2013/2014 English Premier League Thread

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Locke

Text message discovered on SAF's phone:
Um, hey Dave, did you give Howard that envelope we discussed??

Would you like to share your thoughts on Sturridge's first goal?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Would you like to share your thoughts on Sturridge's first goal?

Sure. Its tough to see whether it comes off his upper arm or shoulder. Thats a tough call, but the fact that not a single Sunderland player, who were standing less than a couple feet away, closer than anyone, said a single thing or protested even in the slightest gives you your answer.

That is so tight theres no way anyone is going to be able to call that without video replay, and even then, did it come off his upper arm or shoulder? He didnt extend his arm, it was tucked against his body, if his arm isnt there does it just hit his chest and go in anyways?

You'd have had a better point if they'd allowed the Skrtle goal to stand.

[d_phaneuf]

closer than anyone, said a single thing or protested even in the slightest gives you your answer.

Sunderland players aren't very good?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

closer than anyone, said a single thing or protested even in the slightest gives you your answer.

Sunderland players aren't very good?

That goes without saying. But ultimately, absolutely no one saw it until they reviewed it by video. You cant say the refs favoured Liverpool by letting it stand.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Locke

Thats a tough call

That is so tight theres no way anyone is going to be able to call that without video replay,

As logical and correct as that may be that has zero relevance to this conspiracy. What is obvious to every man and his dog is that Liverpool must have paid off Webb.

See what I'm doing?

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Locke

That goes without saying. But ultimately, absolutely no one saw it until they reviewed it by video. You cant say the refs favoured Liverpool by letting it stand.

oh I think it would be impossible to call back

his arm was up against his body, even if anyone had a clear view it wasn't

just sunderland players should have put arms up

[Fusebox]

It wouldn't have mattered even if the ball had gone in off his hand. I am amazed at how many commentators and people in this thread who don't seem to understand how the handball law is written. It must be a DELIBERATE handball.

Handling the ball involves a deliberate act of a player making contact with
the ball with his hand or arm. The referee must take the following into
consideration:
• the movement of the hand towards the ball (not the ball towards the hand)
• the distance between the opponent and the ball (unexpected ball)
• the position of the hand does not necessarily mean that there is an
infringement
• touching the ball with an object held in the hand (clothing, shinguard, etc.)
counts as an infringement
• hitting the ball with a thrown object (boot, shinguard, etc.) counts as an
infringement

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Fusebox

It wouldn't have mattered even if the ball had gone in off his hand. I am amazed at how many commentators and people in this thread who don't seem to understand how the handball law is written. It must be a DELIBERATE handball.

Handling the ball involves a deliberate act of a player making contact with
the ball with his hand or arm. The referee must take the following into
consideration:
• the movement of the hand towards the ball (not the ball towards the hand)
• the distance between the opponent and the ball (unexpected ball)
• the position of the hand does not necessarily mean that there is an
infringement
• touching the ball with an object held in the hand (clothing, shinguard, etc.)
counts as an infringement
• hitting the ball with a thrown object (boot, shinguard, etc.) counts as an
infringement

Haha! Thats someone who is glued to the letter of the law. Look at some of the handballs that have been given in the PL.

Its more about experience watching this league and knowing whats expected.

Sometimes a handball is given just because a defender has his arms out by his side and has therefore denied a goal-scoring opportunity, then it depends on how far away he was from the ball and on and on it goes.

The thing is, if Sturridge had extended his arm to hit the ball into the net then that would have been obvious. In this case its more like he missed it but got lucky that it still hit him.

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Torres deserved a red for scratching Vertonghen so if the 2nd yellow was a make up call so to speak I am fine with that

Jose complaining about Vertonghen needing to be suspended is fantastic though, it's like he forgets he managed Didier "I go down like a sniper hit me twice a game" Drogba

Chelsea's fury over Fernando Torres' White Hart Lane red card is set to explode when they learn the striker is facing a FOUR match ban.Blues manager Jose Mourinho accused Tottenham's Jan Vertonghen of conning ref Mike Dean by staying down and implying he had been elbowed by Torres in an aerial challenge that saw Dean show the Spaniard his second yellow card.
But Torres is now poised to fall foul of FA beaks over his initial spat with Vertonghen during Saturday's 1-1 draw, in which he appeared to scratch and scrape at the defender's face.
Despite the video evidence showing there was no contact with the Belgian's face in the incident that sparked his dismissal, Torres has no right of appeal under FA rules.
However, he now faces a further disciplinary charge and becoming the first player judged by the Premier League and FA's new video panel of former referees over the first flashpoint.
Wembley chiefs will contact Dean on Monday to ask him to explain Torres' first yellow card.
The whsitler is understood to be ready to report that he booked Torres for a trip on Vertonghen, and not for the altercation which followed, which he will insist he did not see.
If that is so, the FA will refer the incident to the video panel, and if all three ex-referees agree that it represented violent conduct, Torres will receive an automatic extra three games.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...ch-ban-2320095

[Fusebox]

Originally Posted by Locke

Haha! Thats someone who is glued to the letter of the law. Look at some of the handballs that have been given in the PL.

Its more about experience watching this league and knowing whats expected.

Sometimes a handball is given just because a defender has his arms out by his side and has therefore denied a goal-scoring opportunity, then it depends on how far away he was from the ball and on and on it goes.

The thing is, if Sturridge had extended his arm to hit the ball into the net then that would have been obvious. In this case its more like he missed it but got lucky that it still hit him.

You're absolutely correct. Often, free kicks are given for handballs that should not be called. If Sturridge had stuck his hand out and tapped the ball in, then it would be obvious that it was intentional and a free kick would have been the correct call. In this instance, Sturridge made no attempt to play the ball with his arm intentionally, and anyone with any experience watching football at the professional level would know that as he stood to gain absolutely nothing by using his arm.

[Bagor]

LOL. Fusebox. Whoosh!!!

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Bagor

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...ch-ban-2320095

I dont see how he doesn't get the extra 3

Hand to Face is supposed to be an auto red, so either Dean says he saw it and he's bad at his job, or he says he gave the yellow for the trip and missed the scratch

my guess is the latter

[Fusebox]

It was a blatant dive, if there is any justice in the world Vertonghen would get a ban for diving.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Fusebox

It was a blatant dive, if there is any justice in the world Vertonghen would get a ban for diving.

And theres the proof.

Sorry, Nando deserves the straight red and 3 for that one.

[rubecube]

I'm starting to really like Andros Townsend.

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/15...diving?cc=5901

"I deserved the booking. It was definitely a yellow card and I said to the ref at half-time," Townsend told reporters. "Obviously I have got to kick it out of my game.

"As I have come inside, the leg was there and he has pulled out at the last minute and I still went over, so it was a deserved yellow card. I didn’t have time to react when he pulled his leg out of the way. It’s sort of instinct and things happen so fast.

"I apologised to the ref. I told him I thoroughly deserved the yellow card and hopefully I won’t do it again. If the leg is there, you go over it. If there is contact, it’s not a dive. If you are running that fast, you are going to go over with any little touch."

[devo22]

didn't know where to put this - Mancini takes over Galatasaray.

Sky Sports News ‏@SkySportsNews
Roberto Mancini confirmed as Galatasaray manager on three-year deal #SSN

[Locke]

They were talking on SoccerCentral about the decline of Rio Ferdinand, and they make good points. He knows what he should be doing but hes physically unable to do it. I believe that there is a degree of truth to that.

As I recall, SAF rested Rio unless there was a fixture against a big club or the Champions League.

I just watched some weekend highlights and two of West Brom's goals were directly from Rio's mistakes.

The problem now is that Moyes cant just drop Rio from the squad to rest him without it looking like hes punishing him for his mistakes.

[Locke]

Can someone remind me why Mourinho ditched Lukaku again?

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Locke

Can someone remind me why Mourinho ditched Lukaku again?

I don't think anybody knows, I figured Mourinho would try to build him into another Drogba like physical freak with great skill.

[Locke]

Thoughts on Moyes:

Meanwhile, former United goalkeeping coach Eric Steele has said it was "brave" of Moyes to make changes to the existing coaching setup at Old Trafford, after he chose to bring in his own personnel.

Steele is quoted by the Sun as saying: "He spoke to me, Mick [Mike Phelan] and Rene [Meulensteen]. I told him I thought it was a brave decision. He listened to the manager's advice but he wanted to be his own man."

He added: "I didn't want to leave. Why would I? I knew that David was coming in and wondered who he'd bring.

"You had the United perspective -- the manager saying, ‘Keep what we've got, keep the continuity, work with them and they'll guide you through. You're taking on a massive machine here. You've gone from Marks and Spencer's to Harrods.'

"Then there's David's viewpoint, which I understand. I know him professionally. I know his work ethic, his hands-on approach. I don't blame him for doing what he did. I've been in the game long enough to know how it is.

"But it's ironic, isn't it? You've just been part of a team that has had a great season and won the league. David De Gea's had his best season. Does it make sense that you're not retained to continue the good work? Sadly, that's out of my hands."

http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/15...e-team?cc=5901

I didnt know that Moyes changed the coaching staff. That seems...unwise?