Who'd have thought the VAR rows would go into overdrive in the days leading up to a crucial Old Firm? Probably most of us, to be honest. And we’re not to be disappointed as the Hotline got a bit toasty with just four days to go until the Parkhead powderkeg.
Before we delve into another episode of VAR wars though there was a call relating to the team selection headache Rangers boss Michael Beale faces. Kris Boyd and Barry Ferguson are agreed that Alfredo Morelos and Antonio Colak should be benched with Boyd fancying Malik Tillman as a false nine and Ferguson preferring the thought of Fashion Sakala through the middle.
But Robert Livingstone, Palm Beach, said: “Boyd and Ferguson have different opinions who should play up front on Saturday but surely you put in your best goal scorers – Colak and Morelos who is not playing well but will still be a serious threat.
"They have to score goals to win. Yes Tillman was very impressive on Saturday but Dundee United were poor. Sakala is another option and he can score vital goals. But there’s some difficult decisions for Beale to make knowing what's at stake.”
Onto VAR and specifically the decision that saw Celtic awarded a penalty for handball in their 2-0 win at Ross County. Eddie Easson, Ballingry, said: “Another utterly crazy VAR decision for the Celtic penalty. Malky Mackay has a lot to say about it and watched it half a dozen times he said. Funnily enough when Ross County got a similar one at Celtic Park he never saw a replay.”
Alan Rae emailed: “Don't hear Big Ange complaining about VAR this morning as he has been doing recently. Someone at the top has to seriously question VAR decisions on behalf of ALL the clubs. It's a joke but not a funny one.”
But Stuart MacLeod, Stepps, said: “People need to realise the soft penalties being awarded are down to the rules not bad officiating or corrupt VAR decisions. The penalty Celtic were awarded is a penalty. As a Rangers fan we have also had some of those go in our favour.”
And John Caw emailed: “Your usual anti-Celtic diehards are going on about Celtic scraping through at Dingwall. Stats reveal 28 shots at goal and nine on target and when you think about the ones that they missed you are talking about eight goals.”
Arrin Geddes, Irvine: “After the international break it didn’t take long for the Ibrox regulars to start foaming at the mouth again. It’s against the rules for Celtic to get a penalty, like Ange, the Lisbon Lions were lucky and Brendan Rodgers’ trophy haul is irrelevant. What state are these guys going to be in on Saturday morning?”
Speaking of the sacked Leicester boss, James Watt emailed to say: “I’m totally amazed that the alleged best manager in Scotland namely Beale is not in the frame for neither the Leicester or Chelsea vacancies. Nothing to do with how QPR are performing with basically his team I assume.”
And Jamie Thompson, Clydebank, took issue with Record Sport columnist Chris Sutton, saying: “Sutton is delusional to say that his beloved ex-club Celtic are bigger than Leicester City. A club that has won the English Premier League beating top flight clubs. Celtic play in a substandard league and would struggle to beat Burnley.”
Finally and with Aberdeen closing the gap on third placed Hearts to a single point, Gary Stevenson, Newtonhill, said: “Perhaps Michael Beale knows more than he is given credit for. He called Aberdeen Scotland's third best team earlier in the season and was given his usual tirade of abuse. I look forward to all the apologies in this week's Hotline.”
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