An elbow to the face. Being spat at. What could have been a serious injury at the end with another horrible challenge. Opponents who were refusing to play. I think our women did fantastic to keep their nerve, not retaliate and to avoid anyone getting booked.
I’ve thought for a while that we may as well do away with linesmen and use video technology - even more so now they have introduced this rule of keeping their flag down - surely there isn’t much need for them anymore especially for offsides It’s a pretty much impossible job anyway requiring someone to be looking at two places at exactly the same time in any given moment
I think VAR is crap. I'm in favour of technological assistance, so long as it is immediate and, if possible, objective (e.g. Goal line tech). Having to wait whilst the decision is reviewed slows the game and tempers the emotions of a goal going in. If we want to reform offside I'd stick a chip in everyone's boot and one in the ball and then have a computer map it and alert the ref if anyone is offside when a pass is played. The rule concerning interfering with play would have to be scrapped to make it possible, but I don't see any other satisfactory way of involving tech. The only other thing I would do is to have someone watching the game in an office who could notify the ref about previous serious violent conduct or diving during a break in play. Either option is an instant red. A red for diving seems harsh but it would mean that the referee could be confident that if someone goes down there's been contact, and it would hence indirectly improve the accuracy of penalty decisions