2019 Women’s World Cup

What VAR loses in the speed of the game it more than makes up for in the moments it creates, there is nothing quite like it. Raheem Sterling's last minute winner that wasnt against Spurs being a prime example.

For years fans complained and pundits analysed refereeing calls at length, now we have a way to put it to bed and people are complaining about VAR now, you can't win. If people want to live in a world without VAR that's up to them but they subsequently lose the right to complain about a bad decision by a referee against their club ever again

VAR totally ruined the moment of the Sterling goal. People will still be able to complain about decisions because apart from offsides all decisions will be still be opinions and not facts. 1 persons penalty is another persons play on.

It didn't ruin the moment because it was not a goal, you would rather live with a lie because it makes you feel better? Did you vote Leave in the referendum by any chance?

For me it totally made the moment because it was such a rollercoaster

Was surprised that Ellen White didn't take the penalty even though she "won" the penalty.

(02-07-2019 22:44 )Regenerated Wrote:  But score the penalty and the offside goal doesn't matter. VAR gave us the penalty. That was the chance and they fluffed it. There's got to be better suited players to take a penalty than a defender. Missed chances cost us.

My understanding it was a pre match decision that Houghton was on penalty duty. Maybe the logic of captain stepping up and all that.
Parris had missed a couple earlier in the tournament. I would have thought White would have been a suitable taker but it is what it is.
In any event it was not a good penalty and in essence the Americans won the clutch moments in the game.
England faltered where the Americans did not. At the highest level that it often what it is all about.
Getting it right at the key moments.

If Houghton scores then this is not a story.

Just a thought. Some of the best penalty takers at the highest level of the men's game are defenders in teams who have top class strikers.

Full backs Leighton Baines and David Unsworth are both in the top ten of PL penalty scorers. Julian Dicks took West Ham's penalties for years. Denis Irwin used to take penalties for Manchester United ahead of teammates such as Scholes, Sheringham, Cole and Yorke. Sergio Ramos take Real Madrid's penalties ahead of Karim Benzema and the like.

They are just a few examples off the top of my head. Being a natural goalscorer doesn't necessarily equate to being a confident or able penalty taker. Some forwards just don't fancy taking them for whatever reason or other players are better penalty takers than them. As Snookered mentions, Houghton taking the pen tonight seemed an agreed action. There was no debate or discussion about it. Maybe White didn't want to take penalties and let the manager know before the game - none of us know.

In short, to think just because a player is a forward they should automatically take pens isn't as straightforward or as obvious as it seems.

(02-07-2019 23:00 )Regenerated Wrote:  

(02-07-2019 22:59 )Gun33 Wrote:  My point about VAR is a general one, not related to tonight’s game.

I know that, my point about VAR is equally generic.

I see both sides of the argument and we can agree whether VAR is good for the game or not, all day long. There is a part of me that thinks that to an extent, some of us probably feel VAR is a valuable aid and some of us who feel VAR isn't. If anything, VAR IS like as I've probably said before, is like Marmite, you love it or hate it, but in the grand scheme of thing many pundits have been moaning for years for some sort of aid to help referees get some decisions right, and FIFA had to bee seen doing something. Personally, I feel VAR still has some way to go before it is a 100% satisfactory system, but many will still feel that VAR will always still create debate on certain decisions, but one thing I'd like to see is the time taken to make a decision, that alone has to come down considerably to help keep the game flowing, But the bottom line is VAR Is here.

(03-07-2019 00:24 )southsidestu Wrote:  It didn't ruin the moment because it was not a goal, you would rather live with a lie because it makes you feel better? Did you vote Leave in the referendum by any chance?

For me it totally made the moment because it was such a rollercoaster

I think I’m allowed to have an opinion on VAR without you casting aspersions on which way I voted in the referendum.

Netherlands v Sweden is my kind of match. 22 lovely leggy blonde girls
Yes I know that 4 of them are brunette

The Netherlands ladies are the best prepared for safe sex.

Every time they represent their nation they are given a Dutch cap.