Why bother ?

[sinkov]

I was watching Liverpool v Chelsea when, right out of nowhere, Mo Salah hit an unstoppable shot from something like 30 yards which absolutely screamed into the Chelsea net. It was something like a cross between a golf shot and a cruise missile, it was thing of beauty, a product of genius from a rare talent, it had me jumping off the settee to tell Mr S, in the kitchen, to come and watch the replay.

Later on I was watching a re-run of our game, and it was back to Colin and the Cardiff players whining about the ball hitting Ben Mee on the arm twice. Apparently if this had been a European game and there was VAR, the first one would have been the penalty Ian Wright said it should have been. No one has yet claimed that Mee handled the ball intentionally, they all know he didn't, but the outcome that the European authorities, players and managers involved in the game, referees and ex-players all want from the ball inadvertently striking a player's arm is exactly the same as that product of genius from Mo Salah, a goal.

If hitting the ball against a defender's arm from six foot away is considered to be worthy of the same reward as that thing of beauty from Salah, ie a goal, then it devalues the game, it makes skill and talent virtually redundant, in which case why bother playing the game, or watching it ?

[The Bedlington Terrier]

It really was a thunderbolt straight out of the Bobby Charlton playbook. No back lift, just incredible power, Eusebio used to do it too!

Neither of the two "handballs" were penalties sinkov. I think once VAR settles down it will be OK, but after watching Dean quite rightly redeem his own mistake after consulting the AR, why do we actually need it?

[army88]

It really was a thunderbolt straight out of the Bobby Charlton playbook. No back lift, just incredible power, Eusebio used to do it too!

Neither of the two "handballs" were penalties sinkov. I think once VAR settles down it will be OK, but after watching Dean quite rightly redeem his own mistake after consulting the AR, why do we actually need it?

To be fair to them BT though the Taylor tackle on Gunnarsson was a penalty.

[sinkov]

It really was a thunderbolt straight out of the Bobby Charlton playbook. No back lift, just incredible power, Eusebio used to do it too!

Neither of the two "handballs" were penalties sinkov. I think once VAR settles down it will be OK, but after watching Dean quite rightly redeem his own mistake after consulting the AR, why do we actually need it?

Apparently BT, according to the journos on Sky's SS, there are now two different directives on handball in operation, one in this country, according to which Dean was correct to overturn his decision, one operating in Europe, which when referred to VAR would have confirmed the penalty award against Mee. They were saying that unless we fall into line and start using the European directive, which in effect says if it touches an arm it's a pen regardless of intent, then there is going to be endless controversy next season when our VAR would say no pen to Cardiff, but a few days later a Euro VAR will be awarding a pen to a team for exactly the same thing.

It could only happen in football, the worst run sport in the world.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

I did not know that sinkov. Usual silly bollox from FIFA and EUFA. So in effect a forward will deliberately hit a ball to hand from three feet and get a penalty?

[The Bedlington Terrier]

To be fair to them BT though the Taylor tackle on Gunnarsson was a penalty.

Not enough contact army88 and the cheating, phucking Viking went down like a sack of shoite!

[sinkov]

I did not know that sinkov. Usual silly bollox from FIFA and EUFA. So in effect a forward will deliberately hit a ball to hand from three feet and get a penalty?

Exactly BT, it's absolutely ludicrous, but that's where we're heading and that's where Europe already is. There was a pen given against City in the away match against I think Schalke, the ref quite rightly didn't give it because it just brushed Otamendi's arm, he could do nothing about it, in fact I think he was even trying to get his arm out of the way. No matter, VAR man said Pen. I switched the TV off and I haven't watched any CL games since. I can't see the point of wasting my time watching a game where the ball brushing someone's arm gets the same outcome as Salah's genius.

[sinkov]

Not enough contact army88 and the cheating, phucking Viking went down like a sack of shoite!

Indeed BT, and he gave Taylor an almighty push in the back as well, which imo made it as much a free-kick to us as a pen to Cardiff. But they did have a case with this one, it definitely fell into the 'seen them given' category, whereas the handballs just weren't pens, neither of them, end of.

[Norder]

.

To be fair to them BT though the Taylor tackle on Gunnarsson was a penalty.

we see things different....but i'd agree, was a Pen, but then i'd also say Mee's first handball could also have been a Pen - was a split second but his arm did move when the ball was shot......but can see why it wasn't given, it being so close and fast, reaction time etc..but the way I look at it, is if that was the opposition, then would I be wanting a Penalty ?
I also think McNeil should have had the second goal, it was going in, so Wood could've left it, did he want the glory ?....again, is just as I see it, could be that Wood was unsure of it's angle, I dont know, but I still think he should've let it go !

[Altobelli]

Apparently BT, according to the journos on Sky's SS, there are now two different directives on handball in operation, one in this country, according to which Dean was correct to overturn his decision, one operating in Europe, which when referred to VAR would have confirmed the penalty award against Mee. They were saying that unless we fall into line and start using the European directive, which in effect says if it touches an arm it's a pen regardless of intent, then there is going to be endless controversy next season when our VAR would say no pen to Cardiff, but a few days later a Euro VAR will be awarding a pen to a team for exactly the same thing.

It could only happen in football, the worst run sport in the world.

Bit by bit Sky and the powers, be it the FA or world organisations are chipping away at our game and slowly driving proper fans away from the game, be it different rules in different Countries, poor rules and senseless one's, poor refereeing, VAR and more, they are continuing to trash our once lovely game, its a great shame