Jump to content
  • Sign up for free and receive a month's subscription

    You are viewing this page as a guest. That means you are either a member who has not logged in, or you have not yet registered with us. Signing up for an account only takes a minute and it means you will no longer see this annoying box! It will also allow you to get involved with our friendly(ish!) community and take part in the discussions on our forums. And because we're feeling generous, if you sign up for a free account we will give you a month's free trial access to our subscriber only content with no obligation to commit. Register an account and then send a private message to @dave u and he'll hook you up with a subscription.

Brighton 1 Liverpool 1 (Nov 28 2020)


tlw content
 Share

Recommended Posts

So far this season has just been a series of kicks to the balls. It’s like we’re being punished for winning the title. A title that we weren’t even able to celebrate by the way. And now it’s just one setback after another. It all seems to be getting to Klopp, who is growing tetchier by the week.

 

This was enough to test the patience of a saint though. It’s not even about whether the decisions are right or wrong (technically they were all right in this one), it’s about the stress and emotional turmoil that players, managers and fans are being subjected to on a weekly basis by this fucking video shit.

 

Klopp’s main grievance may be with the broadcasters and their penchant for having us play at 12.30 on a Saturday following Champions League fixtures, but that would be a lot easier to take if we didn’t keep getting slapped around by fucking VAR too. The boss was in a bad mood BEFORE this game. By the end of it he was positively fucking seething. He wasn’t the only one.

 

Hendo was massively pissed off in his post match interview, while James Milner, JAMES FUCKING MILNER, spoke about falling out of love with the game. I mean fucking hell, when someone as dedicated to and as obsessed with football as Milner is talking like that, you know something needs changing.

 

It won’t be changed though. They won’t put the genie back in the bottle and we’re stuck with this now. Football as we know it is dead. What we’re left with is this joyless, reality TV show in which all decisions are being completely distorted by super slo mo replays and forensic over analysis of every incident. 

 

It might sound like sour grapes because we’re on the receiving end of it rather than being he beneficiaries. That definitely plays a part in how angry I am about it, but my overall opinion on this issue has nothing to do with how it impacts LFC, it’s about how it’s completely destroyed the game we all love.

 

The VAR virgins (most if not all of whom have never set foot inside a stadium in their lives and their entire football viewing experience is done either online or on TV) will argue that if all the decisions were correct what’s the problem?

 

Well it isn’t even about whether they get them right or wrong. It’s the fact that there is no joy in watching football anymore because VAR has killed it, just like I knew it would. It ruined the last World Cup and now it’s ruining top flight football across Europe. It was a terrible idea from the start and I never wanted it.

 

 

This is just a teaser, click here to view the full article

 

Please note that Match Reports are only available to website subscribers. Subscriptions cost just £2 a month (you need to register first) and can be purchased here. 

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • dave u pinned this topic

I don't enjoy it any more because of VAR. Couple of points.

Are all European leagues the same in using VAR? Do they all get out the slide rules? I suspect the FA are making more of it than others. I honestly don't know just asking.

I do have a problem with the first offside. You say he was off by a centimetre, agreed. But based on a freeze frame selected by whom and why that one? When was the kick by Bobby, when the ball first contacts his foot, during contact or at the end of it, that all amounts to more than one frame. They cannot know when the ball was kicked exactly so how can they say that it's offside by a few centimetres? It's not exact. There has to be margin for error. I hate the whole "oh it's proven by technology argument", it's bollocks.

It's all random and we are spending more time discussing ref decisions than before. Just get rid of it, even Jota's goal I thought they'd find a way to rule it out, can't enjoy it. 

 

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If 15 clubs voted for 5 subs why hasn’t it changed?

Even Lineker and Murphy said they don’t want fouls like Robbo’s given as a pen on MoTD. And, of course, Micah Richards said 5 subs benefited only the smaller teams, how thick is he? The EFL have got 5 subs now. He needs to see Ian Holloway’s defence of 5 subs if he doesn’t understand.

 

Thanks for your Mum’s report on Lallana, the only laugh in that report!

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I dont think the clubs could get rid of VAR if they wanted, Dave. It's an IFAB \ FIFA requirement for top leagues, isnt it? It's only the cost and resources that stops it being implemented in the lower leagues. That said Scotland doesnt have VAR so do they have dispensation?

 

Neco, what can you say? The lad is just wreckless right now. He played a couple of good games when he came on as sub but starting him, he's a different proposition. He got run ragged against Brighton last season. He made a wreckless lunge on a Brighton player which the ref let go but then picked up a yellow after about 25 minutes and Jurgen had to sub him at half time, just like this one.

 

What on earth was he thinking lunging like that in the box? He's behind the player and if he hasnt got the nounse to know not to do that then, Im quickly coming to the conclusion young lad or not, he's not going to be a good enough stand in for Trent.

 

We got out of jail when they missed the pen but notice Alli went to his right again while the ball went to his left. On the last minute pen, he went the same fucking way again! The coaching staff really need to work with alli on pens because fora top keeper, he's a bit like shilton and gets nowhere near them. He's saved one for us I think!

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Football's becoming unwatchable, certainly if you've any emotional investment in a match.

I turned off at half time & went for a long drive, I couldn't bear any more. I've since watched the 2nd half, knowing at least what to expect.

It's not VAR, although I didn't bother celebrating Mo's 'goal'. It's also everything else. Brighton players falling down under the merest hint of pressure - three, maybe four times in the 1st half - and every time, getting a free kick from that gormless twat Atwell. Phillips had his head in his hands on one instance of this when Maupay collapsed. Yet our lads get all kinds of crap thrown at them without the appropriate punishment. Ben White stopped a promising attack with an elbow into the throat of Jota - 2 grounds for a yellow, but we had to be grateful to get just a free kick.

I watched a few minutes of the Everton game later on...... Holgate's running back towards his own corner flag, with a Leeds player pressuring him. I said to the missus (not a footie fan), 'what's gonna happen next?'....''he's going to flop to the floor, when the other guy gets a couple of feet away'. No prizes for guessing what happened next.

 

And offsides?! This thing about not flagging straightaway is a joke where the offside is clear cut. We kep ctahcing that Connolly yards offside and instead of getting a fee kick, we end up in one instance with a throw in by our corner flag, or another where we have Brighton players appealing for a handball penalty, with the attendant heart-in-mouth moment....when the guy was offside much earlier in the move.

 

Don't know if my heart can take much more of this crap.

 

 

  • Upvote 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great report, Dave, I agree with you.

 

Weirdly, I am still very focus on games despite everything going on.

 

I though I would quit when we would be winning the league again,  it’s been like an alienation for years, no distance even though I’m in my late fourties.

 

But, that’s the opposite, even with VAR, no public, crazy schedule, I’m even more into football.

 

I guess I want that team to win more things to be remembered. Or,  maybe I’m eating way too much cheese ....

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

First time i've commented on here but literally couldn't agree more with your take on the Robbo penalty incident. First time i've written on twitter regarding it too (read twitter but never have the energy to respond to stuff!), but was compelled to by the Salah v West Ham comparisons i was reading. Absolutely bang on.

  • Upvote 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, DaveT said:

Football's becoming unwatchable, certainly if you've any emotional investment in a match.

I turned off at half time & went for a long drive, I couldn't bear any more. I've since watched the 2nd half, knowing at least what to expect.

 

I no longer watch our games on TV as it's not good for me. I find something else to do and switch on at full time and watch the highlights if there are any.

As for VAR here's a couple or three things to improve it;

VARs should not be existing refs but picked from a pool of retired refs. As it stands, refs have to ref, do VAR and be 4th officials. Given that VAR is at Stockley Park and all the 'Elite' refs are based in the north, it involves a lot of travelling to and fro. This must interfere with training, coaching and with any meetings to try to impose consistency

Clear and obvious should be the criteria for all decisions. The presumption should be the onfield decision stands, unless it's clearly wrong, pretty much like umpire's call in cricket. VAR should intervene when the ref is obviously missing something eg the 'ghost goal' in the Villa Sheff Utd game last season (which effectively relegated Bournemouth) or yesterday when David Luiz was bleeding from his head wound but Oliver seemed unaware of it.

Finally, Mike Riley must go. He was a very poor ref in his time and under his command the standard of reffing in this country has plummeted. No English refs at the last world cup for the first time ever.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was so naïve when it came to VAR I honestly thought the biggest issue with it will be that the same idiots who were doing such a bad job officiating games will be working on VAR and making the same mistakes.

I never expected the offside and handball rule to be completely changed and ref decisions being justified with lines that can't possibly be accurate.

 

I expected VAR to be similar to TMO where they watch the video and make a decision based on what they see no manipulations at all but they can't even do that. Right now they have sacrificed the fans enjoyment of football and created a situation where people trust referees even less than before because useless cunts like David Coote has found new ways to suck. 

 

Man City being exonerated has taken a lot of my love for football and now with COVID and the empty stadiums with fake crowd noises I've not been enjoying football at all VAR seems like it will really be the death knell.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ceefax football for me now. Im not watching anymore whats the point just to be wound up by the micromanaging of the game. They have turned it into an altogether different drama another thing that brings out the negative side of passions in this fucked up time we live in, supporters of VAR having a little linesman flag next to their twitter name.. "its about whats right" . Fuck the art of the sport, I dont want to see the magic of a Maradonna I want genuis curtailed by some twat with paint shop in Wembley.

 

You want micromanaging show me the exact millisecond the ball leaves the boot, its speed and relation to the exact millisecond where the attacking player is standing. If you can't show that put down the fucking mouse! 

 

Do they measure their cocks from their arseholes to soothe their egos but queue for a cubicle rather than use a urinal because theyre scared people will see its bullshit! I want to see equal amount of time and lines drawn spent on the ball leaving the boot if this is how it is otherwise we are measuring from the arsehole and thats just dishonest.

 

Id rather a flawed game than a game ruined by a flawed system. VAR is shite.

  • Upvote 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Totally agree VAR is ruining the game. Last season I was 50:50 as I assumed they'd fine tune it but they clearly won't.

 

On Saturday my 2 year old was messing about so I looked away from the screen for a second as Mane headed in so I allowed myself to celebrate wildly which I don't usually do these days. I soon realised why and it bloody hurt. From that moment I just knew we'd concede and sure enough we did. The problem is I was annoyed with myself for celebrating like I did without seeing the goal so I'll be even more cautious next time.  The game is fucked if you take away the emotion of scoring a goal. It's what sets football apart from other sports where the are more 'scores' because a goal means more. It's why we tolerate nil nils.    

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I celebrate all goals, if they are disallowed I can get angry when that happens, that gives me some weird pleasure as well.

 

It gives me ups and downs, but it bring more life to the soulless games without fans.

 

Its bad enough with no fans, but I really dont understand the view that we cant celebrate in case it gets overturned.

 

Yes we can, I have celebrated more goals than we have scored this season, whats not to like?


VAR itself is not the problem, its the way the change the rules from game to game thats the issue.

 

 

 

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Both are problems but using technology is magnifying the other problem a lot more than it would without.

 

I said in the report the ref was Kavanagh. Turns out it was Atwell. They're all pretty much the same though aren't they? 

 

If you can celebrate goals even when you think there's a good chance it's not going to count then good for you. I can't, if my heart isn't in it then it's not the same.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, dockers_strike said:

I dont think the clubs could get rid of VAR if they wanted, Dave. It's an IFAB \ FIFA requirement for top leagues, isnt it? 

 

I didn't mean the clubs themselves could get rid of it, I just meant that if they all voted and (as I suspect) the overwhelming majority wanted it gone, surely the governing bodies would have to act?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Bobby Hundreds said:

Ceefax football for me now. Im not watching anymore whats the point just to be wound up by the micromanaging of the game. They have turned it into an altogether different drama another thing that brings out the negative side of passions in this fucked up time we live in, supporters of VAR having a little linesman flag next to their twitter name.. "its about whats right" . Fuck the art of the sport, I dont want to see the magic of a Maradonna I want genuis curtailed by some twat with paint shop in Wembley.

 

You want micromanaging show me the exact millisecond the ball leaves the boot, its speed and relation to the exact millisecond where the attacking player is standing. If you can't show that put down the fucking mouse! 

 

Do they measure their cocks from their arseholes to soothe their egos but queue for a cubicle rather than use a urinal because theyre scared people will see its bullshit! I want to see equal amount of time and lines drawn spent on the ball leaving the boot if this is how it is otherwise we are measuring from the arsehole and thats just dishonest.

 

Id rather a flawed game than a game ruined by a flawed system. VAR is shite.

Agree with this, it’s all so mechanical now and it’s getting worse. It definitely is ruining the game imo, the game was way better before VAR.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great report Dave completely agree on klopp being pissed off- I actually thought he was in a poxy mood before we played Atalanta. On one of his pre match interviews he was making reference to the weekends early Ko and it’s probably the most out of sorts I remember seeing him.

 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, dave u said:

Yeah he's been in a stinking mood all week.

In fact since the whistle blew at the end of the city match. Trent got injured near the end of the game - klopp went straight over to Pep and started banging on about the 5 subs.

 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Mark M said:

In fact since the whistle blew at the end of the city match. Trent got injured near the end of the game - klopp went straight over to Pep and started banging on about the 5 subs.

 

 

He did. And other than Klopp, he seems to be the only other manager who has actually gone strong on that in interviews. The others are hiding behind Jurgen, letting him take all the shit for being a moaner.

 

I read Wilder's quotes and they weren't that bad, so I can only assume Jurgen went for him based on what was said in that manager's zoom meeting rather than what he's said to the press.

 

He's always liked Wilder and Sheffield United, but he's clearly seething with him now.

 

"He has his three subs and one point". Hahaha kinell!

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • dave u unpinned this topic

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...