West Ham’s survival hopes headed south in the added-on minutes of drama and controversy that could well define the season at both the top and bottom of the Premier League yesterday. The forlorn hope that Leeds United – officially ‘safe’ after that result – will do the Hammers a favour and beat Tottenham to keep the relegation battle alive may keep thousands watching tonight.
The VAR argument rages on with fans, ex players and officials all coming down on their own side of the argument. Won’t change anything. I doubt whether there’s a conspiracy but the authorities have to find a way to restore the game’s credibility, when one side gets away with skullduggery all season and wouldn’t be about to lift the trophy without it. Peter Schmeichel, for one, nailed it with his post match appraisal:
That’s how they’ve scored so many goals, by blocking people, holding people, doing all kinds of things. And then we get to this point, it takes VAR five minutes, Darren England the VAR, it takes five minutes. He starts it over again and starts it over again and again… that in itself puts so much doubt into that decision that it cannot be a free-kick.
I think it’s so wrong. I just don’t understand why all of a sudden that’s a free-kick, because it’s not been for any teams all the way throughout the season. All this, it’s just crazy. And that decision today, it’s just so wrong on so many levels.
Strangely, however, I’m already resigned to a season in the lower tier.
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No VAR, as many have said. Good old fashioned ranting at the referee and celebrating when the errors go your way, knowing decisions even themselves out over a season – without the whiff of favouritism.
Imagine: No tourists! Half the number of fans queueing for a half time cup of tea. A time to reset, start again, rebuild. Hopefully not ‘doing a Leicester’. I’m off to start a campaign to keep Tomas Soucek at the club as captain next year, assuming just about everyone else is going to be sold.
And who knows, with events seemingly lining up off the pitch to make for an interesting summer, maybe, just maybe, change at the top is quietly gathering impetus.
Bring it on. COYI.