VAR Benign Zone

England 0 v Switzerland 0 (aet)
England win 6-5 on Penalties
UEFA Nations League 3rd Place Play Off
Sunday 9 June 2019

Played at Estadio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimaraes

2018/19 Football Season Brewery Visits - 105

Twitter @ball_sup
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Different Portuguese Beer Ticks = 53

Well. Even for a Nations League Evangelist, I think we've found our first flaw. That game was interminably tedious. To see who came third. The very first change in format I would go with would be to play The Final Four as a mini league. Four teams out here in Portugal. All play all. (Say) Saturday, Wednesday, Sunday. No extra time. No penalties. Maybe "seed" it to a better chance of going to the final day. But, take it on the chin if there are dead rubbers.

Fundamentally, it's a best v best, league format. I know we're at the acorn stage. And I know qualifying groups of just three (England, Spain & Croatia) look "thin". But, to hybrid into a four team knockout now looks bizarre.

OK, in a Final Four League you MAY get meaningless dead games. But, in a knock out Four, you're GUARANTEED a meaningless dead game. Come at it sideways. The Nations League is/was supposed to see the end of meaningless friendlies. That felt like a meaningless friendly. Something better change.

I'm compiling a shitload of material on VAR. One day, it'll all come out. But, let's start with an old man, from the Carrier Bag Firm, interacts with VAR story. As extra time loomed. Topping 80 minutes. I thought. I'd better have a piss here. The bogs ain't all that. I won't be able to last through Penalties. In mid progress, I heard the roar go up. Hey. Ho. Way it goes. Occupational hazard. I've missed England's goal. But, at least no extra time. Huzzah. As I left the Gents. There was a near flood of fellow traveller England fans leaving the ground. Each wearing the traditional Thank Fuck For That expression. I don't know how far they got. But, I reached my seat just in time to see the Ref wipe the goal out on VAR.

Currently, I'm in the benign zone. Don't stray offside. Nowt VAR can do. The goal will be given. Don't foul in the box. Nowt VAR can do. The goal will be given. It's not VAR, it's the players. That view may not stand for ever.

The Beer I'm going to pick on for further video scrutiny is;

Dois Corvos, Finisterra, Imperial Porter from a bottle at a lovely 8.5%. That happened to be my pre match tipple in the Praca Vimaranes Pub in Guimaraes. Each time I went in, the guvnor was happy to get every Portuguese Micro bottle out of his fridge & let me scrutinise & select. There was lots of lovely sweet red fruit up top. Which developed nice & rich, with currants & sultanas in the finish.

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