World Cup 2018

[Husky]

That was a decent VAR decision. Though the angle they were showing on the TV before the penalty decision was made was inconclusive. The close up from behind the goal was the one.

I hope that's just the TV company being useless rather than the angle the ref (or whoever, as that's not even clear) based the decision on.

[Ewood Ace]

I'm still not a fan of VAR in football but I must say FIFA have got it running far better than the clowns at the FA did when it has been trialled over here.

[Hasta]

24 minutes ago, Tom said:

I thought the obvious difference was that touch totally took the ball away from the attacker whereas the French one if (and it’s a big if) the defender touched the ball it didn’t change the course of it and the attacker still could have got it when he was then brought down 

Not sure there’s been a big decision wrong yet for me although I accept Arbito knows the rules far better than I 

Argentina Penalty not given and the Swiss Goal immediately come to mind.  

It's slowly growing on me though if only for the novelty value.

Edited June 18, 2018 by Hasta

[Tom]

One thing I don’t like about VAR is the fact the linesman is less likely to flag for offside now as it may be reviewed upon a goal. 

However it it indirectly leads to a goal via a corner etc then no review will take place and the offside allowed to be ignored.

Still stuff to work out but so far it’s been decent overall 

[Tom]

7 minutes ago, arbitro said:

It still comes down to opinion Tom and that is one of the strengths of football. I thought the Switzerland goal should have been disallowed for a push but many don't. I'm more than happy to trust the referees interpretation without any interference and debate key incidents amongst ourselves. 

That’s a key thing it’s not always about if it’s been seen, everyone has seen the France penalty many times now and still people have differing opinions.

Whats interesting is we haven’t yet seen the reverse as in a penalty being given softly and then reviewed, are referees being harsher knowing that they have a get out of jail card?

Edited June 18, 2018 by Tom

[arbitro]

Just now, Tom said:

That’s a key thing it’s not always about if it’s been seen, everyone has seen the France penalty many times now and still people have differing opinions.

Whats interesting is we haven’t yet seen the reverse as in a penalty being given softly and then reviewed, are referees being harsher knowing that they have a get out of jail card?

I think you are right there Tom. The assistants have been told not to flag for tight offsides and if a goal arises from one of these it gets referred by VAR. Referees and assistants now have a safety net and some will use this to negate their responsibilities.

[Audax]

I know the referees would do their best at the games; but the standard of officiating at the last two World Cups was turning it into a farce and even possibly irrelevant as people were tuning it out. This system may not be perfect but it's certainly a lot better than the way things were.  The World Cup has long been marred with questionable calls. I haven't seen much simulation or feigning injury in this World Cup as well.

The old system rewarded cheating, good riddance.

 

Edited June 18, 2018 by Audax

[benhben]

Just now, Audax said:

I know the referees would do their best at the games; but the standard of officiating at the last two World Cups was turning it into a farce and even possibly irrelevant as people were tuning it out. This system may not be perfect but it's certainly a lot better than the way things were.  The World Cup has long been marred with questionable calls. I haven't seen much simulation or feigning injury in this World Cup as well.

The main thing that gets me is pausing the game to make a decision. Even if its the right decision stopping the game for 5 minutes just feels wrong. 

Part of me thinks dodgy referee decisions are part of what makes football interesting. The refs are human and make mistakes just like players. They are often amusing and talking points amongst neutrals and fans. If you add too much tech is takes away any personality from the game. 

[Admiral Nelsen]

Just now, benhben said:

The main thing that gets me is pausing the game to make a decision. Even if its the right decision stopping the game for 5 minutes just feels wrong. 

Part of me thinks dodgy referee decisions are part of what makes football interesting. The refs are human and make mistakes just like players. They are often amusing and talking points amongst neutrals and fans. If you add too much tech is takes away any personality from the game. 

Couldn't agree more. I know we all love a good moan at refereeing decisions, but in the cold light of day, we all basically accept that refs are fallible and mistakes are part of the game.

Obviously the more correct decisions the better, but if the price of getting more correct decisions is making the game more sterile then it's a price not worth paying. 

[Scotland1]

Ex Blackburn striker Nikola Kalinic sent home for refusing to play.

[Husky]

The Brazilian Press haven't half been whining about the Swiss treatment of that diving Neymar Brat.

[philipl]

I have seen bits of every World Cup game live so far except Spain v Portugal and still haven't seen a single goal. No longer getting excited when there is a promising situation because I know it will be cleared or saved.

[K-Hod]

4 minutes ago, Husky said:

The Brazilian Press haven't half been whining about the Swiss treatment of that diving Neymar Brat.

Though he did make a meal of a lot of the challenges, they did kick lumps out of him, particularly towards the end of the game!

[Miker]

20 minutes ago, philipl said:

I have seen bits of every World Cup game live so far except Spain v Portugal and still haven't seen a single goal. No longer getting excited when there is a promising situation because I know it will be cleared or saved.

I feel this Belgium game is going to be a high scoring one. That line up looks like it’s all out attack and I don’t think Panama has the players to handle them.

[Husky]

Ok guys. Here we are, for the drinkers -

The Lukaku Drinking Game. ?

Take a drink:

1 finger if he:

falls over,

misplaces a pass,

kicks it out of play

gets caught offside

makes a foul.

-------------------------

3 fingers:

if he has a shot off target.

------------------------------------

down your drink for a yellow card

------------------------------------------

If he - Scores a goal - down in one what you have left and then you have to buy or give a full drink to someone else - as well as getting yourself another one (your punishment - he's not The Poor Man's Heskey after all)....maybe?

 

Let's GO!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6CYhQ6L460

Edited June 18, 2018 by Husky

[Audax]

I have not seen a delay yet, beyond 90 seconds,  max 2 minutes. I haven't seen all of the action.  So,  just noting, I have not seen any 5 minute delays. It seems like they are making the decision very quickly.

Edited June 18, 2018 by Audax

[Audax]

Brazil drew their first game this time. When, officiating a game means giving the home team big breaks so they win a match as possibly in 2014, count me out. That may have happened versus Croatia. So, not only is human error in the equation with the old system, so is bias or worse, dishonesty. It might be just appearances but it might not only be "bias for" but "bias against a team".

Quote

 

In the sixty-ninth minute of the World Cup’s opening match, between Brazil and Croatia, with the score tied 1–1, the Brazilian striker Fred—players in Brazil typically go by their first names—went down in front of the opposing goal, seemingly shoved or tripped by a Croatian defender. Players from the Croatian team swarmed the referee to protest, but in vain; the referee gave the defender, Dejan Lovren, a yellow card and awarded the Brazilians a penalty kick. Neymar, a forward, briskly converted it, giving the Brazilians a permanent lead.

But, by then, even the television commentators were howling, as replays exposed the foul for what it actually was: a spectacular bit of theatre. Lovren had barely touched Fred, who nonetheless slid down on a pillow of air, his arms raised in mock protest even before he hit the ground. He’d faked it, to draw the penalty.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/sporting-scene/cheating-the-beautiful-game

 

More: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/football/world-cup/fifa-world-cup-2014-in-brazil-farce-foul-on-fred-was-not-a-penalty-say-football-fans-across-the-world/news-story/97aea1741847b48f30420042529e8f59

I can't talk for league football; but as for international, the World Cup has always been packed with this sort of stuff leaving me disillusioned.

As some have intoned on this thread, we have seen a lot less diving.

What has bothered me, is when, it appears like outright cheating going on out there. I watched France rightfully get disciplined for that handball on Saturday and I thought of that match a few years ago, 2013, where Henry had a handball that helped France score vs. Ireland.  That one was not caught.

 

 

Edited June 18, 2018 by Audax

[Admiral Nelsen]

Just now, Audax said:

I have not seen a delay yet, beyond 90 seconds,  max 2 minutes. I haven't seen all of the action.  So,  just noting, I have not seen any 5 minute delays. It seems like they are making the decision very quickly.

My issue isn't so much the length of the delay, to be fair it seems like it's not hugely disrupting the flow of the game so far. 

Bigger problem for me is the period of uncertainty of whether a goal is being disallowed or not. Even if it's only 30 seconds, it takes the joy out of that instant when you know that you've just scored.

[DE.]

Panama blatantly playing for a 0-0, just what you want to see at a World Cup. Unfortunately we're only going to see more of this when it's expanded to 48 teams. 

[Husky]

Just now, DE. said:

Panama blatantly playing for a 0-0, just what you want to see at a World Cup. Unfortunately we're only going to see more of this when it's expanded to 48 teams. 

Come on. Football is about defending too ?

[roverandout]

Not a great performance from panama just no urgency from belgium..martinez is a tit

[DE.]

Just now, Husky said:

Come on. Football is about defending too ?

Indeed, just ideally not 95% of the time!

Belgium been poor as well tbf. The pair of them look like they're contesting a friendly. 

[Husky]

DRINKKKKKK! HAHA!

[Audax]

With the exception of the opening match blowout by Russia and it's fine with me, we really aren't seeing high numbers scored.  Spain Portugal an exception and a classic of two top teams. Panama almost could end up stealing this at this rate with a set piece or something.

[roverandout]

We need belgium to win. Cant afford other teams being in the mix