We apparently rotate fouling so to avoid too many cards.
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Oh I don't know. -
honestly thought they'd be pleased, who the **** do they want to ref it one of the sheiks mates
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It's definitely gathered some interest and most of that questions the decision.
Do the European leagues that have adopted it have the same issues? Personally, I think referees from the women's game should take the role of VAR in the men's game and vice versa. I think the female referees and probably far less prone to cheating, such is the difficulty they face getting a crack in the first place. In fact, I'd be happy for all officials in the PL to be womenComment
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Oliver the ref, thats sound, but who is on the VAR mic over ruling him
removing all the weak links makes us stronger
too many gutless players, no beef or desire. pussies everywhere... sack them all.Comment
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Saturday 9 November
NEW 23:00 BOU
Referee: Martin Atkinson. Assistants: Lee Betts, Nick Hopton. Fourth official: Ben Toner. VAR: Peter Bankes. Assistant VAR: Darren Cann.Comment
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Klopp:
"I am not too sure if I want to put oil on the fire. I am not interested in these kind of things. And I promise not to mention tactical fouls. That is maybe already too much, but that is the only thing I say about it”.Modifying post.Comment
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Apparently on Blue Moon that response is a sign that Pep won the mind-games...personally, I don't like that response, it brings us down to Pep's level. Altho, if it means their DM gets an early yellow, then i guess it will do the job.
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God that bluemoon thread
It's crazy how angry they all are! They've got an amazing team yet they don't seem to be enjoying it. Every post reads like it's been furiously typed. You can feel the outrage.
Amongst the rampant paranoia this little gem made me laugh:
Right now we are playing the "good guys" only to end up paying the cost far too often. Man City, the good guys
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"oil on the fire"
Thanks very much for beingComment
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Find this amazing - City are favourites to win at Anfield
Thanks very much for beingComment
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[ame]https://twitter.com/_pauljoyce/status/1191638516427563008[/ame]
Jürgen Klopp rejects Pep Guardiola’s Sadio Mané jibe as friendly rivalry rapidly turns sour
Paul Joyce, Northern Football Correspondent
November 5 2019, 12:01am,
The Times
It seems an age since Jürgen Klopp was handed a mobile phone in the aftermath of the giddy Champions League final success over Tottenham Hotspur so he could accept congratulations from Pep Guardiola.
The Manchester City manager had gone through Lee Nobes, a physio Liverpool had recruited from City, to contact his rival as he celebrated in the bowels of Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in June.
Klopp recalled that phone call later, remembering how they shared a “few jokes” and were both “in a good mood”. It has not taken long for the back-slapping to be replaced by needle. Guardiola’s caustic critique that Liverpool — and Sadio Mané — are prone to diving has raised tensions before Sunday’s Premier League match at Anfield.
And so while Klopp, 52, insisted that his focus was on tonight’s Champions League group E match with Genk he could not resist a retort. “I couldn’t really believe it to be honest and then I saw it,” the Liverpool manager, whose side are six points clear of the champions at the top of the Premier League table, said. “I am not sure if Pep spoke in that moment about Sadio or the team. Both is not too nice. I can say Sadio is not a diver.
“I am not too sure if I want to put oil on the fire. I am not interested in these kind of things. And I promise not to mention tactical fouls.”
That final line was his most cutting riposte, although the more interesting element of Klopp’s response was the veiled insinuation that Guardiola, 48, is increasingly obsessed with Liverpool.
Mané’s caution for simulation during his side’s 2-1 win at Villa Park on Saturday became a reference point for the City manager when he was conducting his post-match media duties after an equally narrow victory over Southampton.
That bemused Klopp, who said he was preoccupied with his own team when conducting 45 minutes of press conferences after matches, adding: “When I come into the dressing room I don’t come in and say, ‘What’s the result of the other games?’ When I came into the interview after the game I really had no clue what the other Premier League results were. That is the truth. I didn’t ask anybody. I had to speak to players, I had to speak to a lot of people and then I went into interviews. I didn’t think for one second about the other games.
“Then after the interviews, ‘By the way, how did the other teams play?’ Then someone told me, City won in the 86th minute.
“I don’t understand these types of things. My brain is not big enough to think about another team as well. I have enough to do thinking about us and dealing with all these things. We play Genk and that deserves all my attention and gets it. After that we can speak about Manchester City.”
Perhaps it is inevitable that with the league’s two dominant teams pursuing the same honours friction between the dugouts would materialise at some point.
There is a level of enmity and mistrust that exists between City and Liverpool beyond their on-field tussles, fuelled by episodes such as the attack on the City team bus before the Champions League quarter-final, first leg in April 2018. Guardiola apologised after his side’s title celebrations last May during which players and staff sing a version of the “Allez, Allez, Allez” song that referenced Vincent Kompany injuring Mohamed Salah and fans being “battered in the street”.
Until now, however, Klopp and Guardiola, who faced each other on numerous occasions while in charge of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich respectively, have avoided any verbal sparring, preferring to lavish praise on each other.
That makes the downturn, which coincides with Liverpool threatening to become the leading domestic force as well as European champions, all the more significant.
The situation is reminiscent of how the relationship between Rafa Benítez and José Mourinho became strained as they became direct rivals after arriving in England in the summer of 2004, when Liverpool and Chelsea faced each other in Champions League knockout games.
It means that, despite the assertions of Klopp and Guardiola that they are only thinking of Genk and Atalanta, City’s opponents tomorrow, both team selections are likely to have one eye on this weekend.
The visit of the Belgian club to Merseyside is followed by Napoli’s arrival on November 27. Victories in these matches could seal progress before the final group game away to Red Bull Salzburg, which would allow for squad rotation for the upcoming hectic fixture schedule.
A 4-1 success a fortnight ago against Genk means Liverpool will be expected to coast home, but Klopp said: “They are here to try and take their chance because everyone expects us to win. That is a wonderful situation for them.
“A lot of things are still possible in the group. We have to make sure that we improve our situation, not their situation.”
After that all the focus will be on Guardiola and City.
War of words
Guardiola on Saturday on why Liverpool win games late on
“Sometimes it is diving, sometimes it is this talent to score incredible goals in the last minute.
“What happened has happened not once, twice, it happened a lot of times — it is because it is a talent.”
Klopp in response yesterday
“My brain is not big enough to think about another team. I’m not sure if Pep spoke about Sadio or the team — both is not too nice. Sadio is not a diver.
“I promise not to mention tactical fouls.”Thanks very much for beingComment
They have a VAR assistant? What the **** does he do?
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