Champions league & Europa leagues 2023-24

[budgetmeansbudget]

One day we'll get a game without a terrible VAR decision, not sure when, but it will happen, probably a few days after hell freezes over.

I advocated for it in the first place, but I am happy to admit I got it wrong. I cant stand it, and I think there is not many people left who can.....

there's talk that FIFA are considering extending the use of VAR to corners and free kicks

eek!

And second yellow cards.

Soon VAR will be rerefereeing the whole game and we'll be having 30 minutes of extra time at the end of each half. Probably at that point they'll bring in an independent time keeper and the clock will stop every time the game is paused for an injury or VAR check.

At that point football won't be worth watching anymore!

[Durhamfootman]

well, it's the next morning, the dust has settled and I'm still pretty sanguine about the result, despite the way it was reached

It'll all come down to Newcastle beating MIlan at SJP, either way. Do that and European football will continue into next year. Do that and PSG will have to beat Dortmund in Germany to keep their CL dreams alive, because 1 point for them wouldn't be enough given their head to head results with Newcastle.

On the whole I'm quite happy, really. I thought right at the start that progress to the Europa league would be an excellent outcome for Newcastle at this stage in their development and I still think that. One thing is for sure, the city will be rocking for the Milan game

[sussexpob]

UEFA have apparently suspended the referee who made the decision, so I guess they don't buy the "barriers" argument from our expert in refereeing....

Great isnt it. UEFA acknowledge Newcastle got stitched by a horrendous decision, but will that bring back the points? Will it bring back the 10s of millions in lost revenue from knockout CL football.....

I don't believe these are accidents. They always go to big sides...

[Durhamfootman]

UEFA have apparently suspended the referee who made the decision,

so I believe

the ref didn't have to change his mind though, but as I said earlier, having been put in the situation, the ref changing his original decision is a reputationally 'safer' option than not doing so, which is why refs rarely stick with them, I guess

[budgetmeansbudget]

Think it's only the VAR guy whos been suspended so far as he was due to do a game tonight. The ref isn't on a game tonight so he hasn't been suspended......yet!

Talking of refs sticking with their onfield decisions, I can only remember 2 occasions when it has happened in the Premier League.

Both went against Bournemouth last season, and the manager at the time,......, Gary O'Neil, the most sawn off manager in terms of VAR decisions.

Obviously I remember those because they went against my team, so there probably are others, but I can't remember any!

[budgetmeansbudget]

And on Newcastle, they might do better finishing third as they could well go further in the Europa League.

However it might go against the Premier League as they are looking to secure a 5th Premier league place for the extended Champions League, and Newcastle failing to qualify for the CL knockouts stages will have a detrimental effect on the coefficient which decides things.

[Durhamfootman]

Think it's only the VAR guy whos been suspended so far as he was due to do a game tonight.

yes, that's right. that's certainly who I was talking about. The ref seems to have been excellent all night up to that moment

[Gingerfinch]

One day we'll get a game without a terrible VAR decision, not sure when, but it will happen, probably a few days after hell freezes over.

I advocated for it in the first place, but I am happy to admit I got it wrong. I cant stand it, and I think there is not many people left who can.....

there's talk that FIFA are considering extending the use of VAR to corners and free kicks

eek! :panic

And second yellow cards.

Soon VAR will be rerefereeing the whole game and we'll be having 30 minutes of extra time at the end of each half. Probably at that point they'll bring in an independent time keeper and the clock will stop every time the game is paused for an injury or VAR check.

At that point football won't be worth watching anymore!

That's why I would rather watch Wycombe! Plus it's cheaper!

[mikesiva]

Arsenal advance, while Manchester United do a brexit from Europe.

[sussexpob]

Arsenal advance, while Manchester United do a brexit from Europe.

Ten Hag doing himself no favours whatsoever. Considering it was win or bust, United hardly did anything, and looked totally flat. New owner process may save Ten Hag, but at the end he looked like a man who knew his time is coming to an end.

United are just so negative at the moment.

[Durhamfootman]

terrible time to go on a losing run

Newcastle hold hands with Man Utd as they both step off the European football cliff together

and that contentious penalty decision 2 weeks ago didn't impact the final table in the end. It was there to be had and they couldn't take it

Looks like it'll be one match a week business as usual in the new year. Plenty of time now to mount a top 4 (5?) challenge.

[Durhamfootman]

and that contentious penalty decision 2 weeks ago didn't impact the final table in the end.

although that isn't strictly true, because I forgot about the extra point gained by PSG, which combined with 2 extra points for Newcastle would have seen them both on 7 points and Paris finishing bottom on the head to head results

That being said, as it stood yesterday a win for Newcastle would (I think) have seen them qualify for the next phase of the CL and a draw the next phase of the EL. The only think they couldn't do was lose, which they did, so it was all in their own hands and I have no complaints. They now have to make sure they secure European football again for next year..... and buy another striker, because they dominated possession yesterday, had 17 shots, 8 on target and only scored 1 goal, which is sometimes a feature of their game. For comparison, Milan had 2 shots on target and scored both of them

[sussexpob]

Union St Gilles... 2.... Liverpool 1...

Football can end now, I've had enough of it. What a night that was in Anderlecht

It's hard to explain it. This club where nothing when I found their dilapidated stadium a few year ago.

So proud. You can say what you want, but what it's done to my community, what's it done to the local area, how the club binds the community...

An emotional night.... And full respect to the Liverpool fans, I hate the club, but for a second time this year I have to say.... Wonderful fans

[Gingerfinch]

Union St Gilles... 2.... Liverpool 1...

Football can end now, I've had enough of it. What a night that was in Anderlecht

It's hard to explain it. This club where nothing when I found their dilapidated stadium a few year ago.

So proud. You can say what you want, but what it's done to my community, what's it done to the local area, how the club binds the community...

An emotional night.... And full respect to the Liverpool fans, I hate the club, but for a second time this year I have to say.... Wonderful fans

It must be the season of goodwill, if Sussex has praised Liverpool

[sussexpob]

Haha. Both legs were brilliant tbh. Both sets of fans sharing a drink, zero edge, just good times. We showed YNWA respect by not singing over it away at anfield (and even singing with them).. they in turn were silent as we sung "cest union qui sourire"....

It's how football should be.... Respect between fans, and just loving the game and what comes with it.

I hate liverpool.more than any club in the world on the pitch, but they won my full respect of it. Great set of fans, as timid and friendly as they come...