DANNY STEWART
Just be glad you didn’t have £90,000 riding on it
Even setting aside – surely the best plan – comments from
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer about withholding food from his son, it has been a fractious week.
The Manchester United manager went down the bad-parenting rabbit hole when criticising Spurs forward, Son Heung-min for exaggerating a blow to the face from Scott McTominay.
It cost United what would have been their opening goal, and even the fact his side subsequently went on to win 3-1 wasn’t going to stop the Norwegian having his tuppence worth on the subject.
To be fair, his irritation at the VAR verdict was shared by almost every non-Spurs-supporting football fan everywhere.
For a perfectly good goal to be chopped off – after analysis – for what was effectively the Scotland international doing no more than using his body to move across the pitch – was vexing in the extreme.
There is, of course, always someone who has it worse than you do.
Spare a thought, then, for the unlucky punter who missed out on a £90,000 payoff from a £5 accumulator.
Newcastle United to beat Burnley 2-1. West Ham v Leicester to finish 3-2 and, the 40-1 super pick, Manchester United to win 4-1.
Simulation is an emotive business, and spats were not confined to England
Tick, tick, cross – very cross, no doubt.
Simulation is an emotive business, and spats on the subject were not confined to England’s top flight.
Hibs forward Martin Boyle found himself forced to defend himself against fresh allegations he is an offender following his team’s loss to Rangers.
Referee Don Robertson booked him for play-acting when he went down under a challenge from Connor Goldson.
The Australian later said he had merely been brushed off the ball by the Light Blues defender and, as a result, had not claimed – or been looking for – a penalty.
That being the case, he should not have been yellow-carded.
Boyle, in fact, is concerned comments from Ross County manager, John Hughes, after a game in the Highlands last month – during which he won a penalty – have given him a reputation.
Hughes’ reaction to the incident at the time was choice: “The last time I saw a dive like that, the boy had Speedos on.”
It is not unrealistic to imagine off-duty officials smiling at the comment and, possibly unwittingly, filing Boyle away as one worthy of watching.
There is something, too, to the Australian international’s argument that his fearsome pace makes him more likely to hit the ground on contact.
One, because it means opposition players are more likely to be lunging as they try to catch up with him. Two, because his own interrupted momentum is harder to control.
It is tougher to have sympathy with the talk about not looking for a penalty.
Had one been given, would he have put up his hand and tried to talk the referee out of his decision?
In professional sport, for which read “highly-competitive”, it is stretching the bounds of credibility to imagine any player doing that.
The fact livelihoods are at stake is part of the reason why everyone gets so hot under the collar about diving.
A penalty awarded, or not awarded, is often the difference between winning and losing.
Get more than your share, and you have a better chance of success.
Conversely, if officials hold out on you, then your odds will be stacked towards failure.
Small wonder, then, that it fills such a chunk of managers’ postmatch chat.
All of which makes the failure of VAR in England – and you only need glance at the grim faces of Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Co. on a weekly basis on Match Of The Day when it comes time to dissect some infuriating calls – to know how frustrating it is.
In the unlikely event we ever see virtual refs employed up here, at least the thought of John Hughes smilingly demanding they be withheld sustenance for a week is
appealing.