-0 at home to Stoke.

And no reports of wet or windiness.

The pub I was in doggedly stuck with this game, despite pleas to the contrary. Someone was watching it apparently.


Yeah you have to feel for PSG.

This might just be an original thought in mankind. No one "has to feel for PSG", anything other than amused contempt that is.

[ItalAussie]

The Suarez one was a genuine dive whereas the Neymar one was just shitty application of the rules.


There's contact for Suarez 100%. It's as clear a penalty as last nights was.

This is why video refereeing will never work in football. It was obviously a dive, but there was a very slight brush of contact as well, which means he's entitled to go down.

Diving is football's unfixable curse. There are almost no totally clear-cut cases, because players are generally smart enough to wait for incidental contact.

[7om]

Fucking hell, just saw the score. I switched the stream off as soon as Cavani scored thinking the tie was over. Gutted.

[John Arne]

Just seen the highlights. How on earth the ref, the lino and the 5th official (all within 20 odd metres) managed to not see the massive Suarez dive... fucking hell.

[Mazuuurk]

This might just be an original thought in mankind. No one "has to feel for PSG", anything other than amused contempt that is.

Yeah it's not a literal expression mate. You can have any feelings you want dear, it's OK.


(and whatever your mates tell you it's perfectly normal)

[Mazuuurk]

This is why video refereeing will never work in football. It was obviously a dive, but there was a very slight brush of contact as well, which means he's entitled to go down.

Diving is football's unfixable curse. There are almost no totally clear-cut cases, because players are generally smart enough to wait for incidental contact.

Video assistance might make them a bit less inclined to try it out, though, don't you think?

Of course if that doesn't happen, you'd see a good few years of 110 minute games.

[niko_cee]

:cab:

[Adamski]

Video assistance might make them a bit less inclined to try it out, though, don't you think?

Of course if that doesn't happen, you'd see a good few years of 110 minute games.

I don't think it will deter much. Most people are saying it's a dive but by the rules of the game a good portion of referees will still feel it's a penalty so there's still reasonable doubt 12 hours later.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Video refereeing could be the worst thing that's happened to football for years. Yes it'll sort out the very worst decisions, but unless they implement it incredibly well it'll be a total disaster.

If they use challenges, like tennis, coaches will just use it to kill the momentum of the game or slow the game down (also you'd need a stopping clock like rugby to make it work) and over time they will demand more and more challenges to be available.

If they let the referee refer things himself, the referee will refer EVERY decision that they give him the power to refer and there will be no exceptions to that, which will make the game slow and long.

I just can't see how you can implement it to maintain the flow of the game.

[Disco]

Why do people think it will take so long to watch a replay?

[phonics]

I don't understand how it can be implemented and work in literally every sport in the world outside of football.

[Giggles]

People need to get over the diving stigma now. Too much money involved not to try and help your team win.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If you take that to its logical conclusion, football just becomes the South American/Arab version where it's a competition to go 1-0 up and run the clock down. No one wants to watch that.

[Mazuuurk]

Video refereeing could be the worst thing that's happened to football for years. Yes it'll sort out the very worst decisions, but unless they implement it incredibly well it'll be a total disaster.

If they use challenges, like tennis, coaches will just use it to kill the momentum of the game or slow the game down (also you'd need a stopping clock like rugby to make it work) and over time they will demand more and more challenges to be available.

If they let the referee refer things himself, the referee will refer EVERY decision that they give him the power to refer and there will be no exceptions to that, which will make the game slow and long.

I just can't see how you can implement it to maintain the flow of the game.


Why do people think it will take so long to watch a replay?

Yeah I don't really see the issue? It's not as if the referee will have to look at it for 10 minutes every time. Basically they saw it once, and to be honest a lot of the time they just get it fairly well cause they are all decent at least at what they do. These cases tend to happen once maybe twice a game at most as well. Wasn't this discussion before about goal line technology, and now that that's here, I can only think why the fuck wasn't this implemented sooner? I mean after all it's completely fair.

I know that's a bit different since it's binary, and no judgement call, but still why not give the ref all the tools possible to do his job best he can?

But perhaps a better solution, or at least more diplomatic, is to apply much stricter post-match bans for diving.

I mean if you think about it, diving to get yourself a penalty affects the game just as much as a cynical foul that prevents a clear goal and causes a penalty. So straight reds for diving would make sense - only it's so hard to tell, so it doesn't. It's like the no-witness rape cases of the football pitch.

But giving 3-match bans for diving might actually stiffle it a bit.
It won't stop Suarez, but it might a lot of others.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They will refer every decision and look at every angle. Look at how players complain at every decision even now, once there's a possibility of reviewing it on video they will all be in the referee's face every time.

Goal line technology is nice and easy because it's a yes or no answer and there's a system that makes an instant call. If they had to actually go and look at replays with their eyes it would be a nightmare.

I'd estimate there is an average of 2 corners/goal kicks/throw-ins awarded the wrong way in every game, there's your starting point before you even get to the offsides (8 per game?), penalty shouts (2 per game?) and other free kicks.

[Max Power]

Who decides what we look at? Is it only for penalties? Offsides? Throw ins? Yellow card offences?

People say "oh it works well in other sports". Well in cricket it took them years to get it right, and even now there is constant arguments about decisions.

PSG didn't get knocked out because of the referee last night. They lost 6-1 ffs, they conceded three in the last ten minutes. The only people they should be blaming is themselves.

There will always be fans and managers moaning about decisions. Just leave it as it is.

[Giggles]

The injustices and moaning are what make it all what it is anyway. Once it becomes too clinical it'll die off.

Very few people want to see a hearty handshake and a pip pip good show after every game. The controversy is what sells it because let's face it, 90 minutes of actual football (especially on TV) is shite on most occasions.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I will buy into the coach challenges idea if it means Mark Hughes turning into a footballing Shane Watson with constant dreadful reviews.

[Adamski]

The thing about diving for me is it's not really an unfair advantage if every player is able to do it.

[Yevrah]

Video refereeing could be the worst thing that's happened to football for years. Yes it'll sort out the very worst decisions, but unless they implement it incredibly well it'll be a total disaster.

If they use challenges, like tennis, coaches will just use it to kill the momentum of the game or slow the game down (also you'd need a stopping clock like rugby to make it work) and over time they will demand more and more challenges to be available.

If they let the referee refer things himself, the referee will refer EVERY decision that they give him the power to refer and there will be no exceptions to that, which will make the game slow and long.

I just can't see how you can implement it to maintain the flow of the game.

Matt Le Tissier was talking about this on SSSS on Saturday and is adamant it should be used for offsides because by the time the game kicks off again everyone knows whether it was actually offside or not.

Which is a valid point until you realise that all but the most blatant of offside calls will be left to the video referee, which will mean loads of goals ruled out and in every instance a pause while some bloke watching a tv set waits to give the thumbs up before people can start celebrating. Which would be dreadful, absolutely dreadful.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If cricket is anything to go by they'll celebrate anyway in the macho belief that it can't possibly be ruled out, and when it is they'll trudge back shaking their heads and maybe have a word to the referee with their hands up, as if the footage is somehow lying.

What about the crowd? Will they know? The whole thing will be chaos.

[Max Power]

Broadcast the conversation on the PA system.

"Just checking the offside Clatts. Rock and roll that for me..."

[-james-]

They could just automate the linesman's entire job and just give the ref another watch that beeps, you'd imagine.

[Jimmy Floyd]

They could just automate the linesman's entire job and just give the ref another watch that beeps, you'd imagine.

How are they doing that? Chips in people's belly buttons?

[Magic]

I'd enjoy retrospective analysis.

So if someone dived in a match they get a 3 game ban depending on the outcome of the adjudicators. Also if a goal is offside but nobody sees it it gets ruled out after the match, same if a foul isn't given for a clear foul.

Can you imagine the chaos? :drool:

[Adamski]

A goal gets ruled out after a match :D fuck off.

[SvN]

How are they doing that? Chips in people's belly buttons?

A system similar to hawkeye

[Lewis]

The more angles and cameras rugby seems to have the more decisions they seem to get wrong, so I would go with James' idea.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Hawkeye takes fucking ages to load up, I thought dino was talking about an instantaneous system like the goal line one.

[Disco]

It needn't be anything more complicated than a bloke in the studio who can give his opinion on (at first) a small set of situations. No different than the ref talking to his linesman and wouldn't take any longer.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Come on, you like rugby.

'Dave?'
'Yes, Howard?'
'I have a question for you - is there any reason why I cannot not give the goal?'
'Copy.'

That's 30 seconds gone already.

[SvN]

Hawkeye takes fucking ages to load up, I thought dino was talking about an instantaneous system like the goal line one.

There's no reason why technology can't improve.

[Pleb]

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/news/marco-verratti-claims-barcelona-players-told-him-game-was-finished-before-incredible-comeback/ar-AAo334P?li=AA572I&ocid=spartanntp

Because you know...MINDGAMES!!!

[Jimmy Floyd]

There's no reason why technology can't improve.

If it improves that much we're basically on to robot refs anyway.

[Disco]

Come on, you like rugby.

'Dave?'
'Yes, Howard?'
'I have a question for you - is there any reason why I cannot not give the goal?'
'Copy.'

That's 30 seconds gone already.

And?

[Jimmy Floyd]

And there will end up being 8-10 minutes of stoppage time in each half if you count it properly. We all have homes to go to.

[Magic]

Lol @ pretending you go to matches.

[SvN]

If it improves that much we're basically on to robot refs anyway.

We already use Hawk Eye for goal line technology. It's not much of a stretch to expand its use for offsides within the decade.

[Jimmy Floyd]

At the moment all it can do is tell you whether a ball has crossed a stationary line, the amount of complexity required to tell you automatically where people (in different kits) are in relation to one another at the moment a third person in a completely different part of the pitch kicks a ball is surely miles away.

It would be easier if you chipped up all the players or their kits.

[Lewis]

The only difficulty would be in detecting when the ball was played, since you could track player movements easily enough.

[SvN]

A google on the subject has found this from RAWK (http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=307873.0) (of all places) saying that a few years ago they could do it within 2 seconds, which wasn't deemed to be quick enough.

[niko_cee]

How would the mechanics of offside reviews work? Would linesmen flag if they thought it was offside, or would they just buzz the ref? Presumably the game would have to continue until a break in play, which, also presumably, would see a shit load of goals ruled out every game. It would be tedious beyond belief. I'm with Jimmy. Cricket, as a spectator sport, hasn't improved with the addition of DRS. The joy of the dismissal has been taken out of the game as you know it may not actually happen. Yes, decisions are, on the whole better, but the cost has been quite high imo. No more lbws for Damien Martyn. That 2005 Ashes series would have had the shit DRS'd out of it. Rugby is naturally stop start but even it has it's problems with the video ref. I suppose tennis probably benefits from a bit of big screen action, but that's because the game itself is fucking dreadful.

[Disco]

And there will end up being 8-10 minutes of stoppage time in each half if you count it properly. We all have homes to go to.

You're blowing it out of all proportion, just use it for bigger decisions or if the ref wants a second look at an important moment. If you did it for every throw in and shirt tug then yes it would become tiresome, but the answer is simply not to do that. A few times a game for stuff like checking a penalty decision or if a player really did nut someone. Six months and everyone but the specciest of grognards would wonder what all the fuss was about.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You're blowing it out of all proportion, just use it for bigger decisions or if the ref wants a second look at an important moment. If you did it for every throw in and shirt tug then yes it would become tiresome, but the answer is simply not to do that. A few times a game for stuff like checking a penalty decision or if a player really did nut someone. Six months and everyone but the specciest of grognards would wonder what all the fuss was about.

As soon as one thing can be checked on video, they will want everything checked on video. Imagine a referee refusing to check a corner award on video and the whole team crowding around him telling him he should. Or - if he couldn't check it - it would be a complete non-sequitur with much more complex things that were being checked.

Also important to remember that football is very different to other sports which have technology in terms of the amount of built-in respect there is for officials. In football this is almost zero, officials are mainly there to take a hiding.

[Disco]

Our game is a cesspit of wankers therefore we can't have nice things?

[CJay]

All they have to do is make it so only captains can talk to referees. It's such a simple solution, but players are still given freedom to harangue referees whenever they want.

After that, define what exactly a referee can check - penalty incidents / potential red cards, etc.

Test it in the League Cup or FA Cup.

[Pleb]

Doesn't our EFA want that to happen?

[randomlegend]

That pitch really is horrendous :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is Rostov just about the worst tie you can get in terms of travelling? I guess Kazakhstan might be a bit worse.

Actually looking it up, Amkar Perm and Rubin Kazan are the really bad ones.

[Lewis]

The ball has been on the ground for about eight seconds.

[Reg]

Yev's concern (that crowds wouldn't celebrate until they knew for sure a goal stood) doesn't ring true for me. Crowds celebrate now even though there's a chance it'll be ruled out. That chance wouldn't drastically increase with technology.