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+++OMT Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool+++

Yeah was enjoying some basic competence such as not chucking a few goals in ourselves before subbing the keeper and not pulling down opposition strikers in our penalty box in full view of the referee....saw green shoots haha
It’s mad that in a game where we don’t literally give away gifts…. We look like we have a modicum of competence in the side
 
We were in a low block for significant phases of that game imo. With both strikers joining in getting back into midfield areas to defend and cover space.

But other than a period after their goal and for a while towards the end when we were clearly throwing caution to the wind and didn't have the legs to get back we defended as a unit. Low, mid block and some higher pressing. Good mixture really and reasonably good cohesion in that.

The beauty of the game...

I saw it as more compact, tighter lines leading to less space between the lines meaning if we did lose a second ball there was someone right there to either block space or challenge. Never felt we were just sitting in a low block for any significant amount of time, and felt more 'mid' to me...again the beauty of the game and opinions! Maybe it is because I associate low block with lines deep and sitting in and around our own box for long tracts of time and taking a pummeling. I did not really see that?
 
Its so weird from Richie....VVD had hold of that shoulder for quite a while BUT for some reason Richie was determined to get a shot away when his usual character is to hit the deck asap

Truth is I think he knows he won't get the foul most of the time so if he can get the shot off, best try in that case as opposed to take the contact (in this case near removal of arm via shoulder socket) and move on.
 
Would be if he didnt get the shot off. They couldn’t ignore it then

That’s a big factor what’s ridiculous about refereeing. A foul should be a foul, that’s it. It shouldn’t need a player to go to ground, or not to shoot. The decision shouldn’t be what the impeded player did, it should be about the one that impeded him. VVD should have been sent off and we should have been awarded a penalty. End of.
 
Shame we only get officiated fairly by those who have retired.

Genuinely, as much as I punched furniture when Richy scored because I was so happy we equalised and it proved to myself that I very much do care if we get relegated, stuff like this is ruining the game.

The blatant lack of consistency where we get punished for something one week and then our opponents fail to get punished for it the following. It’s happened way too often this season. And it is utterly ridiculous that we have video review, but the ‘rules’ and procedures with it are constructed to give them leeway to avoid getting these sorts of calls right.

It’s not a fair exchange because we aren’t customers, we’re fans and can’t go anywhere else to get our Spurs fix. But this comes very close to making me shrug and just wonder what the point of it all is. To have system that is supposed to bring fairness and a capability to get the important calls right that just isn’t used for that purpose…rubbish.
 
The beauty of the game...

I saw it as more compact, tighter lines leading to less space between the lines meaning if we did lose a second ball there was someone right there to either block space or challenge. Never felt we were just sitting in a low block for any significant amount of time, and felt more 'mid' to me...again the beauty of the game and opinions! Maybe it is because I associate low block with lines deep and sitting in and around our own box for long tracts of time and taking a pummeling. I did not really see that?
Yeah, probably more a difference in how we use that term... For me a low block doesn't mean just sitting very deep taking a pummeling for extended periods.

I want to see us drop into a low block at times, it's not a bad thing. Can be a good sign of some cohesion defensively if a team can mix between that and being higher up the pitch when defending.
 
Genuinely, as much as I punched furniture when Richy scored because I was so happy we equalised and it proved to myself that I very much do care if we get relegated, stuff like this is ruining the game.

The blatant lack of consistency where we get punished for something one week and then our opponents fail to get punished for it the following. It’s happened way too often this season. And it is utterly ridiculous that we have video review, but the ‘rules’ and procedures with it are constructed to give them leeway to avoid getting these sorts of calls right.

It’s not a fair exchange because we aren’t customers, we’re fans and can’t go anywhere else to get our Spurs fix. But this comes very close to making me shrug and just wonder what the point of it all is. To have system that is supposed to bring fairness and a capability to get the important calls right that just isn’t used for that purpose…rubbish.

I think a lot of fans are now getting to where I've been for a very long time with PGMOL. It also runs all the way up to IFAB and FIFA.

Ultimately, money was ring-fenced over 20 years ago to screen hundreds of officials up and down the country to make sure the best operate at the elite level. They're also on decent salaries. For me, that entire process has failed for a very long time with the ones who get through this process. Then we see guys like Mike O'Riley and Howard Webb given the PGMOL leadership roles and they are absolutely clueless how to build the right culture and performance levels from their team. There is an arrogance that comes from them and therefore it permeates through all of the team that we see on the pitch and Stockley Park. They clearly believe they are untouchable as they blatantly ignore the laws of the game. Therefore the entire system breaks and we see history rewritten every season e.g. last season's FA Cup Final. Howard Webb is starting to sound like Trump. Sheer arrogance.

I genuinely think something needs to be done about PGMOL. If we can't get that "English" piece fixed then we have no chance to challenge things like the laws that sit with FIFA/IFAB.

I've stated over and over that our club needs to do more than just send little letters into the Premier League. They need to follow the Liverpool and Arsenal model and publish public statements of discontent about PGMOL. They need to ask for a complete strategic review and overhaul of PGMOL. Webb needs his P45.
 
Whether we like it or not, in order to "win" a penalty nowadays the attacker needs to engage in some theatrics so that officials will apply the letter of the law.

By getting his shot away Richarlison gifted Virgil a Get Out Of Jail card; ironic considering he normally goes to ground just as easily as his Brazilian compatriot Cunha.

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Problem is refs have consistently (that's a first!) dished out yellows for diving whenever we do it. I'm sure that would've been the outcome from a theatrical fall from Richy here.
 
I think a lot of fans are now getting to where I've been for a very long time with PGMOL. It also runs all the way up to IFAB and FIFA.

Ultimately, money was ring-fenced over 20 years ago to screen hundreds of officials up and down the country to make sure the best operate at the elite level. They're also on decent salaries. For me, that entire process has failed for a very long time with the ones who get through this process. Then we see guys like Mike O'Riley and Howard Webb given the PGMOL leadership roles and they are absolutely clueless how to build the right culture and performance levels from their team. There is an arrogance that comes from them and therefore it permeates through all of the team that we see on the pitch and Stockley Park. They clearly believe they are untouchable as they blatantly ignore the laws of the game. Therefore the entire system breaks and we see history rewritten every season e.g. last season's FA Cup Final. Howard Webb is starting to sound like Trump. Sheer arrogance.

I genuinely think something needs to be done about PGMOL. If we can't get that "English" piece fixed then we have no chance to challenge things like the laws that sit with FIFA/IFAB.

I've stated over and over that our club needs to do more than just send little letters into the Premier League. They need to follow the Liverpool and Arsenal model and publish public statements of discontent about PGMOL. They need to ask for a complete strategic review and overhaul of PGMOL. Webb needs his P45.
I personally have switched off from the Premier League due to the refereeing.
 
That’s a big factor what’s ridiculous about refereeing. A foul should be a foul, that’s it. It shouldn’t need a player to go to ground, or not to shoot. The decision shouldn’t be what the impeded player did, it should be about the one that impeded him. VVD should have been sent off and we should have been awarded a penalty. End of.
And it is this banal approach to refereeing ("if you don't fall over it isn't a foul") that necessitates the need to throw yourself on the ground and roll over several times....because if you dare to try and stay on your feet you ain't getting sh*t. Guy could have you in a headlock and trying to tickle your balls: managed to squeeze in a desperate toe punt towards goal anyway? Not a foul.
 
I think a lot of fans are now getting to where I've been for a very long time with PGMOL. It also runs all the way up to IFAB and FIFA.

Ultimately, money was ring-fenced over 20 years ago to screen hundreds of officials up and down the country to make sure the best operate at the elite level. They're also on decent salaries. For me, that entire process has failed for a very long time with the ones who get through this process. Then we see guys like Mike O'Riley and Howard Webb given the PGMOL leadership roles and they are absolutely clueless how to build the right culture and performance levels from their team. There is an arrogance that comes from them and therefore it permeates through all of the team that we see on the pitch and Stockley Park. They clearly believe they are untouchable as they blatantly ignore the laws of the game. Therefore the entire system breaks and we see history rewritten every season e.g. last season's FA Cup Final. Howard Webb is starting to sound like Trump. Sheer arrogance.

I genuinely think something needs to be done about PGMOL. If we can't get that "English" piece fixed then we have no chance to challenge things like the laws that sit with FIFA/IFAB.

I've stated over and over that our club needs to do more than just send little letters into the Premier League. They need to follow the Liverpool and Arsenal model and publish public statements of discontent about PGMOL. They need to ask for a complete strategic review and overhaul of PGMOL. Webb needs his P45.

I really agree with you.

I’m glad we get stuff like this https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/s/a32zpZAZsh after the fact now. At least it’s something.

But how are there 18 VAR errors already in this season? How is that even possible? How does it happen unless you make it so hard for the VAR to go against the referee unless it’s a ‘clear and obvious error.’?

Of course there has to be some allowance for subjectivity in this sport. But some things are not subjective. Especially once a bar has been established on a particular action, and what the result of that should mean. This clear and obvious error bar is just an excuse to not go against your colleague. Do other leagues have this? Why can they not just make the obvious call?

The other point is the arrogance. You can see it now even with the ref cams that are released. The ref for the Arsenal game was so completely sure that he was correct on our second goal. There wasn’t an ounce of ‘maybe we should look at this’.

I’m always willing to take on the perspective of the other side but I’ve not yet read a good thing on why the refereeing in VAR has to be this way. Why the ‘authority of the on pitch ref can’t be questioned’. We have the technology, just get the calls right, and make it fair based on what has been called in other games this season. It shouldn’t be this hard.
 
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