Media Discussion - 2023/24

[Txiki Txiki Bang Bang]

Can we move on from all the VAR talk yet? OK, so there are comparisons with the Rashford goal but both were given so there is at least a modicum of consistency there. For those that said 'yes, but the Rashford goal changed the game', it did, but it didn't change the season as we won the Treble - that'll do for me!

On to West Ham.

It's the media that needs to move on. For some reason they seem to have developed a case of selective amnesia and have totally forgotten about the Rashford situation last season

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

Akanji was offside, rashford was offside. We all used to just know that. PGMOL and tribalism have created a microscopic viewpoint of every little action, every foot, arm, flick off the fingers, what the hell ever.

Take a step back PGMOL, we all know they were both offside, stop using a microscope to look at the moon.

 

[Groke]

All we know is that if this was one of the red shirt teams it wouldn't be up for discussion. It's a clear agenda to put doubt in the referee's and Var's mind for the next time.

yep - always the same, city get seen to get a favourable decision (a couple of times a season) and there is outrage (including from the supposedly wronged team), and kept in the headline for days, e.g. a beeb article on their main sports page - with nearly 1k comments (no doubt all fairly moderated). When Liverpool and united get their one or two a game there is hardly anything said about it and is usually swept under the carpet within a couple of hours or so, notably the wronged team and their fans seem to accept it - e.g. those villa cunts, Forest the other week was a bit of an exception.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Not sure exactly what people were expecting from this sham by Webb, because it is clear that he and the rest of the PiGMOL cult are always going to cover up the blatant flaws that we see every week, game after game.

The rags and dippers will always get a pass when they transgress and everybody else is collateral damage in the PL /FA programme.

Cynical - abso.......fucking .......utely .

 

[dadnlad]

His victim was told to clap as loudly as anyone in Spain too ;)

sorted for you

 

[Norbert D]

I recall a game at the Etihad against Blackburn, with the score 2-1 to City the away team got a corner, a short corner was taken and the ball came in, David Dunn jumped to head the ball and missed from an offside position, the linesman immediately flagged, the ball continued its path to Santa Cruz who headed the ball in the net, but the City defenders and keeper didn’t make much of an effort as the flag had gone up. The referee then consulted the linesman and much to everyone’s surprise awarded the goal! Who was that referee? Step forward Howard Webb.

 

[r.soleofsalford]

All we know is that if this was one of the red shirt teams it wouldn't be up for discussion. It's a clear agenda to put doubt in the referee's and Var's mind for the next time.

Exactly

 

[KPXBLN]

There’s some crazy revisionism on here about the media reaction to the Rashford goal; people are acting like everyone said it was fine when that clearly wasn’t the case as far as I remember it. From a Jonathan Wilson article in the Guardian for example:

“Under the law as it stands, it may have been the correct decision, but the modern offside law is a mess. Everything about Manuel Akanji’s positioning and decision-making was conditioned by what Marcus Rashford did. It may make it easier to judge whether a player is on- or offside effectively by interpreting interfering as touching the ball, but that does not mean it is right. Rashford essentially played the most protracted dummy in history.”

​

 

[Bald fraud]

Said it before. They “offside” goal we scored Saturday will be “evened out” don’t worry about that. More than likely in a tight game when we’re drawing or losing

 

[dadnlad]

well the akanji outrage has swept the wolves non penalty off radar job done pat on back for webb

 

[waspish]

Akanji was offside, rashford was offside. We all used to just know that. PGMOL and tribalism have created a microscopic viewpoint of every little action, every foot, arm, flick off the fingers, what the hell ever.

Take a step back PGMOL, we all know they were both offside, stop using a microscope to look at the moon.

Yep! The people in var should watch the replays in normal play speed and take there first impression on the indecent! Mine go the one at the swamp was interfering with play offside first impression of the Akanji one was offside interfering with play! Now if watching it your first instinct is am not sure then you look at all angles slow down!

 

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

I just love the number of people who try to sort out a clear cut, factual decision by beginning their piece with "In my opinion...!

 

[Blue Pete]

I just love the number of people who try to sort out a clear cut, factual decision by beginning their piece with "In my opinion...!

As the last person to post who began with 'In my opinion..' I would point out certain rules in football are open to opinion, was a player in an offside position is a yes or no (factual) was he interfering with play is subjective so 'In my opinion' is the only correct response.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

I just love the number of people who try to sort out a clear cut, factual decision by beginning their piece with "In my opinion...!

Most of them are PiGMOL employees

 

[Chris in London]

It seems to me, and did after the Rashford instance, that the goals stood because the "clearly impacts" was being interpreted as a physical block to get to the ball.

Both goals were aided by the goalkeeper being impacted in a mental manner - no Rashford, and Ederson clears it; no Akanji and the keeper doesn't hesitate.

As you say, it's the same argument IMO for both instances. None or both are the options.

I don’t agree with that. With Rashford there was no argument. The ball was within playing distance and was under his control in the same way it is when a defender used his body to shepherd a ball out of play for a goal kick.

With Akanje, there are three players directly between Leno and the ball - Rodri (who was in an onside position) and two defenders. Leno’s hesitation can be attributed to a number of things, for instance thinking the ball was going wide (a la De Gea in the cup final) Or just having his vision blocked. The referee decided that Alanji was not interfering with play and the interesting thing about Webb’s program is that the audio feed suggests the VAR team were split. Since VAR is there to correct clear and obvious errors, which this wasn’t, I don’t see how the goal could be overruled within the laws of the game.

Both gave rise to a question of offside.
Rashfords should have been overruled because Attwell’s error was clear and obvious. Oliver’s wasn’t.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

I don’t agree with that. With Rashford there was no argument. The ball was within playing distance and was under his control in the same way it is when a defender used his body to shepherd a ball out of play for a goal kick.

With Akanje, there are three players directly between Leno and the ball - Rodri (who was in an onside position) and two defenders. Leno’s hesitation can be attributed to a number of things, for instance thinking the ball was going wide (a la De Gea in the cup final) Or just having his vision blocked. The referee decided that Alanji was not interfering with play and the interesting thing about Webb’s program is that the audio feed suggests the VAR team were split. Since VAR is there to correct clear and obvious errors, which this wasn’t, I don’t see how the goal could be overruled within the laws of the game.

Both gave rise to a question of offside.
Rashfords should have been overruled because Attwell’s error was clear and obvious. Oliver’s wasn’t.

Good post , but I question the use of " error " regarding Attwell's decision , on a factual basis that is :)

 

[wolfie1988]

well the akanji outrage has swept the wolves non penalty off radar job done pat on back for webb

It hasn't. They were both covered in the show and both were said to be wrong by Webb.

 

[Chris in London]

Good post , but I question the use of " error " regarding Attwell's decision , on a factual basis that is :)

I accept the question of interference with play is subjective, yet there are still some opinions that are so utterly unreasonable as to amount to errors. Attwell’s decision that by running 20 metres with the ball within playing distance and feinting to shoot Rashford was not interfering with play is such a decision.

 

[Asa's left peg]

Webb has made 2 mistakes. One is, re trying a decision made in the moment of the game in which an obvious error has not occurred, and is in fact is what VAR isn't supposed to do with referees decisions during a game and the other is not backing his officials. He can't referee post game on every fixture unless there is an obvious error.
The comparison with Rashford's incident is a little disingenuous. Rashford moved towards the ball and shielded it - Manu tried to avoid it. If you think Manu touched it - fair enough - offside. I was fortunate / unfortunate to have watched the game on TV and VAR replayed the frames of the ball passing Manu's feet 4/5 times and couldn't see any contact. They weren't interested in line of sight.
I'm sick of this shit. He's making it worse not better.

 

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

As the last person to post who began with 'In my opinion..' I would point out certain rules in football are open to opinion, was a player in an offside position is a yes or no (factual) was he interfering with play is subjective so 'In my opinion' is the only correct response.

I agree - they're all matters of opinion!