Re: Football Chat Thread : Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:10 pm  

Ordsall Quays Red wrote:

I generally agree with that mate. If rules were being consistently applied across the board Carragher would have walked, Maxi Rodriguez may have walked but a yellow I'd have said and Rafael would definitely have walked. As it was the ref made a rod for his own back by not sending Carragher off IMO.

The reaction has been quite similar to the Shawcross/Ramsey challenge of the other year. Ramsey got a bad injury which automatically led to Shawcross being massively villified as some kind of thug when, in essence, it was a more or less 50-50 ball.

Having said that, I think Carragher was especially naughty yesterday with that challenge. As was Rooney against Wigan the week before. As I've alluded to earlier in the thread it seems to be "dont send anyone off" week.

I think Carragher got a yellow as it was the first hard challenge of the match, Rafael got away with it because it was only 2 minutes after. I don't think he saw the Rodriguez challenge, but that was definately a booking.

Did anyone else see Van der Sar attempt to elbow Kuyt after the first goal? When he charged towards the linesman and ran past the celebrating Kuyt he stuck the elbow into the back of Kuyts head. I only noticed on the replay on MoTD, didn't make much contact and Kuyt didn't react, but was a bit daft and out of character for him I thought.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:16 pm  

Billinge_Lump wrote:

I think Carragher got a yellow as it was the first hard challenge of the match, Rafael got away with it because it was only 2 minutes after. I don't think he saw the Rodriguez challenge, but that was definately a booking.

Did anyone else see Van der Sar attempt to elbow Kuyt after the first goal? When he charged towards the linesman and ran past the celebrating Kuyt he stuck the elbow into the back of Kuyts head. I only noticed on the replay on MoTD, didn't make much contact and Kuyt didn't react, but was a bit daft and out of character for him I thought.

Kuyt and VDS are very good pals.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:28 pm  

Roddy B wrote:

IMO, the 'result' of a challenge shouldn't matter, or, at least, it doesn't seem to matter when it suits some.

If Rooney's elbow had lead to a seizure like Thatcher's did to Mendes, would Rooney have still been snubbed for a ban? Rooney went in aggressively with an elbow and could so easily have harmed the opposing player.

After yesterday's game, Nani's gash has dominated a lot of debate, with many giving Carragher a lot of grief. But only moments after that challenge, Rafael flew in and, had Lucas not managed to get out of the way, would probably have seriously 'done' the opposing player. Because Nani has a 'result' of a challenge, it seems that only Carragher's actions are heavily debated, but a just as dangerous challenge was made only moments later, but is generally forgotten due to lack of injury.

The point I'm making is: do we just look at the result of a challenge and judge it from there, or do we look at the challenge in general and make judgements regardless of the outcome?

The Rafael challenge doesn't happen if Carraghers is dealt with correctly.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:42 pm  

Nikaed wrote:

The Rafael challenge doesn't happen if Carraghers is dealt with correctly.

But it did happen, Mark, as bad a mistake the ref made not sending him off, Rafael didn't have to do his challenge but using 'if Carra was sent off, it wouldn't happen' isn't a fair defence, because it did happen.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Mon Mar 07, 2011 5:11 pm  

Roddy B wrote:

But it did happen, Mark, as bad a mistake the ref made not sending him off, Rafael didn't have to do his challenge but using 'if Carra was sent off, it wouldn't happen' isn't a fair defence, because it did happen.

All relative though. Dowd lost control and it was a bit of a frenzy. It doesn't matter now anyway and wouldn't have mattered to the outcome of the contest.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:15 pm  

John Aldridge on Suarez assist (first goal): "If Rooney would have done that, the world would have been up in arms"

Re: Football Chat Thread : Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:28 pm  

Lord Tony Smith wrote:

John Aldridge on Suarez assist (first goal): "If Rooney would have done that, the world would have been up in arms"

Aldridge has never had much of a grip on the English language, has he??.....

Re: Football Chat Thread : Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:37 pm  

Why do people keep putting Hasselbaink on as a pundit? I liked him as player but he just isn't fluent enough to be a pundit. Reminds me of Desailly although Jimmys grasp on English is a bit better than Marcels. Either way I can't believe they can't get a better pundit in for the game.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:43 pm  

El Pac Carnegie wrote:

Why do people keep putting Hasselbaink on as a pundit? I liked him as player but he just isn't fluent enough to be a pundit. Reminds me of Desailly although Jimmys grasp on English is a bit better than Marcels. Either way I can't believe they can't get a better pundit in for the game.

Which two would you like to see as pundits? Ray Wilkins for me all day. The blokes knowledge about football is unquestionable and I enjoy listening to his views alot, speaks alot of sense. I'd have Graeme Souness sat next to him, another one who speaks sense and is a top analyser. I agree with you on Hasslebaink, it's quite similar to having Robbie Savage on there, painful to listen too is Robbie.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:52 pm  

Lord Tony Smith wrote:

Which two would you like to see as pundits? Ray Wilkins for me all day. The blokes knowledge about football is unquestionable and I enjoy listening to his views alot, speaks alot of sense. I'd have Graeme Souness sat next to him, another one who speaks sense and is a top analyser. I agree with you on Hasslebaink, it's quite similar to having Robbie Savage on there, painful to listen too is Robbie.

Have a lot of time for the 2 you have listed. Mclaren is still talking in his weird Euro lingo. Just doesn't seem to be speaking normally.