The non-Watford football thread

Luton still below us too.

 

Spurs like these late shows.

And the bonus of topping their group .

 

Reaction in Scotland to Rangers being confirmed as the worst team ever in Champions League history...

 

That second penalty for Real Madrid against Celtic was absolute nonsense - highlights how ridiculous the handball rule is. It's going to reach the stage where players will be detaching their arms before play starts, for fear of the ball hitting them.

 

It'll end up like field hockey where any ball to foot is a foul, and so people intentionally play balls to feet. Eventually, anytime the ball strikes the hand, it will be handball.

The truth is, the number of times a player intentionally handles the ball is vanishingly rare. Most of us have played football at least in the school playground, how many times did we intentionally handball it? Very rarely, maybe when trying to sneak a goal or stop one on the line. There should be almost no freekicks or penalties for handball.

 

Maybe have an indirect free kick if it’s not a deliberate so that is less of a harsh punishment.

 

Then there would be arguments about whether or not it was deliberate & how anyone can tell anyway.

Given that it's referred to as handball, and arms aren't generally recognised as hands, perhaps the rule should only apply when ball & hand touch?

 

Don't start me...

 

That is true - basically it is a lottery (might have been before) in the sense that some get given and others don't.

There are inconsistencies but maybe that is human nature.

 

Shame - I was hoping to.

 

The first pen I'd have given. The second... absolutely not. The Celtic "pen" wasn't, defender clearly wins the ball first for me.

 

If you watch Prem games, which I do out of nostalgia, you will notice that the top six/big six teams nearly always get handball decisions in their favour whereas the bottom ten teams really get handball decisions in their favour

This is down to referees and VAR trying to keep the managers of the top teams safe in their little boxes and not having spats like we see from Klopp and Conte when a decision goes against them

It is even more obvious now I am not complaining about every decision going against Watford in the Prem

 

That is the allegation of course..

Probably some truth in if the bigger team are at home with the influence of the crowds etc .

Good to see some FA cup action .

Hereford put up a good show v Portsmouth but the latter were too strong in the end .

 

I wonder if they were dreaming of a repeat of their giant killing win over Newcastle back in the 70s - when an ex-Hornet Ricky George goal won the game for them?
I believe their other scorer that day, Ronny Radford, died earlier this week - would have been a fitting tribute if they had managed to win tonight.

 

Have to feel a bit sorry for the Highland League's new boys Banks O'Dee. After a recent cup game, a routine check of the teamsheet by the SFA found that one of their players was still registered with his previous club - so the match was awarded to the opposition.

Fair enough I suppose, but then the HFL decided to check the teamsheet for each of their 8 games prior to the cup game. Finding that the same player had played in all of them, they deducted 24 points from them - 3 for each game, even though they had only won 15 points in that time. The poor sods dropped from fifth in the table to bottom.

 

FWIW. 47 out of 92 clubs have appointed new managers/head coaches in 2022 so far.
In our division of 24, 5 new managers/head coaches have been appointed since Bilić.

 

Nearly as risky a job as prime minister ......

 

This ref will hope for quieter World Cup games !

Sounds like most were sent off for a mass brawl after a late winner .

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63540624

 

Watching 'professional' football can be curious. I get really mad with things like players appealing for throw-ins when it's blatantly obvious they kicked it out. Stealing half a football pitch to take a throw in. Goal keepers holding on to the ball for so long I can go and get a cup of tea. Officials totally failing in their duty - which only encourages dishonesty. (e.g. Arteta with the throw -in against us last season).(One lesson is to be very careful if you are ever in a motor accident involving a professional footballer.)
Clearly there are obvious solutions, but no will on the part of the authorities.
I always thought that the lower down you went , the better it got. Well, my local team are semi-professional. Currently they have income about 50% of their total running costs. The facilities are good and they provide hangars (hangers?) in the away dressing-room. A couple of weeks ago, the away team nicked the lot. Frankly I give up.

 

I see Luton have given Southampton permission to talk to their manager about replacing the Saints manager whose name I can't spell and who has just been sacked.
I wonder what their fans think of that?