Sour Mash

Any good examples of recent recoveries from ACL injuries?

I wonder what psychological effect this will have on our other world cup hopefuls going into our remaining games?

Gutted for the lad. He genuinely comes across as a decent bloke, worked very hard to improve his game; definitely one of the game's unfair outcomes this.

You can see the offside flag go up straight away. From a typical away end seat who can tell if there has been a minor shove at the other end of the pitch? Not most football fans. What would have happened re Rooney's great goal away to West Ham the other week?

Exactly. Look at the reaction from some on here on our change of home kit.

Plenty of other hypothetical scenarios. Will be plenty of times that the game could get pulled back for a challenge in the middle of the park for example, as fans get into the habit of not going mad when their team score but waiting to see if the game is going to get brought back.

So a challenge happens in one box, the atacking team go up for a pen, ref waves play on and the defending team break down the other end and score and all the fans stand in silence waiting to see if that was 30 seconds or not?

So only some of the key incidents and not others? How far back will the decision making process go? If it should have been a foul several minutes before and the team continue to play and score a goal, will play be brought back to the incident a couple of mintues before and no goal given? And to think some feel this will reduce arguments and disputes.

You're struggling that much already

So it'll only be used to challenge decisions that the ref has given and not in any instances where he may wave on play incorrectly or not give a goal?

And I'll ask again, how do you know what I have inferred? Weird. So you think unless everyone takes the same amount of time to make a decision on something, they are a "ditherer". Weird. I'll also ask again, how long will the 4th official have to review these decisions? It's not a trick question, just a simple, straight forward one to understand this system you are proposing.

Are we going to go for "back-up" to Boruc or a genuine first choice to replace him? How would Boruc react to being stuck on the bench here?

But you said earlier in the thread that makes them a "ditherer" and they'll be able to make a decision straight away? So how long will this 4th official have to review the decision and watch replays?

How on earth do you know what I've inferred? Unless you can read my mind. You were the one who suggested that 4th officials are "ditherers" for some reason. So you're saying your proposal doesn't allow for the 4th official or whoever it is in the stand to watch replays of the incident and only make decisions based on live evidence? Doesn't make sense I'm afraid.

Why is reviewing a decision from various angles "becoming a ditherer? Bizarre viewpoint. So your proposed system consists of a 4th official watching the game live on a screen and blowing up when he believes a decision is wrong?

The game carries on?

Some would be quick some wouldn't I'm afraid. It would actually lead to more debate and questioning of refereeing decisions. There still hasn't been a system proposed that makes sense I'm afraid.

But if you also take into account his age and that he seems to pick up a few injuries we could do with a new 'No.1'. Only problem is I feel Boruc wouldn't be happy or settled being 2nd choice to anyone here.

They shouldn't show footage of an incident while the referee and linesman were trying to resolve it. But yes, taking it one step further, I reckon they probably shouldn't show anything on them.

That was obviously a poor decision and shouldn't have been shown on the big screen, occasions like that won't do officials any favours.

Plenty of decisions take several replays and deliberations from those in the studio and/or commentating before being able to make a decision, that would also be the case if used by officials. There will be plenty that aren't instantaneous.

They're not getting every decision wrong though, the vast majority they get right. Tv coverage repeating every incident a hundred times, analysing from every angle, forums and social media reiterating the same over and over blows up the 'problem'.

So a random, arbitrary system deciding on a small number of key decisions and ignoring the majority.

So what if the decision in question is a penalty not given and the ref waves play on? You'd just not include any such decisions in this system, despite them being as vital to the outcome of the game as if the ball is in the back of the net? It doesn't make sense I'm afraid.

But what if it takes more than 5 seconds to come to the correct decision? So you'd only use this system if the ball has gone in the back of the net? A bizarre, arbitrary basis for using such a system.