JRC

The argument in the Lovren case was that his contact was deliberate, he just made a mess of it (under the pressure of knowing Kane was behind him, of course, but that doesn't let him off, apparently). Yet against Cardiff, the ball clearly just deflected off VvD, and the offside striker still got the benefit. And I still can't recall any instance other than those 2 where this new offside interpretation has been applied.

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Think playing advantage is one area that's improved, in that guidance was changed, allowing Refs to take longer to assess advantage. In the 70s - and 80s, I think - it was supposedly an instantaneous decision; there was no calling it back from giving advantage, so there was a greater inclination to give the foul (see the 88 final, for example). Of course, the current crop of incompetents can't necessarily make better judgements despite a more lenient environment, and still get it wrong.

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The bit in the first half where he nicked the ball cleanly on the edge of our box then carried it at pace right to theirs was immense - should have led to a clearer chance than it did.

Yeah, as an exercise in giving some players a rest and others some minutes it was fine. Thought a lot of our general play was fine, especially the speed of transition from defence to attack. The ref's general ineptitude lead to a sloppy malaise on our part and gave them a boost, both of which expanded in the second half. That our second came from possibly the worst passage of play by us - apart from the quality of the finish - seemed more to create further relaxation from us and a response from them, and there were a few hairy moments, or at least flashbacks to previous collapses. When they brought that big lad on as they were taking a throw in from by the corner I had a sinking fesling, but the throw was crap and we decided it was time to make our class show. Last 2 goals were highest quality, straight out of last year's highlights. So overall - pretty happy.

Stood up and cheered that. Was originally worried he would dive in late and reckless, then confident he could slide and make it, finally astonished when he got there at least a yard ahead of the other bloke. Fantastic stuff.

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That 77 Team was a deflected, spawny Brian Greenhoff goal from doing the Treble - at a time when the Double was uncommon, and no team dominated like we then went on to do (and then so did...you know). But as Paisley masterfully did year-on-year, he made the best even better - as Kenny, Souness and Hansen took over the leading roles. Keegan was just fantastic for us, not least in his last ever game. Not only did he not string us along - he went public on his move a long time before - he never shirked any effort in the meantime. As has been mentioned, Vogts was possibly the best defender in the world at the time, especially at man-marking, and Kevin left him a broken man that night.

City do a very strong line in crowding the ref these days, getting to the levels of Utd under Ferguson; surprised, tbh, that Atkinson stood for it so much. That other Silva (B) lad is good, but he can't half whinge.

Sending Fernandinho off would have been a shoe-in if he had shown some balls and booked him for walking away and turning his back on him until forced to return with Silva's intervention. That he then chose not to, and didn't back up his earnest chat with a card following his next infraction, was a dereliction of duty.

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This was a standard discussion under Shankly and Paisley. Long before Sports Science - although Paisley was a sports science savant - it was always claimed we would start the season well fitness wise, then dip around October before hitting our peak by Christmas which we could maintain to the invariably successful seasons end.

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Any team with Alonso in is, by definition, better than one without him. When Henderson is on his game, we are better as a team. His fitness issues have sometimes restricted him - but he was a crucial part in the team that stormed its way to the CL final last year, and Klopp has continually stressed his importance in his plans for the team, and picked him accordingly. Is there an improvement on him in that role - probably; which is true of almost every player (except VvD, of course), and he is not above criticism or comment on his (relative) shortcomings. But the constant and simplistic targetting of him as our weak link, or cause of any perceived team failures - not necessarily on here, but Twitter was full of the s*** on Saturday - is bandwaggoningly tedious. Apparently, we won because we improved so much when Henderson was taken off. The seats next to mine are, I think, season ticket ones sold privately each week - usually a different couple each week. Rarely takes 5 minutes for some insight about Henderson's crapness to be voiced - even when he didn't start, followed by the blindingly self-unaware "If we can all see it, why can't Klopp?" narrative. Not yet reached - 'must have some pictures to blackmail him' levels, but it makes me weary and despondent.

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