Football

[Rab Smith]

Hearts have just crushed any hope Rangers had of winning the SPFL title.
Now down to the last 3 games for Celtic and Hearts with Hearts having to go to Celtic on the last day!

 

[Kite159]

Hearts have just crushed any hope Rangers had of winning the SPFL title.
Now down to the last 3 games for Celtic and Hearts with Hearts having to go to Celtic on the last day!

Why am I picturing Celtic winning on the last day and scoring a goal in injury time to put them ahead of Hearts on Goal Difference?

Although it would be wonderful for Hearts to win the league to break the Glasgow stronghold

 

[E B]

So Villa play their B team and effectively throw the match. Forest play their B team and beat Chelsea 3-1. Shows how dire Chelsea are and how brilliant Forest's team depth is, while Villa's squad depth is poor and Tottenham, while improved, are still lacklustre to only win 2-1 against a poor B team.

I was at the Villa game. It was clear from the lineup being announced that we were throwing the game. It was completely unacceptable, the worst half of football I have watched during Emery’s reign. The pace that we were jogging back for tackles, Mings’ lacklustre clearances (which caused both goals) and our general play was awful. As you have said we were lucky to lose 2-1. If we fail to advance on Thursday night then understandably me and other Villa fans will be asking questions of Emery.

 

[gg1]

Why am I picturing Celtic winning on the last day and scoring a goal in injury time to put them ahead of Hearts on Goal Difference?

Which would be especially painful for Hearts as it'd be their 3rd time losing the league title on that basis.

In 1986 they missed out on goal difference, in 1965 on goal average. More galling is the fact that if goal difference had been the deciding factor in 1965 and goal average in 1986, they would have won both titles.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Why am I picturing Celtic winning on the last day and scoring a goal in injury time to put them ahead of Hearts on Goal Difference?

I can’t see Celtic beating Sevco next week, tbh.

I really do hope Hearts manage it, even despite Tony Bloom.

 

[londonbridge]

In news from south west Hertfordshire...

The revolving door keeps turning at Vicarage Road. Watford have parted with head coach Ed Still (Will's brother) after yesterday's final game of the season, a 4-0 home defeat by champions Coventry City. Will (ha) the new coach see out the close season?

Making the play-offs on their return to the National League, Boreham Wood have reached the final against Rochdale at Wembley next Sunday after a second after extra-time victory in a few days, this time 2-1 away in front of over 14,000 against Carlisle United. With Watford and Barnet just down the road, can this area sustain a third EFL team?

THC

In a previous job I used to work most Saturdays till lunchtime and would watch the occasional Carshalton Athletic match when they were at home, saw em play Boreham Wood a few times.

 

[Ivor]

Re the previous comments from @DarloRich - those Chelsea players just weren’t interested today. As soon as they conceded they packed in. When Forest scored their third from a very tight potential offside, apart from a desultory wave of the arm from the goalie not one of them shouted or gestured for offside, which is absolutely standard behaviour for a footballer. All a bit odd and there really does seem to be something deeply wrong at Chelsea

I know I sound like a broken record in relation to my team but witnessing again yesterday yes there is something deeply wrong as per your last line….the major thing that is wrong is the majority of them have no desire or passion for the club at all other than banking their gigantic wages every month…there are a few that give it their all but a few is not good enough.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Rochdale came from 2-0 down to Boreham Wood to equalise at 2-2 to take the National League play-off final to extra-time and that remained the score after 120 minutes. Rochdale took three penalties and scored from each one but Boreham Wood only scored one of the four they took, so Rochdale will be promoted to League 2.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Rochdale came from 2-0 down to Boreham Wood to equalise at 2-2 to take the National League play-off final to extra-time and that remained the score after 120 minutes. Rochdale took three penalties and scored from each one but Boreham Wood only scored one of the four they took, so Rochdale will be promoted to League 2.

A bit more context - Dale’s equaliser came after 95:54 with the fourth official having signalled a minimum of six added minutes. They like scoring (and sometimes conceding) a late goal

In their last five games:

Scored 90
Scored 90+9
Scored 90+5
Conceded 90+13
Scored 90+6

 

[EYFanatic]

Does that include a certain show-pony known to both of us who once played in the PL and now in his 40s....and still scoring goals?

Who is that?

#

Hull City went down to London this morning for their match tomorrow with Milwall - saw the coaches go by me... I hope they do well and make it to the final

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I can’t see Celtic beating Sevco next week, tbh.

Finished Celtic 3 Rangers 1. Title won't be decided 'til next week!

 

[Haywain]

Finished Celtic 3 Rangers 1. Title won't be decided 'til next week!

Midweek matches could settle it.

 

[bigmanaiq]

Rochdale came from 2-0 down to Boreham Wood to equalise at 2-2 to take the National League play-off final to extra-time and that remained the score after 120 minutes. Rochdale took three penalties and scored from each one but Boreham Wood only scored one of the four they took, so Rochdale will be promoted to League 2.

Justice in my eyes. The fact that there’s even the possibility of finishing on 106 points and not going up is ludicrous. Well deserved from Rochdale

 

[EYFanatic]

Millwall 0 - 2 Hull

Pair of cracking goals from Hull City - after the first goal, it was like Millwall went out home mentally and the second goal... Well, the ball just walked over itself over the line after it was brought to almost a complete halt by the Millwall keeper. So, now we await tomorrow to find out who we face with the Southampton v Middlesbrough game

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Hearts now need a draw away to Celtic to be champions! Good luck Jambos!

 

[THC]

Hearts now need a draw away to Celtic to be champions! Good luck Jambos!

Nae luck Jambos 'mon the Hoops!

THC

 

[Megafuss]

I used to laugh at my friends that spoke of the refs in SPL, that's its all conspiracy in favour of the old firm. But after tonight, it's just blatant.

 

[THC]

I used to laugh at my friends that spoke of the refs in SPL, that's its all conspiracy in favour of the old firm. But after tonight, it's just blatant.

Away and dry your eyes. Clear handball offence upon review, penalty given.

THC

 

[Haywain]

Clear handball offence upon review,

Only for those looking through only one eye!

 

[Jamesrob637]

Stockport are at Wembley for the second time in as many weeks.

North of the border, nothing would please me more than for Hearts to win the SPL.

 

[Strathtay 260]

Would love for Hearts to win it. Never even a handball. Something tells me it will be 12v11 at Parkhead on Saturday.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Something tells me it will be 12v11 at Parkhead on Saturday.

Is that your suggested scoreline...

 

[AlterEgo]

Away and dry your eyes. Clear handball offence upon review, penalty given.

THC

Impossible to tell from the TV angle (we were blessed with only one - what has the VAR seen?), you can't handle the ball like that and the ball fly 20 yards out for another throw. That ball flies off his forehead with no spin. It appears to be a clean header. To give that as a penalty is baffling. Haven't seen anyone other than Celtic fans say it's clearly a pen.

 

[THC]

Impossible to tell from the TV angle (we were blessed with only one - what has the VAR seen?), you can't handle the ball like that and the ball fly 20 yards out for another throw. That ball flies off his forehead with no spin. It appears to be a clean header. To give that as a penalty is baffling. Haven't seen anyone other than Celtic fans say it's clearly a pen.

And you won't either, but that's football.

Only for those looking through only one eye!

In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king!

THC

 

[AlterEgo]

Doesn't show the ball actually making contact with his (fast-moving) hand! If it actually hits his hand it doesn't fly off his head like that. We've all seen that still.

It's completely unacceptable that the TV and - supposedly - the VAR (??) have only that angle to work off.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Doesn't show the ball actually making contact with his (fast-moving) hand! If it actually hits his hand it doesn't fly off his head like that. We've all seen that still.

It's completely unacceptable that the TV and - supposedly - the VAR (??) have only that angle to work off.

Does the ball not brush his hand before it hits his head?

But it's all conjecture - there's no way the VAR can have known for sure it was handball.

 

[AlterEgo]

Does the ball not brush his hand before it hits his head?

But it's all conjecture - there's no way the VAR can have known for sure it was handball.

Doesn't seem like there is any evidence of any handling, nobody can see any change in trajectory, and on a moral level anyway no advantage was even gained. And the worst thing really is that's the only angle shown.

VAR remains absolute cancer designed to create video content and disharmony. Nobody appealed for that as a penalty for handball. Pathetic situation. Into the bin with ALL OF IT.

If Celtic win the league with a narrow victory it'll just be poisoned by this anyway. And the SPL will retreat into obscurity again as a farmers league. It's only been fun this season because the quality from the Old Firm has been laughable.

 

[bigmanaiq]

VAR remains absolute cancer designed to create video content and disharmony. Nobody appealed for that as a penalty for handball. Pathetic situation. Into the bin with ALL OF IT.

For me the idea of VAR is no issue, however the people behind it being either incompetent, biased or both is where the problem stems from. It was made to solve arguments around subjective decisions and instead has just made every referee a borderline jobsworth by zooming in on minuscule details that certainly aren’t “clear and obvious” as the purpose of the technology suggests it’s for

 

[sannox]

I can't tell anything from that pixelated blurry image. No idea if it missed hand or not.

 

[THC]

Doesn't seem like there is any evidence of any handling, nobody can see any change in trajectory, and on a moral level anyway no advantage was even gained. And the worst thing really is that's the only angle shown.

VAR remains absolute cancer designed to create video content and disharmony. Nobody appealed for that as a penalty for handball. Pathetic situation. Into the bin with ALL OF IT.

If Celtic win the league with a narrow victory it'll just be poisoned by this anyway. And the SPL will retreat into obscurity again as a farmers league. It's only been fun this season because the quality from the Old Firm has been laughable.

In your opinion, and you know what they say about those.

For what little it's worth I do agree about VAR - it's ruined the game in many ways - but honestly the moralising on show here and elsewhere is boke-inducing. Where were your protests when Rangers were buying the SFA and the referees through their Masonic connections? Ah, that's right, there were none. So please spare us the hand-wringing.

THC