The Football Thread 2023/24: CL Semi Finals - BAYERN vs REAL / DORTMUND vs PSG

[Tomous]

Why is Saka looking for a penalty there after he's gone past Neuer?

Just stay on your feet and score.

[Tomous]

Also, Tuchel said the ref told him he didn't give a penalty to Munich for Gabriel picking the ball up after technically Raya had restarted play because he didn't want to give a penalty for a kids mistake in the CL quarter final. Wtf

Edit: having seen it I think the ref confused them with his whistle but why is giving that as the reason to Tuchel

[Cuttooth]

Why is Saka looking for a penalty there after he's gone past Neuer?

Just stay on your feet and score.

I guess from a purely statistical point of view, drawing a penalty is always going to offer a better chance to score in most situations like that.

But it's not like it would have got Neuer sent off as well so unless you have a really foolproof plan to draw that foul you can be left with a bit of egg on your face.

[Tomous]

Why is Saka looking for a penalty there after he's gone past Neuer?

Just stay on your feet and score.

I guess from a purely statistical point of view, drawing a penalty is always going to offer a better chance to score in most situations like that.

But it's not like it would have got Neuer sent off as well so unless you have a really foolproof plan to draw that foul you can be left with a bit of egg on your face.

But if he stayed on his feet and hit it with his next touch he'd have just had to knock it past Eric Dier into an empty net. Easier than a penalty I'd argue.

[Return_of_the_STAR]

Why is Saka looking for a penalty there after he's gone past Neuer?

Just stay on your feet and score.

I guess from a purely statistical point of view, drawing a penalty is always going to offer a better chance to score in most situations like that.

But it's not like it would have got Neuer sent off as well so unless you have a really foolproof plan to draw that foul you can be left with a bit of egg on your face.

But if he stayed on his feet and hit it with his next touch he'd have just had to knock it past Eric Dier into an empty net. Easier than a penalty I'd argue.

Not a chance, Eric Dier is one of the worlds greatest defenders.

[Cuttooth]

Why is Saka looking for a penalty there after he's gone past Neuer?

Just stay on your feet and score.

I guess from a purely statistical point of view, drawing a penalty is always going to offer a better chance to score in most situations like that.

But it's not like it would have got Neuer sent off as well so unless you have a really foolproof plan to draw that foul you can be left with a bit of egg on your face.

But if he stayed on his feet and hit it with his next touch he'd have just had to knock it past Eric Dier into an empty net. Easier than a penalty I'd argue.

Oh yeah that's what I would have wanted him to do but I imagine modern footballers just get xG drilled into them non stop now, so even if rounding the keeper gets you into a decent position to score I wouldn't be surprised if after the numbers are crunched that kind of opportunity is still considered less of a chance of a goal than a penalty, so that's the play to go for in that situation.

[Dowbocop]

twitter.com/outofcontextars/status/1777803471657304200

Utterly flabbergasting decision.

In terms of the actual game, obviously you look at Jesus and Trossard getting the goal from the bench, but I thought Kiwior going off improved us massively. He was totally out of his depth, both the goals came from his side, and I think his torrid night meant Martinelli struggled as well. A tough night for him.

It sounds weird but I don't know whether having no fans made things a bit easier for Bayern tonight given their form. Probably makes no difference whatsoever but they might have appreciated a night off

It’s one of those where it shouldn’t be a penalty because Saka has really just kicked the keeper more than anything, like that penalty Newcastle got against West Ham the other day. But then you ask why it wasn’t a penalty since Newcastle got one against West Ham the other day!

The one where Kalvin Phillips kicked his foot? I personally don't see a massive similarity to be honest with you but I haven't seen it for nearly a month!

If that penalty gets given the discourse is always "what a moment of madness from the keeper" or "he's gone out rashly and may cost his team there" - it's never "ooh i fink da scory players leg might haf hert da poor goalieman a bit 2 much y not just both say sory".

When the likes of Luiz, Mustafi, Fabianski et al dangled a lazy leg out and players like Kane or Rooney duly took full advantage there was never any attempt to try and question the attackers' motives in where they put their feet. It was always whistle-penalty-ArsenLOL. It's an utterly braindead challenge that is far below Neuer's standards and it should've been penalised.

[Psychic]

Saka leaves the ground and hangs his leg out into Neuer's. It was a little misjudged for the keeper to come so far out but the fact Saka has initiated contact relieves him of any wrongdoing. With that and the Havertz incident earlier in the game, I do wonder if that sort of thing is being encouraged by Arteta.

Havertz seems to be getting a reputation for this sort of thing, maybe he's always been like this and never got in the box at Chelsea enough to do it.

[Tomous]

Saka leaves the ground and hangs his leg out into Neuer's. It was a little misjudged for the keeper to come so far out but the fact Saka has initiated contact relieves him of any wrongdoing. With that and the Havertz incident earlier in the game, I do wonder if that sort of thing is being encouraged by Arteta.

Havertz seems to be getting a reputation for this sort of thing, maybe he's always been like this and never got in the box at Chelsea enough to do it.

Yep, absolutely agree with this.

Fwiw I don't think it's an Arteta thing. It's just a modern football thing.

[Dowbocop]

Also, Tuchel said the ref told him he didn't give a penalty to Munich for Gabriel picking the ball up after technically Raya had restarted play because he didn't want to give a penalty for a kids mistake in the CL quarter final. Wtf

Edit: having seen it I think the ref confused them with his whistle but why is giving that as the reason to Tuchel

I've just seen this and yours is a very charitable viewpoint! I can't hear the whistle on the clip I've seen but it looks very bad. If it's a penalty then just give the penalty. It's not the referee's job to cover for a professional footballer dropping a bollock. As an aside to this and irrespective of this particular incident I think that particular breed of brainfart should probably be an indirect free kick rather than a penalty. It's much closer to a backpass than denying a goalscoring opportunity and the punishment should fit the crime. But that's a different discussion.

It seems the referee completely lost control of the big decisions in this game and is using one mistake to cover another - and on that point...

Are you ready?

Really ready?

You thought I was going to ignore this didn't you?

No such luck!

It's...

HARRY KANE THROWING AN ELBOW!!!

twitter.com/CBSSportsGolazo/status/1777793470804955167

He looks at Gabriel then swings his arm back. It. Is. A. Red. Card. We all know he has form for it as well - it's quite something that The English Armband of Double Standards works on European refs too!

What exactly was VAR doing tonight? It only seemed to get mentioned when it wasn't used for Saka but the ref said it had been. It should have at least looked at Kane's elbow but didn't, and it absolutely should've awarded that Gabriel penalty if the ref had gone rogue.

[Dowbocop]

Defending Gabriel: if a winger wins a throw and then underarms the ball to the approaching fullback who is still on the pitch, is that not a foul throw?

[Tomous]

That Kane elbow is a red for me. He does that gooseberry fool all the time and knows exactly what he's doing. That and backing into people jumping for the ball are his two favourite moves. He does it all the time because he always gets away with it

[Cuttooth]

twitter.com/outofcontextars/status/1777803471657304200

Utterly flabbergasting decision.

In terms of the actual game, obviously you look at Jesus and Trossard getting the goal from the bench, but I thought Kiwior going off improved us massively. He was totally out of his depth, both the goals came from his side, and I think his torrid night meant Martinelli struggled as well. A tough night for him.

It sounds weird but I don't know whether having no fans made things a bit easier for Bayern tonight given their form. Probably makes no difference whatsoever but they might have appreciated a night off

It’s one of those where it shouldn’t be a penalty because Saka has really just kicked the keeper more than anything, like that penalty Newcastle got against West Ham the other day. But then you ask why it wasn’t a penalty since Newcastle got one against West Ham the other day!

The one where Kalvin Phillips kicked his foot? I personally don't see a massive similarity to be honest with you but I haven't seen it for nearly a month!

I had to check I wasn't going mad with this. It was only on the 30th March!

They're similar in the sense that both attackers are sticking their legs out to be caught rather than play the ball. I get why they do it since a good amount of the time the refs will say it's a foul but I just don't think they should be penalties and I can't really complain when it doesn't work out for my team, rather I just get a bit annoyed when it does for others.

Kane's elbow on the other hand! Worst refereeing decision of the match for me. Shouldn't be playing the second leg.

[Tomous]

The Kalvin Phillips one on Gordon isn't that similar an incident for me-in my opinion, Phillips is actually fouled by Gordon. He is in control of the ball and playing it, and Gordon impedes him from doing so while making no effort to play the ball himself. Should have been a free kick to West Ham.

[Tomous]

Defending Gabriel: if a winger wins a throw and then underarms the ball to the approaching fullback who is still on the pitch, is that not a foul throw?

Gabriel had a bit of a brainfart moment-there was confusion and a bit of miscommunication going on. I personally wouldn't like to see penalties given for those kind of things. Happens all the time over the rest of the pitch and the ref's always use common sense and their discretion.

[Cuttooth]

The Kalvin Phillips one on Gordon isn't that similar an incident for me-in my opinion, Phillips is actually fouled by Gordon. He is in control of the ball and playing it, and Gordon impedes him from doing so while making no effort to play the ball himself. Should have been a free kick to West Ham.

I agree with that, it was quite a bad decision in all. I guess it's just the most recent "looking for a penalty" incident I can remember to compare to what happened last night.

[Rocsteady]

Wouldn't mind Kane getting a red for that. No way was the last min one a penalty, he flicks his leg into it.

[Photek]

So that Elliott pen eh?

[Return_of_the_STAR]

twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1777973793631162845

Not sure if anyone else saw this incident or not but it should definitely have been a penalty. Absolutely ridiculous for the ref to say (assuming he did) he didn't give it because it was a quarter final. Every game should be governed by the same rules.

[Tomous]

Just remembered this Liverpool goal, not quite the same incident but very similar situation.