Cronky

Enjoyed reading the article. It really looks like he has embraced the challenge, and spread confidence through the whole of the team. I was going to say that his arrival was the stroke of luck we needed, but in Rafa's case, there's the old adage that the harder you work, the luckier you get.

Disappointing Agree that it was a pen, but what do you expect from the Juventus players and Buffon? I get that it was injury time in one of the great comebacks. I get that it changed the tie with the last kick. However, the boundaries of acceptable behaviour are pretty clear, and the ref felt Buffon went outside them. He could have booked the lot of them, the way the Juve players mobbed him. And yeah, disappointing that one of the greatest keepers of the past 30-40 years took a little shine off his legacy. He's one of those players that transcends club or country because he's that good; he is admired by so many, and to see him behave like that... Buffon needs to look at his own behaviour. If the penalty had been saved, he'd have left his team to play half an hour with 10 men and the second choice keeper. In a saner world, Buffon would apologise to the ref, his team-mates and his club's supporters. I'm not holding my breath.

Michael Oliver was big enough to face up to his responsibilities in that situation. Buffon wasn't.

That's not the letter of the law anymore as far as I'm aware. You’re right. Rule now guide that for a DOGSO penalty decision it is not a red card if there is a genuine attempt to play the ball (in the ref’s opinion). It was brought in to stop the idea of a triple punishment for teams in that situation. Penalty, red card, and most likely a goal conceded too. That's only straight red cards, no? This would have still been a yellow (his 2nd) But then there are further guidelines that refs are given where they’re told if they are going to give a second yellow they have to be 100% sure without even the tiniest of doubts that the foul is worthy of a yellow card. I take it Mike judged it as a careless foul and not worthy of a second yellow. He may also have taken the triple punishment thing into consideration. Or who knows maybe because he was instantly bombarded by Jeve players he didn’t have a second he think about it. Either way it would be harsh to give him black marks for not giving the yellow I feel. Yeah, I think in the general mayhem that followed, he either forgot to give the defender the second yellow, or decided that he wouldn't leave the pitch with his knackers attached if he sent another Italian off.

As clear a pen as you'll see. The defender went right through him without touching the ball. Likewise the ref had no choice with the red card. Buffon was right in his face, made physical contact, and was shouting at the top of his voice. I think the studio pundits felt a bit sorry for Juve, and most of us would have liked to see them complete the fightback. It just wasn't to be.

He's done a good job for us, but he's not a CL standard player. I can't believe that PSG and Bayern are seriously interested. He's at the right level with us.

With Maguire, VAR would probably have given a different decision, but not really a better one. Yes, he had his hand on Gayle's face, but it was a push rather than a punch, and given the way that Gayle was grappling with him, it's understandable that he lost his temper. I'm quite happy to see a ref use some common sense in that situation. Credit to Gayle for not hitting the deck, clutching his face, which a lot of players would have done.

Well thinking about it, Sammy has spent this season making a major contribution towards saving his club from relegation - a bankrupt club that looked absolutely doomed after the first few games when he was injured. Hatem has spent the season sat on his arse, and thinking it's funny. You pick your heroes, I'll pick mine.

He's a beautiful man with beautiful skills, if you don't like him then stay out the fucking thread and allow us to masturbate in peace. But I like pissing on people's parade.

Embracing failure yet again.

I was very impressed with Liverpool's young full backs. Not big names, but they played a big part in nullifying City's threat.

The argument over whether or not to pick the skilful but unreliable player is probably one of the oldest in sport. I do wonder whether managers, under pressure to produce results, succumb to anxiety too often and go for 'safe' options rather take what they may see as a risk. And I do think that the skilful player who makes a mistake by not tracking back or failing to tackle pays a greater penalty than the clogger who wastes a goal-scoring opportunity by failing to pass accurately. As an eg, I question why Rafa isn't making more use of Merino's skill. On the other hand, I'm aware that this pattern of the supporter having a higher regard than the manager, for the maverick, is very, very common in football. It does appeal to our romantic, optimistic side. Having to pay the consequences for your decisions does sharpen up your thinking in any form of working life, and that's the lot of the manager. However, in general, I'm still cheekily inclined to think that the contribution of the skilful player is easily underestimated. Unfortunately though, I think there are issues with HBA that go beyond how much you may or may not rate his contribution on the field. He has difficulties in getting on with team mates as well as authority figures, and seems to have a tendency to self-destruct. The prime example of that for me was when, having finally secured a move to a club worthy of his talent, he turns up at PSG overweight and unfit.

A result that really takes the pressure off, given that we haven't the easiest of run-ins. One more win should do it.

How many people actually 'hated' him though? Most of his critics, self included, would have loved to have seen him fulfil his talent, and felt very exasperated when it didn't happen. The difference is whether you see the problem as being with Ben Arfa, or with the various managers that he's fallen out with. Do you think Ben Arfa was more to 'blame' for how his Newcastle career went or Pardew? Ben Arfa has to take responsibility. His talent is obvious and I think Pardew, like a string of other managers, would have loved to have made use of it. Pardew seems to have taken a lot of the blame for demoralising Ben Arfa by dropping him. Whether or not the dropping was justified, surely the reaction of a winner in that situation is to prove the manager wrong? The problem with Ben Arfa is that the minute anything goes against him, he falls into victim mode.

How many people actually 'hated' him though? Most of his critics, self included, would have loved to have seen him fulfil his talent, and felt very exasperated when it didn't happen. The difference is whether you see the problem as being with Ben Arfa, or with the various managers that he's fallen out with.

The breakdown is Union's greatest asset and biggest problem. The fact that play doesn't stop after a tackle is what most distinguishes it from league, and adds an extra flow and variation to the patterns of play. On the other hand, what's legal and what's not is often at the discretion of the ref, and varies over time with custom and practice. They are endlessly having to change the rules to keep up with what players are trying to do.

Shearer's equalising volley against Everton. A spectacular strike, late in the match when it looked like it wasn't going to be our day. Good times.

VAR at the World Cup will be an absolute, total, complete, unmitigated disaster. They are still in the stages of grappling with the practicalities of the system, and yet they're going to inflict it on the game's major tournament, where the pressure and the media attention is at its highest. I think VAR is a bad idea for anything but goal-line decisions anyway, but the premature nature of this decision will compound the error.

Support from me is probably the last thing Ian needs, but Rugby Union played at its finest is really great to watch. I think it helps a lot to have played it though, in order to make sense of what's going on.

Chelsea out-muscled Barca all over the pitch. The result over two legs could really have been very different.

I think Sanchez will prove to be the latest one in a long list of players whose performances decline after leaving Wenger's influence. Arsenal fans should be careful what they wish for.

I think his attacking play has improved a lot too. It's not just the 30 yard hoof infield any more.

He looks to have really matured as a player and grown in confidence. The potential was always there, but he seemed to go through a period where he was afraid to try things and retreated into his shell. He seems to have put that behind him.

If Southampton go down, Josh Sims will probably be available. Only 20. Looks very promising to me.

Ours is a sport where too many decisions rest on difficult matters of opinion, rather than clear cut matters of fact. Technology isn't going to get round that.