Very well described and agree with both. Shearer and Keane can say it was a soft foul as much as they want & it was, but it was also a deliberate action by the attacker to prevent the goalkeeper from being able to move to attempt to gain possession of the ball. As has also been pointed out, if this offence has been penalised against Arsenal last season 60% of their goals would have been ruled out. Hopefully, the PGMOL will be tougher this season in order to stamp this out.The contact is actually very minimal and only with the trailing leg.
Player had completely lost his head granted, but the outcome was only a reckless tackle.
Had he made contact with his leading leg it might have been a different story.
Regarding the disallowed goal, I’d be more comfortable if it was disallowed on field and not by VAR review, but the players only intention is to block the keeper, play silly games and all that…
For a fortnight, sure.Hopefully, the PGMOL will be tougher this season in order to stamp this out.
I'd completely echo that @one. I've enjoyed VARs largely "light touch" approach in the WC, with the bar for intervention where we all thought it would be when first introduced (allow the referee to referee the game and make minor mistakes, only intervene for howlers), but then now and again they intervene when you don't think they would.I am really confused by the degree of tolerance used by VAR in the world cup.