Fulham (H) | PL | Post Match Thread

[Centurions]

Proper statement win that. Off the back of fulham getting a draw at the Emirates with 10 we smash them whilst playing poorly. Arsenal are feeble minded and that's going to get into their head big time. They can't afford to drop points at home to the rags tomorrow already.

So many sloppy performances today right across the pitch, I'm presuming and hoping it's just them getting up to full tilt slowly after a shorter pre-season and nothing to be concerned with. 3 points is what's important and we got it with ease in the end.

Yet to see it back but we definitely got some major help today from var. When ake scored I barely celebrated, me and 2 people next to me all turned to one another from right behind net and said that's clearly offside simultaneously. Akanji has jumped over the ball right infront of the keeper Its helped us massively but how is that not interfering? It's a truly dreadful decision thats completely changed the game and i don't blame fulham players for losing their shit after that. Bafflingly shite decision.

Probably been said multiple times but Akanji didn't run towards or jump over the ball at all, he flicked his leg out to avoid the ball touching him (very quick thinking in my mind). It can't have been right in front of the keeper either (or in his eyeline) as he was at full stretch and still couldn't reach it, and this was with a curl on the ball towards himself. Akanji is only "in his eyeline" once the ball has hit the net purely due to the goalies momentum. Don't go off still pictures.

 

[Moorland Blue]

I can go even further back than that, which may be a sign that at my age I don't watch football so much as the ghost of seasons past! Gomez will never be another David but then it's hard to believe anyone will! I must say Kovacic reminds me much of the time as a Peter Reid style player - always there to receive and never any fuss. Going back even further Bernado sometimes has more than a hint of Bobby Johnson, a player I idolised, though that may just be the pull of the past! I have to say noone reminds me of our striking Viking who is simply unrivallable. We old codgers have seen some players though. "Isn't it great to be a blue!"

Me too re Bobby Johnstone not Johnson. I'm so old that I have to reveal that Mrs. Heather Johnstone was my babysitter! The Johnstones became family friends with my parents. Bobby was a skilled painter and decorator and worked on our house in the summer. Love Bernardo to bits but guessing he's not as good with a paintbrush or at drinking pints before a game in the Lord Lyon - as Bobby did before a match!!

 

[brazilians hurt]

Akanji wasn't in the goalkeepers line of sight but he attempted to go for the ball which is interfering with play.
I would have been well annoyed if that went against us.

Although it could be construed that Akanji was trying not to touch the ball rather than play it? The bollocks about Leno delaying his dive because he didn’t know if Akanji was going to divert the direction of the ball is a moot point as it would have been given off side had he made contact with the ball.
The rule is wrong & has been for years, the regulators would have changed it but that must mean interpretation would be more difficult for officials so it stays as it is.
We benefitted yesterday but we were in the wrong side of it in the past, most recently the Arse’s equaliser in the community shield.
Let the haters protest Fulham caved in during the second half and there’s nothing to say the result would have been different if the goal did not stand
BTW in my view Leno was never going to save it it was exquisitely placed
Cancelo conceded a penalty and was sent off last season, Diop concedes penalty but stays on yesterday - just saying

 

[Oystercatcher28]

Offside? Put it to vote and you'd get the wrong or right answer. I thought it was afterwards, but then again from 118 I thought the challenge that led to the penalty looked soft.

Can see why there are less charismatic and silent referees when people in rooms far away look at decisions. I think those people in the rooms need two coaches alongside them, and ideally they should be at the ground. Some decisions are baffling. VAR need clarity now. It's turning fans off football. Bloody dull.

Bitty first half followed by a solid second half. Still far from out of the blocks. Some passing work in training around the international break wouldn't go amiss.

 

[the-ecstacy-of-eight]

Fourth person to correct me. Should I correct the other three and tell them the error was pointed out to me within about thirty seconds? I mean, the guy did it with style, and got over 25 likes. I mean, that means, over 25 people corrected me before you. Still, I was grateful to be able to acknowledge my error and offer my correction before the likes came rolling in, in almost the very next post (4 likes, typical).

All I can really do is marvel at Bluemooners ability to say the same thing again, and again, and again.

Here's a thought, instead of moaning how many people are correcting you for your error, why not just go back to the original post, correct the error from Palmer to Gomez (maybe even highlighting it as I've done here) (and maybe even add a note at the bottom of the post to acknowledge the error) and then move on ;)

You can thank me whenever you like, and my answer will be "you're welcome" :)

 

[havefaith]

Fourth person to correct me. Should I correct the other three and tell them the error was pointed out to me within about thirty seconds? I mean, the guy did it with style, and got over 25 likes. I mean, that means, over 25 people corrected me before you. Still, I was grateful to be able to acknowledge my error and offer my correction before the likes came rolling in, in almost the very next post (4 likes, typical).

All I can really do is marvel at Bluemooners ability to say the same thing again, and again, and again.

What's happened to Palmer ? :-)

 

[oldhamblue]

I didn't know till yesterday that there are no longer any Meat and Potato pies at the Etihad.

Jesus Christ. We should be organising a protest march

 

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

It was offside and that’s pretty much the end of the debate

HOWEVER

If any rags try and tell you he was offside, just ask them was Rashford offside last season

It's certainly not the end of the debate. VAR actually ensures that it's not the end of the debate because it has to take into account so many other considerations. Akanji was in an offside position that is shown clearly on the video. But the video shows clearly that he was never in Leno's line of sight. Akanji moves, again quite clearly, but this was to make sure he doesn't touch the ball, NOT to get out of Leno's line of sight. What I have outlined here is what I suspect the ref's and the VAR operator's views were. That is the element of judgement that creeps into a process designed to take the controversy out of officiating! I accept that not everyone will agree - that too is clear and obvious - and I agree that next week we could get a ref who would disallow such a goal. Some poor sods will even get Attwell! It's all in the luck of the draw.

 

[tommybooth]

Has anyone mentioned the 2nd goal from yesterday yet!!

 

[pride in battle]

Grealish is a superb baller at both ends of the pitch. I don’t understand anyone who doesn’t rate him.

Do we know his injury ?