[Albion] Brighton & Hove Albion vs Arsenal *** Official Match Thread ***

[Silverhatch]

We got beat by a ruthless top of the table side without a £200m midfield. But f*** me, we are a good side. Ferguson’s cameo was brilliant. That young bloke has a real eye for goal, and he really unsettled Gabriel & Saliba.

 

[dwayne]

That 3rd goal was so marginal it is no wonder some subscribe to a Big 6 conspiracy theory. The move starts from a throw-in so Mitoma is not “coming back from an off-side position.” The brush off Fergies shoulder is so marginal nobody in the ground said anything. Alan Smith speculated that they were looking for a possible handball.

They still work so hard to find any excuse to write-off a goal you have to wonder if the officials actually hate the game!

Alan Smith was a disgrace last night.

How could they have a commentator that blatantly biased on, it was unbearable. The second goal he wanted chalked off as well, felt like a conspiracy listening to that nonsense. Also the fact that after 2-0 the commentators completely wrote off the game. I would have loved it if we had got it back to 4-4.

Other weird thing for me last night was hearing all the chants about supporting your local team. I was sat in North London watching the game so it was confusing to me. Do loads of kids now support arsenal in Sussex ?

 

[Arthritic Toe]

There's 100% a second touch - just had a look at the recording. So I'm absolutely not having it that it's factually offside and I think they have it wrong (assuming the offside does have to be measured from the 2nd touch).

Judging by the var pictures they were showing at the time, they were looking for that 2nd touch and not seeing it.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Exactly no player, manager or fan appealed either of these goals yet a referee miles away in a portacabin with his rule book and ruler in hand pours over ever possible reason to chalk it off and ruin the game. I have hated VAR since the idea was first floated and hate it even more now it is in and functioning it is a goal prevention system and is sucking the life out the game.

I think VAR could be drastically improved if it was used with the spirit of the offside law as opposed to the letter. The law was brought in to deter players from hanging around high up field and waiting for a direct long ball. The intent and purpose of the law achieved its aim with Mitoma’s goal. But to make it workable it needs clear and well defined rules so we end up with a great goal being disallowing on a technicality. It’s quite simple, make those stupid lines a lot thicker so only very obvious offsides are given. If the FA said they’d do this I struggle to think anyone will object.

 

[Triggaaar]

In the cold light of day, I've come out swinging at an Armchair Arsenal colleague who couldn't wait to start the text bantz, last night:-

Europa Conference for your boys if they're going to poop the bed that badly every time the opposition attack.
You'll not win anything playing that scared.

I'd just tell him to fuckoff, and then block him

 

[Stat Brother]

I'd just tell him to fuckoff, and then block him

I think I have, by virtue his lack of reply to my final text.
(He's a man who likes the last word - oddly I can't be doing with that in text form)

Just being realistic, hanging on for 3 points against our youth team is hardly title winning form.

and finally (armchair thought we were only missing Welbz)

Plus £150,000,000 worth of midfield and 2 defenders.
Finished with 5 teenagers on the pitch and your boys shit the bed every time we attacked.

 

[Triggaaar]

I think I have, by virtue his lack of reply to my final text.
(He's a man who likes the last word - oddly I can't be doing with that in text form)

Just being realistic, hanging on for 3 points against our youth team is hardly title winning form.

and finally (armchair thought we were only missing Welbz)

Plus £150,000,000 worth of midfield and 2 defenders.
Finished with 5 teenagers on the pitch and your boys shit the bed every time we attacked.

I'd understand if you give it the biggun when we beat them, but it's just not something I ever do with friends. I'm guessing they know I'm in a bad mood when we've lost, and rubbing it in wouldn't go down well.

 

[chaileyjem]

Ages of 11 / team that finished last night

25, 22, 31, 19, 24, 21, 31, 18, 20, 18, 25

 

[Bodian]

The touch off his foot.

The ball in mid air between the touch off his foot and the touch off his shoulder. Look at the shape of Mitoma's trailing leg.

Ball touches his shoulder - Mitoma's leg shape has changed.

The still they used to draw the lines. Look at Mitoma's 'offending' foot and where the ball is. They equate precisely to the middle picture above. That is - before the touch off the shoulder. So, basically, they used a still just before the final touch. So, shouldn't have been ruled out in my view.

 

[jimhigham]

This is nothing like an original thought but VAR would be a lot less disruptive if the interpretation of offside was brought under the same “clear and obvious” remit as other decisions. How hard would it be to implement an equivalent of the “umpire’s call” seen in cricket? The introduction of a margin of error would favour the attacking side and stop goals that were never appealed in the first place being chalked off.

 

[Deadly Danson]

The touch off his foot.
View attachment 155249


The ball in mid air between the touch off his foot and the touch off his shoulder. Look at the shape of Mitoma's trailing leg.
View attachment 155250

Ball touches his shoulder - Mitoma's leg shape has changed.
View attachment 155254


The still they used to draw the lines. Look at Mitoma's 'offending' foot and where the ball is. They equate precisely to the middle picture above. That is - before the touch off the shoulder. So, basically, they used a still just before the final touch. So, shouldn't have been ruled out in my view.
View attachment 155252

Exactly. Thanks for posting. It took about 1 min when I got home to check this so there is no excuse for VAR not to do the same. If they weren't 100% sure (and we are continually told offside is factual) then they HAVE to give the benefit of the doubt to the onfield decision. Not only was the decision against the spirit of football it was against the rules. Bet you any money you like on Ref Watch Gallagher says its a factual decision and there is no debate. Bollocks.

 

[Questions]

I chuffin love you Karou.

Everything was in apart from him scoring and I was hovering over the £75 cash out, but thought I’d give it another 10 minutes.

View attachment 155241

Happy New Year

 

[Stat Brother]

I'd understand if you give it the biggun when we beat them, but it's just not something I ever do with friends. I'm guessing they know I'm in a bad mood when we've lost, and rubbing it in wouldn't go down well.

I did enjoy North London being 'ours'.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I think VAR could be drastically improved if it was used with the spirit of the offside law as opposed to the letter. The law was brought in to deter players from hanging around high up field and waiting for a direct long ball. The intent and purpose of the law achieved its aim with Mitoma’s goal. But to make it workable it needs clear and well defined rules so we end up with a great goal being disallowing on a technicality. It’s quite simple, make those stupid lines a lot thicker so only very obvious offsides are given. If the FA said they’d do this I struggle to think anyone will object.

All they have to do is state it will be determined from the trunk of the body discounting limbs and head.

Mitoma was given offside by his trailing leg as he ran back, a split second and his stride would have put him onside. His body was onside from the first touch.

It's currently being used like a photo finish in racing. That's fine when there's no other factors but with offside they have two things to decide, the touch of the ball and the position of the receiving player.

 

[raymondo]

No he didn't want to be there.
He never wants to be a 'false 9'.

Playing Leandro in his least favoured position doesn't do anyone at the club, from Mr Bloom down to Mr Trossard, any favours at all.

This

 

[BNthree]

Others have mentioned it already but VAR focuses so much on the player receiving the ball but it seems very inexact about when the ball is played to them. Without knowing the precise moment the ball is played it’s pointless working out where the potentially offside player is.

 

[Mancgull]

This

The problem is that his best position is probably as a left sided attacker and at the moment, Karou couldn’t be left out.

 

[Recidivist]

Got to change something at half time but in all honesty it's tricky knowing what we can do,Lallana has been invisible so maybe bring on Ferguson for Adam and drop Trossard in as the 10, he just does not like being isolated like he is,nothing to lose now and Ferguson will at least give them something different to think about, it's been far to easy for them so far,and if Colwill stops the game for a cup of tea on the half way line one more time I fear for my TV screen come on lads get stuck in now.

Yes, I was getting frustrated with Colwill standing on the ball so often. Our only real chance of getting through Arsenal’s defence was moving it much more quickly from the back before they had time to reset.

In the end, we ended up just lumping it over the top quite a lot which did give us options with Mitoma’s speed but relies on pinpoint passing and instant control……

Quite encouraged overall though. Ferguson and Sarmiento looked really promising and we never gave up! If that third goal hadn’t been chalked off by VAR think we might have even sneaked a draw!

 

[Seasider78]

I think VAR could be drastically improved if it was used with the spirit of the offside law as opposed to the letter. The law was brought in to deter players from hanging around high up field and waiting for a direct long ball. The intent and purpose of the law achieved its aim with Mitoma’s goal. But to make it workable it needs clear and well defined rules so we end up with a great goal being disallowing on a technicality. It’s quite simple, make those stupid lines a lot thicker so only very obvious offsides are given. If the FA said they’d do this I struggle to think anyone will object.

It’s not just offsides though is it we have the ball being blasted at defenders from 2 yards and players being called up for having limbs in perceived unnatural positions In replays. Then there is the ‘contact’ in penalty situations with players leaving trailing legs and VAR giving penalties for what is minimal contact. There is now an over reliance from officials on the technology and the game is poorer for it.

I am sure tweaks could be made but much preferred the game without it even if that meant the odd decision going against us

 

[raymondo]

The problem is that his best position is probably as a left sided attacker and at the moment, Karou couldn’t be left out.

Agree that's part of the 'problem' and Mitoma can't be left out..