Martin Samuel confidently predicting Man City won't

[Peter]

I like him too. I know TP5 is starting to get back to his best, but I really want to see Dec-MnM-?din in MF.

We saw how ?din and Saka linked up on Sat, and JT was beginning to get into working the overlaps and decoy runs with them so hopefully he can fill in for Benny Blanc.

MnM and ?din seem to understand each other from Spain.

We did see the fluidity with JT popping up on the left and Leo on the right wing with Saka.

But if Cala and MnM can learn to work with Gabby M like the right wing axis* works, then hopefully we can have it down both sides.

And if Dec drives forward into that inside left role {where he was great last season once Kai moved up front} MnM can drop to cover him.

*If, when chasing a winner, Kai drops back to inside left so Leo or Jeez plays up top, then Cala and Kai would be a right-wing axis but playing on the left. Just don't mention the war.

Rice and Merino is a seriously meaty midfield. I wouldn't want to mess with them

[Peter]

I thought that. Of course a player should be able to try to control a ball just over waist height with his foot. The opponent then deliberately tried to get his head down towards the foot {when that isn't a natural height to head the ball}, didn't make contact with either ball or B's foot and went down clutching his face as though he'd been kicked in the head.

Should have been booked for simulation.

Are we gonna say that no player can try an overhead kick in case a defender then tries to head it, misses, but claims to have been kicked? Or where when, with back to goal, a player kicks the ball over his own head and turns to run onto it?

And to show I'm being fair one of NF's yellows was a joke.

Our lad was trying to hoof the ball down the line. Of course the NF player should try to block it. The ball got hoofed over his foot and then or lad hit the NF player's foot on the follow through.

How is that a yellow?

Absolutely agree. That Forest yellow was soft as hell.

[Luis Anaconda]

Absolutely agree. That Forest yellow was soft as hell.

Aina? I thought so too. Possibly lucky not to get a red when he stopped a restart though (would have been a ridiculous decision of course.) Decent player though

Yates on the other hand is an arsehole

[Peter]

Aina? I thought so too. Possibly lucky not to get a red when he stopped a restart though (would have been a ridiculous decision of course.) Decent player though

Yates on the other hand is an arsehole

Yeah, that one. Even I would have been angry if he'd got a red for knocking the ball away. Yates is a ****.

Ref got a lot of little things wrong. Gave us a corner after a shot from Saka- as far as I could see the ball was nowhere near out and he couldn't have had a view of it.

[Luis Anaconda]

Yeah, that one. Even I would have been angry if he'd got a red for knocking the ball away. Yates is a ****.

Ref got a lot of little things wrong. Gave us a corner after a shot from Saka- as far as I could see the ball was nowhere near out and he couldn't have had a view of it.

Yes - that was weird. Though assume the Lino gave it. A lino who was pilloried on Twitter for a decision he got right (the Merino offside). Might give him the benefit of the doubt

[Peter]

Yes - that was weird. Though assume the Lino gave it. A lino who was pilloried on Twitter for a decision he got right (the Merino offside). Might give him the benefit of the doubt

Ah, the linesman, yes. He did get the Merino right, but that ******* flagged for everything, including one he actually got wrong. I guess they get bored these days

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

Yes - that was weird. Though assume the Lino gave it. A lino who was pilloried on Twitter for a decision he got right (the Merino offside). Might give him the benefit of the doubt

As I read somewhere, these VAR lines have totally obliterated the law where a player is onside if level. There is now no level, you're either on or off my a millimetre.

There should be some sort of umpire's call with the benefit going to the attacking side. Would make games more interesting with more goals and less time while VAR make themselves the centre of attention.

If the attacker's foot is slightly behind the defender, but his knee or forehead slightly in front, then that's level as far as I'm concerned.

I hate PGMOL. Ruining the game while screaming look at me, I'm the star of the show.

[Luis Anaconda]

As I read somewhere, these VAR lines have totally obliterated the law where a player is onside if level. There is now no level, you're either on or off my a millimetre.

There should be some sort of umpire's call with the benefit going to the attacking side. Would make games more interesting with more goals and less time while VAR make themselves the centre of attention.

If the attacker's foot is slightly behind the defender, but his knee or forehead slightly in front, then that's level as far as I'm concerned.

I hate PGMOL. Ruining the game while screaming look at me, I'm the star of the show.

Absolutely agree with that - Arsene knows. He wants the "clear air" rule brought back. If only he was in some sort of position of power

[Luis Anaconda]

Ah, the linesman, yes. He did get the Merino right, but that ******* flagged for everything, including one he actually got wrong. I guess they get bored these days

Yeah - definitely got one wrong. Absolutely ****ty job though and rendered almost obsolete by VAR. Generally impressed when they get things right

[Peter]

Yeah - definitely got one wrong. Absolutely ****ty job though and rendered almost obsolete by VAR. Generally impressed when they get things right

Exactly what I was thinking during the game. Raising their flag at the end of the move is basically just a free guess. Makes no difference whatsoever to the outcome. They are only really there for throw ins, corners, and to back up a ref if he is bottling a decision.

The chance Trossard missed was an interesting one. Flag went up at the end but I dont think it was for Trossard. I think Jesus was offside behind him and then joined play after the keeper saved it. So Trossard was onside when he fluffed it.