25/26 Football thread DEAD, USE A NEW ONE

[SpiritOfTheForest]

Absolutely buzzing. I was convinced it was done. Clear penalty - at first I assumed it was the elbow to Stone Cold Austin Trusty but only in the replay did I see the Hearts defender doing his best Maradona impression. What a game...I've gone through every emotion and need a wee lie down. 

Celtic - Hearts - Saturday - winner takes all. A fitting end to the wildest season since I've been alive. 

It was also beautiful to see Martin O'Neill banish the ghost of Fir Park. I'm feeling excited, anxious, terrified, emotional, full of dread, full of joy and contemplative about Saturday's match. Afterwards, I'm expected to go to see the second leg of the Torres playout and I honestly don't know how I'll be able to stand up by that point. 

[westlondonmist]

4 minutes ago, RedTwoster said:

They absolutely can be, particularly when there’s so little in it - but in this case you can point to two, the penalty Hearts themselves should have had against Motherwell. Honestly, I feel like they’ve already lost the league! 

Or what about the penalty Celtic should have had against Hibs? Hibs being allowed to handle the ball before scoring? 

 

Motherwell should also have had a penalty against the Diets. 

 

It was a clear penalty anyway, he punches the ball away. Two penalty decisions, one went in favour and one didn't. 

[RedTwoster]

7 minutes ago, westlondonmist said:

It was a clear penalty anyway, he punches the ball away. Two penalty decisions, one went in favour and one didn't. 

I don’t think it was at all. Perhaps there’s been footage from another angle that I’ve not seen , but I don’t think it’s at all clear from the footage shown on TV whether or not there was contact with his hand. The other thing that frustrates me is how little time the referee spent watching the footage given the magnitude of the decision. 

 

[tiger_rick]

That's a fucking embarrassment for Scottish football AGAIN. A single camera angle that I've seen 50 times and still have no idea if the ball hits his hand and yet the referee ran over, saw it a couple of times and was absolutely certain it was a Celtic penalty. In the 95th minute, with Motherwell in no jeopardy. 

It's abysmal use of VAR and it looks like blatant cheating. At least give the ref a good few looks from decent angles so he can run off to hand Celtic the chance.

After capturing the imagination, no cunt shoots themselves in the foot like the SPFL. 

Motherwell were brilliant. What a football team they are.

[westlondonmist]

On a lighter note, if Hearts do win James, Lisa and Alan Forrest will all have league winners medals. 

[MVP RULZ]

Joke of a decision that

The ball goes absolutely miles which if it was his hand would be impossible, it was a clear header

VAR just giving it a glancing look before giving it as well all makes things look even more dodgy from the outside 

Nothing I've seen suggests it was a clear and obvious error from the ref to not initially give it.

 

[Daaaaaad!]

There are only two people using the words “clear penalty” here which is a bit of a shame. Stays in line with the general perception of Scottish football though, unfortunately. 

[Devon Malcolm]

This isn't just a Scotland issue (I don't generally watch Scottish football so I don't know what that means anyway) - there are still loads of officials who don't understand how to use VAR and that it should only be used to reverse clear and obvious errors. Which that penalty clearly wasn't. We see them every week. It's an awful decision. 

[I Bent My Wookie]

Celtic fan here. 

Don't think it was a penalty myself, can understand the complaints but McInnes now doing the whole "everyone is against us routine" does sour a brilliant season Hearts have had for me.

Whatever happens Saturday its a bloody good advertisement for Scottish football. Well that and Rangers losing 4 on the bounce and getting nothing from their season too. 

[Ironic Indie Lad]

I think that's got to be a penalty. Clearly hits the hand, clearly in the penalty box and clearly not a natural position. I think the timing in the game itself as well as the context in the title race makes it feel controversial but I don't think its a terrible call in isolation.

I assume the ref thought the potential foul was on Trusty so played on. Presumably the VAR in his ear said "you've missed a handball". He's had a look at it, spotted it and awarded the penalty.

I understand people saying the decision was too quick. At the same time, its annoying when it takes several mins (Arsenal / West Ham at the weekend was ridiculous). It should be quick.

Or I could be talking complete bollocks and its a multi layered Catholic conspiracy in Scottish football. Unseen forces are doing everything they can to ensure Celtic win the league. 

A third scenario (and imo the most likely) is that it was a tribute to the departing James Tavernier. The GOAT of unnecessary late penalties. 

 

[westlondonmist]

3 hours ago, Ralphy said:

I don't follow Scottish football but DM seems to always do very well wherever he manages, I'm surprised he hasn't branched out to a championship team as aside from Bristol City over 10 years ago, he has spent a total of 19 years managing in scotland.

He's only won one trophy as a manager, he probably should have won more cups at Aberdeen. But I get what you're saying. If he doesn't win the league this year he probably will get a trophy in the next year or two. He's also who Rangers should have gotten on several occasions to steady the ship rather than Mad Phil or Russell Martin. 

 

I imagine he's fairly well paid for Scotland though, pretty sure Kilmarnock paid him well to get him to promote (which he did). You'd assume he's the best paid manager outside of Glasgow. He's not getting sacked at the clubs he works at either, left Aberdeen by choice, left Killie to go to Hearts. He can stay settled in his home and manage one of the bigger clubs and he earns well.

In short, I think it's a personal choice to stay in Scotland. 

[tiger_rick]

9 hours ago, Devon Malcolm said:

This isn't just a Scotland issue (I don't generally watch Scottish football so I don't know what that means anyway) - there are still loads of officials who don't understand how to use VAR and that it should only be used to reverse clear and obvious errors. Which that penalty clearly wasn't. We see them every week. It's an awful decision. 

Scottish Football is bent so I'll disagree on that bit but you're right on VAR. The issue if it hit his hand is that there's no advantage gained whatsoever. He's heading the ball. He either headed the ball or headed his hand AND the ball. Either way, his head is right there and is the reason the ball went where it went. VAR has gone looking for anything it can find to give, from one angle because Scottish Football isn't worth multiple camera angles apparently, and found something to stick it's nose in. It's embarrassing.

We had a chat about reaching the PL a couple of days ago on a car journey and there's clearly not a CHampionship team who could or would turn it down because they're all hemorrhaging money but, everyone was in agreement what the worst part of getting promoted would be. It's not being constantly patronised. It's not going into away games knowing getting beaten 4-0 would be a half decent result. It's not having to sign your 18th preferred target in every position from the Swiss Third division because everyone good costs £25m. It's this VAR shit. It's the best advert for the Championship there is.

[Ironic Indie Lad]

6 minutes ago, tiger_rick said:

Scottish Football is bent

Just to be clear here,

Are you suggesting the refereeing (including VAR) is incompetent or that its literally corrupt to ensure certain teams get an advantage?

[Lion_of_the_Midlands]

A lot of argument going on over a penalty in a farmers league. Like The Boat Race has to be won by Oxford or Cambridge, the SPL has to be won by Celtic or Rangers. Imagine how big the arguments are going to be when VAR gives a penalty to Celtic on Saturday for them to win the league, or VAR denies Hearts an obvious penalty for Celtic to win the league. 

 

[tiger_rick]

Just now, Ironic Indie Lad said:

Just to be clear here,

Are you suggesting the refereeing (including VAR) is incompetent or that its literally corrupt to ensure certain teams get an advantage?

I think two teams get a very clear advantage and have for a very long time. I don't think the instructions go out to referees with "Give Celtic/Rangers a penalty in the last minute" but I think there's decades of clear influence that hangs over everyone. The officials last night knew the shitstorm that was coming if they didn't give Celtic that decision. That didn't weigh on them at all last week when Hearts had a blatant penalty turned down.

They're as dodgy as Scottish fivers.