arbitro

It's getting to the point with me that I'd cut my losses with Carter and get rid of him. I rate him as a player but his unreliability supersedes that by a country mile. It's almost like a competition between him and Wharton to see who can be unavailable the most. 😁 But somewhere inside me I wonder if the managers cryptic comments about Carter are rankling with him. Expect Mr Aloof then to play Hedges as a left sided centre back as he is more equipped (using Mr Aloofs Derby rationale) to deal with Nobbers aeriel threat. I feel it's going to be a long night.

I don't know for certain but as I don't have a printer we will using the digital ticket to access the ground. Presumably they will scan the printed ticket at the turnstiles so I don't see any difference. It seems pointless to issue digital tickets if you are mandated to print them off assuming Nobbers use the same environmental excuse as Rovers.

The 'clear and obvious' aspect of VAR is what leaves much ambiguity and as you allude to causes much debate. When VAR was introduced with the clear and obvious instruction I thought after a while they would drop that and allow the officials a certain amount of latitude through dialogue. VAR has become stagnant and should have moved on and learned from errors.

One of the few things VAR can get involved in as a result of a clear and obvious error is a penalty. The referee, having seen the replay gave the penalty. A clear indication that he was wrong in the first Instance as he could easily have stuck with his decision of no foul.

The fact he hasn't been very good on the pitch has nothing to do with his comments.

The referee didn't even think it was a foul so nothing would have been given without VAR. Given the speed it is almost impossible in real time to determine whether it was in or out of the penalty area. I don't like VAR but you have to say on this occasion it did its job.

I was going to post something similar. He is correct in his comments and they shouldn't be held against him.

Just be aware that the QPR match is scheduled for February 14th which is also FA Cup Fourth Round day. If either us or QPR progress from the Third Round this game will almost certainly be moved to a night match.

I'm not sure that the game generally is as physical as it was and that is all relative. I watch NPL and, having refereed on there in the early 90's I don't believe it is anything like it was. Lots of players at that level now have come through Academies where physicality is kept to a minimum. One benefit could be the facilities and pitches. Any entitled young player won't be too well accepted if he expects the same great and gives it the big 'un.

I saw him play a couple of times for Atherton Colls and I agree it's different for a goalkeeper whose job is essentially the same whatever the level.

The absolute minimum standard in my opinion for any of our youngsters going on loan should be Northern Premier League Premier division. Anything below that and the standard drops markedly.

One for three weeks and one for a month? Seems a bit pointless but I suppose Jordan Rhodes has to justify his existence.

Thanks for posting this. If it was left to Rovers I would have been sat at the Academy like a lemon.

Me too mate. There are a lot more pitfalls having tickets on your phone in my view.