Ex-PL Ref destroys 'Lazy Refereeing' after analysing Chelsea v Southampton footage

Ex-PL Ref destroys 'Lazy Refereeing' after analysing Chelsea v Southampton footage Martin Atkinson should not have needed VAR to intervene to rule out Timo Werner’s header for Chelsea against Southampton on Saturday. So says ex-Premier League referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider after Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over the Saints on 2 October. Werner thought he had doubled the home side’s 1-0 advantage on the stroke of half-time, but the goal was ruled out for a foul in the build-up. Cesar Azpilicueta was adjudged to have kicked Kyle Walker-Peters heel, a full 18 seconds before Werner’s header hit the back of the net. Blues boss Thomas Tuchel was subsequently incensed and received a yellow card for his boisterous protests. But the incident could have been avoided entirely had Atkinson blown up for what was a “clear foul”, claims Hackett. “It was certainly a foul,” he told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitely. “But I think the debate that one has is, how far do we go back? But I think this was a credible action by VAR to come in. “If you look at the replay, it was a clear foul and it did impact the outcome. It was missed by the referee. “I don’t think Martin Atkinson had a particularly good game, even though he has been one of the cornerstones of officials for a number of years. “For the last few years, he has done remarkably well. I just think yesterday he lacked a bit of confidence. “Normally, he would have spotted that and penalised it. You have to ask, was this lazy refereeing?”

HOW RONALD KOEMAN REACTED TO LUIS SUAREZ’S GOAL VS BARCELONA

HOW RONALD KOEMAN REACTED TO LUIS SUAREZ'S GOAL VS BARCELONA How Ronald Koeman reacted to Luis Suarez's goal vs Barcelona Footage of ...

Mauricio Pochettino ‘angry’ after Rennes stun Paris Saint-Germain and explains Neymar sub

Mauricio Pochettino ‘angry’ after Rennes stun Paris Saint-Germain and explains Neymar sub Paris Saint-Germain suffered a shock defeat to Rennes in Ligue 1 Mauricio Pochettino felt ‘angry’ and ‘disappointed’ after Rennes ended Paris Saint-Germain’s unbeaten start to the season with a 2-0 victory at Roazhon Park. The hosts scored two quick goals either side of half-time as Lionel Messi suffered his first defeat since arriving in the French capital. Pochettino’s side, who beat Premier League champions Manchester City in the Champions League during the week, did not have a single shot on target despite Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar all starting. PSG’s defeat is their first in Ligue 1 since April and Pochettino said he was ‘bitter’ and ‘frustrated’ by the result, despite his team showing ‘very good quality’ in the first half before going behind. Asked if he was angry following Paris Saint-Germain’s shock defeat, Pochettino said: ‘Yes a bit. No one likes to lose. ‘Without underestimating what Rennes has done, we are frustrated and disappointed not to have taken our chances and to concede these goals. ‘These situations leave us bitter and disappointed. PSG did not have a single shot on target at Roazhon Park ‘We didn’t start the game well but then we had 25-30 minutes of good quality. It was a shame not to score. ‘We took two psychological hits, just before half-time and just after. The match afterwards was open, even if we created chances. ‘We had a hard time after that. Rennes obviously gained confidence. And with us, there was frustration.’ Despite the defeat, PSG remain six points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table, while Rennes climb into the top half. Mauricio Pochettino subbed off superstar Neymar against Rennes Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Pochettino subbed off Brazilian superstar Neymar during the Rennes defeat and admitted his withdrawal was for tactical reasons. Asked whether Neymar was struggling physically, Pochettino said: ‘No that’s not it. ‘We had five days [since the match against Manchester City]. I repeat, we had 25-30 minutes of very good quality. We had control of the game. ‘We conceded the goal on top. When we start the second half, we are immediately 2-0 down, it’s a different game afterwards.’ PSG remain six points clear in Ligue 1 despite the Rennes loss On Neymar’s performance, Pochettino added: ‘Like when you win against Manchester City, it’s a collective question. ‘The first person in charge is me. What we did for 25 minutes was of very good quality. We must be able to extend this for 90 minutes. ‘The psychological impact of both goals at key moments has been significant. I am satisfied in one sector, we have created a lot of situations and opportunities.’

Cristiano Ronaldo's reaction to Villarreal goal prompted instant Man Utd response

Cristiano Ronaldo's reaction to Villarreal goal prompted instant Man Utd response Villarreal took the lead against Man Utd at Old Trafford and Cristiano Ronaldo instantly attempted to rally his team-mates before Alex Telles responded with an equaliser Cristiano Ronaldo has instantly become Manchester United’s leader once again after his spectacular return. When the going gets tough, it is the legendary Portuguese star who the Red Devils turn to in order to get them out of a hole. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side again found themselves in a tough spot in their Champions League clash with Villarreal at Old Trafford. After a tough first-half, the visitors took the lead early in the second period as Paco Alcacer converted an Arnaut Danjuma cross. Straight away, TV cameras panned to Ronaldo and captured his response. Whilst frustration was clear on his face, he issued an instant rallying cry to team-mates, clapping his hands and encouraging them to pick themselves up and issue a response. TV cameras instantly panned to Cristiano Ronaldo as Man Utd fell behind at Old Trafford It was a clear message which appeared to be heard almost instantly as just moments later his side found an equaliser. A well-weighted Bruno Fernandes ball we met perfectly by the left foot of Alex Telles, firing a powerful effort into the bottom corner to get his side level. And it was Ronaldo who took matters into his own hands to snatch victory for United with the winning goal deep into stoppage time. Ronaldo issued a rallying cry to team-mates, and they responded with a goal almost instantly Ronaldo issued a rallying cry to team-mates, and they responded with a goal almost instantly Speaking at half-time, Michael Owen and Owen Hargreaves insisted there was not much more Ronaldo could have done to help his side as they struggled to break down Villarreal. Owen said at the break: “You know what, I’m hoping to see more as a team. “Man United are almost relying on individual brilliance, Sancho to go past a few players or Ronaldo to do something special. “If you look at Villarreal team there’s a lot team work in their play. I think that man [Ole Gunnar Solskjaer] his main problem over the coming weeks is finding that team play rather than putting 11 individuals and hoping one of them turn it on.” Hargreaves added: “No, I don’t think so. There was a lot going on there, plenty of bodies, for United. “Ole would’ve had a chat. They’ve got to up the tempo. United have the better players out there and they need to show it.” Their quality eventually shone after Ronaldo’s message helped them refocus after the setback of falling behind.

Man City boss Pep Guardiola's blunt reply when asked about Lionel Messi after PSG loss

Man City boss Pep Guardiola's blunt reply when asked about Lionel Messi after PSG loss Lionel Messi scored his first Paris Saint-Germain goal as his side beat Manchester City 2-0 at the Parc des Princes. Is Pochettino under huge pressure at PSG after Messi arrival? Lionel Messi scored his first Paris Saint-Germain goal as Les Parisiens ran Manchester City ragged at the Parc des Princes in a 2-0 victory - and Pep Guardiola refused to praise his former Barcelona star on his magnificent performance. Messi, 34, played under Guardiola for four years at the Camp Nou, winning three La Liga titles and two Champions League winner's medals in their time together. The two formed a special bond at La Masia with tiki-taka style football that became synonymous with the Catalan club. However, Guardiola left Barcelona for Bayern Munich in 2012, with the pair yet to be reuinited since. There were strong rumours that Guardiola would bring him to City this past summer, however a move never came to fruition and the diminutive superstar instead moved to PSG this summer. And Guardiola will have been regretting his decision once he saw Messi wheel off in celebration with City down 2-0 and facing inevitable defeat. When asked on BT Sport about just how good Messi's performance was and how he was unstoppable at times, Guardiola was surprisingly blunt about his former starling. "Yeah, the goal was fantastic," Guardiola replied. And with PSG now ahead of City in the group, there will have to be vengeance taken when Les Parisiens visit the Etihad. After beating Chelsea at the weekend, PSG offered a different game than the Blues - but Guardiola also had to look ahead to a tough trip to Anfield on Sunday, keeping that in mind despite the trip to Paris. And he has said that his players will rest, drink wine and get back to their best before the trip to Merseyside. "The last ten minutes we played better," Guardiola said. "It was a good performance, we did everything we could but score. We controlled them, unfortunately we couldn't score but my biggest compliment for the team. "We are going to eat good tonight, we are going to drink a glass of wine, we are going to recover and we are going to prepare for the game on Sunday."

Frustrated Cristiano Ronaldo heads straight down tunnel after Man Utd's Aston Villa defeat

New Arsenal signing Tomiyasu ready to help beleaguered Japan

New Arsenal signing Tomiyasu ready to help beleaguered Japan New Arsenal signing Takehiro Tomiyasu has vowed to step up for Japan as the defender joined the team in Qatar ahead of their crucial game against China in the 2022 World Cup final Asian qualifiers. The 22-year-old completed his move from Bologna on Tuesday, the final day of the transfer window, and missed Japan’s shock opening home defeat to Oman in Osaka on Thursday in Group B. “I’ll be seen as an Arsenal player. I mustn’t forget the pride that comes with that and put in a proper performance,” said Tomiyasu, who was also courted this summer by London rivals Tottenham. “(The English Premier League) was the stage I was aiming for. There was no hesitation in my decision.” The Japan Football Association on Saturday said Liverpool attacker Takumi Minamino, who had a left thigh complaint and remained on the bench against Oman, is leaving the squad with an unspecified injury. Hiroki Sakai, who returned to the J-League with Urawa Reds over the summer from Marseille, also pulled out of Hajime Moriyasu’s squad after the opener with the JFA concerned over his heavy workload that included the Tokyo Olympics. Hoped to galvanize the dejected side after joining up late alongside Santa Clara’s Hidemasa Morita, Tomiyasu said he saw the video of the Oman game and noticed areas where his teammates lacked. “Honestly speaking, I wasn’t expecting it,” Tomiyasu said of the defeat as he awaits his World Cup final qualifier debut. “We usually switch to defense immediately after losing possession, but (against Oman) we stopped in our tracks for about a second. That delay allowed (Oman players) to peel away a lot and hit us on counters.” Japan have been to the last six World Cup finals since making their debut in 1998. Their next qualifier is an away game but played in a neutral venue in Doha amid co vid-19 travel restrictions in China. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.