Re: More Football Chat : Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:45 am  

Robbie Rotten wrote:

How can you give Fellaini the benefit of the doubt? If you seen Kyrgiakos' challenge closely, his left foot wasn't involved, it wasn't near Fellaini, he got his technique wrong and he should have just tucked the left leg in and gone in with one foot, but it was clear as day what Fellaini was aiming to achieve and he very nearly done so.

Deleted my MotD recording and can't find an online clip, so I'm having to go from my unreliable memory.

Fellaini was involed in a previous challenge, and after that was involved in controlling the ball. I also think Felliani played the ball in the challenge between him and Kyrgiakos.

Kyrgiakos dived into the challenge with both feet planted together. That type of challenge has been outlawed for a few seasons and everyone knows you cannot do that. The punishment for diving in two-footed is a red card.

I just didn't see enough from Fellaini to say that he should have also received a red card. For me he seemed to be intent on winning the ball. There may have been some reaction to Kyrgiakos going in two footed, but IMO that's to be expected as it's instinctive to protect yourself.

I don't think Gerrard deserved a yellow for that on Pienaar, when you seen the angle from behind, he barely even touched him.

I think he definitely deserved the yellow.

Just like last season when Lampard was on the ground and Gerrard blasted the ball at him, I think Gerrard was playing his usual snide tricks. Pienaar was on the deck and vulnerable and Gerrard went out of his way to make sure that by playing the ball in the manner he would also make contact with Pienaar.

Re: More Football Chat : Sun Feb 07, 2010 1:00 am  

Just watched it again. Fellaini wins the ball. He plays the ball, which then gets trapped under Kyrgiakos's legs.

So IMO you've got Kyrgiakos, who has dived in two footed and hasn't won the ball. And you've got Fellaini, who wins the ball but makes contact with Kyrgiakos's shin. I just don't think the evidence is there that Fellaini has set out to do Kyrgiakos. If he did, then he just happens to be very lucky that he could win the ball and stamp on Kyrgiakos in one motion. I just don't think anyone's that good.

Re: More Football Chat : Sun Feb 07, 2010 1:16 am  

Lord God Jose Mourinho wrote:

Just watched it again. Fellaini wins the ball. He plays the ball, which then gets trapped under Kyrgiakos's legs.

So IMO you've got Kyrgiakos, who has dived in two footed and hasn't won the ball. And you've got Fellaini, who wins the ball but makes contact with Kyrgiakos's shin. I just don't think the evidence is there that Fellaini has set out to do Kyrgiakos. If he did, then he just happens to be very lucky that he could win the ball and stamp on Kyrgiakos in one motion. I just don't think anyone's that good.

There is a difference in winning the ball and effectively jumping on a player's shin, following through with that as well. As said, Kyrgiakos shaped to go in two footed but when the challenge was made, only one foot really went into the challenge, the other foot never made contact with Fellaini, nor do I believe he intended to use it, he got his technique wrong but managed to get the left foot out of the way, I'm not saying Kyrgiakos shouldn't have been red carded, it was daft and he was asking for it, but I do believe Fellaini also deserved a red. You just don't go in for the ball like that, jumping on a player's leg with practically both feet.

As for Gerrard's 'challenge' on Pienaar, honestly, if you seen the angle from behind, he barely even touches him, Gerrard clearly got the ball and the fuss made after it is what got him the booking, despite him not getting involved in the handbags. I mean, if Fellaini's kick to Kuyt's face didn't warrant a booking in the ref's view, how on earth did that?

Re: More Football Chat : Sun Feb 07, 2010 1:35 am  

Robbie Rotten wrote:

There is a difference in winning the ball and effectively jumping on a player's shin, following through with that as well.

Like I said, I give him the benefit of the doubt. I think he was at full pace and set to win the ball and happened to tread on Kyrgiakos's shin. You think he set out to stamp on Kyrgiakos's shin but just happened to get very, very lucky to make contact with the ball.

As said, Kyrgiakos shaped to go in two footed but when the challenge was made, only one foot really went into the challenge, the other foot never made contact with Fellaini, nor do I believe he intended to use it, he got his technique wrong but managed to get the left foot out of the way,

But most two footed challenges are the same. Because the other player usually is going in with one foot all the contact is going to be with one of the two feet. It will be rare when both feet of a two footed challenge make contact with the tackled player.

I'm not saying Kyrgiakos shouldn't have been red carded, it was daft and he was asking for it, but I do believe Fellaini also deserved a red. You just don't go in for the ball like that, jumping on a player's leg with practically both feet.

We play Everton in midweek in a massively important game for us. Felliani is one of their best players, if not the best. I'd love it if he was banned from our game, but I don't see anything in that challenge to justify it.

As for Gerrard's 'challenge' on Pienaar, honestly, if you seen the angle from behind, he barely even touches him, Gerrard clearly got the ball and the fuss made after it is what got him the booking, despite him not getting involved in the handbags. I mean, if Fellaini's kick to Kuyt's face didn't warrant a booking in the ref's view, how on earth did that?

The clip I just saw didn't even have the Gerrard booking incident. I just thought when watching it on MotD that Gerrard was up to his usual snide tricks. I also thought that he'd been up to his usual diving tricks in the end when Pienaar got his red. But I revised that when looking at the MotD replay because you could see his head jolt back when they came together.

Re: More Football Chat : Sun Feb 07, 2010 2:56 am  

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/spo ... 002052444/ Avram Grant congratulated on fantastic wife.

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/spo ... 002052444/ Avram Grant congratulated on fantastic wife.

Re: More Football Chat : Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:52 am  

England have got Wales, Montenegro, Switzerland and Bulgaria in the 2012 Euros qualifiing group

Re: More Football Chat : Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:02 pm  

LFCRhino wrote:

England have got Wales, Montenegro, Switzerland and Bulgaria in the 2012 Euros qualifiing group

Should qualify unbeaten from that group. How many go through, is it just the top 1 and best runners-up, or is it top 2?

Re: More Football Chat : Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:03 pm  

Lord God Jose Mourinho wrote:

Should qualify unbeaten from that group. How many go through, is it just the top 1 and best runners-up, or is it top 2?

All 9 group winners plus the one best runner up.

The other 8 runners up play off for the remaining 4 berths.

Re: More Football Chat : Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:04 pm  

It's great to see Rooney in the form that he is in at the moment. I remember saying 2 years ago that he was our most important player and our resident "Hudds/Chelsea" fan had a little chuckle. Who's laughing now?

Re: More Football Chat : Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:38 pm  

Mark wrote:

It's great to see Rooney in the form that he is in at the moment. I remember saying 2 years ago that he was our most important player and our resident "Hudds/Chelsea" fan had a little chuckle. Who's laughing now?

Wayne Rooney has scored 23 in 31 games. Ronaldo has 15 in 16 games for Madrid.

Ronaldo is better than Rooney. By far. And no amount of ridiculous British hype over Rooney is going to alter that fact.

Rooney may become a better player than Ronaldo. Ronaldo took a few years at United until he became the most productive player in the world. Rooney might make a similar progression. But he's still got a long way to go before he's as good as Ronaldo.