Fulham (H) | PL | Post Match Thread

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

I think that Bernardo has never had a meal of chips 'n beer, and Bobby was perhaps 50% heavier than Bernardo but yer right about the style of play - always probing, always on the lookout for the killer pass, and can smack in a good few goals too!

Aye - football's never recovered from the ending of a pre match snack of beer, chips and steak and kidney pudding and today's lads will never know the zip in the step that a Park Drive in the tunnel gave.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Valid point, debatable. But the officials that were appointed to judge on these debatable points decided that it wasn't offside. They might just as easily have decided it was offside. They weren't wrong though, they just applied a decision that matched their personal opinion, in the light of the Laws of the Game, of which they are knowledgeable.

Many are fuming about the decision, giving their own interpretations. That's fine, because it's a debatable decision. I'm happy to align my opinion with those who know best though.

Silva, with his "they have never played the game" nonsense, was lucky not to receive a fourth caution in as many games. He has never been a referee, an assistant referee or a VAR, so by his own logic, he has no right to criticise their professional performance.

Ultimately, the football world is thankful that you retired from officiating.

Having spent the last week trying to tell us that Casemiro’s goal was offside (when nobody in the real world thought it was), you’ve now moved on to try and suggest Akanji was onside (when pretty much everyone deemed him offside, including Haaland and Lillo!).

What these decisions do is show who is objective and who isn’t when debating.

 

[stonerblue]

Thoroughly enjoyed the match. Some beautiful stuff from Foden, solid start for Doku and clinical finishing from the big lad.
How our second wasn't given offside i'll never know but i don't think it made any difference to the result. Like most opposition sides they are fucked after chasing shadows for an hour, although Fulham did have a couple of good spells.
Also gotta say the stadium looked rammed out on tv

 

[BringBackSwales]

A couple of points from yesterday.

Firstly team wise I was disappointed no Bernardo yesterday and I really think Phil is so much better centrally than wide. But a good performance in the end against a decent footballing side.

Secondly I try not to be biased but I thought Oliver was woeful yesterday. So many incorrect fouls given against us and fouls by Fulham not given, but his arrogance was ultimately a game changer in our favour - he should have been asked to come to the screen for our second goal but the word is that he really doesn’t want what he sees as inferior VAR officials undermining his “authority” by asking him to review. So thanks you useless arrogant ****

 

[Protein Junkie]

KDB, Stones, Grealish and Pep absent and Bernie on the bench.
Viking hat trick.
Welcome to Sid and Kate
5-1
Love this club.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

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.

This is a worthwhile contribution. I don't happen to agree with it, because for me whether he's exactly in Leno line of sight or not (and from what I've seen so far it's almost impossible to judge) Akanji is interfering in play and by so doing definitely putting Leno off, and on those grounds I think It should have been disallowed. Many on here will disagree with me, vehemently.
So be it.
The bigger picture, guys, is that just as an outrageous goal was allowed against us at Old Trafford, a goal that should have been disallowed — and by the way, my firm conviction is that yesterday it wouldn't have changed the result, although you can never know — was allowed yesterday, and VAR, which was supposed to eliminate injustice, is in a disturbing number of cases compounding it. After— what is it, three years now? — that is the really disturbing conclusion. And all the while, it is taking the spontaneity out of football.
They'll never ditch VAR now, but on balance it's impoverished football.

 

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

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

A very good post which shows that there is still a wide margin for interpretation in any decision. In this case what was Akanji doing exactly? Did it have any real influence on Leno's reaction? All VAR can di is to give the officials time for reflection after seeing the incident again. It does not mean we will get universally accepted decisions and in many cases we get what appear to be perverse decisions. What makes it all worse is that few fans still believe that the officials will make objective and impartial decisions anyway; I have only to quote the "penalty" in the cup final and the "equaliser" in the last league derby at the swamp. Yesterday the ref's view did benefit us but I think this is comparatively rare.

 

[JGL07]

Why would there be a red card?

It wouldn’t be a red card because of double jeopardy as a penalty had been given. The same sort of offence outside the box might attract red?

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

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

Despite what everybody believes on here, as it happens, some of the more honest rags did admit that, even last season. I checked it (i.e. on places like Redcafé). Many, probably the majority, were in bad faith and denied that. (I'd be curious to know about the discussions that went on in ‘mixed’ families, of which there are quite a few in Manchester). As many are in bad faith on here.

 

[JRockBlues]

I asked Mrs Ewing in the week whether that statue was still at Fulham. She didn't know!

Pretty sure it was removed when Al Fayad left.