Ok, a draw at Newport County was not, perhaps, the ideal result. Against a team about 90 places lower that our current position. But heh, shit happens, no excuses, at the end’a the day, game’a two halves, when push comes to shove, we woz robbed, video would’a saved us, should have had 9 penalties… pick your cliché, I didn’t see the match. Thankfully. But as the entire Newport annual budget is probably less than that for Son Heung Min’s bootlaces, on one level its a great thing. The ‘magic’ of the cup. Though it doesn’t really feel exactly magical when you’re struggling against a bunch of Welsh thugs who travel by public transport. Feels like shit. Yet their trip to Wembley for the replay will probably secure the team financially for the next decade. The real magic of the cup. I can’t deny them that. Even though I’d really, really like to. But it wasn’t to be. So in the next 2 weeks we’re lucky enough to add another match to those against Man United, Arsenal, Juventus and Liverpool. Just what we need.

Could be worse though. Always could be worse. At least we’re in the 4th round. Unlike… some teams of a fairly big, and red, nature. And we might still be in the 5th round, unlike… Liverpool.

Who went out, at home to West Brom. In a match disturbed constantly by the Video Ref. At the behest of the real, non-digital, low-tech, real, flesh’n’bone ref., who asked for lots of clarification. And on some decisions, still ambiguous, he had the incidents shown on his own screen on the touchline. Takes 4 minutes. During which the players get cold and then pull muscles. Because they’re too stupid to work out by themselves that they should actually either keep moving or stretching or put a coat on. One West Brom player pulled a hamstring when play resumed after one incident.

I actually like referees. Real ones. Its not only a really hard job its also a thankless one. Unless you just give penalties to Arsenal all the time and none against them. And what our few VAR matches have shown is that refs actually get it right virtually every time. And when they make mistakes it must just be viewed as part of the game. If not, if everything has to be validated by replays and juries, then it becomes a different game. And come the day when they give managers the right to appeal (and it will happen at some point) then it will become an awful game. At which point I’ll just start watching Bowls. Darts. Rugby, which easily accommodates VARs but also prevents players from harassing refs in any way at all. Now that would be a move forward in football. Would stop ‘Chelsea Syndrome’.

Happy Sunday

A xxxx