Exciting Finish

[Leicesterbaggie]

Morning LB. It's clearly a contentious issue. Whilst I respect your opinion on this and can see why they gave a foul I don't agree with VAR's interpretation when taken in the context of the passage of play. Trossard has a hold of Pablo who is jostling for space rather than trying to foul Raya who makes the most of the incident and doesn't even go for the ball. That's before looking at a possible penalty for West Ham.

Further to this when taking the game as a whole this was a nothing coming together. As for Ar senal my dislike of them is perfectly rational to me, but I can honestly say it didn't sway my opinion as the threshold was just too low as far as I'm concerned. The laws of the game are the laws of the game and they should be applied across all levels equally. If that constitutes foul play we wouldn't have a functioning English Football League.

j

In fairness, it was a very difficult decision for the referee to make. Obviously, Arsenal and Spurs fans thought it was a free kick and West Ham and City fans, a goal. From a personal point of view, if the goal had been given I would not have thought it an outrageous decision. I think that proves what a difficult decision under the circumstances it was and I would not have wanted to be the one who had to make the decision. Who would want to be a referee at that level?

From a wider viewpoint, the action of players on corners needs an urgent review. There is more holding than in a rugby union scrum! One answer could be that a foul could be given before the corner is actually taken. The other could be to restrict the number of players in the six yard area although this would be difficult to police. Having said this, I feel that something needs to be done.

[Omegstrat6]

j

In fairness, it was a very difficult decision for the referee to make. Obviously, Arsenal and Spurs fans thought it was a free kick and West Ham and City fans, a goal. From a personal point of view, if the goal had been given I would not have thought it an outrageous decision. I think that proves what a difficult decision under the circumstances it was and I would not have wanted to be the one who had to make the decision. Who would want to be a referee at that level?

From a wider viewpoint, the action of players on corners needs an urgent review. There is more holding than in a rugby union scrum! One answer could be that a foul could be given before the corner is actually taken. The other could be to restrict the number of players in the six yard area although this would be difficult to police. Having said this, I feel that something needs to be done.

Certainly agree with you about all the blatant shoving, pushing, holding and even virtual wrestling to the ground in some cases that goes on in preparation for a corner kick to be taken. Yes, I know that football is technically a contact sport but this is consistent behaviour these days and it's getting out of hand.

As you say Leics, it would be difficult to police the number of players in the box but totally agree with you that giving fouls for these incidents that happen while waiting for the corner to be taken would help curb it. As ever, for it to work, however, it would need to be consistently implemented by all refs regardless of how "big" the club's concerned were.

[baggieal]

Another big call last night with Spurs denied a penalty 13 minutes into injury time which could have secured their status in the league. Some will say it was more blatant than the West Ham one!

[Omegstrat6]

Another big call last night with Spurs denied a penalty 13 minutes into injury time which could have secured their status in the league. Some will say it was more blatant than the West Ham one!

True, but it still keeps Spurs in the mix to go down 😁

[baggieal]

True, but it still keeps Spurs in the mix to go down 😁

Very true. Nothing but a win for West Ham at Newcastle though and that will put huge pressure on Spurs then.

[On Balance]

j

In fairness, it was a very difficult decision for the referee to make. Obviously, Arsenal and Spurs fans thought it was a free kick and West Ham and City fans, a goal. From a personal point of view, if the goal had been given I would not have thought it an outrageous decision. I think that proves what a difficult decision under the circumstances it was and I would not have wanted to be the one who had to make the decision. Who would want to be a referee at that level?

From a wider viewpoint, the action of players on corners needs an urgent review. There is more holding than in a rugby union scrum! One answer could be that a foul could be given before the corner is actually taken. The other could be to restrict the number of players in the six yard area although this would be difficult to police. Having said this, I feel that something needs to be done.

For me, it was a foul. The WHU players had his arm across the front of the opponents keeper and, if you look closely, his hand was on the keepers left shoulder palm downward, producing force preventing the keepers upward movement.

With regard to the issue with corners, which has become worse over the last decade or so, a couple of ways of preventing the pushing is.

1) players from both teams should be facing or be in a position of no more than 90 degrees from the side the corner in coming from.


2) Players arm must at their sides and no more than 90 degree angle from the elbow. If the officials see a foul then a free kick or penalty should be given. If both teams players are not compliant then the corner is cancelled and play would commence with a bounce up on the centre spot.

The pushing, shoving and grabbing has to stop. I cannot understand how a defender can be involved in the game if they have their back to the direction the ball is coming in from.

That said, Arsenal players were definitely clearly guilty of a foul prior to the keeper incident, so perhaps a penalty should have been given. The focus however is solely on the foul on the keeper so it is likely the VAR and Referee were to focused on that rather then the build up.

[Leicesterbaggie]

Another big call last night with Spurs denied a penalty 13 minutes into injury time which could have secured their status in the league. Some will say it was more blatant than the West Ham one!

Totally agree. It looked like a penalty to me.

[baggiematt]

For me, slowed down its a foul. In real speed and with added context it isnt:

1. There were multiple fouls and grapples in the box, mostly from Arsenal. This includes a foul on the player who eventually fouled Raya

2. Raya jumps into the crowd of players, he isnt standing his ground and impeded. He becomes impeded jumping into a group of players.

3. He still gets his hands to the ball. The drop, in my opinion isnt because of the contact with him. He does make a meal of the contact. I find goalies overly protected in this regard. They shouldnt just have a free path to the ball and any contact on the way is a foul.

4. Arsenal have been doing that all season and getting away with it. Changing the unwritten rule in their favour at that moment is a killer for West Ham and probably won Arsenal the league.

5. With all of the above, I cant see how its clear and obvious