The Football Thread 2019/20: Barcelona will have 2-8 till next season to avenge this embarrassment

[darksideby182]

That is the worst VAR yet in the Wolves - Leicester game. Absolutely insane.

But his foot was offside?

He was running back away from goal and the ball was played backwards. It's an appalling decision.

Unless I'm being really stupid he is still in an offside position.

(I really hope I don't look stupid here)

Whether he is in an offside position is kind of irrelevant here. Apart from the fact his foot is slightly offside which never would have been spotted before, let alone complained about, he is running away from the goal line and the ball was played backwards. Nobody wants to see goals like that disallowed. It's sickening.

I defo get where you're coming from but surely this is where VAR comes into its own being able to sort these issues. Years back a manager would say that it should have been offside and the TV panel would have milked it for 10 minutes.

Edit I did lol at the ref and wolves player BT sport showed.

[Blue Eyes]

That is the worst VAR yet in the Wolves - Leicester game. Absolutely insane.

But his foot was offside?

He was running back away from goal and the ball was played backwards. It's an appalling decision.

Unless I'm being really stupid he is still in an offside position.

(I really hope I don't look stupid here)

Whether he is in an offside position is kind of irrelevant here. Apart from the fact his foot is slightly offside which never would have been spotted before, let alone complained about, he is running away from the goal line and the ball was played backwards. Nobody wants to see goals like that disallowed. It's sickening.

I defo get where you're coming from but surely this is where VAR comes into its own being able to sort these issues. Years back a manager would say that it should have been offside and the TV panel would have milked it for 10 minutes.

Edit I did lol at the ref and wolves player showed of BT sport

I really don't think anyone would even question it. Apparently this is the correct application of the offside law, but how was any advantage gained from this when the ball was played backwards? It's mental.

[Preezy]

Simply put, this is a case initiated by Uefa, prosecuted by Uefa and judged by Uefa. With this prejudicial process now over, the club will pursue an impartial judgment as quickly as possible and will therefore, in the first instance, commence proceedings with the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the earliest opportunity.

Who exactly are Man City expecting to uphold the laws and regulations of European football? Interpol?

How would United fans feel if Pep left and City got Pochettino at the end of the season?

I would be completely unsurprised, in fact now you've said that I'm fully expecting it

[Captain Kinopio]

I’ll give one thing to VAR, with all the different aspects of offside and how granular they get with the detail it’s pretty remarkable they haven’t got one factually wrong yet.

[Tomous]

Simply put, this is a case initiated by Uefa, prosecuted by Uefa and judged by Uefa. With this prejudicial process now over, the club will pursue an impartial judgment as quickly as possible and will therefore, in the first instance, commence proceedings with the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the earliest opportunity.

Who exactly are Man City expecting to uphold the laws and regulations of European football? Interpol?

Thoguht exactly the same

[pjbetman]

So Pep to leave now that he can't win the CL for a few more years?

He hasnt won one for 10 years anyway, so not like his record is gonna suffer.

[Parksey]

I wonder if this is going to be a ruling that gets overturned on appeal. They'd much rather get a massive fine or a points deduction this season, which are both going to prove meaningless. Or it might get knocked down to one season.

I can't see Pep staying as there's no challenge in it for him if they can only compete domestically, having won the three trophies on offer.

I wouldn't be surprised if Man City's performances this season are a result of two things. One is that having won back-to-back titles, the players and maybe the staff just don't have the drive or the hunger for another league won (the genius of Alex Ferguson, and probably the Liverpool teams of the 80s, was that they managed to do this year on year, and never let complacency slip in). Second is that I reckon the focus of the club has shifted to winning the one prize that alludes them - the CL.

It's no secret that the club hierarchy desperately want that success, and that it would finally justify them as being amongst the footballing elite, amongst the traditional big hitters, rather than just among the ludicrously weathly.

For all their clout, Man City have never really gotten *that* close. They strawberry floated up a semi-final a few years back, right? And then the other times it's been going out in the quarters and stuff when they've probably been favourite in the tie. They've been backed to win one but they tend to look impressive in the early stages before getting knocked out in February and March.

It must be galling for them to see Liverpool reach the last two finals and win one last year. A supposedly "lesser" team than them in 2018/2019 if you look at the league, but they've got a CL win under their belt and are going to get the league this season. Even Spurs got to the final last year, way ahead of anyone's expectations, whereas City go the opposite way and underwhelm.

I wouldn't be surprised if this season they are concentrating solely on the European competition this year. I'm not sure how much the PL actually means to the club at the moment, having won maybe 3 out of the last 4 is it? Which was sort of the minimum standard given that they exist on a financial plane much higher than the rest of the league. I think subconsciously they still want that CL title to justify themselves. And despite the league titles, other teams having success elsewhere (mainly Liverpool, but Chelsea and Leicester have stopped them getting a bigger pile of domestic wins) has sort of put an asterix against City being *the* side in England. Even last season has sort of more been about Klopp's Liverpool growing into the team they are now. For all their plaudits, City have never really become like Liverpool in the 80s, United and Arsenal in the 90s, Chelsea in the 2000s etc. And now there's a danger that this Liverpool team could eclipse them.

[Preezy]

City should now have an * put next to all of their title wins, forever tainted.

[Captain Kinopio]

For all their plaudits, City have never really become like Liverpool in the 80s, United and Arsenal in the 90s, Chelsea in the 2000s etc. And now there's a danger that this Liverpool team could eclipse them.

I’d say they’ve eclipsed Arsenal and are pretty close to Chelsea. Seems a bit harsh to say they never reached the heights of these clubs when we’re still very much in their period of dominance.

Though as they’ve cheated 2 of their titles should be scrubbed off and given to Liverpool instead.

[BOR]

Is it true that Man City are possibly relegated to League Two? Just got told by one of my mates.

[Tomous]

Is it true that Man City are possibly relegated to League Two? Just got told by one of my mates.

They’re talking about domestic action too as while the rules are slightly different (less strict), if the information UEFA is saying is incorrect for their rules, it’ll be incorrect for the PL rules too. I think a points deduction is most likely, although pretty irrelevant if they have a CL ban as it’s unlikely to be enough to relegate them.

[Photek]

City should now have an * put next to all of their title wins, forever tainted.

Although you joking, I now think that’s how I’ll see it.

4 and a half years ago Klopp said in his press conference that he wanted to turn ‘doubters into believers’ and many people scoffed and I even felt a bit embarrassed but Jesus Christ I was wrong, he’s a genius. It took him time but the journey from then to now was a constant improvement year on year. Jordan Henderson was saying that even though they lost the CL final, he knew they’d be better again, same with losing league by that 1pt, that they’d improve. It’s remarkable what Jurgen has done.

[Preezy]

City should now have an * put next to all of their title wins, forever tainted.

Although you joking, I now think that’s how I’ll see it.

I wasn't joking

[mcjihge2]

I dont think theres much to turn in an appeal against UEFA. Eyes on the FA for what penalty theyll serve. I hope its a docking of total 100 points - so they get relegated two seasons in a row.

[Tomous]

City should now have an * put next to all of their title wins, forever tainted.

Although you joking, I now think that’s how I’ll see it.

I wasn't joking

I mean, if we’re going to take FFP seriously, they shouldn’t have a *, they should be stripped of the titles.

[Captain Kinopio]

Liverpool Twitter is on it today

Can see us being a bit dopey this evening and dropping points in the poor conditions.

[Denster]

It's not a joke at all, Photek. Citys achievements are tainted because they are strawberry floating money laundering cheats.
I've been saying it for ages.
Interesting to see what the Premier league do.

Theyll deduct the points which looks like a punishment but in essence isn't. Thry aren't going to win the league or compete in the CL next season.
If they had any balls they'd demote them.
If they really had balls they'd strip them of their two titles between 2012-2016.

I've said it all along either way. Their whole successful era is now tainted.
Cheating banana splits.

[pjbetman]

It's not a joke at all, Photek. Citys achievements are tainted because they are strawberry floating money laundering cheats.
I've been saying it for ages.
Interesting to see what the Premier league do.

Theyll deduct the points which looks like a punishment but in essence isn't. Thry aren't going to win the league or compete in the CL next season.
If they had any balls they'd demote them.
If they really had balls they'd strip them of their two titles between 2012-2016.

I've said it all along either way. Their whole successful era is now tainted.
Cheating banana splits.

Does that mean i'll get my £500 for the £100@4-1 bet i placed on Liverpool last season?

[Captain Kinopio]

It's amusing to talk about stripping them of titles but it's a bit silly really. Those players, managers (well maybe not Pep) and coaching staff did nothing wrong, they earned those titles. If the PL finds them guilty of something properly serious then the most suitable punishment is dropping them down leagues.

Yes any leagues they won while 'cheating' are tainted but it's daft to pretend like they're awarded to other teams now.

[mcjihge2]

It's amusing to talk about stripping them of titles but it's a bit silly really. Those players, managers (well maybe not Pep) and coaching staff did nothing wrong, they earned those titles. If the PL finds them guilty of something properly serious then the most suitable punishment is dropping them down leagues.

Yes any leagues they won while 'cheating' are tainted but it's daft to pretend like they're awarded to other teams now.

The other thing about the players and Pep is that its possibly in thier contracts about champions league success/bonuses. So now arguably through the clubs fault, those clauses maybe invalid and therefore could the players/Pep be free to move next transfer window?