It’s not football any more and that’s for sure. There was not a single person in Carrow Road, including referee Kevin Friend and his assistants, who thought Teemu Pukki was offside from the assist of the season courtesy of Mario Vrancic.
Then some c*ckwomble many miles away in Stockley Park behind a TV screen said Teemu was offside. I’ve seen all the replays, stills and little red and blue line graphics. As my mate Cutty said after the game: offside my ar$e.
VAR is killing the game – I’m sure Palace, Brighton and Wolves fans would agree with me after the weekend. Gary Lineker concurs [“If I were Pukki I’d be puking”] and that is quite probably a first. Jermaine Jenas and Danny Murphy agree too.
We wuz robbed. Big style. And how can you properly celebrate when you’re cr@pping yourself that it might be chalked off?
I met up with a couple of old Spurs mates before and briefly after the game and although they reckoned they could have nicked it towards the end, both were full of praise for the way we played. Nicky reckoned that they got the VAR decision because they are bigger than us, but had Spurs have been up against Citeh, United or Liverpool a similar scenario would have gone against them. He said that had we been playing Millwall, Barnsley or somebody of that perceived status the decision would have gone in our favour.
And I think he’s got a point.
Of course, we got a point too but had we gone in 2-0 up at the break such was our resilience that I feel we would have taken all three.
As mentioned by Gary G yesterday, our four changes [Jamal, Onel, Mario and the Stieperdude] fitted seamlessly into Farkeball. Sure, Lewis and Max Aarons were pegged back late on as Spurs sniffed blood but this was one hell of a team performance we should all be proud of.
I’m an old soul at 62 years of age but if Erik Lamela’s late shot had beaten Tim Krul it would have broken my heart. But our flying Dutchman was up to the job and when Grant Hanley dived to nut out the Tottenham corner in the seventh minute of time added on we could all – players and supporters alike – leave the ground with our heads held high.
It’s almost impossible not to love this squad despite its obvious shortcomings. Did I feel cheated? Yes. Did I feel proud of my team? Oh yes indeed. Will we do the unthinkable and survive? I don’t know but there is rarely anything left on the pitch by these guys and they are certainly giving it everything, albeit against the odds.
We’ll keep a-troshin’ as us folks tend to say.
No, I didn’t see the anti-VAR banner in the Lower Barclay cos I’m in the Upper, but I’ve subsequently seen a few pics of it. Great stuff and hats off to those who created it.
I’ll conclude on a seasonal note:
Christmas Day football continued during the Second World War, and delivered a stockingful of goals. On December 25, 1940, Norwich faced a Brighton & Hove Albion team that arrived with only five players – one senior, three juniors and a loanee – and cobbled together an XI using volunteers from the crowd. Norwich won 18-0, with Fred Chadwick scoring six.
Those were the days, hey!
A very happy New Year to all the MFW community.
Well Martin – this is your last article this year and as you and several others have said, ‘we wuz robbed’, and oddly enough by the very same referee who gave Villa a Norwich throw-in on Boxing Day, from which they subsequently scored!!! I was certain that VAR was brought to eradicate ‘clear and obvious errors’ and if giving a throw-in to the wrong team …..
As your co-contributor said on Twitter – ‘If Harry Kane had scored the goal that Pukki did, there is no way it would have been disallowed’. He has a point and it almost seems as though there is a conspiracy at Stockley Park and amongst match officials to do everything in their powers to make sure we get relegated.
When an opposition GK is going to have a brilliant game, WHY does it have to be against us?? Wolves, then Vila!!
I was delighted to see the changes that DF made to his starting 11 for the game against Spurs on Saturday and they played brilliantly in the first half. Yes, it took a couple of excellent saves from TK, but there isn’t much that beats him.
Boy, am I proud of my team and our fans – they sang and cheered their hearts out on Saturday and I’m just so glad that I chose to get an ST again at the beginning of last season.
I’m coming to the conclusion that it will take more than a ‘Leicester’ for us to survive and as you said after the defeat to Wolves, IF we go down, several players could justifiably opt to leave and so generate > £80M, most of which would be profit, with very little spent on replacements.
Part of me wants us to stay in the PL, if only to prove that you don’t need to spend £Ms to survive, but I’d also like us to be relegated if only to get away from the injustices of VAR. I see there was a wonderful banner referring to it in the Barclay on Saturday!!!!
PS – I do allow myself a little smile when I see how badly Karren’s team is performing with all their money and only having to pay a ‘peppercorn rent’ for their marvellous stadium!!!!
PPS – The correct words to Auld Lang Syne –
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
SHOULD AULD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT,
AND AULD LANG SYNE?
As you (and all those reading the article) can see – the words ‘for the sake’ don’t exist!!!!
Happy New Year
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Hi Ed
Yes you’re right of course – the VAR incident led me to omit specifically mentioning what a cracking game of football it otherwise was.
As I said I didn’t see the banner in the Barclay [impossible as I’m in the Upper] at the time but it’s a great idea and there seems to be a gathering storm against VAR both locally and nationally.
Maybe the Football Supporters Association can put forward a united front? I know the Canaries Trust have already contacted them with this in mind.
Re the “happy” Hammers, I’m surprised Manuel Pellegrini lasted as long as he did. Farke has no specific expectations on his shoulders so he his [within reason] fireproof and I do not object to that.
On the rare occasions I’ve attempted to sing Auld Lang Syne I’ve always been too kaylined to even consider the words!
HNY to you and yours.
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Excellent stuff Martin,
The VAR debate will rubble on until the powers that be fully understand its obvious shortcomings and adapt the way it’s used. The technology simply can not deliver the degree of accuracy required for marginal offsides. I’ll leave that one there, basically I’m pro-VAR but on in this form.
On to the game itself it never ceases to amaze me on the character and commitment of our team and you sum up my feeling perfectly “………It’s almost impossible not to love this squad despite its obvious shortcomings. Did I feel cheated? Yes. Did I feel proud of my team? Oh yes indeed. Will we do the unthinkable and survive? I don’t know but there is rarely anything left on the pitch by these guys and they are certainly giving it everything, albeit against the odds. We’ll keep a-troshin’ as us folks tend to say”
Happy New Year to one and all
Cheers
3
Hi John
When David met Goliath… I’m no Bible reader but I do remember that story [and many others too it must be said].
I wouldn’t suggest Tottenham are Philistines but we sure gave ’em a good old go.
VAR is basically defeating its own alleged purpose as far as I’m concerned. And the rabble are rising against it. They understandably can’t change it mid-season but at least we are asking the questions.
Thanks and HNY to you too – always enjoy your comments.
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Just a thought on how Chris Kavanagh may have arrived at his decision to award that clear and obviously offside goal! Didn’t Daniel have a few choice words with the man last week at Villa and was promptly booked ? Human nature being what it is, he decided he could teach us a lesson for arguing and questioning his decision to award a throw in to the wrong team costing us more valuable points. Small margins maybe but vital in May.
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Hi Brendan.
Good comment.
From what I can glean Farke’s words to Kavanagh were polite [can’t imagine our Daniel being otherwise] but I’m sure he presented his opinion in no uncertain terms.
My cynical side forces me to agree with you – Kavanagh’s revenge was a dish served luke-warm rather than cold but that should never happen in football.
But it does.
Thank you.
2
Very well put Martin, and I’m sure at least 26,000 others of a green and yellow persuasion agree totally with you.
In retrospect, surely what is MOST annoying is that even though both the referee (who was generally average at best), and his assistant initially were happy with the award of the goal, once Stockley Park becomes involved, why, oh why does he not go to the pitchside monitor for another look??
Since arms/hands/fingers cannot according to the rules ever be considered offside, exactly what part of Pukki was?
Saturday is over now; it’s gone and we’ll never get those 2 points back. However, if VAR works for us in the last 18 games as it has against us in the past 20 we have a chance, but given its performance so far, don’t hold your breath!
A Happy New Year to one and all.
O T B C
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Hi John.
Yeah I was so incensed with VAR that I neglected to mention that Mr Friend [no friend of mine] gave Spurs every 50/50 decision over us at every opportunity.
Why officials do not go to pitchside monitors I simply dunno. Not just our games, everybody else’s too. Maybe it’s against the rules in order to add to the unwanted drama?
As for Pukki, my mate Roops made the point that the only part of him that could have been offside was his male appendage but it was too cold for even that to have occurred.
HNY and thanks.
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Happy New Year to you, Martin and all the contributors.
I don’t subscribe to the view that they cheat at Stockley Park and that they favour so called bigger clubs, when the decision is objective like offside. It is the rules they are applying that are wrong. They may favour bigger clubs when the decision is subjective like a penalty.
I remember that years ago the number of goals per game was declining and the rules changed to favour attacking players so that if they were level then the decision went in favour of the attacker. Given that back then it was measured by eyesight level probably meant within an inch or two. Now it is measured to the millimetre, which seems wrong to me. The rule also says about offside when the ball is kicked. Does that mean when the players foot makes contact with the ball or after there is a physical separation between foot and ball, which is a fraction of a second later. Is the technology good enough to make that call, I don’t know.
I supported VAR so that teams got their just rewards, for example Thierry Henry’s handball goal against Ireland would be ruled out, that goal robbed Ireland of their place in the World Cup finals. However, the way it is being applied is ruining the excitement of the game. If it takes VAR more than 10 seconds to adjudicate then it is not a clear and obvious mistake. They need to apply the same principle as cricket where the on field umpire’s decision is upheld on lbw’s that are marginal. They do that in cricket for two reasons. First to support the umpires judgement and second to recognise that the technology is not totally accurate, albeit predicting the course of the ball in travelling from pad to wicket.
Given the current state of VAR it must be scrapped.
As far as the game I totally agree that the players are giving their all for the cause and I would love to see them survive but I don’t think they will.
OTBC
4
Hi Colin.
Fair points but by definition *offside* cannot, surely, be subjective. To me if a linesman’s flag stays down and the ref doesn’t feel the need to consult him it’s a GOAL.
Being behind the Barclay goal I’m in an impossible position to truly judge offside at the River End, but genuinely nobody in the crowd or on the pitch saw anything amiss with Pukki’s goal in realtime.
Your cricket analogy is spot on and it’s very little different in tennis. The system works pretty well in Rugby too.
As it stands, referees are indeed being undermined.
Thanks as ever and HNY to you.
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Love the word c***womble Martin.
Like I replied to Gary on here yesterday, why did Stockley Park give two explanations to Sky as to why the goal was disallowed ?
I feel they knew they had got it wrong and then stumbled along to find a reason to get themselves out of it. The club should challenge Stockley Park to release their “proof”
If I live to a 100 I will never ever believe that goal was offside.
On a more positive note, I texted my mate after our friends down the road imploded on Sunday and said that they had some tough matches coming up including Wycombe, Rotherham, Peterborough etc but then it just hit me that here we were feeling aggrieved to have only drawn with one of this years Champions League Finalists !!!
Keep up the good work Martin.
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Hi Tim
Yeah the c*ckwomble word is one I picked up via the TV I think. It’s a bit akin to the one used by the protagonists in a BBC comedy I have long forgotten but I think it was occasionaly expounded by David Mitchell, as in jizzc*ck.
I sometimes used to potwash or chef [we took it in turns if we were short staffed] in a well-known local hotel and every abusive term used by all our somewhat scruffy brigade referred to the male organ in one way or another.
More importantly the VAR decision was truly dreadful and I don’t see it getting better in the short term. Or the long term if I’m honest.
As for the Binmen, it’s the original oh dear, how sad, never mind.
Cheers and HNY to you.
0
Happy New Year, Martin!
There is an excellent picture on the Pink’un forum, which shows the exact frame they used to show Pukki was offside. Unlike the pictures released from Shockley Park, which only show Pukki and two defenders, this one shows Mario Vrancic, and the ball. The ball is at least a yard away from his foot, so the “off-side” is not at the time when the ball was played, therefor impossible to give that decision based on that picture. I don’t generally subscribe to conspiracy theories, but in this instance there appears to be an element of pay-back from Mr Kavanagh.
I’m getting to the point where I don’t care if we stay up. It’s real football in the Championship, and there’s some good quality opposition there. VAR can “do one” as you say, and the FA and Premier League can stick it where the sun don’t shine.
On a brighter note, have a look at the TWTD forum – somewhat different in their views on Paul Lambert to last year!
2
If the picture really is the one they used then the technology clearly does not work and it must be scrapped.
0
I’ve seen quite a few clips and stills of this and not a single one suggests Pukki was offside to me.
Maybe Daniel’s quip about the “drawing with a nice pen” gets to the truth.
1
Hi Jim.
Isn’t it a little sad when the Binners have to name a fansite TWTD? Quite apposite in their case I guess. Actually I do venture on there occasionally to “test the water” and will have a look later on today. It’s quite a good site actually despite its subject matter.
Cheers and HNY to you.
0
Hi Jim,
Couldn’t agree with you more, how can a goal of such quality in terms of the assist and indeed finish be chalked off in these circumstances. The term “clear and obvious” is completely ignored. These are the moments of artistry that bring people to football grounds, decisions like this will serve to drive them away. A new directive should be delivered to favour the attacking team I think as we all want to see great goals. A more palatable parameter for VAR may be a line drawn at feet level and if the attacker’s feet are level or behind then all good, no need for speculative drop down lines in that case.
0
Again I totally agree.
The goal was a thing of beauty and will remain as a valid one in my consciousness.
Who exactly is running our national sport?
And the national sport of so many other countries too, of course.
0
Can’t be too rude about referees in the wrong jobs can we. Well maybe we can because why do little old Norwich always get them . Go back in time a few seasons and Cam Jam getting a perfectly good goal disallowed by a ref , who then didn’t see a clear and obvious penalty. Update to the present and we suffer from a fool for 2 consecutive games, he can’t tell the difference between a yellow shirt and a claret one , and then what constitutes a clear and obvious error.
Serving ale is about the level of these guys competencies, they are after all bar stewards in a clear and obvious way.
1
Hi Bernie me ole Walrus.
Hooper and Kavanagh are somewhat akin to Burk & Hare.
I never, ever would accept ale proffered by Simon Hooper if I had a yellow shirt on. Who knows what contamination might lurk within?
We’ll have better fortune at the Ribs I’m sure.
Cheers.
0
Hi Martin
An excellent read for your last article of 2019.
VAR has already given the title to Liverpool I read that if all the marginal decisions that have gone their way and all the marginal ones that have gone against Man C were reversed then there would only be a 2 point gap and it is at Anfield that seems where they get all the decisions in their favor, are the Ref’s scared to give one against them at home.
I don’t like Souness but last night he spoke some sence in respect of the VAR offside rule it was a simple change he says would work if the majority of a players body is onside then it is ruled onside and visa versa, how is a system that is only accurate to 30cm is ruling offside at 10cm is baffling.
If city stay up and I am hoping they do just to show the Smith’s despite there reluctance to sell the club or get some investers in, the Coach and players can achieve what they want not what the Smith’s want but then they would spin it that they have proved low spending can be a success.
Rumours where flying around about Paul Lambert after his interview when he said after 6 games and no wins he had no idea how much longer he would be at Ipshite, now ge is saying he was joking, it must irk him thst his most successful time in management was at city lol.
Now the silly season is about to start and rumour mill Sky will be in full flow so let me ask is Ralf Fahrmann still at city has he been recalled as their No1 GK is out till Feb at the earliest and not being on the bench for the last game just might start things off.
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
0
Hi Alex
The Fahrmann question is interesting – I noticed his absence from the bench on Saturday too and I wouldn’t be surprised if he and Patrick Roberts are returned to senders very soon – if that is indeed possible.
I agree with you about the Graeme Souness comments, love him or hate him he has done more than most in football and should be listened to.
And in the spirit of peace , goodwill and all that I’ve declared this a Smith-free article:-)
Enjoy your NY and thanks for the comments – always appreciated.
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VAR was introduced to avoid clear and obvious mistakes. It’s accuracy is limited so I would suggest it’s use is also limited to the following.
1. Offside if the gap between defender and forward is greater than 0.5m. based on foot position only.
2. Penalties when there is doubt whether the infringement was in the box or not once again based on foot position.
All other decisions are left to the referee.
This would take little time and stop the atmosphere being destroyed by a three minute wait in a chilly environment.
The main cause of complaints in the past have been for obvious off sides and not the thickness of a coloured line on a screen.
0
Hi John
Couldn’t have put it better myself.
VAR is like having space technology but using it to ensure a supermarket till is operated correctly. It stinks the room out right now.
Thanks again and have a happy NY.
0
I think there are more types of things that VAR could help. I quoted one famous example of Thierry Henry punching the ball into the net against Ireland. There was also Maradonna’s hand of god goal. There are also red cards that need checking for identity and that the offence merits the red card.
The Premier League must survey fans for their views before the end of the season so that they can either improve it or abandon it.
The shame is there is now more talk about VAR than the football. They also say that you don’t notice a good referee. Maybe that says it all.
0
I always liked Collina as a ref – he was only picked up for media attention because of his tough looks and inscrutability on the pitch.
And Gordon Hill back in the day. Mark Halsey wasn’t too bad either.
Just my opinion:-)
0
I am waiting for the game where a player is a little bit excited by the thought of running through to score and has a protrusion in the shorts. Which is deemed offside. Explain that one.
It is killing the game even more, you pay darn good money to grab a seat, then to have this crass stupidity ruining the game. A finger or a shoulder offside, no matter how far his legs are behind the line.
In this case, I have seen the worse camera angle ever, it wasn’t not even straight inline. as your friend says Martin, Offside my A**e thanks to the Royall Faily
Then we sit and wait while everybody awaits a decision, and nobody knows what the hell is going on. The Assistant refs the 1st and 4th official gave their views I take it, yet somebody miles away watching a monitor overrules the lot because his willie might be offside.
I thought VAR might help the game in the Penalty Area, but sadly this has not been the case, this was a few yards inside from the halfway line, plus every other decision that crops up, the crowd is informed VAR is looking. Followed by a break in play, it will not be long before an advert is inserted into the breaks in play.
The ref and his lino’s have been more than good enough to officiate the game since day one, TV has put more pressure on them and players by highlighting mistake, errors, fouls, and offsides, but the game flowed, we might have had a moan or two about it suggesting the official needs to visit Specsavers or isn’t experienced enough to know what he is doing. I am sure several thousand people singing “you don’t know what you are doing” has an effect on the Refs mind. I have heard many times over the seasons, that a ref will even things up if he realizes he got one wrong. A man sitting hundreds of miles away, devoid of the heat of the moment, the atmosphere, possible missing little snatches of play will be totally detached from everything, except dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s
VAR along with an over fussy ref liking the TV camera too much will serve to kill a game completely off
It will drive people away from the grounds, when added to the rising costs
1
Hi Lad – good to hear from you:-)
My mate Rupert said the same thing about the codpiece area – see above.
The Royle Family quote from Ricky Tomlinson is one we use between ourselves occasionally when talking about Norwich City – Cutty’s humour is both pithy and dry.
Hope you’re wrong about the adverts but if we suddenly see Foxy Bingo or buy an over-50 plan flash up I wouldn’t be completely surprised tbh.
Yes some refs do try to even things up but Kevin Friend didn’t. He seemed to be consistently against us all game, but he had no initial problem with Pukki’s goal.
Anyway hope all is well with you and enjoy a very HNY.
2
Martin as I said in my earlier comment Sky puppet Ref has agreed with all the VAR decisions over the weekend except that the Ref for the Arsenal game missed a Yellow card.
His comment on offside is Zero error yet even the company that makes the system says it can’t be correct under 30cm
0
You must mean Mike Riley, of whom I am not a fan and he is in charge of the whole VAR phenomenon. It seems like *jobs for the boys* to me.
Or maybe you refer to Mark Halsey in the Sun?
I often read the Sun [I once worked on it as a casual sports sub] but I didn’t have time to spend my 55p on it today
The whole shebang is seriously flawed and that I know for certain.
However I bet your three offspring were grateful for a point in the end:-)
0
On Var the general secretary of Ifab ( the international bit of soccer that looks after var) has stated this morning that Var should be used for clear and obvious mistakes, not looking at 75 angles In minutia to find a potential mistake. He went on to say that Ifab is to reissue guidelines to leagues who use var to use it for clear and obvious mistakes only.
Do we get our goal back then .
Full story in the independent on line .
0
Sounds interesting and I’ll check it out although I must admit I hate the Indy as much as I do the Mail. Presuming the [not] Indy isn’t subscription of course.
0