Whitey Grandad

When was that match up at Newcastle that was called off not long before kickoff because the surrounding roads were deemed unsafe Andrew Saints supporters had managed to get there without falling over?

Ignored, or dismissed? Are we going to discuss every decision ever made, including fouls that were given but shouldn’t have been? There are hundreds of decisions in a match and we can’t second-guess all of them. Leave it to the officials and get on with the game.

Nothing clear about it. None of the players raised even an eyebrow. Clattenburg has an article about VAR in The Times today and refers to that Llorente decision: ‘Érik Lamela’s early “goal” for Spurs was ruled out after a lengthy discussion between Paul Tierney, the referee, and Graham Scott, his VAR, because of a foul by Fernando Llorente, but I didn’t think that was a clear and obvious error. It was a judgment call by the referee. In that instance, Tierney should be left to make that decision. VAR should not be advising on what I’d term a “soft foul”. Was it a foul or not? People are still arguing about it. The referee had already made his decision on the pitch and he didn’t think it was a foul. You may think it was, one of my colleagues may think the same, but it’s not one you can clear up with VAR. So it should stay on the pitch — that’s football.’

I live in Chandlers Ford and had to walk up to the newsagents to collect our newspaper. The estate roads still have a couple of inches of untouched snow on them but their had been a partial thaw and refreeze so there was a crunchy crust on top. The local roads - Hursley Road, Hiltingbury Road - are freely passable but with a lot of wet slush around at the edges. I was passed by a tractor with a snow shovel on the front that was clearing the slush and there was also a gritting lorry. Much depends on the next 24 hours. I would expect a freeze overnight so a lot of ice around in the morning although those roads that have been treated would have had a dry surface.

Where was the foul? Many reports thought the same and the closest officials to it didn’t have a problem with it.

From what I can see all roads are moving freely at the moment but a lot depends on what comes down later, if anything.

‘Obviously the correct decision’? Many disagreed with the VAR overruling the goal.

? Henry didn’t punch the ball into the goal. It bounced up an his hand happened to be there and could be said to have controlled the ball but he was wide of the goal and stuck it in with his foot.

As always When these conditions used to be a regular occurrence then ‘everybody’ would have had experience of driving in them. The trouble now is that there is a whole generation who think they can go flying around as though nothing had changed. It only takes one person to abandon their car in the wrong place and we all suffer.

Sure, why not?

A handball decision is always a subjective decision. Not as to whether there was any contact between the ball and the hand but there are a lot of other factors to be taken into consideration.

I’m ok. Try clearing cookies.

“clear penalty” Again, this is subjective and not definitive. My views are well known. It is an abortion that ruins the tempo of the game. I used to enjoy watching rugby twenty years ago. Now it’s turned into American Football with all the stoppages. Totally unwatchable.

Handball is a subjective decision so one person’s view will be different from another’s.

That’s understandable. The problem is all the other drivers.

“Snow ankle deep” That was never a problem in my day. The trouble now is that we have a generation who have never experienced these conditions. It’s perfectly possible to drive on such snow but it does require a totally different approach. For us oldies these conditions are not unprecedented. We used to call it ‘winter’.

Agreed. Been there, done that.

Oops, did I miss something? Too many freds, I say. How about editing a thread title? Just a thought...

The club website has the game down for 13:30 on Sunday the 18th on the BBC. https://southamptonfc.com/fixtures/2017-18 And the BBC too http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43225939

What was the ‘orange ball, orange ball’ game. Was that away to Villa?

Oxford United away midweek whenever that was. Closely followed by that Reading match. Souness was incensed by the ref saying something like “It’ll be all right if they don’t go at it 100%” or something. I was frozen at Wembley for the Zenith Data Cup too.

They should pay us for watching it.

Yep. And it’s going to get worse. Television has paid a lot of money and it has bought the sport.

Did somebody mention my name?

This is his fundamental problem. He doesn’t have a concept of all-out attack. Go for the throat, I call it.