Last edited by Graham Breeze; 08-05-2023 at 07:57 PM.
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
Ah yes - the "great escape". I remember it well to this day. We had been on holiday in Wales and spent the journey home trying to find any radio station that had the football on. At the start of the second half we arrived in Worcestershire and finally got a more partisan broadcast. The last 30 minutes or so was so tense, we found a playground for the kids and listened as the events played out, running around like mad things ourselves as the final, final whistle blew.
Moving on and given our situation this last Christmas, I would have been grateful for Corberan to save the Baggies from relegation but under his guidance and the positivity he brings, it seems like we failed by not making the playoffs. Anyway, with the financial issues surrounding the club and a fair few players no doubt departing soon, it will be interesting to see where we are come August. In Carlos, we trust....
Last edited by PeteS; 08-05-2023 at 10:57 PM.
Pete Shakespeare - U/A
Going downhill fast
Are you going to be on your way to Wembley tomorrow Travs?
Last edited by Llani Boy; 26-05-2023 at 09:57 AM.
Visibility good except in Hill Fog
Yes, big day tomorrow.
Can't call it.... Luton arguably favourites due to league position and they seem to be a massive bogey-team for us....
But i think all of that is out the window now and i do fancy us to sneak it... although i do think it will be low scoring, possibly extra time.
After last nights run I sat down with my tea and watched the Plymouth Argyle v Leeds FA cup tie.
It was a great match to watch in horrible conditions. The best part was the refereeing display. He let the match flow and allowed some physicality in the tackle. The players realised this, respected his decisions and just got on with it. The Linesmen also played their part by flagging any offside immeadiately which again was respected by the players who offered no dissent.
And why was this possible. No VAR. The sooner it is got rid of the better.
I have never been a referee but I would imagine it to be a far better experience without the weight of VAR perched on ones shoulder.
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Got to agree with you.
WE have had two recent VARs which seems to indicate that VAR can change the may that laws are interpreted.
The Luton equaliser at Burnley in injury time a few weeks back saw their striker clearly move towards the keeper to block him from catching the cross that was heading for his strike partners head.
It was a move from American football, that the majority of pundits thought was a foul, but a few suggested "the keeper has to be stronger"
To which I would ask "by doing what?" Throwing said striker to the ground?
The law is clear, if you are not playing the ball you cannot impede the progress of another player and I have copied the relevant part opf Law 12 below.
It wasn't a one-off though as Everton used the same blocking tactics against Spurs on Saturday. They repeatedly moved a player in to the path of the keeper as the corner/free-kick was being taken and it led to their first goal.
I agree VAR has to go - I think Referee mindset has changed, believing in both these cases that if they have made an error, the VAR ref will correct it, but then we get in to the "clear and obvious" and errors are not always corrected.
Impeding the progress of an opponent without contact
Impeding the progress of an opponent means moving into the opponent’s path
to obstruct, block, slow down or force a change of direction when the ball is not
within playing distance of either player.
All players have a right to their position on the field of play; being in the way
of an opponent is not the same as moving into the way of an opponent.
A player may shield the ball by taking a position between an opponent and the
ball if the ball is within playing distance and the opponent is not held off with
the arms or body. If the ball is within playing distance, the player may be fairly
charged by an opponent.
Richard Taylor
"William Tell could take an apple off your head. Taylor could take out a processed pea."
Sid Waddell
Coventry march on, and assuming we dispatch Maidstone*, should be in the quarter finals....
* a very big assumption, given our record against non/lower league league sides.
Amazing the change a few years can make. We've now got one of the highest away followings in the division.... wanted to go to Stoke away in a couple of weeks and absolutely no chance of getting a ticket without being a season-ticket holder.... all 2600 tickets gone well before they made it to general sale.
Last edited by Travs; 07-02-2024 at 03:21 PM.
Yeah he's settled really well. Him and Kitching from Barnsley have really boosted our defence (which was pretty solid anyway).
Will you be watching tonight's match from behind the settee Travs or are you going?
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