02 Nov 2026 21:32:29
I'm struggling to see why Isak is getting pellets for not "making more" of the shirt pull. Clearly VAR is supposed to check it. It was a clear penalty, so a clear and obvious error from the ref. So if VAR did its job or the person controlling it, it should have been flagged. VAR assistant should be under scrutiny not the player.
02 Nov 2026 21:36:46
I find it very very odd he didn't appeal for a foul / react at all.
02 Nov 2026 22:54:02
Macca would have been rolling around with whip lash for hours.
He should have complained to the ref because it definitely stopped him getting to the ball.
03 Nov 2026 00:31:33
yeah, I'm not sure we can take aim at Macca and Isak at the same time lol
Has he been interviewed at all? be interesting to hear his thoughts on the incident. Watching it looks like he is clearly impeded, but then his reaction doesn't match it.
Unfortunately, there is something in the idea that the player needs to give something for the referee to think about.
03 Nov 2026 01:06:58
Funny how Macca gets nothing but abuse for going down too easy but now Isaks getting abuse for not going down at all. You just cannot please some people. Pity it wasn't Maccas shirt that got pulled.
03 Nov 2026 04:16:52
Hypocrisy at its finest Chewy.
03 Nov 2026 06:13:00
Perhaps Isak expects the occasional contact in a contact sport?
03 Nov 2026 06:29:26
I think difference is chewy macca is going down to get a player sent off and the player shouldn't be sent off as there no 'hit' at all.
Whereas isak should go down as he is being fouled and without going to ground he is not going to get the decision.
That's my 2 cents on it anyway.
03 Nov 2026 06:31:58
VAR assistants were also under scrutiny. but the VAR 'fatigue' is what pushed it to just make a scene or complain cause otherwise u don't get it.
both is stupid, but is a conclusion made with the assumption that VAR assistants are stupid to begin.
either way, yes it should have been VARs job to see and flag it. but the expectations are already as low as it can be from them. nothings going to happen to them anyways, mistake after mistake.
03 Nov 2026 07:25:56
We know refs and VAR are crap. Surely Isak knows this. Whether he falls, dives, appeals, goes to speak to ref. He needs to do something. Doing nothing makes it look like he wasn't put off at all so no penalty.
03 Nov 2026 09:05:02
A better comparison would be Isak and Gakpo.
Both were held, to some extent, Gakpo went down but Isak didn't. Gakpo didn't get a penalty either.
03 Nov 2026 10:15:07
Indeed, Chewy. btw, don't let these media bozo's fool you saying that Isak should have gone doan and he would have 100% gotten the pen. That is fugazi and you are being conned because based on the game itself, that wouldn't have happened at all.
I promise you had Isak gone down, he wouldn't have gotten the pen either. Why? because there was a lot of diving and play-acting going on all game (esp. on Arsenal's side) and the VAR would have just waved it aside with the regular "Not enuff there to warrant Isak going down in a heap".
Further proof, Macca got pulled by his shirt in the box by Timber when he was running to provide an option for a pass and he went down. VAR looked at that and said/did nothing. That is why I say that Isak going down wouldn't have changed a thing.
Again, you're being played by the media if you believe that esp. with them saying that it's okay to dive when you feel contact, something no pundit had ever said after a game, imo.
And why would he need to go down? As VVD said, "There were 50 cameras at the game and we all saw it live".
Lastly, who was the VAR? "Stewart Atwell, the bozo who looked at Doku's kung-fu kicked Macca in the box at Anfield in a title-deciding game and didn't give the the pen.
Just saying.
03 Nov 2026 11:29:04
Oli, and compare Doku's kung-fu to Macallister's red card for a "high tackle" v Bournemouth in '23 when his foot was about 12 inches off the ground. The lack of consistency is an absolute joke. As I've said before there should be a panel of ex-pros sitting over VAR's shoulder with the power to call them out and force a reassessment of decisions on the spot, because these halfwits simply do not understand the game.
{Ed025's Note - spot on Chewy..
03 Nov 2026 11:39:27
Digger10, I think my point moreso is that you're either the type of player who does go down (and make a meal of things) or you're not. People whinge and complain about Macca for going down easy but now Isaks getting stick for not going down at all. there's no middle ground, you either go down or you don't, you can't do a half a dive if you know what I'm saying, you either commit to it or you don't. We're cucifying Macca for committing to it, and we're crucifying Isak because he didn't.
I wasn't specifically talking about Macallisters altercation with Madueweke but in fairness to Macca, given that he's "committed" to the art, Madueweke did approach him, lower his head and make contact, there's nothing in it of course, it wasn't a headbut he was just going head to head to confront him, but he did make contact with his head intentionally.
03 Nov 2026 15:43:12
Yeah, Chewy. I remember that one. However, I think Macca's got rescinded but again, that could have cost us the game. So I agree with all your points, man.
I will never advocate my players to dive at any level BUT I tell ya this: Th same people asking Isak to dive off the contact, will be the same people saying it was okay to rule out the foul because "He did not need to go down that theatrically".
They are trying to sell us a bad bill of good here, mate.
Don't fall for the con.