The pattern of decisions which this website and others have noted through the last few months since VAR was introduced once again repeats itself. It’s a pattern which has two components to it.
The first is decisions which go against Celtic and the second are decisions which favour Ibrox.
The latest involved Connor Goldson, who definitely has a career in netball or volleyball or basketball waiting for him if he ever decides second best to Celtic is wearing him down.
His handball in the first half was looked at by VAR, whose operators didn’t deem it worthy of a second look from the ref.
We are entitled to bang our heads against the wall. It will be interesting to see if Dundee Utd even bother, or if they’ll say some nonsense about how this always happens “against the Glasgow clubs.”
For a while there the burning question sounded like it was going to be “so what exactly isn’t a penalty?” when a series of these went against us. Now the question is more apt; what exactly do you have to do to have one awarded against you?
Wear something other than an Ibrox strip appears to be the correct answer.
Had the Goldson handballs been committed by Cameron Carter Vickers there is no question at all of how those decisions would have gone.
The next time a Celtic player’s hand comes into contact with the ball in the box the ref will not be able to point to the spot quickly enough, but if he hesitates even a bit VAR’s official will be on hand with 120 different angles to convince him that it should have been given after all.
The first half ended 0-0 before the inevitable second half collapse for the Tannadice team. Sides know they have to withstand an early second half onslaught; it’s a lesson we almost paid a high price to learn ourselves, in falling asleep as we did at Ibrox.
But you wonder what the story might have been had Dundee Utd been awarded a spot kick.
We’ll never know.
Because at the time of writing this the Ibrox club remains the only one in the top flight not to have had a penalty awarded against them in this campaign, a run which now extends to 21 games.
And with the way their games are officiated, it could easily be 21 more before there’s even a sniff of an award being given against them, and certainly not in a moment that might matter.
It’s not inherent unconscious bias, it’s cheating pure and simple.
21 matches in a row is statistically significant.
Nah, it won’t be 21 games. Next game ibrox are 3 or more ahead a “soft” penalty will be given, the poster boy of VAR not being a fix. It’s utterly predictable. As predictable (at least 8 of us predicted it) as us getting our first penalty of the season before the world cup break when we were already well ahead.
If folk bet on this stuff in big enough numbers alarm bells would be going off at the data analyst companies. Something smells. And not of roses.
This is so true. The whole SFA is corrupt
And Scottish football if it wasn’t before is now a joke.
Wasn’t a penalty
Laptop loyal are right now frantically scouring through rule books and phoning up ex refs until they get one willing to say it wasn’t a penalty
Still 9 clear and 20 goals better off ya cheating hun rats
Seems VAR has become a potential weapon for the Ibrox lot. I believe however when they get a dodgy decision against them they will scream blue murder…no pun intended.
Paranoid they say where are the gutless media in this scandal. Free press my backside
First we had Tavpen which is ongoing and now we have Goldsonnopen ,which is also ongoing ! Jobs for the boys ,eh ….
This is fast becoming like the wrestling with the outcome apparently fixed in advance.
What is the point of watching a rigged sport?
The future of the game in Scotland is now significantly at risk.
I mean FFS who in their right mind would pay to watch this total bollocks?
I gave up a good while ago Tony… clearly a very sensible decision now that I see the cheating is worse than ever !
Think we should all just realize now the ibrox club are so good theyre playin completely ‘infallible’ football. Absolutely faultless. Whit an insult tae anybodys intelligence. Guess there’ll be nothin said about the ‘no pope of Rome’ song bein sung right through loud and clear at the start either eh?!
Fear of giving a decision against the Hun by a few referees frightened of demotion by their masters at Hampden and then we have the majority of Scottish Professional Referees who just hate the sight of green and white jerseys. This lot are just cheats who hide behind so called objectivity.
The Scottish Football Association the most dishonest in the world, all to benefit one club.
In 1996 an electrician [ Rangers supporter] doing some maintenance at my place of work, whilst discussing with me the coming Scottish Cup semi final against the original Rangers , informed me that a friend of his worked at the SFA and told him that Cadete wouldn’t be playing in the game as the SFA were making sure his registration wasn’t going through until after the game. I laughed at him and said they wouldn’t get away with that, so they surely wouldn’t try. Naive me, Farry went ahead.
We all know how that ended, wee Fergus saw to that. The Celtic Board have got to grow a pair and serve notice on these cheating baxxards at Hampden that they’re on their case.
Too right Harold, I’m sure the loyal Fkwits will find some way to justify their dodgy ways and the big glove in with the mib..
Tis like a 10 point lead with that MASSiVE goal difference and agreed Harold—Fk those hun cheating vermin!!
They don’t concede penalties in the league until their chances of winning the league is over
Godson should wear gloves. His poor hands must be getting badly bruised with those balls hitting them.
The script is written…we start to get the odd VAR decision in our favour only once Celtic are basically 4 victories ahead..i.e 12 points or 11 plus goal difference. Only then will it ‘even out’…when the title is gone for them and we don’t need any decisions our way.
The illusion of parity is the desired outcome.
Y’know James, I believe it does not only apply to games which involve Celtic or the ibrox club.
I also have a gut feeling (I have no stats available and am a bit lazy), that “here we go again” feeling when a 3rd in table club is getting close to them, they lose points somehow.
I’m just glad someone is keeping tabs. I’m getting too old now. It spins my head, their shenanigans.
The way it`s going it will be 21 years before one is awarded against them, and even then they will be four or five goals up.
Are there any refs or VARs that haven’t been vetted by vested interests ?
Tell us something new please,told you open chequebook for the gang.
It’s as plain as the nose on your face and could be described by many names ( biased ,corrupt ,match fixing ,cheating .
My so called even handed officials who can easily award penalties against all teams not called Rangers but somehow Rangers can play multiple games with no penalties awarded against them .
.
Just look at Rangers record in Europe ,they concert penalties in Europe yet miraculously their team can get away with playing basketball in their own box with zero fear of being sanctioned in the SPFL .
Are Celtic desperate conspiracy theorist or just plain right about calling out the SFA who could stop this instantly by ensuring referees with clear partisan offiliations are not selected to adjudicate .it’s time FIFA looked into this