Featured: That was the week that was (Nov 21-27 2020)

[tlw content 11,905]

 

Saturday Nov 21:

 

David Coote is at it again. What he did in that United game today was just… I don’t even know what to say. He’s either the worst official in history or he’s bent as fuck. Only part of that circus today was on him though. This nonsense about keepers coming off their line a fraction early on pens is purely a result of technology. I’m not saying it’s leading to incorrect decisions, but it’s just overkill though isn’t it? It’s like, we’ve got this technology so now we can examine every fucking thing to the tiniest degree. They’ve sucked all the joy out of the game.

 

Football is in an absolute mess and we’re at a crossroads. The standard of refereeing is genuinely appalling but it seems to me that it’s providing a smokescreen for the real problem. VAR. Now, I’m partially on board with the view that the technology isn’t the reason for all of this controversy we’re seeing every week. The technology wasn’t the problem at Goodison for example. That was Oliver and Coote.

 

In general though, every week we’re seeing two, three, four sometimes even more matches negatively affected by decisions made via the use of VAR. It doesn’t even matter in most cases if the decision is right or not, it’s just ruining the whole experience of watching footy. You can’t celebrate goals anymore because half the time they’re reviewed. Doesn’t even matter if they’re given or or not, the moment is ruined. So that’s fucking shit.

 

Then you have the super slo mo replays, and the busy bastard traffic warden approach to making decisions based on the fucking tiniest of margins. It’s all well and good saying the video isn’t the problem, but it kind of is really because without it refs and linesman are making decisions based on what they see. Of course that leads to mistakes but is that really worse than what we’re seeing every week now? 

 

We still get mistakes now (feels like even more than before) but even the correct decisions are often leaving everyone angry and frustrated. Offsides based on whatever part of the arm they decide the lines should be drawn from, handballs based on slowing replays down to almost a standstill, penalty decisions likewise. We’ve actually had more controversy since it was brought in than we had before.

 

The reason I say we’re at a crossroads is because if we don’t scrap this soon then we’re stuck with it forever and football will never go back to how it was before. You’ll have a whole generation who have grown up with this and think it’s normal, and once that happens it’s all over. It needs scrapping but the only way it will happen is if the fans, clubs, players, everyone stand together and say “it doesn’t work, it’s killing the game, get rid of it”. Will that happen? Nope.

 

Basically they’re slowly killing footy and turning it into a TV show. Because the match going experience is being ruined by this shit. It’s hard enough watching it on TV, but when you’re in the stadium and all this bollocks is going on it’s horrible. Imagine being a West Brom fan inside Old Trafford today. Fucking hell.

 

Ironically it was West Brom’s experience at Anfield that had me against VAR from the start. I saw how their fans and players didn’t know whether to celebrate one of their goals and immediately I knew it wasn’t for me. I’d rather have wrong decisions that right ones if this is the price we pay for them.

 

Sunday Nov 22:

 

L 3 Leicester 0. That was great wasn’t it? It had the feeling of an upset about it but the lads were never going to let that happen. The performance was outstanding, our best of the season so far I’d say. We defended great as a team and the forwards looked good. Nice to see Bobby looking like himself again. No wonder all the lads were so made up for him getting his goal. Hopefully that’s him back on track now. It’s the other end of the pitch that’s the real concern, despite how well we did today.

 

There was a report today (from Simon Hughes I think?) that we had a shortlist of four centre halves for next summer and that we’ll only strengthen in January if we can bring one of those deals forward. The obvious solution here is to send Keita back to Leipzig in part ex for Upamecano. Assuming they’d have him back of course. It just seems fairly clear that it’s not going to happen for him here. It isn’t meant to be. He’s a good player and it should have worked out, but he’s always injured and has had rotten luck pretty much since day one. 

 

And ask yourself this. If all of our midfielders were fit and available, where would you have him in the pecking order? Right now I’m picking Fabinho, Hendo, Gini, Thiago, Curtis, Milner and Ox ahead of him. I might even go with Shaq over him too. And if Grujic wasn’t out on loan, maybe him as well. In an ideal world I wouldn’t let anyone leave in January, but if money is tight then I’d happily sacrifice him to bolster the defence.

 

Klopp went off on one afterwards about how the TV companies are screwing over the clubs who are in European competition. Incredibly, there are some who don’t get it and he’s getting shit for being a ‘moaner’. Actually it’s not so incredible, as the ones who don’t get it are the ones who aren’t in Europe and therefore don’t give a flying fuck if they have to play at 12.30 on a Saturday because why would they? 

 

Klopp is right, just like Solskjaer was right when he kicked off over it a few weeks back. Lampard will be right if he complains, so will Baldiola. It’s really not that difficult to arrange the fixtures in a way that isn’t fucking over the teams who are flying the flag for this league in Europe. If you play in Europe on the Wednesday, then make it a Sunday kick off or even a Saturday 5.30. Every game is televised currently so does it really matter who has the time slot? Klopp’s argument is that BT and Sky should work together on this and not be so fucking rigid on who has what time slot. Again, why can’t they just swap? If BT have a CL side scheduled for their 12.30 slot, why can’t Sky switch one of their Sunday games into that spot and BT have the Sunday one?

 

These are unprecedented times and everyone is having to make sacrifices. The TV companies have made them too as I’m sure their revenues have been hit in some ways, but they really could be helping out here. Instead they’re making things even harder than they already are. But then this is perfect for them isn’t it, as it stops us running away with and makes the league much more competitive. If Brighton beat us next weekend that’s better for BT than us having a routine win. So Klopp is wasting his breath. I mean fucking hell, Sky didn’t even air that part of the interview.

 

 

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[A_S 1,797]

Someone on here posted this originally and I've watched it loads since. Cracking tune too. 

 

https://youtu.be/4vashrNoXTE

[alles ist gut 3,862]

Top, top 'bigger than God' analysis there, Dave.

[rb14 1,000]

Seeing as it's been a proper shitbag of a week, I've been leafing through some old photos from back in the day. Here's one I found of you doing that Maradona thing in the back garden....

 

 

[aws 6,644]

Can't be Dave. He's too far from the goal. 

[rb14 1,000]

6 minutes ago, aws said:

Can't be Dave. He's too far from the goal. 

And you can't see the discarded fridge, sofa and old spare tyres. Oh, hang on, the spare tyres ARE there. 

[dave u 5,882]

3 hours ago, rb14 said:

Seeing as it's been a proper shitbag of a week, I've been leafing through some old photos from back in the day. Here's one I found of you doing that Maradona thing in the back garden....

 

 

 

Nice touch with the tattoo!

[Arnaud 632]

I agree Maradona was the greatest for all the reasons you gave, but I still believe Pelé was better. I seem to remember in the 80 there was no argument, there was a general consensus about Pelé. Platini said Cruyff is the best for him. For some reasons, time has changed the narrative , I think because Maradona is a media darling.

 

Anyway , does it matter really ? They were all great and you can’t compare as they were playing at different times. Older lads say Di Stephano was the best ever.

 

As for you childhood heroes, you forgot Ray Davies and Steve Mc Queen, and Sandy Lyle and Greg Lemond, or and Ivan Lendl. 

[index1000 496]

At the pearly gates Tommy Smith will be two footing St pete from behind and Bob will be putting his arm around Diego and leading him to a smiling Shanks who will be holding an orange ball and saying 'Do you wanna play for the best team out of the world, Son?'

[Arnaud 632]

It seems Dave is not doing the match report. VAR has killed him ....

[dave u 5,882]

14 hours ago, Arnaud said:

I agree Maradona was the greatest for all the reasons you gave, but I still believe Pelé was better. I seem to remember in the 80 there was no argument, there was a general consensus about Pelé. Platini said Cruyff is the best for him. For some reasons, time has changed the narrative , I think because Maradona is a media darling.

 

Anyway , does it matter really ? They were all great and you can’t compare as they were playing at different times. Older lads say Di Stephano was the best ever.

 

As for you childhood heroes, you forgot Ray Davies and Steve Mc Queen, and Sandy Lyle and Greg Lemond, or and Ivan Lendl. 

 

I was a big fan of Ivan Lendl actually. I loved tennis when I was younger. I was shite but I enjoyed playing. Had the Lendl sweatbands! Shame he was never able to win Wimbledon.

 

If people want to say Pele was better that's fine. I didn't grow up watching him so he's not the greatest for me, but it's obviously not an unreasonable shout.

[dave u 5,882]

43 minutes ago, Arnaud said:

It seems Dave is not doing the match report. VAR has killed him ....

 

I had most of it done yesterday but decided to wait until this morning to finish it off. It's mostly just ranting about VAR to be fair.

[Arnaud 632]

I doubted you, I’m a cunt, but my fault really, it’s my Frenchness the culprit !