Norwich City vs Spurs (Home) Saturday 28th December.

[gerryinromania]

A fair game ,but ruined by the big club cheating francise. officials are getting worse,now that they are not deemed responsible and can blame a tv studio.Shoddy,disgraceful.
The guys performed so well. Vrancic, a breath of fresh air. Pukki after all his slating, came out and performed well. Buendia again was doing what he does and superbly. Were there any weak links? I don't think so. Well done City

 

[morty]

Fuck VAR.

 

[Fenway Frank]

 

[morty]

Right, let's give this a go.

Really if you get past all the moaning and gnashing of teeth we have actually been playing well for the last three games. It is a tricky balance to decide if we are not quite good enough or lucky enough, it matters little, it still really adds up to the same amount of points.

I thought we were excellent today, I had called for changes and Farke made them, was pleased to see Kenny have "a wee rest" and the reintroduction of Vrancic. Jamal Lewis came back in with Byram perhaps paying for his wastefulness in front of goal in the last game. Lewis came in and was absolutely fine. The other change was Onel in for Todd, can't say I really noticed much contribution from him frankly, not to say he had a bad game, maybe just an indifferent one. Vrancic was absolutely fantastic, and was only withdrawn as he was apparently having trouble breathing after being hit in the neck in the second half. His vision and range of passing from a deep midfield role was a joy to watch, and him getting beyond the striker is something that our midfield has been very much lacking, Kenny just does not bring this. I thought Hanley did okay, considering how long he has been out, and playing his second game in three days, he was alright.

Emi was fantastic again, and I do start to worry about someone having a cheeky bid sometime soon.

VAR. It has to go, the margin that Pukki was called offside on, is absolutely ridiculous, see screenshot from the FA website below. End of the day, TV companies don't actually need fans on the terraces to sell their product around the world....

Overall, the pundits and opposing managers are all gushing about us, about how brave we are, how we dare to play great football, I guess you have to choose what you would rather have, sexy football or Stoke. I know what I would choose, regardless of the consequences.

 

[OldRobert]

The TV commentators were given more than one reason for the goal being disallowed initially. Firstly Pukki's right shoulder being offside which it was, as stupid as it sounds. But the final reason given was that he came back from an offside position during the buildup which he did, plain as day. I think VAR is spoiling the game as the chants were going "It's not football anymore", but those two things were plain as day on the cameras. So either VAR must be abolished and we go back to flag waving etc. or we have to suck it up. Before you all shout at me...............watch it first.

 

[morty]

Nah sorry Bob, it was an absolute peach of a pass, and you only become an offensive threat when you touch the ball, not beforehand. Hence linesmen only flagging once the striker actually plays the ball, not before. The rules they are trying to apply are totally incompatible with VAR. To say that Pukki's armpit being ahead of the defender's foot is giving him an unfair advantage is just plain nonsense.

This, is bullshit.

 

[morty]

I go to football for that beautiful rush when your team scores a goal, jumping around like a loon, hugging random blokes, screaming "Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssss" in their faces. I do not go to football to have some bloke sat hundreds of miles away to put badly sketched dotted lines, using MS paint, onto screengrabs, to ruin that for me. This is killing the game for the fans that actually go, and it has to stop now.

This is made up bullshit for the TV audience. And just reinforces the fact that the FA don't give a flying frig about the paying fan. They are only bothered about their next big deal with Sky.

 

[Fenway Frank]

While I agree with most of what Morty has said, I do think that yesterday highlighted Lewis’ defensive frailties compared to Byram. Lewis is more athletic and gives us more going forward though. I really don’t think anyone can be unhappy with how we’ve been playing recently although there have been small errors that have lost us games.
Was chatting to my mate after the game and we don’t think there would be another coach that could get any more out of our players playing the way we do. Let’s try and enjoy it regardless of the end results.

 

[gerryinromania]

Var man was the clown that got it wrong in the Villa match and got bad press. Revenge,coincidence,corruption, but he's ok, can keep undermining football ,teams and fans

 

[Number 9]

While I agree with most of what Morty has said, I do think that yesterday highlighted Lewis’ defensive frailties compared to Byram. Lewis is more athletic and gives us more going forward though. I really don’t think anyone can be unhappy with how we’ve been playing recently although there have been small errors that have lost us games.
Was chatting to my mate after the game and we don’t think there would be another coach that could get any more out of our players playing the way we do. Let’s try and enjoy it regardless of the end results.

I don't agree Frank, not many managers would allow players to concede so many goals and lose so much from winning positions.

if you're 2-1 up with 15 mins left and you have a counter attack -
do you send all your defenders up so you get caught out by one long ball?

 

[morty]

 

[OldRobert]

I can't disagree Morty, I was merely reporting what was said by the 'VAR men' to the commentators at the time, which you won't have heard, to try and illustrate how much of a buggers muddle the whole thing was. First one reason then another.

Where I do disagree strongly is that VAR is some sort of conspiracy to kill the game for the fans that go, and is some sort of bullshit made up for us that don't/can't. My Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssss was just as loud as yours when Pukki hit the back of the net (I frightened the dog),and I was just as irritated as you when it was disallowed.

The FA haven't given a toss about the fans ever since Sky came on the scene, time the fans especially the ones who attend matches and subscribe to Sky Sports woke up and smelt the bloody coffee.

 

[morty]

Heres a bit of a stat, insert your own conspiracy theory......

 

[morty]

I can't disagree Morty, I was merely reporting what was said by the 'VAR men' to the commentators at the time, which you won't have heard, to try and illustrate how much of a buggers muddle the whole thing was. First one reason then another.

Where I do disagree strongly is that VAR is some sort of conspiracy to kill the game for the fans that go, and is some sort of bullshit made up for us that don't/can't. My Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssss was just as loud as yours when Pukki hit the back of the net (I frightened the dog),and I was just as irritated as you when it was disallowed.

The FA haven't given a toss about the fans ever since Sky came on the scene, time the fans especially the ones who attend matches and subscribe to Sky Sports woke up and smelt the bloody coffee.

Not necessarily a conspiracy, more what the priority is. Before Sky the FA needed fans, the clubs needed fans, now they simply don't. It is more important that they make their multi million pounds deals to broadcast their product around the world. VAR makes for good TV drama, but totally ruins it for fans at the ground, and the FA couldn't give a shit. I can bet you there is a school of thought that thinks they don't even need fans at games anymore.

 

[OldRobert]

Funny you should say that, I posted almost exactly the same on CarrowRoad.net, must be at least 2 years ago.

 

[morty]

Just watching the Liverpool game and Wolves have had a goal disallowed. I even feel sorry for them. This just has to stop.

 

[Number 9]

You guys are in denial....

20 games played, 21 goals scored, 40 goals conceded.

Getting excited about var is missing the point, the 19 teams above us are subject to var too.

 

[morty]

I haven't seen anyone blame VAR for where we are?

But who knows, we may have had 2 more points today.....

 

[hogesar]

I don't agree Frank, not many managers would allow players to concede so many goals and lose so much from winning positions.

if you're 2-1 up with 15 mins left and you have a counter attack -
do you send all your defenders up so you get caught out by one long ball?

Hang on, i'm not sure that's fair! Not many managers are often playing 4 or 5 players under the age of 21 in their starting 11 during their first season in the premier league alongside a host of other players who've never played at this level before.

Despite all that, the players have the utmost faith and respect for Farke which is evidenced by the fact that despite out lowly league position and points tally, they still play the way the manager wants too, they still work their socks off, and they still have the belief to pass through a very organised Tottenham press.

 

[Number 9]

I agree with you that the players have been working hard to follow instructions. I personally don't think those instructions have been sufficient though.
It's not good enough to simply say, we will pass the ball out from the back and make it look pretty even though conceding all these goals will get us relegated again.

As regards young players, we have many players of varying ages at the club who don't get near the team on match day. Some of those are out on loan, some are loitering around the training ground.
All those players were purchased / or loaned in at a cost and have wages to be paid for.
If they ain't good enough, why did we get them in and lets get rid. There's no reason why we couldn't have brought in decent defenders rather the vast quantity of attacking midfielders which are getting paid good money for sitting around.