Stuart White

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@433gary @AlanBra86520411 @MailSport You need to take a long look at the specific tactics Eng used after Mex made it 3-2. Plenty of X accounts have analysed it. They won’t play like that again - they simply managed the situation. Very successfully I might add. Forced Mex wide then dealt with the crosses.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@parkerexpat2023 @MailSport I’m going to need you to define ‘lucky’ here. After the red card, barring their soft pen how many good shots on target did Mexico have, how many saves did Pickford have to make? Eng managed the game situation perfectly. Owen is being contra for the sake of it.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@Michael77212991 @Shayan86 It’s almost like they played an open formation vs USA, then have been ultra defensive since, isn’t it.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@SweGroundhopper @MarcusAbris Not what I meant & you know it. More that Ecuador players are used to it given where they play their home games. You could just admit you (deliberately) focussed on the irrelevant aspect of this (home advantage) whilst ignoring the part the concern is about (altitude prep).

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@SweGroundhopper @MarcusAbris Earnings don’t replace 6-10% of oxygen capacity you lose if not acclimatised as an athlete. Strange argument. Teams in group (& 1986) had chance to fully acclimatise. Ecuador play their home games above that altitude. Eng can’t prep for it properly. Not that hard to understand.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@joaodefender @jamietheeagle @fiago7 😂 Suggest you Google Arg, Brazil etc complaints about La Paz over the yrs, given that’s your example. Crux of this is no opportunity to either (i) do ‘in & out’ option to minimise effects or (ii) properly acclimatise. Creates a physiological disadvantage that shouldn’t exist.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@pjofyork @matajson Of course he touched the ball. The point is whether he made a deliberate, controlled play of the ball. He didn’t. The extract of the laws I gave you shows how they judge it.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@pjofyork @matajson No that’s not how it works. It has to be a controlled/deliberate play of the ball by the defender (& it wasn’t).

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@rohank1982 @matajson If you’re interested, this is the relevant part of the laws. Not really sure how ppl can suggest the Portuguese touch was controlled/deliberate.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@Dxnz03 @_RoyalFA_ @BBCSport Sigh. If you say so. Still didn’t make a controlled play of the ball per the laws.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@RHJOfficial @BBCSport Yes.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@tyreflipmike @FUT_Yapper That isn’t how it’s determined. Here’s the law on it. Can quite easily argue this scenario with the Portuguese touch fits (the opposite) of 2 or 3 of these various bullets i.e. clearly wasn’t a controlled playing of the ball.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@muaddibmahdi @BBCSport BBC are commenting & posting on all matches of the WC, so why wouldn’t they cover this? Either way, offside was the correct decision once Croatia touch confirmed. As for Eng, “God knows” - seriously? Eng didn’t play great but look at the stats & who man of match was.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@Dxnz03 @_RoyalFA_ @BBCSport Doesn’t matter if they are, they’re correct. As soon as Croatia touch is confirmed, it’s offside. Portugal touch clearly not in control per the laws - see attached.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@RHJOfficial @BBCSport Irrelevant on Portugal touch when it’s accidental, which it was. Sensor in ball provides accuracy on whether ball touched. Offside is the correct call once you say Croatia player touched it. That’s what the ball sensor is there for.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@adriandelmonte I’d agree you’d prob normally see both get given. That said, you can’t say this was a pen for Ghana whilst ignoring the challenge on Eze 5 secs earlier. Either both are fouls, or neither. Ref went with neither. Can also see why some might not give the Kane one.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@decc0o0o @seanward94 @HLTCO Standing leg? Tielemans has engineered that by flicking his left leg in front of the defender’s slide. The fact it took VAR & the ref a combined 5 mins+ tells you it was anything but obvious & given really high bar in this WC for overturns, amazed it was given.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@13thFugu @PeterHubband @HACKETTREF Fair enough - but disagree about chopping him down. From side looks like he nails him, but per my previous post front on view shows he actually barely touches him. If this got given, VAR would’ve had to check Eze tackle earlier. Not sure can say Eze tackle fine but Konsa’s wasn’t

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@UmbongoDrongo @HACKETTREF This is getting omitted from all the ‘Ghana robbed’ posts. If the Konsa challenge is a foul, so is the Eze one IMO. In isolation, were Eng lucky on the Konsa one? Yes, in the modern game. Refs letting far more go in this WC tho & it’s leading to issues like this.

[Stuart White @StuartW1976]

@13thFugu @PeterHubband @HACKETTREF Can see why calls for a pen. Above point isn’t objectively wrong, tho. Despite the lunge, Adu’s leg comes up into Konsa’s, bump hips & that’s it. In modern game, were we lucky? Yes. Tho can’t ignore Eze tackle just before in that case. Refs letting more (too much) go is driver.