Bayern 4 Barca 0

[Rookie]

Huge result for Bayern at home

[jimbo]

Bayern were brilliant.
I don't care if 2 of the Bayern goals were iffy.

They totally outclassed Barca for the full 90 minutes.

[Nice One Cyril]

A team on the way up playing a team on the way down. Age catches up with everyone eventually and a couple of percent at this level makes a huge difference.

[Statler and Waldorf]

My lot are better than Barcelona, we didn't get spanked by them

[Derek]

A team on the way up playing a team on the way down. Age catches up with everyone eventually and a couple of percent at this level makes a huge difference.

Totally agree. Bayern have just signed Gotze too (look out)

[Nice One Cyril]

A team on the way up playing a team on the way down. Age catches up with everyone eventually and a couple of percent at this level makes a huge difference.

Totally agree. Bayern have just signed Gotze too (look out)

I would like to know though how, with officials littering the pitch, they can all miss a blatant offside, followed by a blatant shepherd? What the shiraz do the extra blokes do FFS?

[Con M]

A team on the way up playing a team on the way down. Age catches up with everyone eventually and a couple of percent at this level makes a huge difference.

Totally agree. Bayern have just signed Gotze too (look out)

I would like to know though how, with officials littering the pitch, they can all miss a blatant offside, followed by a blatant shepherd? What the shiraz do the extra blokes do FFS?

UEFA's & Platini's 5th & 6th 'extra assistant' goal-line refs stand on the same side as the touch-line 'traditional' assistant refs, thus obscuring the touch-line officials' views.

[Le King]

messi this, messi that, messi got shiraz messed up

[Nice One Cyril]

I would like to know though how, with officials littering the pitch, they can all miss a blatant offside, followed by a blatant shepherd? What the shiraz do the extra blokes do FFS?

UEFA's & Platini's 5th & 6th 'extra assistant' goal-line refs stand on the same side as the touch-line 'traditional' assistant refs, thus obscuring the touch-line officials' views.

Now Con, normally you're one of the more lucid posters on here, but you really need to rush to Specsavers. The 'extra' officials are behind the goal lines, how are they obscuring any views? Plus, when the Barca player (Pique was it?) got the shepherd, he was about 5 yards away. They are a complete and utter waste of space.

[Numba 7]

messi this, messi that, messi got shiraz messed up

not much he can do about barca's dodgey defence

[Old Redback]

It does cut both ways as well with Bayern denied a coupel of good handball shouts for penalties as well.

At least Barcelona can say they had all the posession!

May be there is a lesson to Australia (especially to junior coaching) here that posession football is not what it is ALL about - Chelsea (last season), Arsenal (albeit to a lesser extent this season) and Bayern have shown that a bit of will, strength and belief and dare I say it, physicality, goes a long way to countering breathtaking technique. We don't want to lose kids from the game when they step up to senior football when they come up against a bit more physicality.

[Old Master]

It does cut both ways as well with Bayern denied a coupel of good handball shouts for penalties as well.

At least Barcelona can say they had all the posession!

May be there is a lesson to Australia (especially to junior coaching) here that posession football is not what it is ALL about - Chelsea (last season), Arsenal (albeit to a lesser extent this season) and Bayern have shown that a bit of will, strength and belief and dare I say it, physicality, goes a long way to countering breathtaking technique. We don't want to lose kids from the game when they step up to senior football when they come up against a bit more physicality.

There's plenty of time to introduce kids to the physical side of the game when they get to their early teens.

Up until then they should be encouraged to develop their skills and techniques and the basics of tactical intelligence.

[Bomber]

Foster probably hasnt stopped crying.

[BTAC]

messi this, messi that, messi got shiraz messed up

Not a clue.

[ozzie owl]

Any bets on Messi getting five in the return leg?

[Litmanen]

messi this, messi that, messi got shiraz messed up

On a scale of idiot to nice person, where do you sit?

[Le King]

messi this, messi that, messi got shiraz messed up

On a scale of idiot to nice person, where do you sit?

3rd place, behind u and bowtiesarecool

[zebbie]

Actually predicted over 3.5 goals for this game and looks likely as well tomorrow

http://www.soccerwidow.com/betting-math ... r-x-goals/

Statically backed up as well ;)

[BTAC]

messi this, messi that, messi got shiraz messed up

On a scale of idiot to nice person, where do you sit?

3rd place, behind u and bowtiesarecool

That's not really how a scale works...

[Con M]

I would like to know though how, with officials littering the pitch, they can all miss a blatant offside, followed by a blatant shepherd? What the shiraz do the extra blokes do FFS?

UEFA's & Platini's 5th & 6th 'extra assistant' goal-line refs stand on the same side as the touch-line 'traditional' assistant refs, thus obscuring the touch-line officials' views.

Now Con, normally you're one of the more lucid posters on here, but you really need to rush to Specsavers. The 'extra' officials are behind the goal lines, how are they obscuring any views? Plus, when the Barca player (Pique was it?) got the shepherd, he was about 5 yards away. They are a complete and utter waste of space.

Why, thanks for the mild complement, Nice One Cyril.

Firstly, I agree with you they're unnecessary - didn't they shiraz up in the Ukraine v. England game last year? I mean SIX officials for 22 on-field players! And Platini probably hasn't looked at the total cost of air fares, accommodation & pay over a full season compared to the one-off cost of G.L.T. per stadium plus small on-going maintenance cost.

But as for the positioning of the 'extra' officials, I've definitely seen them straddle the goal-line in other games and the touch-line assistant ref standing at the corner flag behind them with his view obscured.

I don't know why/when they moved to the same side as the touch-line assistant, because originally they started on the OTHER side. Have a look at one of the UEFA websites about this 'extra additional assistant refs' trial with diagram showing them standing on that OTHER side. The reason given by UEFA about standing on the other side was quote "to give officials the widest possible view of the penalty area...".

The website lists their duties and it's not just about goal-line stuff. They've got radio communication with the central ref and can report transgressions in the penalty area. Of course, just like the touch-line assistant refs reporting to the central ref, that head ref has the final decision and can over-rule all assistants. ps, UEFA definitely say the 'extra' assistant "may even enter the field of play..."

[Con M]

Nice One Cyril, are you out there somewhere in cyberland?

Have you been able to work out why/when the 5th & 6th officials (the so-called 'extra' assistant refs) were switched to the same side of the pitch as the traditional linesmen, er touchline assistant refs?

[Nice One Cyril]

Nice One Cyril, are you out there somewhere in cyberland?

Have you been able to work out why/when the 5th & 6th officials (the so-called 'extra' assistant refs) were switched to the same side of the pitch as the traditional linesmen, er touchline assistant refs?

I can honestly say, I haven't given it a moment's thought. They are a waste of space wherever they stand.

[Con M]

Nice One Cyril, are you out there somewhere in cyberland?

Have you been able to work out why/when the 5th & 6th officials (the so-called 'extra' assistant refs) were switched to the same side of the pitch as the traditional linesmen, er touchline assistant refs?

I can honestly say, I haven't given it a moment's thought. They are a waste of space wherever they stand.

Agree. Just thought I'd ask

[Juventino]

I've seen the goalline referee make one good decision this year, other times they are just useless and add to the confusion.