Ricardo's report v Brentford

[ricardo 8,034]

People have been saying to me all week that this was a must win game but my opinion for a long while has been that we are way past that. Relegation has looked nailed on for months and apart from a brief flutter of two successive wins I've seen nothing to revise my view. Perhaps thats why I felt a complete lack of tension riding down to the ground today or maybe because I was on my own, due to my son calling off with a sprained knee.

Smith started with McLean and Gilmour in midfield which on past performances hasn't worked but City got out of the traps with a bounce and really should have scored when they pinned the Bee's back in the early exchanges. Gilmour had lots of room when he picked up a loose ball and could well have had a dig himself but unselfishly laid it into the path of Rashica who looked certain to score but Raya was out quickly to block. Then Gilmour had a go at the rebound but could only sky it over from six yards.

There was little coming back from the visitors and City won a string of free kicks from some very uncompromising defending. It seemed just a matter of time before the home sides dominance told as first Pukki, brought a fine diving save out of Raya then Sargent clipped a shot a foot over the crossbar from the resulting corner.

At the other end Brentford spelt danger from a couple of corners and then Canos hit a low shot through a crowded penalty area only for Krul to turn it away in some style. From that corner, Brentford took an undeserved lead when Toney found himself all alone at the far post to rifle a low shot past Krul in an almost carbon copy of Liverpools first goal against us during the week. Having seen these sort of games numerous times over the years it was obvious to me that it wasn't going to be our day.

There was lots of huff and puff from City up until half time but with some strong defending mixed with a few strategic fouls an equaliser rarely looked like coming.

Again it was City coming forward as the second half began but we were largely out muscled when we got within twenty yards of goal. Williams tubled in the box but from my end his appeal looked unconvincing. However a penalty was not long in coming but unfortunately at the wrong end. Several players went down when a corner came over from the Brentford right but as I was following the flight of the ball I couldn't give an opinion. Anthony Taylor was persuaded to have a look by VAR and duly pointed to the spot and despite the usual ****housery from Tim Krul, Toney hit a perfect penalty for two nil.

As far as I was concerned it was all over but five minutes later Taylor nailed it again when Toney tumbled over Gibsons outstretched boot. I would certainly have appealed if it had been the other end although it did look like the ball was running away from him. The most annoying thing was that it stemmed from an uneccesary back pass by Hanley when there were better options on.

After this I thought the ref lost control by allowing too much to go unpunished in my opinion but in truth although there were thirty minutes left to play, I never felt there was a flicker of a chance of any sort of comeback. Rashica had the ball in the net on sixty seven minutes and Mbueno beat Krul from close range on seventy six minutes but for some obscure reason neither goal stood. Some bloke in a booth a hundred miles away decided that somebody had been offside at some stage. If we ever introduce a no fly zone, VAR central would be my first target.

Rowe came on to liven things up a bit but was sent flying more than once with dangerous tackle that Mr Taylor turned a blind eye to, but he finally got involved with a cut back for Pukki to net in injury time that at least gave a bit of respectability to the scoreline. By this time many had already left but I stuck it out to the bitter end and Rowe nearly got a goal himself but just could not stretch enough to reach PLM's long cross.

Brentford weren't much, but they didn't have to be and I expect many are like me and will be glad to see the back of a season where we haven't been skillful enough to compete with the footballing sides, nor strong enough to mix it with the rough houses.

MOM VAR

Edited March 5, 2022 by ricardo

[nutty nigel 7,902]

MOM could be no one else Rickyyyy. 

I've never cared less about a game we lost. 

[cambridgeshire canary 7,797]

Cheers Ric but you could have saved yourself the trouble by just saying

 

'We were ****, see you at Rotherham away'

[ricardo 8,034]

Just now, nutty nigel said:

MOM could be no one else Rickyyyy. 

I've never cared less about a game we lost. 

'I'm feeling the same Nutty. There was a time when it would have spoilt my entire weekend. I even felt like leaving early but old habits die hard.

[Parma Ham's gone mouldy 2,462]

No weapons 1, two weapons 3.

Parma 

[keelansgrandad 6,680]

I'm afraid that VAR was correct today. Gibson gave away two penalties no question and Teemu was offside.

Of course without the stupid system, we might have drawn. And of course that may seem harsh but we would have taken it although still disappointed not to win but that isn't VAR's fault.

Thank goodness we should be without it next season although the EFL is considering VAR Lite.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

Just now, ricardo said:

'I'm feeling the same Nutty. There was a time when it would have spoilt my entire weekend. I even felt like leaving early but old habits die hard.

A well known long standing City fan left early. Not because we were losing, not because we were rubbish, he left after our goal was Vared out. He said there's no point being there. 

 

[nutty nigel 7,902]

2 minutes ago, keelansgrandad said:

I'm afraid that VAR was correct today. Gibson gave away two penalties no question and Teemu was offside.

Of course without the stupid system, we might have drawn. And of course that may seem harsh but we would have taken it although still disappointed not to win but that isn't VAR's fault.

Thank goodness we should be without it next season although the EFL is considering VAR Lite.

It's your game now KG. Look after it for us.

[keelansgrandad 6,680]

1 minute ago, nutty nigel said:

A well known long standing City fan left early. Not because we were losing, not because we were rubbish, he left after our goal was Vared out. He said there's no point being there. 

 

Well there is certainly no point celebrating until the referee says you can.

[Fiery Zac 1,066]

7 minutes ago, nutty nigel said:

A well known long standing City fan left early. Not because we were losing, not because we were rubbish, he left after our goal was Vared out. He said there's no point being there. 

 

That’s the point I left. VAR has ruined celebrating a goal (that rare enough event) because there’s a lingering question of whether it’ll be ruled out for Pukkis beard being offside. The crowd at games have no idea what’s going on until the decisions pretty much made when we get the ‘VAR reviewing such and such..’ nonsense. And there’s still too much subjectivity that the whole meaning of VAR is becoming pointless as it’s just another controversy, something we already had.

What’s even worse is referees are now hiding behind VAR and not making decisions they would have previously. And don’t get me started on the ridiculousness of not putting your flag up when the whole city can see someone’s offside…..just in case.

Someone rescue football please, it needs help.

Edited March 5, 2022 by Fiery Zac

[keelansgrandad 6,680]

1 minute ago, nutty nigel said:

It's your game now KG. Look after it for us.

I think I'm older than you DoubleN and certainly find the need for VAR just something the Fergusons of this world were demanding. And yet the arguments still rage. 

I was just merely pointing out that VAR was correct in its decisions today. Staying in the Championship is justified by not having to put up with it.

[alex_ncfc 686]

VAR has totally destroyed my love for the game. I am rapidly losing interest.

For years managers kept banging on for "video evidence" in games, but I don't think anyone wanted anything like we have, the way it has been implemented.

The way I see it, VAR has just made it easier for corruption in the game.

[Badger 2,745]

Thanks Ricardo - a very dispiriting afternoon.

I wish I knew how long the ball was actually in play during the second half - it felt to me that we spent most of the time watching players stand around.

Re a post from someone else about VAR meaning we can't celebrate, I think that this is symptomatic of the fact that football at "the top level" isn't really for the fans. A contentious VAR decision makes it all the more interesting for the TV audience at whom modern football is aimed. 😢

[ricardo 8,034]

1 minute ago, nutty nigel said:

A well known long standing City fan left early. Not because we were losing, not because we were rubbish, he left after our goal was Vared out. He said there's no point being there. 

 

I think I would prefer instant dodgey line calls to what we had today. Initially I thought VAR would bring an end to controversy but it hasn't and it feels like results are being decided by some bloke sitting at a computer miles from the action. We may have gained something in accuracy but we've lost something more valuable, the instant agony or ecstasy has been lost from the game. This is like sex in space suits.

[keelansgrandad 6,680]

Just now, Badger said:

Thanks Ricardo - a very dispiriting afternoon.

I wish I knew how long the ball was actually in play during the second half - it felt to me that we spent most of the time watching players stand around.

Re a post from someone else about VAR meaning we can't celebrate, I think that this is symptomatic of the fact that football at "the top level" isn't really for the fans. A contentious VAR decision makes it all the more interesting for the TV audience at whom modern football is aimed. 😢

And the top clubs and historical top clubs. Now we are hearing how unfair it will be on Everton if they are relegated because they didn't get a penalty.

But that is rubbish really. Why not blame someone for missing a goal? But the top clubs think the rest of football is against them. So they don't want to admit that they wasted the fee for Lukaku. No, its the refs fault he didn't give a penalty.

 

[TIL 1010 5,246]

19 minutes ago, nutty nigel said:

A well known long standing City fan left early. Not because we were losing, not because we were rubbish, he left after our goal was Vared out. He said there's no point being there. 

 

You could have waited for the Booooooooooos at the end.

[keelansgrandad 6,680]

3 minutes ago, ricardo said:

I think I would prefer instant dodgey line calls to what we had today. Initially I thought VAR would bring an end to controversy but it hasn't and it feels like results are being decided by some bloke sitting at a computer miles from the action. We may have gained something in accuracy but we've lost something more valuable, the instant agony or ecstasy has been lost from the game. This is like sex in space suits.

How do you know what sex in a space suit is like?

[Robert N. LiM 6,274]

54 minutes ago, ricardo said:

due to my son calling off with a sprained knee.

Didn't know you are Lukas Rupp's dad. Please pass on my regards

[Robert N. LiM 6,274]

7 minutes ago, Badger said:

I think that this is symptomatic of the fact that football at "the top level" isn't really for the fans.

Precisely

[nutty nigel 7,902]

2 minutes ago, TIL 1010 said:

You could have waited for the Booooooooooos at the end.

It wasn't me but you know the guy who left.

There weren't many boos where I was. Perhaps they were all waiting for the go-ahead from VAR.

[Capt. Pants 5,007]

First goal we had every player back in the box, but still left a player unmarked.

Smith and Shakey are hopeless.

[Big O 287]

Wasn’t Pukki behind the free kick taker? Or did I see a misleading still? 

[ricardo 8,034]

Quite apart from the VAR I thought Anthony Taylor let far too much go unpunished.

[Robert N. LiM 6,274]

2 minutes ago, ricardo said:

Quite apart from the VAR I thought Anthony Taylor let far too much go unpunished.

Yeah, he'd clearly decided to "let the game flow". Once he'd done that we had no chance.

[astro 423]

2 minutes ago, Robert N. LiM said:

Yeah, he'd clearly decided to "let the game flow". Once he'd done that we had no chance.

Agreed. They have the art of the professional foul down to a tee. Whatever was that rubbish from their player stopping Rowe from bringing a fresh ball on to the pitch when their fans decided to keep the one that went out of play? What is the linesmen doing on that side not to see it and make sure a card is issued. 

[Monty13 2,736]

18 minutes ago, Big O said:

Wasn’t Pukki behind the free kick taker? Or did I see a misleading still? 

Looks onside to me.

Clear and obvious error?

Maybe you could argue an inch or so off but what’s the point, is that in the spirit of the rule? What massive advantage has he gained?

[Robert N. LiM 6,274]

1 hour ago, ricardo said:

will be glad to see the back of a season where we haven't been skillful enough to compete with the footballing sides, nor strong enough to mix it with the rough houses.

Me too. Perfect summary

[Robert N. LiM 6,274]

25 minutes ago, Big O said:

Wasn’t Pukki behind the free kick taker? Or did I see a misleading still? 

I'm not sure they even checked that. All the replays I saw were about whether the ball hit Pukki or not.

I'm not blaming VAR for the defeat. But it is so rubbish and the sooner it's abandoned the better 

[shefcanary 2,950]

14 minutes ago, Monty13 said:

Looks onside to me.

Clear and obvious error?

Maybe you could argue an inch or so off but what’s the point, is that in the spirit of the rule? What massive advantage has he gained?

Ooh, thanks for digging this out.  It seems to me another VAR **** up.  I wouldn't be surprised if another apology was sent from the FA in due course.

But today we lost due to crap choice of players in midfield by Smith, not because VAR got this one incident wrong.

[nutty nigel 7,902]

19 minutes ago, Monty13 said:

Looks onside to me.

Clear and obvious error?

Maybe you could argue an inch or so off but what’s the point, is that in the spirit of the rule? What massive advantage has he gained?

That's an interesting still. Did they check that @keelansgrandad