Match Day Thread NEWCASTLE UTD v WATFORD

The standard for VAR is set too high in terms of clear and obvious errors it seems .

Some clear cut or subjective decision not being changed by the VAR ref overuling the on pitch official.

They are seeing the incidents but not giving them for whatever reason .

Bit like Gracia not playing our 2 new attacking players or trying to shoe horn Kiko into the side .

All a bit stubborn and causing unnecessary issues .

 

At least we got a point, at least Javi tried to shake it up a bit albeit strangely.

The commentators on the Watford website said it was devoid of any class at times.

Maybe the international break has come at a good time. Maybe.

 

Welbeck and Sarr need to be Match fit .But they cant if Javi is not playing them ? I know its a long season but if we lose our next 4 games then our season could be almost over ?

 

I have to say that, although their goal should have been disallowed with the new rules etc etc, I think the rule is bollocks and it was worthy of a goal. I would’ve been highly pissed off if it had been our goal and was disallowed. There was no advantage sought, so I believe that it should not be handball.

VAR is being mishandled by the referees, or more probably the FA’s guidance/pressure. The one at Villa was Friend being a tool more than VAR, though, I thought.

 

That is true - it's the rule that is an issue there .

 

I've always maintained that a team should not be allowed to gain a goalscoring advantage from handball, accidental or otherwise and I'm sure I've had arguments on this point here as well as referee forums. In this case I think he very much helped the ball along its way... seen penalties and freekicks given for much less. Rarely seems to go our way, certainly not this season.
Whatever, I didn't spot it at the time... mind you I think I had altitude sickness by then!

 

Fez, I would love your opinion on the Kevin Friend debacle booking Grealish and disallowing the goal.

I admit that I was happy that it happened because I detest Grealish and his whole team, but I don't understand why VAR didn't overrule his decision!

 

They couldn't award the goal as the ref had blown his whistle but could have given a free kick maybe ?

 

Just watched it for the first time - I know your an early Canary as it were - and, well... bloody hell!

1. KF blew too early.
2. KF made a gross error of judgement in assuming Grealish was trying to con him when he was actually given a nudge in the kidneys and brilliantly adjusted his feet to make the pass.
3.

No one appears to have helped him out or he unwisely did not listen to the advice given. Dereliction of duty.​

4.

Regardless of VAR, the correct restart would have been a drop ball if KF thought he'd got it wrong and was to change his mind. No use to Villa of course!​

5.

Grealish will not get the YC rescinded either!​

Monumental cock-up. This is what comes of having referees that haven't kicked a ball in competitive football at any adult level. One reason why Collina was so good: he'd actually played the game as a young man to a reasonable level.

 

Thanks for that Fez, I have never rated Friend, I'm not sure how he passes the fitness test, he seems to be carrying a fare bit of timber!

 

Excellent post.

 

In Cricket the captain can challenge a decision of the umpire after it has been make, why can't this happen in football, either by the captain or the VAR refs?

 

In the Ashes we have seen how often an Umpire standing still 22 yards away, with an uninterrupted view can get things wrong. Much harder for a ref who is running around and can have bodies between him and an incident. I am sure that if cricket did not have these replays, there would have been a lot more complaints about the quality of the Umpires. There are certainly many questions asked about the eyesight of the football ref. Var should be a help, but is it being used in the best way? Something is not right when people suggest that a second system needs to be put in place to check that the Var decision is correct.

 

I think the only tweak needed is a pitch side screen so that VAR can invite the referee to look at the replay in slomo then decide

 

I think at the end of the day KF's ego ruled over common sense. As poor a decision as we'll see... though I fear that this will be usurped! The international break has come at a good time for PMGO's to regroup and get their collective acts together.

 

I see it that because the whistle had blown the goal could not be given however VAR should have intervened and said he had been fouled (rather than dived) in the box and given a penalty. the only problem is that they aren't overruling their mates on the pitch!

 

They already have them but not 1 ref has used it!

 

I read that was the one thing missing from the World Cup VAR!

 

On MotD they showed that Friend had both arms by his side when the whistle was heard, implying that it wasn't the ref's whistle but someone in the crowd!

 

Think they have 2 appeals per innings which would be fair in football.

2 appeals per match .

Have to be used with common sense too !