Saint Pete

Yep, anyone who says St Mary's can't generate an atmosphere in future, refer them to this game! I almost missed the window for tickets and ended up in Itchen/Chapel Corner but even there it was pretty good tonight.

I was up the other end but personally thought the Larin one looked a possible, it seemed to me he got to the ball first and was then tripped but I only got the one look at it. On the highlights there is also one where a defender has a full handful of Stewart's shirt as he is trying to reach a cross.

Just saw Tonda's celebration for Shea Charles winner. He's human after all, emotion at last!! 😉

I disagree with your comment about us being too passive tonight. I agree that we started the game tentatively and I must admit I was mentally questioning whether Tonda made the right call going with Charles rather than Downes. (But I thought Charles did grow into the game in the end). We didn't seem to have midfield control in the first quarter of the game and it looked dicey for a while. But we gradually wrestled control and seemed to have a huge amount of set pieces at their end. It was no surprise for me when we equalised and second half and in extra time, it always felt we were the dominant side and the more likely to force a winner. The keep ball stuff I think actually helped in that respect and helped us build pressure on Boro. Bottom line is I think most genuinely neutral observers would have said we definitely edged it overall tonight and deserved the win. Boro are a good top end side so it was never going to be a walkover.

I don't know what went on with Ayling and THB but what I will say as an observer in the stadium, Ayling himself seemed to be giving out plenty, getting in the referee's face etc on a regular basis. I'm not excusing it but I'm guessing quite a lot of fairly fruity language was being given and taken on both sides, particularly in that first half.

The other issue is even once they make a decision, there would surely have to be some form of right to appeal so that would need to also take place in time for ticket sales etc for the final.

Basically playing for time then. No denial, but no clear admission either.

I think we need to be at it from the start in this one, the crowd should be bang up for this and the team needs to use that and set the tone early on. Get Scienza and Azaz on the ball as much as we can in advanced areas and get at them. If anything, my slight worry is we get too hyped up and someone (probably Downes) does something silly! I have a feeling this game may need strong but sensible refereeing, so let's hope that's what we get...

Thing is, sadly this time if it's true we have done (and planned) this, the situation is all down to the club (or it's staff's) own stupidity. I still can't believe they thought it was worth the risk given the massive importance of these games and that we were favourites to beat them anyway.

Yep, feels like their fans and media see their best opportunity of getting through is us getting expelled from playoffs post match rather than beating us at St Mary's! Although logically it shouldn't matter, I think it would help us particularly in the crazy media circus if we could smash them by as many as possible as the narrative would switch slightly to "well, they would have won anyway!"

If it turns out this is a regular thing and not a one off, it's pretty fanciful to think Tonda wouldn't know about it. Why do it if the manager doesn't get to see the results of it?

There isn't a solution which is why I disagree with VAR so much. It seeks perfection in a game where you will never find perfection in refereeing decisions. As a few others said, you could probably analyse what went on at that corner and find another 3 or 4 fouls either way. Which ones came first, where do you draw the line? When a goal is scored, VAR is obviously geared to look for fouls that would disallow the goal, so that is mainly what they are focusing on. It's preferable to have no VAR and accept the decisions of the on field officials as in the Championship and below in my view.

I think they probably did but personally I would prefer a world where VAR did not exist and decide key moments like that, it doesn't feel right.

VAR will save Arsenal.

And there we are.