Dale Johnson

Two finals and two semi-finals across five tournaments. These are unprecedented times to be an England fan. A teenaged England fan today pretty much knows nothing other than deep runs into tournaments. It didn't use to be this way. Drink it in. 👇 bbc.co.uk/sport/football…

"And now you see, and now you see, whoever doesn't jump is English!" the Argentina fans sing. "For the Malvinas!" While England see Argentina as football rivals, for Argentina it is so much more than that. 👇 bbc.co.uk/sport/football…

@mytimetospeakup Actually yes this can happen for a few reasons.

@DaleJohnsonBBC Would the ref overrule an offside decision? No. So, why let an assistant overrule him?

I'm told that the referee cancelled the free-kick on the advice of his assistant. Looked a strange one though. #FRAESP #FIFAWorldCup

@BobbyBamber See a couple of tweets on.

@DaleJohnsonBBC Doesn't this just go against years of "the assistant isn't there to overrule the referee though"?

But with the magical mystery tour of VAR at this World Cup at times, people can't be blamed for wondering!

We have this many times a season, where there is the perception is involvement of the VAR. And it really is just another member of the on-field officiating team that has got involved. From the KMI Panel reports, more decisions than you might imagine are taken by the assistant.

The commentary team would not have a clue on this, they were trying to work out a confusing situation. They do not have a VAR audio feed like in the Premier League.

@Moodz_70 It wasn't a final.

@DaleJohnsonBBC Do you know why an Argentinian was allowed to referee England v Portugal in 2006; does this 'rule' only work one way?

While it is true there is a "Falklands rule", it's not the key reason why Michael Oliver cannot referee the World Cup final. Officials of the four semi-finalists all go home, and do not get another game. So as soon as England beat Norway, Oliver's tournament was over.

@con_j_10 @PriestleyMatty For a final it is very, very unlikely.

@DaleJohnsonBBC @PriestleyMatty So are we saying that had England beaten Croatia in 2018, they wouldn't have accepted Pitana for the final? It's a single direction thing. Argentina don't want English refs, not the other way around

@kbscott4 Who really knows anymore....

@DaleJohnsonBBC Thanks. I know the Balogun decision renders these discussions somewhat comical, but how do they come to these verdicts? Is there a panel, a specific rule they refer to, or is it done on someone's subjective whim?

@barst1_paul Yes, but Oliver was the referee who was in contention.

@DaleJohnsonBBC Talk is only about Oliver, so surely Taylor, is in the same situation

@kbscott4 bbc.co.uk/sport/football…

@kbscott4 Uefa v Fifa.

@acmilan_pippo Highly unlikely he will get the final again.

@DaleJohnsonBBC Maciniak gonna fix final for Argentina

@Myerla23 @SkipMalone_ @PriestleyMatty It's not my logic, mate. It's Fifa's.

@SkipMalone_ @PriestleyMatty I mean, it's quite obvious the difference in stakes and the pressure attached.

@DaleJohnsonBBC @PriestleyMatty Why would the final be any different? Fairly sure there were Argentinian officials for a Scotland game.

@Myerla23 It is about a final.

@DaleJohnsonBBC Any idea when it became a "rule"? In the 2006 World Cup, Argentine Horacio Elizondo was in charge of England's quarter final match with Portugal