Fair play to you lads for managing to get an hours discussion about the game on Saturday
but as usual, good pod and great turnaround.
I was still riding a week long high from the Scotland victory over Serbia and for me it was a very worthwhile international break! Non Man United related, it was easily one of the best feelings I've had in sport, seeing my team make a major finals for the first time since I was 7 years old. Brilliant.
Few thoughts from the game on Saturday. West Brom certainly had a right to feel aggrieved in my opinion as any time I see the replay from the Bruno tackle I think it is definitely a penalty, and then additionally ours shouldn't have been given as it was a foul by Fred right before Mata receives the ball. It is a handball though so can understand exactly why it was given. I was also impressed with the young lad Gallagher on loan from Chelsea, had lots of endeavour and looked to get on the front foot so I thought he was good.
VAR - it's starting to get out of hand now. I think it needs to mirror rugby in two ways.
First, when there is a VAR review I think we should be able to hear exactly what the issue is. The transparency would help a great deal.
Secondly, leave all the power with the ref. If a try is scored in rugby and the referee has no complaints, the TMO doesn't interfere at all. However, if the ref has a doubt in his mind he will ask a very specifc question of the TMO, such as 'Is there ANY reason I cannot award this try?' so offside, foul play, grounding of the ball, any forward passes would be quickly checked. Or he could say 'I am happy to award a try, please could you check the grounding of the ball?' and that's all the TMO will check. The only way the TMO might get involved without the ref asking a question is if there is serious foul play on the pitch, such as an opponent being struck.
So, what should happen IMO is for the ref to have total and final say for most things, and if he is unsure then he asks the VAR to clear it up. VAR should only get involved without being prompted for serious foul play (like Pepe the other night) or offsides (as that will absolutely not change).
Handballs really are ridiculous now. The only way to even remotely try and control it after the recent changes would be just to award a penalty whenever a hand is struck in the box. It's absolutely not fair and is seriously punishing defenders but the laws are a joke at the moment.