Agree with all that, never implied otherwise. But its not the place for a commentator to go on for 2 days about a call that was technically correct.
Yeah. I don't feel guilty about it vis-a-vis the title race, given the successive draws that should have been wins because of valid Barcelona goals incorrectly ruled out. But I do feel bad for Alaves.
Very, very satisfying win, we didn't play well, rode our luck but got the 3 points. Well done to Valverde for yet again making substitutions at the right time. He's doing a brilliant job.
Yep, it was ball-to-hand. It could be argued that Umtiti made himself big but I’m not so sure. That was debatable, Pique’s was definitely not a handball. Messi FK was a mile offside though. 1-1 would’ve been fair.
The offsides was the most glaring miss. Refs have been given guidelines this season about not calling ball to hand PKs. At least that's what I heard in the beginning of the season. Pique's case is a bit different. It's very rare for that situation to occur. I'd give it a hand ball even though it's involuntary. I don't think a ball off the hand should be counted as a goal even if it's involuntary. I am not sure refs are instructed on how to deal with that situation.
To be fair, the Pique deflection was impossible to see in real time, it was only seeing it in slow motion that you could see it. On the flip side that Alaves player got away with about 6 yellow card offences.
I couldn't see the game last night but it seems it was a "hard" win and Barca glad to have 3p! So the 160M€ man had somewhat of a stinker last night according to what I've read.. what was the deal?
I wouldn't say he had a stinker. He didn't didn't do anything out of the ordinary but he didn't mess anything up either. Everybody was having a stinker. What I would say is that when he left, Messi occupied the right side and things improved. Worth noting also that both FBs were replaced as well. Digne was clueless out there and as good as Semedo is on defense, I'd have to say SR is visibly better than him on offense at the moment. It's only his first full game but Valverde may have to experiment different setups at some point.
Wouldn't call it a stinker: In the first half, only Messi looked better but gave the ball away that led to the first goal. Not sure how Coutinho did in the second. I started watching again when he was already subbed.
That is why I would have preferred for Coutinho to play on the Left side. To give Messi more space to operate from the right and to create something seeing how Digne was having a stinker.
Suarez back kicked a player grabbing him off a corner. It's not the first time he has done something stupid like this. He is very lucky he hasn't been caught by a ref or suspended after the fact yet. He needs to watch out.
No gif - haven't looked - but was looking at the Coutinho v. Alaves video posted just a few posts above and he has penalty claims around 12:55 and 31:30 (on the game clock not the video clock) just 5 minutes into that video. In both cases he is impeded, in the first I don't think the ball is ever getting to him, in the second case I think he would likely get his head on the ball if not for the pull back. Of course just being held back alone can be a penalty, regardless of the ball getting there. The second one is more obviously a foul.
I don't think having Iniesta and Coutinho in the team together is going to work, it will have to be either or job. We looked much better after Couthinio went off. It's going to take time. I think in reality it is going to be next season when we reap the benefits of our 2 big signings.
This incident in the 86th minute was when Suarez kicked Duarte in the stomach. Duarte went down on the play and after the whistle blew for a separate incident during the corner, Suarez went up to Duarte and appeared to apologize while noting that he was trying to break free from his grabbing/holding. But everyone is only focusing on Suarez's kick and not this holding. Duarte was in a lot of pain but didn't appear to complain much to the referee. Just went on with the game, or tried to. Suarez probably should have been sent off while Duarte should have received a booking. Thing is, if you book Duarte then that should mean a penalty. And Suarez's kick shouldn't mean the mugging didn't take place. Anyway, imo.
I don't think there is much point in talking about the grab to be honest. Refs miss these calls in corners all the time. It's just another one. The ref has quite a few things to keep track off in corners. Suarez reaction is not justifiable even though that sort of kick was never going to hurt the guy that much. I'd say PK and red card for Suarez would be the correct decision. Suarez is still a nut case.