The Football Thread

[Ray Finkle]

On this day in 1996

 

[Aviador]

A truly memorable moment in a truly memorable year. It was a scorcher too if I remember it correctly.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

I remember watching that live and me and my Dad both leaping about 4ft of the sofa. We then watched the slo-mo replay, not quite believing what we were seeing.

Kevin

 

[Ray Finkle]

A truly memorable moment in a truly memorable year. It was a scorcher too if I remember it correctly.

I think it was the last time that I genuinely thought that England could win a tournament

 

[jfy1999]

Gareth Bale: Real Madrid & Wales forward set for China move

Gareth Bale is set to leave Real Madrid and join Chinese club Jiangsu Suning on a three-year deal.

www.bbc.co.uk

What are we to make of the growing exodus from Europe to China? Obviously I can't read Gareth's mind but I've heard many armchair commentators accuse him of greed and/or laziness.

 

[Jerry]

Gareth Bale: Real Madrid & Wales forward set for China move

Gareth Bale is set to leave Real Madrid and join Chinese club Jiangsu Suning on a three-year deal.

www.bbc.co.uk

What are we to make of the growing exodus from Europe to China? Obviously I can't read Gareth's mind but I've heard many armchair commentators accuse him of greed and/or laziness.

Not really a football fan but if the European teams don't bid for him or can't afford him then he'll go to where they can and he does need playing time. Gareth doesn't seem a stupid person so he'll have no doubt thought of pros and cons before hand. Might now mean CWL gets some private jet flights from China!

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Not really a football fan but if the European teams don't bid for him or can't afford him then he'll go to where they can and he does need playing time. Gareth doesn't seem a stupid person so he'll have no doubt thought of pros and cons before hand. Might now mean CWL gets some private jet flights from China!

He won't be playing at a high level in China so competitive international matches with Wales might be a test if he is not match-fit for that standard of football.

 

[Jerry]

He won't be playing at a high level in China so competitive international matches with Wales might be a test if he is not match-fit for that standard of football.

Hopefully it will mean he's fitter for Wales as well.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Hopefully it will mean he's fitter for Wales as well.

We won't know now because Real Madrid have called off the China move for Bale.

 

[jfy1999]

I don't follow the development of the rules of the game that closely, so Manchester City's disallowed goal against Tottenham yesterday was the first time I recall seeing the accidental handball rule spelled out.

Lots of people complaining that it violates the "spirit of the game", but I suppose that depends whether one takes the fans' viewpoint or the referees' viewpoint.

Clearly the alternative to ruling out all use of the arm/hand is to let the referee interpret whether the touch was deliberate (and he can't usually rely on the players for that!).

But under the old laws a referee who had given a series of decisions in favour of one team might feel under pressure to redress the balance by "interpreting" the handball replay in favour of the other, whereas the new rule removes the possibility of that.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I don't follow the development of the rules of the game that closely, so Manchester City's disallowed goal against Tottenham yesterday was the first time I recall seeing the accidental handball rule spelled out.

Lots of people complaining that it violates the "spirit of the game", but I suppose that depends whether one takes the fans' viewpoint or the referees' viewpoint.

Clearly the alternative to ruling out all use of the arm/hand is to let the referee interpret whether the touch was deliberate (and he can't usually rely on the players for that!).

But under the old laws a referee who had given a series of decisions in favour of one team might feel under pressure to redress the balance by "interpreting" the handball replay in favour of the other, whereas the new rule removes the possibility of that.

It's a new law of the game this season. If a goal is scored after accidentally touching an attacker's hand or arm the 'goal' will be disallowed (if it was deliberate it would always have been ruled out). Below is the new law relating to handball (Law 12).

• Deliberate handball remains an offence
• The following ‘handball’ situations, even if accidental, will be a free kick:
  • The ball goes into the goal after touching an attacking player’s hand/arm
  • A player gains control/possession of the ball after it has touches their hand/arm•and then scores, or creates a goal-scoring opportunity
  • The ball touches a player’s hand/arm which has made their body unnaturally bigger
  • The ball touches a player’s hand/arm when it is above their shoulder (unless the player has deliberately played the ball which then touches their hand/arm

There are several other new laws this season relating to such things as penalty kicks, 'walls' at free kicks, dropped balls, goal kicks, goal celebrations, kick-off, medical breaks, substitutes leaving the field, players' equipment, quick free kicks not delayed for yellow or red card.

The below link lists the new laws.

The Referees' Association - IFAB Law Changes 2019/2020

Are you aware of next season's law changes?

www.the-ra.org

 

[jfy1999]

A sad day for the EFL and things could get worse in two weeks time.

Bury expelled by English Football League

Bury are expelled by the English Football League after a takeover bid from C&N Sporting Risk collapsed.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[TheLocalYokel]

A sad day for the EFL and things could get worse in two weeks time.

Bury expelled by English Football League

Bury are expelled by the English Football League after a takeover bid from C&N Sporting Risk collapsed.

www.bbc.co.uk

Football finances are a mess. Without the massive tv deals Premier League clubs would be struggling too.

It's all short-termism. Spend now in the hope of success with no thought as to what will happen if it all turns to rodent droppings. Many club owners are barely caretakers of a club. Few are dyed-in-the-wool supporters like the fans. They come in, buy the club and is some cases asset-strip and in others hope their investment will bear fruit, either with a good performance in the Prem or promotion from the Championship into the gold-plated world of the Prem.

Even small clubs in the lower divisions look at a club such as Bournemouth that almost 'did a Bury' a decade or so (Bournemouth were in League 2, Bury were in in League 1) ago and is now sailing well in the Premier League. The thought must be there that if they can do it so can we, hence the irrational over-spending that is all too prevalent.

Some clubs with an eye to today and not tomorrow circumnavigate the financial fair play rules by selling their ground and leasing it back.

I am in no doubt that other clubs will follow Bury's path in the years ahead. My sympathy and empathy are with the genuine fans who follow the club year in and year out whoever owns it. They are the real owners if not the legal ones. Without fans there wouldn't be any clubs.

 

[jfy1999]

It seems that Bolton Wanderers will escape Bury's fate for now as a takeover has been completed.

 

[jfy1999]

Always enjoyable to see a school playground score in an international.

I don't think Southgate will be pick the same defence for Euro 2020, though

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Always enjoyable to see a school playground score in an international.

I don't think Southgate will be pick the same defence for Euro 2020, though

Kosovo played the first half either naively or adventurously, perhaps a combination of both. That left so many gaps in their defence that England were able to score almost at will with their jet-propelled movements up field.

5-1 at half-time in any professional game of a reasonable standard rarely provides another six goals in the second half although I thought England might finish up winning 6-1 or 7-1. I didn't expect the second-half heart and passion displayed by the visitors and the somewhat bemused and diffident reaction to it by England.

The hosts still had plenty of opportunities to add to their score though, especially with the visitors intent on reducing the 5-3 deficit even more. Had Kane not missed the penalty and Sterling hit the post when it seemed easier to score (but what a player and what a performance from him, particularly in the first half) the game might well have finished up something like 7-3.

Going forward England look as good as any country but the defence is another matter.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Less than impressive performance by England against the Czech Republic in the European qualifier this evening going down 1-2, the first game they have lost in a World Cup or European qualifier for ten years.

The defence was vulnerable again, especially in the first half.

Kane looked off his game. I don't know whether that's the result of Spurs dreadful run or whether his lack of sharpness is one of the reasons for his club's predicament.

Credit the hosts though who over the ninety minutes deserved their victory. I don't think anyone in the England team merited more than 6/10 and that might be being generous - too many sloppy mistakes and failure to hold on to the ball.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Bulgaria 0 England 6 European Championship qualifier

Sad and disgraceful scenes this evening in Bulgaria with the referee stopping the match twice because of racist behaviour from the terraces towards some of the England players. A pa announcement was made but the abuse obviously continued because the match was stopped for a second time just before half-time. Dozens of spectators in hoodies were then seen leaving the ground.

At half-time there were tv pictures of some home spectators wearing tops with the words 'No Respect' printed on them in English.

The second half was better in that the match was not stopped but there were still suggestions from the tv people at the ground that the racist behaviour hadn't been entirely eliminated.

On the pitch England were in total control against a Bulgarian team whose sole aim seemed to be trying to keep their inevitable defeat within respectable limits.

Such a pity that the headlines will be all about events off the pitch rather than England's polished and slick performance.

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Utterly despicable scenes! Gareth Southgate remained calm and reported the situation in the correct manner. The match officials responded correctly and followed protocol, which hopefully has set precedent should such vile events occur in future. I'm so pleased that the England players chose to return to the pitch for the second half, as this sends the message that they are not intimidated and will not be broken by such behaviour. It appears that Popov went over to the Bulgarian fans(?) to appeal to them to stop. Credit to him for that. Whilst watching what happened, I couldn't help thinking of the late great Cyril Regis and all that he did to try and get racism out of the game.

A good win for England, but any feeling of joy at such a good result has fallen a little flat.

Kevin

 

[jfy1999]

I haven't seen any footage but it seems that a large and organised group of hooligans in identical clothes were allowed in without being challenged by the authorities. If so then that is shocking, especially given that this is not the first time visiting teams in Bulgaria have been racially abused.

I feel UEFA protocol is completely inadequate. Abandoning play in the middle of the game with no further consequences won't stop the yobs who know they can just turn up and fling abuse at the next game.

If it turns out that a country's own authorities can't deal with it then it is UEFA's duty to impose punishment. The money fines they currently impose are no deterrent whatsoever. They need to start docking points, or awarding wins to teams who have been forced off by abuse, or having matches played behind closed doors - or banning teams from competitions if none of the first three measures stop hooligans accessing games.