Weekend games 11/12th Jan

[armchair]

Dunno why and its not logical because like most I cant stand Allardyce but really enjoyed seeing the car crash that is Cardiff FC losing today.

[father_ted]

Am watching the ath Madrid v barca match on sky and it has been a good match without much goalmouth excitement if that makes sense Naturally I am watching diego costa more closely than the others and I have to say that so far he has been largely disappointing - barca have had 66% possession in first half so he was never gonna see much of the ball but he has latched onto jordi alba with the intention of winning flick ons in the air but the short arsed left full has won every single header against him

I like ath Madrid - they play high intensity, in your face football and it is a throwback to the good old days for me

Are you an Arsenal scout? Oh, you are not? What a waste of an evening for you then.

[LDB]

Its cheating, whether a centre-half has been kicking you all game or not. Kick him back ffs.

This is what I just don't get. Apparently it's a heinous crime to cheat a fellow professional by diving and winning a free kick and possibly a booking but it's perfectly ok for players to go around intentionally kicking and potentially causing serious injury to a fellow professional? In what sense is that not cheating?

[northbank123]

Dunno why and its not logical because like most I cant stand Allardyce but really enjoyed seeing the car crash that is Cardiff FC losing today.

Likewise. Most of Cardiff's fans are complete jokers who claim to bleed blue blood but when they get relegated and Tan gives up will go back to supporting Liverpool or United every week. Until then they'll no doubt cry about the latest crime Tan has committed until they win the next game and all will be forgotten.

Tan is a prick but I also find him absolutely hilarious. And I'm not saying that putting in a bit of money gives you carte blanche to do what you like with a football club but people don't realise how much shit Cardiff were in financially - Sam Hammam (the bloke they once worshipped like a deity) had them bang to rights for a considerable debt that they couldn't pay and they were in a losing battle with HMRC with years of winding-up petitions to look forward to.

[armchair]

Its cheating, whether a centre-half has been kicking you all game or not. Kick him back ffs.

This is what I just don't get. Apparently it's a heinous crime to cheat a fellow professional by diving and winning a free kick and possibly a booking but it's perfectly ok for players to go around intentionally kicking and potentially causing serious injury to a fellow professional? In what sense is that not cheating?

I see your point but I believe theres a big difference.
For me the difference is that diving or simulation is trying to cheat the ref and fans and everybody else. Its trying to gain an unfair advantage through dishonest means. Cheating.

Fouling someone intentionally is also breaking the rules but for me its not so dishonest. I wouldnt call fouling someone either intentionally or un-intentionally "cheating" or "simulation" They are two very different things.

You can be sent off for an intentional foul but not for simulation so obviously the more "heinous crime" is deemed to be fouling.

Nobody likes diving, cheating or simulation. Nobody I know anyway.

[Dan_85]

1-0 City, 7th min

Worryingly, Chelsea & City are now stepping up through the gears as the season enters the second half it seems. Meanwhile AW is convinced our paper thin squad won't get knackered and fall away

You remember how Giroud ended last season? The final two months or so he was toilet, looked like a French Adebayor...

[Dan_85]

Newcastle equaliser disallowed for "offside". Strange decision.

[rodders999]

The league is bent. That's a disgrace.

[MM99]

Disgraceful decision. City the new utd

[Dan_85]

Something really doesn't add up there.

The lino didn't flag did he? I couldn't see him flagging in replays, so he must have thought it was a legit goal? So what then has influenced the ref to go and speak to him, the city players? Then he's spoken to the lino who must have told him the goal should stand (otherwise he'd have flagged) and then the ref has said "no fuck it, it's offside"?

[armchair]

Something really doesn't add up there.

The lino didn't flag did he? I couldn't see him flagging in replays, so he must have thought it was a legit goal? So what then has influenced the ref to go and speak to him, the city players? Then he's spoken to the lino who must have told him the goal should stand (otherwise he'd have flagged) and then the ref has said "no fuck it, it's offside"?

When they were going off at half time I heard Pardew saying to the ref something like he (linesman) was right. You were wrong

[MM99]

Linesman actually takes a step to his left after the goal has gone in to go back to his position for a kick off.

city players protest to ref. ref goes to lino. lino's face says it all, that he doesn't think its offside.

ref gives it.

[Dan_85]

Something really doesn't add up there.

The lino didn't flag did he? I couldn't see him flagging in replays, so he must have thought it was a legit goal? So what then has influenced the ref to go and speak to him, the city players? Then he's spoken to the lino who must have told him the goal should stand (otherwise he'd have flagged) and then the ref has said "no fuck it, it's offside"?

When they were going off at half time I heard Pardew saying to the ref something like he (linesman) was right. You were wrong

Yeah, lino appears to have got it right to me - he thinks the goal should stand. For someone reason the ref then has a brainfart & decides actually no, it's not a goal. Watch the ref as soon as the ball hits the net, he doesn't signal for offside or any other reason why the goal shouldn't stand, looks to me like he's been influenced by the City players appealing for offside more in hope than expectation. But then his reaction after speaking to the lino makes no sense, because he would surely have told him the goal should stand, otherwise he would have flagged. Bizarre.

[armchair]

Was given by the ref for interfering with play I think. He wasnt in Harts line of vision but he did duck out of the way of the ball.
Hmmm dunno.

[armchair]

Ref reckoned he was interfering but didnt know if he was in an off-side position. He went to linesman to double-check that he was actually standing in an offside position.

So if you are in an offside position and also interfering then theres no goal. The question is whether he was active or interfering. He did duck to avoid the ball. But was he "active"