Football

[Ghostbus]

FT. Credit to Bromley, 3-1 fairly reflects their contribution to an entertaining 3rd round fixture. Eddie Howe furthers his claim to the the best manager in English football today. Entrusted a tricky but must win fixture to an 18 year old who can't get in the first team, who turned in the Man of the Match performance, including the rapid saving of blushes with a fine individual goal from outside the box to make it 1-1.

Crucial third goal that put the game to bed with 30 to play comes not from a star player but a wonderful individual effort from an unfancied 21 year old striker bought from League One whose only prospects this season are as a bench warmer behind Isak, and even then only if Wilson is injured. Which he usually is, but still.

Even Gordon's goal to make it 2-1 was a product of Howe's bravery, replacing his third choice pacey winger Barnes at half time for the first choice one he'd surely rather have rested, so as to avoid 1-1 at halftime persisting into full time and all that entails. And trusting his strength of character in the process, unfancied by all other Premier League teams when he was available to buy for a mere 40 million and not a penny more, to slot a crucial penalty, having been on for just 3 minutes.

Hard to see a single wasted £ on that pitch today, as Howe reaches his 150th game in charge of the team many still lazily assume is bankrolled by a bottomless money pit. Over to Asenal versus Man U. Expensively assembled squads who flatter to deceive even in a crucial cup tie that already looks like their only chance of silverware this season.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

One of the good things about football is that referees use their common sense when blowing for half- or full-time. The time allowed is calibrated in whole minutes and refs rarely blow when the ball is in a critical area or when an attacking free-kick or corner is about to be taken.

If we are talking about "time added on" at the end of a half, is that necessarily always the case?

 

[Falcon1200]

The time allowed is calibrated in whole minutes and refs rarely blow when the ball is in a critical area or when an attacking free-kick or corner is about to be taken. This means there are few controversies

IIRC there was great disquiet at a World Cup Finals (Argentina 1978?) when, with the attacking team needing to score, the referee blew for full time after a corner had been taken but before the ball reached the penalty area!

Tamworth more than doubling their league ticket prices for their game against Spurs, and accepting sponsorship from The Sun. Corporate greed exists at all levels

I think that is unfair, for a non-league team a cup tie at home against a Premier League side is a major boost to their finances which has to be maximised.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

IIRC there was great disquiet at a World Cup Finals (Argentina 1978?) when, with the attacking team needing to score, the referee blew for full time after a corner had been taken but before the ball reached the penalty area!

Welsh referee Clive Thomas the man in the middle for that one, I believe, denying Brazil's Zico a late, late winner against Sweden.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Nothing new with The Sun getting involved. About 20 years ago the old Scarborough club ditched their shirt sponsors for the game against Chelsea in favour of taking money from the paper. They claimed the cash they made off the run in the competition would keep them going for 10 years but within 4 of them the club were declared bankrupt.

Farnborough did it as well

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Jan 2025 ==

The time allowed is calibrated in whole minutes and refs rarely blow when the ball is in a critical area or when an attacking free-kick or corner is about to be taken

No it isn’t. Time added on is whatever the ref decides, but is announced in full minutes (the phrase used is “a minimum of x minutes”).

But yes, refs are coached to help themselves by blowing up when the ball is in a neutral area of the pitch

 

[Falcon1200]

Welsh referee Clive Thomas the man in the middle for that one, I believe, denying Brazil's Zico a late, late winner against Sweden.

That was it - Thanks!

Would a similar thing happen now, I wonder?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Would a similar thing happen now, I wonder?

Anything is possible, but as @SteveM70 has already pointed out, referees are asked to avoid ending the match in similar situations.

 

[swt_passenger]

One of the good things about football is that referees use their common sense when blowing for half- or full-time. The time allowed is calibrated in whole minutes and refs rarely blow when the ball is in a critical area or when an attacking free-kick or corner is about to be taken. This means there are few controversies - in fact the only one I can remember came in 1987 at Burnden Park when Halifax were denied an equaliser when the ref blew for half time when the ball was screaming into the net.

A recent exception that I think was noted by the commentary at the time was the Newcastle - Liverpool 3-3 game , where full time was blown just as Newcastle had started an attack. I suppose the ref would have argued play was in the middle of the pitch…

 

[JD2168]

The presenters of Match of the Day have been announced. They are:
Kelly Cates
Gabby Logan
Mark Chapman

 

[75A]

The presenters of Match of the Day have been announced. They are:
Kelly Cates
Gabby Logan
Mark Chapman

If you didn't know both the ladies have footballing fathers, Kelly Cates father is Sir Kenny Dalglish & Gabby Logans is Terry Yorath.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

The arguments debate about abolishing replays in the FA Cup aren't as clear cut as they may appear. Tamworth were certainly denied a lucrative replay at Tottenham when they were beaten in extra time. However the stronger team usually prevails in replays. Surely the weaker side stands a better chance of causing an upset by winning the penalty shoot out in the first game than going to a replay? They then have a lucrative tie in the next round.

Leyton Orient did just that against Derby. Instead of a lucrative replay at Pride Park, the Os now have a lucrative 4th round tie against Manchester City, which will almost certainly be televised. Just a pity Radio Derby's online commentary was cut short just before the penalty shootout.

 

[75A]

Cutting short commentary

TNT sport are as bad for this sort of thing. At least twice in the recent Australia / India Test Series, they missed the 1st ball of an over due to an advert break, on Tuesday night in one of the football matches they were busy showing a replay of a previous attack and suddenly cut back to 'live' as an attacking player ran into the penalty area.

 

[Haywain]

Eddie Howe furthers his claim to the the best manager in English football today.

By having his Premier League team beat League Two Bromley 3-1? Pull the other one. He may be a good manager but nobody is judging him on that result.

The arguments debate about abolishing replays in the FA Cup aren't as clear cut as they may appear. Tamworth were certainly denied a lucrative replay at Tottenham when they were beaten in extra time.

The argument that Tamworth were somehow denied also lacks context. They were in the 3rd round after the same rules helped them to avoid a replay against Burton Albion in the previous round.

 

[THC]

The presenters of Match of the Day have been announced. They are:
Kelly Cates
Gabby Logan
Mark Chapman

The BBC has made a song and dance on its online platforms about this but is it really such a big deal? I remember watching MOTD as a kid but haven't seen it in at least 20 years (and don't support a team in the English league, so there is that). With the proliferation of digital channels, streaming services, etc., MOTD these days is but one football highlights show among many. Or am I missing something?

THC

 

[Haywain]

MOTD these days is but one football highlights show among many. Or am I missing something?

You are missing the fact that, for many people, MOTD is a very big deal and the only access they get to Premier League football. For that reason it is considered one of the BBC's flagship programmes.

 

[DarloRich]

The BBC has made a song and dance on its online platforms about this but is it really such a big deal? I remember watching MOTD as a kid but haven't seen it in at least 20 years (and don't support a team in the English league, so there is that). With the proliferation of digital channels, streaming services, etc., MOTD these days is but one football highlights show among many. Or am I missing something?

THC

anecdotally it is still a popular programme. How it has consumed has changed with many more people using the IPLayer to watch at a time suitable for them. It is also, I believe, the first full highlights show of the weekend. If you don't got Sky you only really have MOTD to give you access to PL highlights.

it is also still a very high quality production, gets the balance of action and "analysis" right (IMO) and keeps things quite snappy - compare it to the useless football league highlights show on ITV which seems to film it's pictures on an old fashioned camera, sited on the moon with a lens smeared in tallow. As for the commentary/analysis...............

( also Radio 5 offer really good PL coverage. High quality commentary, easily accessible on numerous outlets, free to all and unbiased - unlike local radio!)

 

[1D54]

Did Eddie Howe claim to be the best manager in English football today or the best English manager in football today? The latter could be about right.

 

[Haywain]

Did Eddie Howe claim to be the best manager in English football today or the best English manager in football today? The latter could be about right.

Has his head grown that much that he makes either claim?

 

[swt_passenger]

The BBC has made a song and dance on its online platforms about this but is it really such a big deal? I remember watching MOTD as a kid but haven't seen it in at least 20 years (and don't support a team in the English league, so there is that). With the proliferation of digital channels, streaming services, etc., MOTD these days is but one football highlights show among many. Or am I missing something?

THC

I thought we already knew the 3 “names” back in November, was this just the formal announcement after all the previous spin, leaks, tip-offs etc etc?

 

[THC]

anecdotally it is still a popular programme. How it has consumed has changed with many more people using the IPLayer to watch at a time suitable for them. It is also, I believe, the first full highlights show of the weekend. If you don't got Sky you only really have MOTD to give you access to PL highlights.

it is also still a very high quality production, gets the balance of action and "analysis" right (IMO) and keeps things quite snappy - compare it to the useless football league highlights show on ITV which seems to film it's pictures on an old fashioned camera, sited on the moon with a lens smeared in tallow. As for the commentary/analysis...............

( also Radio 5 offer really good PL coverage. High quality commentary, easily accessible on numerous outlets, free to all and unbiased - unlike local radio!)

Thanks @DarloRich - a really helpful articulation. I assume the Premier League is MOTD's sole focus but Radio 5 covers the EFL too. Do they ever dip down into the National League?

(FWIW I listen to BBC Scotland for Celtic coverage but that's my sole interaction with the broadcast Beeb for football, so have long lost touch with its output).

THC

 

[Falcon1200]

The BBC has made a song and dance on its online platforms about this but is it really such a big deal?

Not for me it isn't! I do watch Match of the Day, by recording it on Saturday night and fast-forwarding the pontificating, none of which makes the slightest difference, on Sunday morning.

 

[DarloRich]

Thanks @DarloRich - a really helpful articulation. I assume the Premier League is MOTD's sole focus but Radio 5 covers the EFL too. Do they ever dip down into the National League?

(FWIW I listen to BBC Scotland for Celtic coverage but that's my sole interaction with the broadcast Beeb for football, so have long lost touch with its output).

THC

Radio 5 cover EFL by having people at most games ( they are the BBC after all!) but BBC radio coverage tends to be more likely to cover lower league games. I also don't think Radio 5 have the broadcast contract for the EFL

 

[dangie]

I really don’t care who the presenters/pundits are on MOTD, I usually record it (or iPlayer) and fast forward it through to the matches.

 

[450.emu]

Disruption for Spurs customers due to a Points Failure in the Arsenal area yesterday

 

[1D54]

A really big cross border derby last night saw struggling Shrewsbury beat promotion chasing Wrexham 2-1 and with the amount of games the Welsh club have played it is imperative they beat Birmingham in their next fixture or it could very well be the play offs needed to secure Championship football next season.

 

[SuspectUsual]

A really big cross border derby last night saw struggling Shrewsbury beat promotion chasing Wrexham 2-1 and with the amount of games the Welsh club have played it is imperative they beat Birmingham in their next fixture or it could very well be the play offs needed to secure Championship football next season.

Still another fortnight for their owners to blow a load of cash on a couple of higher league mercenaries to help the promotion push. Sorry, I mean dedicated players devoted to the project

 

[75A]

I really don’t care who the presenters/pundits are on MOTD, I usually record it (or iPlayer) and fast forward it through to the matches.

I haven't watch MOTD since 2010, why? because I support Portsmouth and am only interested in watching them not anybody else including the home nations. Sky have a good highlights programme for the Championhip where you get 15 minutes or so from each team. The way Pompey are playing this season that's more than enough.
I am interested in the Premier League a bit but that's only to see who's the latest side to beat S.......ton!

 

[swt_passenger]

I am interested in the Premier League a bit but that's only to see who's the latest side to beat S.......ton!

I think a few were cheering on the team you can’t mention last night though. Pity it all went wrong in the last few minutes.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I think a few were cheering on the team you can’t mention last night though. Pity it all went wrong in the last few minutes.

Fat ladies and singing spring to mind.

 

[75A]

It's why we're desperate to stay up, we haven't played them for a while and Hampshire Police always enjoy the workout!