Tell me about it. I happened to ne on holiday and have access to unlimited free mojitos during this match, I have no idea how I’ll make it through the game against Argentina.
A flop? Haaland put both his hands on that guy and shoved him away. That was a very clear foul.
I want to clarify that sequence a little. There is always jostling in the box, sometimes even people getting shoved down, but referees will do what they can to avoid a call on a foul like that (or at least Bundesliga referees, with whom I’m most familiar).
In this case, Anderson was getting pre-corner jostling from Haaland, called it to the referee’s attention, and then when the kick came in, Haaland shoved him with extended arms, and Anderson went to ground rather easily.
In my mind, Haaland gets a call for not seeing this obvious and very common sequence to its end, when he could have just lowered a shoulder given he was cutting right.
I’d feel outraged too if I were a Norway fan, and yet I also think it’s a valid call.
I can’t stop thinking about Messi and his strange fate.
The man fought for years to be worthy and more than worthy of being called (since he was 17!) the Heir of Diego.
With that impossibly heavy weight on his shoulders he battled bad luck, bad teams, bad coaching, bad football confederations, a bad economy making his parents unable to pay his treatment…
And finally, in 2022 he beat it all, he was done, nothing more could be asked of him, destiny: fulfilled, Diego: happy in heaven, Incredibly demanding Argentinians: At his feet.
But he had never played against England…
And now he will, at 39 years old, the memory of 1986 is raised, everybody here agrees that he’s done enough, nobody can ask him for more… and yet… and yet…
Couldn’t we have a semi against France or Spain? it would’ve been a very important match, of course but not THIS.
I cannot understand if it’s incredible bad luck, good luck or just fate, the hand of god if you will.
For my part and in the name of all right thinking people here, Leo, you have nothing to demonstrate, we love you and are more than grateful for everything.
But we know, deep inside, how you feel, it’s not just a game, it cannot be just a game, it’s the last thing in The List you must’ve made for yourself so many years ago.
Every time you get the ball in the middle of the field and start going towards their goal the English will feel a chill down their spine, we will feel our hearts beating faster… “what if It happens again?”…
We hereby exempt you of all responsibility, try to do the same for yourself too, hard as it is, and just enjoy the game, it may be the most lethal thing you can do.
And the fans can’t properly celebrate a goal any more, now they have that interminable wait while VAR does its thing and tries to find a reason to disallow the goal. It’s crap.
THIS
On the subject of Messi, today I heard an interesting reason why he never played England. The last time the two sides met, in a friendly in 2005 which England won 3-2, he was suspended. Because he got sent off in a previous friendly! Apparently he was fending off an opponent who was trying to pull him back, his arm or hand went vaguely in the direction of the opponent’s face,… you know the rest.
It’s weirder than that (as was to be expected at this point), the previous friendly was his first game with the senior team, against Hungary, he was red carded only seconds after entering the pitch.
There was another player whose first game was against Hungary and was red carded only seconds after entering the pitch… Do I need to specify His name?
I disagree. They get to celebrate a legitimate goal twice. And they now get the added celebration of the recall of an illegitimate goal as well.
Except that they get essentially second guessed by VAR now. In any case, the two refs just talk it out and determine the right call, just like they do in hockey and the NFL. And, as for the players crowding the refs, whining and complaining, well, that should obviously stop, too.
As an Arsenal fan the one highlight of this past season that will stand the test of time is almost certainly: “After review, West Ham number 19 commits a foul on the goalkeeper. Final decision is direct free kick”.
Won us the league, it did.
Hence:
And if so, your team will deserve to have the goal taken away, no?
I don’t think that having a bad call that went against you fixed and having a bad call that went for you fixed are comparable. A bad call that went against you and was fixed is purely a good thing. There was a bad call, and it was fixed; AND you benefited. A bad calm that goes for you and is fixed is bittersweet, in that you were harmed, but the game is fairer for it.
Perfect, fix that and then we can talk about VAR, until then remove this thing from my sport please.
I disagree. You can scream your head off when there’s a goal, groan if it goes to VAR, and scream your head off again when the VAR results come in. It’s all part of the drama.
The final effect is the same, controversial calls are inevitable, VAR or no VAR, I prefer to suffer some technically imperfect calls and stop having the game constantly interrupted and not being able to celebrate the goals the moment they are scored.
I’ll add that in live play, the crowd roars for every home goal even when the linesman’s flag has already gone up. It’s not like they’re not used to the disappointment. 
I’m going to make a ruling. People who like VAR and don’t like VAR are both right. They prioritize different aspects of the game, neither is wrong, and no one is going to be convinced of the rightness of the others’ arguments because everyone is right.
This is the final ruling, there will be no review. Play on.
I agree with this ruling, so mote it be.