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UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

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Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#71
post #69

Maybe it would have been better for Team USA if it had not been reversed. Before the reversal the oddsmakers were putting USA vs Belgium at even or slightly in Belgium's favor. After the reversal the oddsmakers had USA as a slight but clear favorite. I'd expect that if it had not been reversed it might have made USA feel like underdogs with something to prove which sometimes can inspire better play. Also it made have…

Best result for the game, couldn't ask for better.

The US clearly "cheats" via political pressure on field decisions and Belgium kicked their sorry arses regardless.

Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#74

It is tough for Belgium, but I don't expect them to protest too strongly and risk waking up with +10% tariffs on products they export to the USA.

no worries, then they'll just ship those products through one the other members of the EU

>The European Union allows goods to move freely between the 27 countries in the economic bloc, which would complicate any bid to impose trade restrictions on a single member state. Src: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8r1mzd8vygo

Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#75
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With respect, only an American would think that the competition ceases to be interesting just because the US loses. This is already shaping up to be a really interesting WC with or without the US. Political leaders intervening to give their countries an advantage is what makes it boring. Tilting the scales in favour of a country where you are trying to grow the sport may make financial sense in the short term but it…

> With respect, only an American would think that the competition ceases to be interesting just because the US loses With respect to you, I'm a lifelong football fan. And read more carefully, the argument I am making is not that the competition ceases to be interesting because the US loses. The argument I am making is that the competition ceases to be interesting because the US doesn't get to field its best squad on…

You're wrong.

You can't choose a random player and give them unfair advantage, and argue that it makes the game more enjoyable (for any type of game). It's not what audiences desire.

It actually makes games less enjoyable, for many reasons.

Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#77
post #75
post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> With respect, only an American would think that the competition ceases to be interesting just because the US loses With respect to you, I'm a lifelong football fan. And read more carefully, the argument I am making is not that the competition ceases to be interesting because the US loses. The argument I am making is that the competition ceases to be interesting because the US doesn't get to field its best squad on…

You're wrong. You can't choose a random player and give them unfair advantage, and argue that it makes the game more enjoyable (for any type of game). It's not what audiences desire. It actually makes games less enjoyable, for many reasons.

It's not just a random player, it's a player whose red card was contested even by the commentators as it was playing out. You should just watch the replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuaS3jUAark.

"Does he endanger the safety of his opponent? You could argue it does, but I think it's slightly unfair because it's more of a stepping action that lacks force and intensity to create that red card."

"Is it the right call? I don't think it's the right call...I don't like that being the level that we're calling for a red card. I think that's a yellow card, I don't see that as a red"

After the match, there was continued debate as to whether it should have been a red. Messi didn't get a red card for a nearly identical incident.

FIFA has a rule to handle this sort of situation, and it's Article 27. In my opinion, that is a poor system as any process that's initiated by FIFA is bound to be arbitrary. It would be better to have a universal appeals process, and such a process might very well have resulted in an overturning of the red card nevertheless. Either way, the outcome was correct, even if the path to getting there was flawed.

And just taking a step back and taking stock of what we are arguing here; it's not as though Belgium were given a disadvantage, it is simply that they were being asked to play against the full squad. It was pathetic to complain about that, especially given that Belgium comfortably thrashed the USA's full squad.

As spectators of any sport, that's all we can hope for: take the best of 2 teams and pit them against each other. See where the chips fall. I don't actually enjoy watching an easy fixture, I want it to be a nail biter.

Belgium should have either said nothing, or just said "cool we don't care, we'll beat them either way, game on". Instead, they (and most Europeans) came across as sissies.

Looking ahead, for me personally, I'm hoping football comes home.

Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#78
post #77
post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're wrong. You can't choose a random player and give them unfair advantage, and argue that it makes the game more enjoyable (for any type of game). It's not what audiences desire. It actually makes games less enjoyable, for many reasons.

It's not just a random player, it's a player whose red card was contested even by the commentators as it was playing out. You should just watch the replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuaS3jUAark . "Does he endanger the safety of his opponent? You could argue it does, but I think it's slightly unfair because it's more of a stepping action that lacks force and intensity to create that red card." "Is it the right c…

[deleted]

Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#79
post #67
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>The Belgians now need to man up and play the game with a full squad rather than whine about not getting an easy fixture Oh the irony. Why don't the US man up and play within the rules? You president whined and whined and whined, he does nothing but whining every single day. You are completely morally corrupt. The Americans are cheaters, and nobody will respect them even if they win. "Pathetic" doesn't even start to…

Yeesh, this conversation has run its course.

It run its course the minute you "honestly" thought the Belgians were whining and the Americans weren't. You have no argument remaining, especially now that Olise's yellow card has been left in place. Wouldn't the game be more interesting if he played without it? Isn't it controversial too?

Re: UEFA slams FIFA's 'unprecedented, unjustifiable' Balogun decision

#80
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The on the pitch call was not a red card. VAR told the ref to go to the monitors to review and then the red card was given. If the on the pitch call stood, which was the right call, then we wouldn't be having the conversation. The level of scrutiny we place on foot position when determining offsides with VAR is an example of the letter of the law vs the spirit of the law. Offsides was not meant to catch players who w…

> I'm not sure VAR is the net-benefit we think it is. It is for offside. Offside calls were so egregiously bad it was painful to watch. Any time a defense got burned badly, the flag would go up. Early 2000's someone watched an entire world cup and found that 25% of offside calls were obviously wrong. I just rewatched the US v Germany match from 1998, and Kobi Jones was called offside on a breakaway when he was onside…

Then perhaps it’s the offsides rule that needs revision. Do you think the spirit of the rule is captured by foot position analysis? If two players bodies are in alignment and the attackers leg is just beyond the leg of the defender, does that really matter? The rule was designed to stop attackers from sitting deep between the defenders and the goalie.
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