United 2-1 City

Unbelievable timing.  In my blog from yesterday, A Modern Tragedy, I analyzed the offside rules determined by FIFA's International Football Association Board.  And of course, another brilliant game has been marred by an egregious interpretation of the intentionally ambiguous Law 11.  

In today's much anticipated Manchester Derby, City went ahead 1-0 thanks to Mr. Calf Muscles himself.  Jack Grealish, aided by his voluptuous calf muscles, hopped in the air like an aptly named jack-rabbit to meet a perfect cross with his empty noggin to break the scoreless draw in the 60th minute.  

78' Goal Manchester United 1-1.  Watch the video bellow:

Casemiro plays a through ball to Rashford who is at least 1-2 yards offside, negating the "level" argument that was levied by me in the previous blog.  Rashford, continues to run with the ball under his feet, not touching it.  Nearing the box, and right before Bruno Fernandes ultimately makes a beautiful strike, Rashford lifts up his leg as if he were to shoot.  This is important because Ederson came out to play Rashford, not Fernandes, thus affecting the play.

Here is the letter of Law 11 taken straight from the FA's website, the governing body of football in England.

"A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched* by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by:

• clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or
• making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball"

Watch the replay of the goal above again.  I think Rashford's movements and actions apply to both scenarios put forth by FIFA.  What's worse is how this play came to be a goal.  After being called offside, correctly, by the line judge, the head referee and VAR inexplicably overturn the decision and award the goal to United.  WHat's the point of line judges now?  None of their decisions matter and are instructed to NOT make decisions now until a play is over.  Effectively making FA appointed line judges no different than parent volunteers in SAM soccer.

This is not about my known love of Pep and disappointment with the score line.  Manchester City did not deserve 3 points from this derby.  An abysmal xG of 0.76.  Unheard of by a Pep Guardiola led side and unacceptable with a team full of world class talent.

My complaints summed up perfectly by the goalkeeping legend Petr Cech:  

"The first United goal just proved the people who make the rules don’t understand the game."