VectisSaint

But it does because that's what the authorities want. It shouldn't be as complicated because VAR should not be involved in offsides if the offside rule was rewritten to reflect the need for it to address 'the advantage' rather than whether it is 'mathematically' level or not. Sourness today had a sensible solution, that is to change so that the attacking player is onside if any part of his body is in an onside position, makes a lot more sense than the current law.

It's not easy at all. Needs to take into account moment ball is kicked and multiple players, and players are rather nebulously shaped compared to a sphere (ball) or a straight line. Then the nebulous shape only has parts that count (legal goal scoring parts), the pitch is not flat and then the frame length of a TV camera has to be considered. The answer should be to remove the need for VAR for offside by easing the definition of offside to focus more on the 'gaining an unfair advantage' rather than trying to precisely measure something that is imprecise by definition.

Just bear in mind that Adams is 23. How many other strikers are regularly banging in goals in their late teens/very early 20s in the Championship or PL?

But that's the problem, it is not as simple as that. The VAR tools are not completely accurate, and it is impossible to determine exactly when the ball was kicked. The real problem is that VAR is trying to accurately measure something that is immeasurable and should not be measured in the first place. The whole point of the offside rule is to prevent an attacking player gaining an unfair advantage. The law was changed only back in 1990 to bring in the concept of the attacking player being level with the 2nd last defender. It was introduced in the days before the technology, and was a judgement call, it was thought that this was easier to determine and from the point of view of a linesman's eye it was. But "level" was never meant to be a scientific factor. There is no advantage of having the width of your toenail in front of a defender, or your nose or your armpit. The IFA need to change the offside law so that it is based more on "gaining an advantage", and allow the linesmen to do their job and make the judgement call without the use of VAR. No problem with VAR for other parts of the game, but to use it for offside using the current offside rule is stupid. Not even convinced VAR got it right yesterday with the Zaha incident, think we got lucky there. Cannot see what part of Zaha they considered was in front of what part of Stephens, but that's a different argument. As Danny Mills said on MOTD 3 good goals were wiped off yesterday in the PL, we should be encouraging more goals not taking them away, none of the three were scored due to any tangible unfair advantage to the attacking player.

This. The offside rule should be changed such that use of VAR would not be appropriate. "Being level" is not how offside shoulbe judged, its about having an advantage, and an armpit or a toenail is not an advantage.

He was, along with PEH, who was even worse. Diabolical was putting it mildly. Most people here seemed to agree that he was bad.

They are being made to look good because of the poor quality of the opposition. Citeh are very ordinary with their defensive fragility, United, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal are all very poor at the moment, Leicester still 2nd says it all.

Credit where its due he was very good yesterday. But he was diabolical against Villa and poor against Newcastle. Consistently good he has not been.

Not only that, he was born in Dublin. Unlike most Irish internationals he was actually born in Ireland. Anyway the run was broken by Stephens against Villa, he is Cornish. ?

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Perhaps some credit ought to go to Kitzbichler, or at least to having an assistant again. Ralph lost his way, without an assistant (Rohl) to bounce ideas off, eventually Kitzbichler comes in and after a few weeks things start to turn round. Coincidence?

Prowse was given MOTM. Not saying he necessarily deserved it but think your assessment is a bit wide of the mark.

It doesn't

The response was to the fookwit who said he couldn't pass, even to Jan. We really do have some dimwits on this board.

Daft, perhaps he is not 100%. Fitness is not an issue. He can pick up a serious injury any time. Shouldplay your best team for every game,playing the percentages seldom works in practice :-)

Josh Sims isn't returning from Yeovil (unless its a family visit to his place of birth). He returned from New York a few weeks ago, but no one was ever able to clarify if he was eligible to play before January.

Yes, well below his average of over 70% this season. Over 70% successful passes when averaging over 40 passes per game shows that he is actually quite good at passing, by no means the best, but actually pretty decent. Notice he is in the WhoScored team of the week this week, that's best XI of the top5 European Leagues, based on all stats. Not a great believer in stats but I think they at least refute the nonsense spouted by someone on here that he can't pass.

Chelsea specifically, probably, teams in general absolutely. You know there were times when teams used to be played as double headers, home one weekend, away the next.

Sometimes you wonder on here if some people can actually identify some of our players. Stephens has his faults, but not being able to pass ain't one of them.

Would be very surprised if anyone could prise Ingsy away from Southampton. Don't think some of these commentators understand about playing for your home town club, he's achieved his ambition. Might be different if we go down, but can't see any scenario where he might think Everton would be the place to be.

They do actually.

Yes, but it's ridiculous that we got him to work set pieces because he was rubbish at Goalkeeping coaching, when it would have been better to have employed someone who specialised in that area in the first place. Bit like SKD, determined to find something he is good at. Jobs for the boys instead of getting the best available.

As has just about every other CB in the PL.

There were a lot of things PEH messed up in the game, but to be fair if he had got in the waynofnGrealish's shot it would probably have taken his head off, still I suppose that would have made him more headless chicken like.

Says it all really, Goalkeeping coach maybe doing set pieces some good. Suppose he had to be good at something. If only we employed people with expertise in the areas needed rather than fit square pegs into round holes. Here's another thought, perhaps we are beginning to see some impact from Kitsbichler. He has been very low key since he arrived but things are beginning to look a bit better, the defence is better organised and there is more purpose to our attacking play. Ralph has someone to work with again maybe.