The Football News Thread 2025/26

[jd1981]

Imagine finishing 3rd but then getting a stupid/dodgy sending off in the first minute, 46 game season wasted for one moment

Basically the side who comes 3rd should have everything stacked in their favour.
Final would be a 2 legged affair also but that wouldn’t happen as everybody wants the Wembley day out.

 

[jd1981]

One idea would be trial VAR offside without lines. If you can't tell it's on or off, then clearly it's too marginal to care.

Yep this is where I’d go, originally offside was bought in to stop unfair advantages.
A shoulder being a cm offside isn’t that.
Pre 2019 if it looked level enough we’d just accept it as being tight but fair and no one moaned.

 

[BillyDee]

One idea would be trial VAR offside without lines. If you can't tell it's on or off, then clearly it's too marginal to care.

Would take 30 seconds, wouldn't impact goal celebrations

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Yep this is where I’d go, originally offside was bought in to stop unfair advantages.
A shoulder being a cm offside isn’t that.
Pre 2019 if it looked level enough we’d just accept it as being tight but fair and no one moaned.

I agree in principle, but the worms are out the can now, everyone would moan.

 

[jd1981]

I agree in principle, but the worms are out the can now, everyone would moan.

Consistency would be the issue if anything

 

[BillyDee]

Consistency is already an issue and people are already moaning.

This would at least be quick.

 

[jd1981]

Clear and obvious is my biggest annoyance with it all, just go with what do you think would be the right decision. Get the ref to look again and decide himself.
The clear and obvious BS was the reason we didn’t get penalties at Newcastle or Man Utd in 2023.

 

[Tony Towner]

Arsenal spent over half an hour restarting play last night.

 

[Mel Evo]

Is Arsene Wenger the Tony Blair of football governance? Is his timeline identical too? Feels like it.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

Just use the position of the feet for offside and bin the upper arm nonsense and I think most people would be happy.

 

[Carrotdude]

I was just about to say the same thing, just use feet to judge it, you’ll still get the odd toe offside but it stops shoulders, arms, arse or dick position playing a part in it

 

[basher]

Yeah... but if you use just the feet argument you'll get absurd instances of the one that someone posted of Raheem Sterling when his heel is onside but he is quite clearly a yard offside!

 

[lemonjelly]

average cost of a spurs ticket this season is £76. Heavens to Murgatroyd!

 

[PuntsWolf]

Just use the position of the feet for offside and bin the upper arm nonsense and I think most people would be happy.

I wouldn’t. The sterling photo earlier has his feet onside (or part of them). He isn’t remotely onside, and wouldn’t be if all his feet were overlapping either

Edit: basher already said the same.

 

[Wilf Wolf]

Just looked at the Sterling picture and his feet are miles in front of the defender’s feet so if you only used the feet to judge offside he’d be offside.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

This one?

 

[basher]

I've just looked at my own feet and yes...i can confirm that the heel is still part of the foot...

 

[jlo]

average cost of a spurs ticket this season is £76. Heavens to Murgatroyd!

Championship benchmark then

 

[Wilf Wolf]

I've just looked at my own feet and yes...i can confirm that the heel is still part of the foot...

I meant just apply current rule but only use feet so he’d be offside.

 

[basher]

So... both feet and all of the feet have to be onside... but head, when the ball is played, can be offside by any margin as humanly possible??

I'm still out...