English football 2025-26

[Durhamfootman]

When I saw the score after full time, I figured Newcastle had probably got away with one, after Villa had their keeper sent off.......

but having seen the game.... well..... extraordinary match

I don't think I've ever seen a match with such a level of appalling officiating, since Frank Lampard's England goal was ruled out for not crossing the line, when it actually ended up halfway between the line and the back of the net

This was different level incompetence to the usual week in, week out incompetence and, of course, being the early rounds of the FA cup had no VAR to correct the mistakes

The Villa goal, whilst wonderfully well crafted from a free kick, was scored by a player who might still have been offside under the Arsene Wenger clear daylight rule. It wasn't even a close decision for the lino to make.

Then Digne cleared out Murphy, in a late challenge that threw him right up in the air, and left Murphy with two stud holes in his leg despite the shin pad he was wearing. The ref saw the damage made to his leg and still only awarded Digne a yellow for a reckless, studs up, wild, late, dangerous challenge where he didn't get anywhere near the ball...... blimey..... Kai Havertz/ Sean Longstaff aint in it.

He sent off the Villa keeper for a foul on Murphy to deny a goal scoring opportunity, when he wasn't the last man, not even close to being the last man, I think there were 2 Villa defenders covering by the time he made the foul. It was definitely a red card, because having come way out of his goal and having been completely beaten by Murphy about 40 yards from goal he didn't stop his run, he just kept going and brought him down by booting him on the knee. Definitely red, but violent play and certainly not denying a goal scoring opportunity

Second half, our old friend Digne standing well inside the box and I mean a yard inside, threw out his elbow to block a cross from Trippier who was just outside the box. Stonewall pen, or so everyone thought except for the ref and the lino (remember him?). Free kick just outside the box. The ref drew the line where Trippier played the cross from. Astonishing! Nobody could believe it. Fortunately justice was done when Tonali scored after a bit of pin ball in the box from the free kick

Ramsey got booked because the ref gave a corner put out off the knee of the Villa defender as a goal kick (same side as our friend the lino again.... remember him?) and Ramsey couldn't take it anymore and exploded at the ref

Not all against Newcastle, btw. With Villa 2-1 down, they broke clear from a Newcastle corner late in the game, slotted through to Watkins 20 yards from the halfway line with only Trippier to beat to run away clear on goal. Tripps just about got a shoulder ahead of Watkins, who brushed it off, then Tripps went to ground as Watkins raced away and the ref blew for a foul. It wouldn't have been a foul in a non contact sport.

I have no idea who the linesman was, but the ref was Chris Kavanagh and it was like they were so used to the VAR safety net that they no longer knew how to make a *modded* decision

It was shoddy, shoddy stuff and I can pretty much guarantee that there will be some fall out from this. There should be some fall out, because these two were as bad as anything I've seen in a long while. The only thing that might save them is that Newcastle did eventually win the game. If they'd lost to the non goal and had a stonewall pen denied there would have been hell on, I reckon

[Durhamfootman]

I know everyone says stonewall penalty, but jeez..... this was different level stonewall

[Durhamfootman]

With Brighton dropping the ball against Liverpool, my prediction for the Newcastle 5th round draw is.......

Brentford away!

who am I kidding, even though we've been beaten twice by them this season..... Arsenal/Man C/Liverpool away (delete as appropriate)

[Gingerfinch]

I kind of agree about the keeper getting sent off for a high challenge. Was it just reckless though?

How the ref gave a free-kick instead of a pen makes us level 7 refs feel better. That was an astonishing error!

[Durhamfootman]

How the ref gave a free-kick instead of a pen makes us level 7 refs feel better. That was an astonishing error!

at least there is an upside to that sort of incompetence

[Durhamfootman]

Just watched highlights of Wolves FA cup tie at Grimsby

jeez, the pitch was like a throwback to the 70's. both goal mouths, the centre circle and the tramlines for throw ins were like quagmires. The players were covered in mud from head to toe. Crikey, talk about retro. Tbf, the pitches in the 70's were probably worse than that, but when you're used to PL pitches it comes as quite a shock to see the state of the pitches that host 'real' football