Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

However, on Saturday morning it was 11 points and a comparative goal difference of +11. Now it's 8 points with a comparative goal difference of +2. And a game in hand*. A couple of weekends as enjoyable as this one and Rooney and co will be eating our dust as usual (particularly if Rooney finally gets the red card he's been dodging for far too long - he's probably frustrated at realising joining a United team on the wane was a mistake - he needs to be playing Real Madrid, not Burton Albion).

Oh, and Spurs, who've been breathing someone else's air for long enough, can eff off back down the table where they belong.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...td/4613380.stm

* Yes, I know it's at Anfield and Liverpool are the second best team in the country currently.

Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

Oh the irony of an Arsenal fan commenting on a player's lack of discipline...

Still, they're 8 points behind us :)

Oh and while I remember, currently 1-nil down in the FA Cup semis.

Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

so what do you reckon the FA will do this time ? give him another raise ?

he earns 5 million a year and lives in Chelsea plus gets a driver to take him to and from all the league games he watches.. He went to the Arsenal match who started with no English players and Boro had none of good enough quality.. OK Cole came on later but he had no way of knowing that and Erikkson has already shown that no matter how crap you play you will still be in the first team anyway if you are a regular so we already know he is the LB if he is fit so what's the point in watching him.. Also on 5 million a year shouldn't he be made to watch all 90 mins of a match it is his job after all !!!! He only had to get back to Chelsea which isn't far

Not that i'm a Chelsea fan but didn't agree with the Robben sending off.. first tackle was just badly timed and no real intent to foul just poor football.. it was his first foul, if it was that, and so he could have got a talking to then rather than a card.. As for the second card, I agree with the rule in that it is there to stop a crush and stampeed of fans and is for their safety.. however if you look at the footage there weren't many fans there, and none of them or the stewards, were in any danger. As it was going to end up with a sending off the ref could have used his head and then not given him a booking.. from watching the ref i think he was carded because he went over the advertising boards anyway so even without going into the crowd i think he would have been sent off

Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

The Sun had an interesting comparison of RObben 'jumping' into the crowd and Stuart Pearce doing the same on Saturday followin Fowler's goal. Pearce got away with it totally (no card/rebuke). Does the same rule not apply to managers, because the same outcome (crushing/stampede)could be possible

Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

true i'd forgotten about that one.. more consistency from the refs then

Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

I can't believe I am sticking up for a referee, but I don't think he had any choice but to book him, the rules say it is a yellow card offence full stop, the fault if any with this rule lies with FIFA as they made the rule so strict, you would think it would at least provide the consistency that the players seem to crave but as Suart Pearce showed, obviously not.

Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

As I understand it, Robben was actually booked for 'leaving the field of play' (ie he jumped over the hoardings to get to the crowd), whereas Pearce didn't.

Don't get me wrong, I think it was either a poor decision or a stupid rule, but that's why he got his second booking.

Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

Like theDaddy said, the ref had no choice. Stupid rule though.

Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

Pearce was out side of his technical area which is the same thing so he should have been booked too

you can't just go round booking everyone who makes a foul as then no one will be left on the pitch

the refs need to think abit and say do these two things add up to a sending off in that case the answer was no so he should have stayed on.. some refs wouldn't have booked Robben for his first "foul" and others would so there is no consistency.. the ref didn't book every player for their first game even in that game.. there needs to be abit of distinction between were you trying to play the ball or were you trying to commit a foul.. the game is played by humans and we do make mistakes that needs to be taken into account

the rash of bookings that go on all the time is why everyone dives as they know it will lead to the other bloke being booked and then eventually sent off giving their team an advantage

Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

Has a manager ever been booked?

Also Robben is being punished twice because apparently you can't appeal over a sending off if it is for two yellow cards.

Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

What for theDaddy? jumping into the ground? probably not, but theyt have been sent off many a time. Anyway all this Robben talk overshadows Stupid Sven and his capers in Dubaii. CAn the man not be happy havin the easiest job in the world?

Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

Fergie was sent off last year when United played Newcastle they can also just get a yellow.. a player can even be sent off after a game has finished

there needs to be abit of common sense here.. with less cards the players will dive about less

Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

I see that a lot of criticism has been aimed a the News Of The World for setting Sven up and possibly wreaking our World Cup chances, but the truth is the blame lies solely at one man's door and that is Sven's himself, this is the third time he has been caught trying to jump ship, last time we rewarded him with a new contract and this time he has even tried to involve the players in his treachery.
You only have to look at his conduct with the ladies to know that he has absolutly no honour or loyalty and although it MAY harm our World Cup chances it certainly would not harm the moral fabric of our society for the FA to sack him now.

Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

As to whether Sven is still up to the job I will leave to more
Anyhow, who do folks think the new wonder-kid Theo Walcott will sign for?

Re: [Merged] The Football Thread 2005/2006 Season
 

I thought Arsenal had already tapped...erm, I mean signed him up?