Oldham Athletic v Exeter City Official Matchday Thread

[PeteUSA]

View attachment 1096

OK, not sure if this will work but this should be the freeze-frame of the moment when Ryan heads the ball and Jake is clearly off-side. As others have said Ryan should have scored with his free header, although whether Jake would have been judged to have been interfering with play is a whole other kettle of fish.

I've just had another look at the disallowed offside 'goal' and one thing is blindingly obvious. When Ryan headers that ball goalwards, Jake is clearly offside, only about a yard or less from the goal-line. In the unlikely event that the linesperson was incorrect with the instant flag when the cross-ball was struck, theres absolutely no doubt that Jake was in an offside position when Ryan headed that ball forward; the minute Bowman made contact (for want of a better word) with that awful header, Jake was glaringly offside when he nodded in a second header. Theres nothing to clear up using VAR as far as I'm concerned; that goal was as offside as you'll ever see.

 

[grecianstew]

On a wider point, other than give us one eyed observers the excuse to excuse to abuse the hapless officials who “rob us” of our deserved victory, what actual point does the offside law serve? It is an impossible law for a human to administer accurately so game after game is decided by an error either way. Years ago Hockey - who’s offside rule was identical- scrapped offside completely and many traditionalists foretold the end of the world, now not a soul would dream of bringing it back It took a while for teams to adjust their tactics, but now 75% of the contentious decisions have been taken out of the game and in the meantime the pitch has effectively become much bigger.

 

[IndoMike]

I've just had another look at the disallowed offside 'goal' and one thing is blindingly obvious. When Ryan headers that ball goalwards, Jake is clearly offside, only about a yard or less from the goal-line. In the unlikely event that the linesperson was incorrect with the instant flag when the cross-ball was struck, theres absolutely no doubt that Jake was in an offside position when Ryan headed that ball forward; the minute Bowman made contact (for want of a better word) with that awful header, Jake was glaringly offside when he nodded in a second header. Theres nothing to clear up using VAR as far as I'm concerned; that goal was as offside as you'll ever see.
[/QUOTE

If there had been VAR at the match it would have been used.

 

[PeteUSA]

In the words of Roy Chubby Brown, the day VAR is introduced at Boundary Park "is the day I'll kiss the Popes bollox"!

 

[Grecian2K]

Who needs VAR when we've got VAP.*
*Very Accurate Pete

 

[Matt Phillips]

View attachment 1096

Ok, not sure if this will work but this should be the freeze-frame of the moment when Ryan heads the ball and Jake is clearly off-side. As others have said Ryan should have scored with his free header, although whether Jake would have been judged to have been interfering with play is a whole other kettle of fish. Yes, the officials occasionally make mistakes but I would prefer that to the mess which is VAR - the referees also seem to have done a pretty good job so far this season and I can't remember too many glaring errors.

But on this freeze frame, the ball has already left his head... I guess it's a moot point, but what this fails to show is relative momentum. Jake was at full pelt and when Bowman headed it I have absolutely no doubt that Taylor was behind the ball. In all the stills I've seen, it's difficult to tell given Bowman's leap distorting the perspective, but from the stand, the point of contact was easily inside the box (I'd say 4 yards from goal) and Taylor, based on momentum, must have been behind this otherwise he would have ran past it.

 

[ryancooper327]

Does it matter? It didn’t count, we can’t change that!

 

[exeter-loyal]

Does it matter? It didn’t count, we can’t change that!

Agree move on. It's a point not a loss was a close decision but decision was made.
We had enough chances to win it before that.

 

[scottus86]

Bowman heads the ball in front of Taylor. He is about a yard into the 6 yard box when he makes contact with the ball where as Taylor was about half a yard in. You can't be offside if the ball is played to a player who is square or behind play. Should have been a goal.

 

[Red Devon]

I still say you don’t have to be a mind reader to see what the assistant was thinking when she was walking off.....where as the referee and the other assistant were all handshakes and smiles she had a worried face saying sh*t I’m not sure I got that one right!!