You have to laugh, don’t you?
Just as things were looking good, so we go and lose to a team that on paper suggests that we shouldn’t have.
I think it might have been the God Clough who first said we don’t play on paper and whoever it was, was totally correct, as proved today.
I have to hand it to Forest, they were incredibly well disciplined and totally frustrated us.
You know things aren’t going your way when we have so many players that looked anonymous.
John McGinn is one and Diaby was another. While they’ve been great this season, neither hardly had a look in. Watkins was another, but even when he did have chances, well I don’t know if he was just rubbish or it was just one of those days.
It’s incredibly difficult to criticise players when they’ve done so well previously and I don’t think I’m going too.
I predicted that we’d win this 2-1, but had a feeling that it would be a really tough game and so it proved.
One of the commentators suggested this was the best Forest have performed this season and I found myself thinking “how many times have we heard that before?”
Make no mistake about this. For all our possession and corners, Forest were by far the better side today and it was something I felt as early as 10 minutes into the game.
I’m not happy, but sometimes you just have to say we were beaten by a side that quite simply outperformed us.
I do have one complaint though.
Since when were two handed pushes in the back okay? Right in front of the ref too on one occasion.
Oh well, onwards and upwards. As my missus has just said.
You can’t win ’em all.
UTV
Comments
105 responses to “Forest 2 – 0 Villa; Normal service resumed”
VAR is becoming a complete joke – and the pundits are trying to support it.
It now appears that the ref apologised to the Villa players during the game saying disallowing our opening goal was (another) mistake.
Easy solution – just dump VAR – it’s not fit for purpose and the majority of fans don’t want it.
Yep. But what will they do with the luxury high-tech base at Stockley Park. I say say turn it into a bookies for the rich and powerful to play. Oh wait…
Villa showed excellent temperament and resilience last night to come back and win. Teams of yesteryear would’ve lost in those circumstances, without doubt. That bodes well and to win things, “grit and determination” (to quote Alan Hansen) are an essential ingredient. I’d take another messy 3 points on Sunday then regroup for the break before a massive period in our season, including Warsaw at home and some monster games in December, not to mention Spurs away end of this month. Need to keep digging in!
What I will add is that, for me, Diaby, Zaniolo, and to a lesser extent Bailey, have a lot more to give. Not to mention Bert, who, when in form, is unplayable; Unai needs to get him firing and so that he can use him abd trust him more…
Anyway, UTV!
I think VAR for determining the seriousness of a foul tackle, which has seen some yellows upgraded to red is a good thing.
You would think the offside lines were infallible – but the real problem is on which freeze-frame they are drawn. The law uses the past tense ‘played’ not ‘plays’ or ‘is playing’ about the passer. So that is not when the foot just makes contact with the ball but when the ball has just left contact with the foot, one or two frames later. That explains why when you watch a TV game your instinct is sometimes overruled. Some VARs choose the wrong freeze frame, others the right one.
I honestly think that they shouldn’t have referees doing VAR at all. Get some 17 year old whiz kids who are great at the technology to get up the required footage quickly and then let the on-field ref make all the decisions via a lightweight tablet. You may be a great ref but, as we’ve seen all too often, it doesn’t mean that you’ll be any good at VAR.
OLL, there’s no right or wrong frame, in my view. The phrase they used at the beginning is ‘clear and obvious.’ There should be no lines. None. The VAR should simply assist the referee to see both slow motion replay and a freeze frame (without lines). That is sufficient, to use the naked eye and make a correct decision. The microseconds and micromilimeters are more suitable for photo finishes of athletes and racing cars. They are NOT, in my view, needed for football, nor do they enhance the game in any way, nor, most importantly, make the game or decisions any fairer. The naked eye, with slow mo and freeze frame are more than enough. I would add, as mentioned when Ings was robbed of a goal at Old Trafford, that a time limit of 90 seconds is what the ref gets to view. If it takes longer, it is not ‘clear and obvious’, which means at that point, the ref is in ‘no man’s land’, the match has essentially been hijacked, and the crowd are at the mercy of the ref’s instinct, which is what it was anyway before VAR was introduced! It’s simple. But stupid people in high positions make simple things complicated. End of rant. (Not aimed at OLL)
If you need lines, it’s not “clear and obvious”. It’s as simple as that for me.
As to last night’s game, I was bored witless for most of it, but of course, the result was great.
I predicted a 6-0 win when we got the first (disallowed) goal, but we just dropped the pace. I’m still of the mind that we should have thrashed them.
Badger, I thought I was the only one who thinks like you did last night, i was ready to walk away from the game . I’m at a stage where the game of football is nothing but a joke.
Imho VAR is completely discredited.
Whilst it makes logical sense for referees to look at the VAR questions, they should not be operating the technology. Cricket have it spot on – the third umpire asks if there are any alternative (better) views where necessary otherwise the technology is a fixed process.
Those who are involved with VAR have lost sight of their role and have become carried away by their power to re-referee games and it’s destroying the spontaneity of the sport.
Either reboot the whole process or dump it – personally I would rather have a few controversial on field decisions than the ever growing number of controversial calls through VAR.
But will the powers that be ever listen to the fans – not a chance when they can feed their own inflated egos.
Oh, my posts don’t show immediately either, most of the time.
But if you refresh 3 or 4 times, then it will show.
I don’t know what’s causing it and it’s doing my head in.
Anyone suffering might want to try clearing their cookies and cache.
Barcodes almost guaranteed a win tomorrow at Bournemouth, so Sunday’s match is crucial. It’ll be a battle and I’d take a win by one goal. We can’t expect 3-4 goals every game. Just get the 3 points!
And Fulham are a dirty team BFR, so I will be happy if we get through it unscathed. Fulham seem to have more than 2 elbows per player – to judge from how often opponents run into an elbow.
Spontaneity is the word that sums up the problem with VAR. Someone said to me that VAR isn’t the problem, it’s the people operating it who are causing the issues. I disagree totally because it doesn’t matter who operates VAR. As long as it exists we can never celebrate a goal until VAR decides it’s okay. Even if it took 15-30 seconds, then that’s too long. Spontaneity is what makes football great and VAR has robbed us of this. Before VAR after a goal is scored you glanced across to the linesman and then see the referee pointing to the centre circle and it was a goal. Whether it was rightly awarded we would find out later on but decisions go for and against but at least we knew straight away.
The only thing that’s clear and obvious is the fact VAR doesn’t make the game better. It’s wrong we are talking continuously about this rather than the game itself. 10 years they reckon it will take to make VAR work sounds like flogging a dead horse.
Unfortunately they won’t accept it because of the investment made and we will have to put up with it knowing most fans want it gone.
I have to say that, having time on my hands, I watch a lot of La Liga and some of the Italian and French games too and somehow VAR seems to work much better in those leagues. Mistakes do happen but they seem to be quite rare rather than every other game as in the PL.
It’s my guess that the problem isn’t VAR but the PGMOL who don’t know their arses from their elbows. I mean everyone was moaning about the poor state of refereeing before VAR was introduced so no-one should be surprised that the PGMOL are still making a total mess of it all.
Holte in somewhat I agree to a certain point, I look at VAR as being a hindrance rather than an asset, I thought it would only be used to say a ball had crossed the goal line. But they are taking it to the extreme like making the decision before a ball crossed the line. Use the bloody line man that what he’s there for , he knows he’s offside use it for it’s over or out not to give referee a job in an over paid sport. VAR made itself a mockery up till now use it for what was brought in fore a goal or not.
Spurs in freefall??? Wolves can be a tasty side on thwir day.
Watch it Bum Bum and they played well .
Bournemouth 2 Newcastle 0 74 minutes
5 minutes left. Still 2 -0 Bournemouth
Bill, it appears that the league is wide open, with all the top teams capable of dropping points and anyone capable of beating anyone, just like the good old days. The question is, can Unai and the Villa capitalise?
Big Question BFR, as you say getting more interesting seeing teams who drop points. I’m looking forward to our game with the hope that we don’t do something similar and we march upwards. Bet Badger reflecting on thinking Newcastle would take the points today . UTV
The rag that is The Daily Mirror is linking Luiz with Arsenal in January.
Got £150million down the back of the sofa have you Arteta??? Ever heard of FFP? Can’t wait to play them, Spuds, Citeh and Pool and the BarCodes again.
But in the meantime we have to beat the ever physical Fulham today. I still can’t forgive them ending Mark Delany’s career. Bocanegra was a thug.
Anyway, anyone want to put a fiver on Moreno making a short appearance today??? Digne has been brilliant but having the option is great. I’d also start with Bailey today although I’d love to see Zanoiloioliolio get a goal. I love his randomness and effort!!!
Tielemans starts instead of Bailey – otherwise as you were!
Moreno might get some minutes depending on (a) the state of the game and (b) whether Fulham have been trying to kick everyone off the park!
Interesting selection of Tielesmans. I like the idea of a number of Fulham players in a yellow card and then Bailey comes on!
New post up chaps.