The Emirates FA Cup 2018/19

[Baddar]

Fuck off Danny Murphy you bald twat. 

"Oh come on!"

All because a goal was chalked off because of a marginal offside. It took a few minutes because it was such a tight call.

[FLiam]

I still think calling that offside is bullshit.

[Baddar]

Just now, Liam Mk2 said:

I still think calling that offside is bullshit.

But it was offside though surely? Close but it's still offside. What are the officials meant to do, allow it because one of his feet is in an offside position? It'd mean changing the offside rule for the umpteenth time.

[Colly]

I've just flicked it on and saw the replay, his foot and the last defenders shoulder look pretty much in line to me. How long did that take to rule out? I'm really not convinced of it's effectiveness on offsides just due to the small margins and the shit angles, it wasn't as bad as that obviously wrongly given Spurs one the other week, but I'm not convinced. 

Should be lasers for offside by now... 

Edited January 16, 2019 by Colly

[FLiam]

1 minute ago, Baddar said:

But it was offside though surely? Close but it's still offside. What are the officials meant to do, allow it because one of his feet is in an offside position? It'd mean changing the offside rule for the umpteenth time.

True. 

I’m in the camp that thinks when pretty much your entire body is in line except one foot, it’s onside. It’ll be an endless debate.

[Baddar]

Going back 10 years or so ago they had a "clear daylight" rule (which didn't last long). 

I mean, calls that tight are going to take longer as they want to make sure they're reaching the correct decision. And it was a couple of mins at best. We've had a couple of injuries and the half has still finished by the time 49mins were played...

[Colly]

I'm sorry but this is ridiculous. That camera view can not clear that up. He's level. 

Edit: I can't spell today

Edited January 16, 2019 by Colly

[FLiam]

Shearer makes a good point, the defenders shoulder is on line with his foot.

That sort of decision is fucking baffling and daft.

[Colly]

Hey I made that point! Fuck Shearer. 

[FLiam]

2 minutes ago, Colly said:

Hey I made that point! Fuck Shearer. 

I missed your post.

[Baddar]

A straight line drawn down from his shoulder makes it even tighter than taking the foot into account. They need to decide if it's going to remain a case of "he's either offside or not" or "benefit of doubt" comes into play to speed things up. The danger with the latter is teams are going to feel hard done by when one they deem close is chalked off and another is given.

[Colly]

The annoying thing is that the World Cup sold me far more on VAR, I just forgot that it's not a magic universal system. VAR plus our gang of horrible referee's means shit like this and the Kane one. 

4 minutes ago, Baddar said:

A straight line drawn down from his shoulder makes it even tighter than taking the foot into account. They need to decide if it's going to remain a case of "he's either offside or not" or "benefit of doubt" comes into play to speed things up. The danger with the latter is teams are going to feel hard done by when one they deem close is chalked off and another is given.

I think "he's offside or not" is fine, but you have to be able to discern that from the VAR. You can't refer to the VAR and them then guess, if they're taking three minutes and it's still not clear the decision on the field has to stand. 

Not sure what you mean regards taking the shoulder into account, you have to, that's the rule. And that's where for a tight offside a 2D camera image doesn't work in a 3D magical unicorn world. To get that right we need aerial cameras or those ones that go dead fast down the wings to keep pace with play. 

I genuinely think that's an awful decision where yet again VAR has taken yonks to overrule a correct decision on the field. 

Edit: Ffs spelling

Christ at least put the yellow line in the right place. 

Edited January 16, 2019 by Colly

[Baddar]

I just meant that I hadn't noticed the shoulder originally and was looking at the feet. But it's cool though because Robbie Savage has used an A4 sheet of paper to clear things up.

[Colly]

Ah okay. Someone tell Savage if he twists his bit of paper he's on. 

[Baddar]

I won't change my mind about thinking VAR is for the best. But if it means the odd offside isn't called (like it could have been in this case) because of how long it takes and the doubt involved, then that's fine by me. It needs to be made clear though. As it is now, whether that took 2mins or 20mins, the ref in the VAR studio has made what he thought was the right decision, not the quick decision, and that's what he's instructed to do at the moment.

[Colly]

I agree though, I think VAR can be a good thing. But if after 3 minutes you either get it massively wrong (Kane) or it's still unclear like here then that's utterly ridiculous. VAR works, but if the officials using it can't do it then it can't come in until they can. 

That's aside from the ridiculousness of it only being used in some games in the same round of the competition. I understand it not going down through all tiers of football, but given the goal that put us ahead last night was offside and there was no VAR Blackburn can certainly feel aggrieved. 

The system is good, the execution is woeful. 

Bad punditry doesn't help either, someone tell Danny Murphy they check every goal. 

[FLiam]

One thing that is so simple to do that they haven't for some reason yet is hook the referees mic up to the stadium when there is a VAR review. How hard is it? All the others sports do it.

[MDK]

Will VAR only be used in the PL and FA Cup games that are at the home of the big boys?

[FLiam]

VAR aside, this is a cracking cup tie.

[Colly]

Alan Shearer just said parallel. I have new found respect for him. As a pundit that is, I've got a ruddy testimonial scarf.