Football

[VauxhallandI]

FC Halifax 2 v 2 Altrincham - A last minute dubious offside denies Alty a double header 6 points against the Shayman over the festive period after a Boxing Day 2-1 victory.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

2nd Jan: Scarborough 2 v Darlington 5 - Could have been 10. Gave away a sloppy goal and a soft penalty. Game suspended for 30 minutes plus due to misogynistic abuse of the female assistant referee.

Wasn't there also a stoppage due to Jacob Hazel being a very naughty boy - or was that just Scarborough fans stirring up trouble?

Farsley managed to get four major decisions in their favour in the two holiday draws against Bradford. Avenue had an injury time winner disallowed in the first game which the video replays showed to be onside. Then Mr Sykes gave Farsley two penalties and Bradford a red card in the first half of the return, but the 10 men of Bradford still fought back from 2-1 down to draw 2-2.

 

[DarloRich]

Wasn't there also a stoppage due to Jacob Hazel being a very naughty boy - or was that just Scarborough fans stirring up trouble?

No idea - I couldn't get a ticket - I know at the recent home game the Scarborough fans gave him a lot of stick.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Perhaps not too unsurprisingly, the Ashton United manager (Michael Clegg) tendered his resignation after this New Year mauling.

Steve Cunningham (ex Buxton) confirmed as the new Ashton United manager.

Ashton United FC

ashtonunited.co.uk

Club Statement: Steve Cunningham
Following the resignation of Michael Clegg on Monday, Ashton United are delighted to announce Steve Cunningham as our new First Team manager.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Ashton’s scout has come to Altrincham

 

[New York Giant]

Interesting (to me at least) to see Man Utd on the verge of signing Jack Butland on loan until the end of this season, off the back of Newcastle's decision to recall Martin Dubravka.

Lots of things for me here. Firstly, was Dubravka second choice at Man Utd? In my opinion (speaking as an overweight, past-it and insignificant member of the goalkeeper's union) Tom Heaton is head and shoulders above Dubravka and our Slovakian friend should thank his lucky stars that he was even linked to Utd, let alone sign for them, albeit briefly.

Then there's the three 'keepers at Palace. Vicente Guaita, Sam Johnstone and Jack Butland. As a West Brom fan I rate Johnstone highly. I know Baggies diehards can't forgive the circumstances in which he left but I think the bloke has great feet, ideal for playing out from the back (as long as the 10 blokes in front of him are comfortable receiving the ball 30 yards from their own goal) and is a fantastic shotstopper. His style reminds me of Ter Stegen at Barcelona, only with a far less impressive medal collection.

Jack Butland was many people's choice to be England's starter at the 2018 World Cup. It's quite sad to see his decline and I hope this loan move triggers an upturn in his fortunes. The role of the back-up 'keeper is even more important when your team is competing for European and domestic success and if Utd extend this loan, or indeed opt to purchase Butland, I see him getting plenty of game time under his belt in the cup comps.

Guaita is another of the foreign imports who have been brought in purely because there's an inflated price to pay for young, homegrown talent. He's one of the bottom three keepers in the EPL and living proof that anything is possible. I fully expect Johnstone to displace him before the season reaches its conclusion.

 

[GS250]

RIP Gianluca Vialli. 58...way too young.

Always came across as a genuine guy and those I know who met him spoke highly.

Decent footballer too. Never quite did it for Italy but a great club player.

 

[DarloRich]

Darlington 0 v Chorley 3

FFS. worst performance of the seasn. Ref should have sent of Chorley keeper at 0-0 for handling outside the box but didn't. Denied a Darlo penalty at 0-0 also. Darlo awful. Still top. Somehow.

 

[GS250]

Wealdstone 3-1 Eastleigh

Part time Wealdstone go into a play off place. Quite remarkable really considering their budget is bettered by 4 or 5 teams at the level below.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The people who look forward to upsets in the FA Cup third round, when "the big boys" enter the draw, would have been delighted with the number of such upsets this weekend.

 

[150249]

The people who look forward to upsets in the FA Cup third round, when "the big boys" enter the draw, would have been delighted with the number of such upsets this weekend.

Indeed. You rarely get so many goals in the 3rd round!

 

[SuspectUsual]

Liverpool v Wolves was a much better game than I was expecting, albeit the main talking points were Liverpool’s second goal (correctly allowed according to the current law, but a law that is manifestly wrong and allows players to benefit from being offside) and Wolves’ disallowed third goal (inexplicable that a premier league ground doesn’t have a camera that shows the area round the corner flag, meaning the VAR couldn’t make a decision)

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Second-place Gainsborough Trinity in the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League would be even better placed if their home form matched their away form.

HOME : Won 3 - Drawn 6 - Lost 2

AWAY : Won 8 - Drawn 3 - Lost 1

 

[VauxhallandI]

Long wet drive for a postponed match for me

Altrincham P-P Bromley

Resulting in a long day and night in the pub…

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Long wet drive for a postponed match for me

Altrincham P-P Bromley

Resulting in a long day and night in the pub…

Seems a rather late call off some time after midday considering the distance that the visitors and supporters from Bromley would have had to have travelled to get to Moss Lane, Altrincham for a 3 p.m. K.O. Overnight wet weather in the North West had been widely forecast. ☔

 

[Spartacus]

Liverpool v Wolves was a much better game than I was expecting, albeit the main talking points were Liverpool’s second goal (correctly allowed according to the current law, but a law that is manifestly wrong and allows players to benefit from being offside) and Wolves’ disallowed third goal (inexplicable that a premier league ground doesn’t have a camera that shows the area round the corner flag, meaning the VAR couldn’t make a decision)

Both are really unbelievable, firstly that the law should have been changed to the blatantly wrong one as it stands, and secondly about the VAR camera. If someone OKs a VAR set up in a ground where not all the ground's covered it's like saying VAR applies in some areas of the pitch but not others, which is clearly crazy.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

National League

Dorking Wanderers 1 ... Oldham Athletic 5

The Latics need to put together a run of results like this to take them away from the threat of another relegation.

 

[8A Rail]

Liverpool v Wolves was a much better game than I was expecting, albeit the main talking points were Liverpool’s second goal (correctly allowed according to the current law, but a law that is manifestly wrong and allows players to benefit from being offside) and Wolves’ disallowed third goal (inexplicable that a premier league ground doesn’t have a camera that shows the area round the corner flag, meaning the VAR couldn’t make a decision)

All premier league grounds are set up the same as far as VAR is concerned, they have got to be otherwise a ground or two could possibly gain an advantage. Likewise it is not the first time that VAR had missed something due to camera angles / placements at Premier League grounds.

As for Salah's goal, I wonder if the out cry had been the same if it was another player of another team? Unfortunately, it is the way the laws of offside law and has been for a long long time, it has happened many times before but no obvious out cry about it! Personally, the whole offside laws should be looked at again and amended were necessary, this includes the linesman not putting his / her flag at the moment of an offside, rather than waiting for play to be completed - this causes too many issues, yesterday was a case in point for the Wolves goal and also by letting play carry on, there is always the possibility of a player getting injured un-neccessarily.

 

[SuspectUsual]

As for Salah's goal, I wonder if the out cry had been the same if it was another player of another team? Unfortunately, it is the way the laws of offside law and has been for a long long time, it has happened many times before but no obvious out cry about it!

I’ve no allegiance to any premier league team so for me it’s not about Salah at all. The simple fact is that the defender felt he had to try and play the ball because Salah was behind him. If Salah had been onside he wouldn’t have got the ball, ergo he gained an advantage by being in an offside position. But this hasn’t been the case “for a long long time”, it was a law change in the last six or eight years

 

[Iskra]

Leeds losing to Cardiff already. Hopefully it results in Marsch getting sacked in the morning.

 

[150249]

Leeds losing to Cardiff already. Hopefully it results in Marsch getting sacked in the morning.

Doubt he'll be gone until Leeds have another string if appalling results

Although, it is now 2-0

 

[Iskra]

Doubt he'll be gone until Leeds have another string if appalling results

Although, it is now 2-0

We are on a string of appalling results…

 

[150249]

We are on a string of appalling results…

Good point. I forgot that you didn't beat West Ham

 

[Iskra]

Good point. I forgot that you didn't beat West Ham

The only recent good result was a point at Newcastle, but even that was still a terrible performance.

 

[swt_passenger]

Interesting (to me at least) to see Man Utd on the verge of signing Jack Butland on loan until the end of this season, off the back of Newcastle's decision to recall Martin Dubravka.

Lots of things for me here. Firstly, was Dubravka second choice at Man Utd? In my opinion (speaking as an overweight, past-it and insignificant member of the goalkeeper's union) Tom Heaton is head and shoulders above Dubravka and our Slovakian friend should thank his lucky stars that he was even linked to Utd, let alone sign for them, albeit briefly.

Then there's the three 'keepers at Palace. Vicente Guaita, Sam Johnstone and Jack Butland. As a West Brom fan I rate Johnstone highly. I know Baggies diehards can't forgive the circumstances in which he left but I think the bloke has great feet, ideal for playing out from the back (as long as the 10 blokes in front of him are comfortable receiving the ball 30 yards from their own goal) and is a fantastic shotstopper. His style reminds me of Ter Stegen at Barcelona, only with a far less impressive medal collection.

Jack Butland was many people's choice to be England's starter at the 2018 World Cup. It's quite sad to see his decline and I hope this loan move triggers an upturn in his fortunes. The role of the back-up 'keeper is even more important when your team is competing for European and domestic success and if Utd extend this loan, or indeed opt to purchase Butland, I see him getting plenty of game time under his belt in the cup comps.

Guaita is another of the foreign imports who have been brought in purely because there's an inflated price to pay for young, homegrown talent. He's one of the bottom three keepers in the EPL and living proof that anything is possible. I fully expect Johnstone to displace him before the season reaches its conclusion.

Surely a big problem for keepers is the rule changes about substitutes over the years that soon led to a keeper on every substitutes bench. In the normal course of events, half of these players won’t ever get on the pitch, AFAICT keeper changes for tactical purposes are almost unheard of. So where does your second best keeper get his game time, play for the reserves every week, wait for the cup games, or just warm the first team bench?

 

[New York Giant]

Surely a big problem for keepers is the rule changes about substitutes over the years that soon led to a keeper on every substitutes bench. In the normal course of events, half of these players won’t ever get on the pitch, AFAICT keeper changes for tactical purposes are almost unheard of. So where does your second best keeper get his game time, play for the reserves every week, wait for the cup games, or just warm the first team bench?

Fair question. Often, the better the team then the gulf in quality between first and second choice gk is greater. This creates more obvious uncertainty when the back-up gets a start. The current role of the back-up may be to present legitimate competition for a starting role, but these days goalkeeping is a department. Research on penalty takers is done as a unit. Sometimes a keeper with a better penalty save record may be brought on just for a shootout.

 

[DannyMich2018]

So glad that Newcastle got beat by Sheffield Wednesday yesterday in the FA Cup!! A team that cannot hardly be beat this season. Unfortunately we've got Newcastle this Tuesday in the Caraboa Cup so but we did win it in (FA Cup) 2021 so you never know!

 

[Edsmith]

I’ve no allegiance to any premier league team so for me it’s not about Salah at all. The simple fact is that the defender felt he had to try and play the ball because Salah was behind him. If Salah had been onside he wouldn’t have got the ball, ergo he gained an advantage by being in an offside position. But this hasn’t been the case “for a long long time”, it was a law change in the last six or eight years

I think Wolves can feel pretty aggrieved about both decisions, clearly Salah had gained an advantage by being in an offside position and it seems bizarre that VAR were unable to verify the alleged offside that lead to the Wolves goal that was disallowed.

 

[VauxhallandI]

Seems a rather late call off some time after midday considering the distance that the visitors and supporters from Bromley would have had to have travelled to get to Moss Lane, Altrincham for a 3 p.m. K.O. Overnight wet weather in the North West had been widely forecast. ☔

There was a huge downfall in the morning which didn’t have long enough to drain away. It was also double the predicted amount.

Bromley will have set off before the down pour and they will be compensated

 

[Haywain]

Bromley will have set off before the down pour and they will be compensated

Really? Who pays compensation in a case like this (genuine question, it's not something I've heard of)?