saintant

Then explain why neither the referee or his assistant gave offside in real time. Also, if it is clear and obvious why the need to draw lines and take so long to make a decision? It's a very marginal decision not given as offside by the onfield officials - no need for VAR to get involved and their own directives state that they shouldn't. VAR was not introduced for these very tight calls and it's high time they were told to stick to what they are there for instead of ruining football.

Any shirt tugging was well outside the area.

Look up the directives for VAR - VAR can only intervene when it's a clear and obvious error.

So why did neither the referee nor his assistant give offside in real time?

Walcott's goal should have been allowed and should not even have been looked at by VAR. The directive is that VAR looks at clear and obvious errors - there was nothing clear or obvious, it looked a goal in normal time and should have been allowed with no need for VAR to check. Even when we saw the stupid drawn lines it still wasn't clear or obvious based on when the ball was kicked. Decisions that close should always go to the attacking side - VAR can look but if they see it's that tight they shouldn't pipe up. It's for CLEAR AND OBVIOUS errors. Stop using it for every goal scored.

Yes he did.

Yes it was clearly the referee.

This is spot on but people on here are saying it was ok. That would never be given against Man City, Man Utd or Liverpool.This is blatant bias by a very sub-standard referee and should be looked at.

You can condone him going down like a sack of spuds but this typifies everything that is wrong with football. Referees clearly see a player fall to the ground as if shot when the reality is they've been barely touched - instead of dealing with the cheat and giving a yellow card they penalise the other side and give a penalty. Imagine that happening in rugby - the player concerned would be laughed at and rightly so. Football needs a good clean up from top to bottom and people condoning these things as though they are part and parcel of the game and ok are part of the problem.

Agree, just thought it was weird.

A goalkeeper going down with cramp twice is taking the piss though - they don't do any running.

Spot on. Let's not let our pathetic display gloss over the fact that we were on the end of some extremely dodgy decisions tonight that wouldn't have been given against the big boys like City, Utd and Liverpool. The second penalty was border line cheating by the ref.

I agree - I'm scratching my head at people lauding him because I only saw him pounce on a scramble in the box which was good work but led to nothing. He wasn't given long enough to show what he could do.

Apparently he wakes up every night covered in sweat screaming, 'Don't make me go back there...please, don't say I have to go back there!'

Has Jason Wilcox written to tell them he's changed his mind yet?

Surely Ankersen has more than enough material for his next book - How to Turn a Premier League Football Club into a Basket Case.

Well if they draw City away one thing is for certain - they won't get given two penalties like that.

It's not a penalty and their guy should be booked for play acting.

It wasn't in any shape or form a penalty - a bit of handbags in the box and no, it wasn't a free kick just two players who did pretty much equal to one another and that balloon comes up with a penalty. It is fucking disgraceful that he can get away with a decision like that. Imagine that at Old Traford or Anfield, it just wouldn't be given. I'm more angry about that than our shit performance.

Poor as we were that referee needs to take a long hard look at himself because he's the only one on the planet that gives that second penalty. It was an absolute fucking farce and he should be ashamed of himself. Their bloke pushes DCC in the back first and when he slaps his back in retaliation he goes down like a sack of spuds and the ref gives a penalty. Do me a favour - those are never given - a word and a yellow card and get on with the game. What a total clown.

Embarrassing.

You couldn't make this shit up. Furious doesn't cover it. Morons.

It's that lack of urgency that has led to us being one down. Every player should be in their faces, the pace of the game needs to double. It's all too wishy washy. Up the pace!!!!

Not convinced we've got goals in us. There's been the usual lack of urgency, no movement off the ball or play between the lines. Now they have a goal it's going to be very tough.

Hope they all know this is going to be a game where they have to roll up their sleeves and battle. We'll have to match or better the effort from the Grimsby players that's for sure.