2011/2012 English Premier League thread

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by SebC

Man, these punishments for racists slurs just seem horribly disporportionate to me. You put someone's health in danger through reckless conduct on the field, and you get a red card, and miss one game. To me that seems more like the appropriate response level to cases like Suarez's. Obviously a fine is a slap on the wrist so it has to be a suspension, but I don't think it should be any more than one match.

I disagree. Tackling is part of the game, racism is not. The penalties should be harsh in order to completely remove it from the pitch. This scenario has been handled pretty poorly though.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

More dropped points for Liverpool. Our CMs have been atrocious lately, so it was a huge boost to see Stevie back in there. We looked better once he was on the pitch. Still an ugly game though. I hope Gerrard is fit enough to keep one of Adam or Henderson off the pitch for a while.

I thought that Liverpool were going to salvage all three points at the end, but those two saves (one by the keeper, the other by the defender) were both pretty phenomenal. You'd think that Liverpool shouldn't need a last minute goal to win at home to Blackburn though...

[d_phaneuf]

Ya, you I agree that it looks weird when a leg breaker brings a maximum 3 games and racism brings 8

but I think the FA has done well, if the evidence is there, to try and completely nip this in the bud

You can't stop tackles, and because of that there will be dirty ones, but you can stop racism

[Addick]

Originally Posted by SebC

Man, these punishments for racists slurs just seem horribly disporportionate to me. You put someone's health in danger through reckless conduct on the field, and you get a red card, and miss one game. To me that seems more like the appropriate response level to cases like Suarez's. Obviously a fine is a slap on the wrist so it has to be a suspension, but I don't think it should be any more than one match.

A player can enter a tackle with the best intentions and still end up breaking the opponent's leg, when a player decides to use a racial slur I doubt the intentions are anything other than hostile and grossly inappropriate. If you know that a player went into a tackle trying to break the opponent's leg, would a one match suspension suffice?

[d_phaneuf]

bad week for everyone at the top except for Spurs/United

Bale was unbelievable today, when he has that free role up top he is very dangerous, would like to see it more than just sticking him on the left

[Locke]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

I disagree. Tackling is part of the game, racism is not. The penalties should be harsh in order to completely remove it from the pitch. This scenario has been handled pretty poorly though.

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Ya, you I agree that it looks weird when a leg breaker brings a maximum 3 games and racism brings 8

but I think the FA has done well, if the evidence is there, to try and completely nip this in the bud

You can't stop tackles, and because of that there will be dirty ones, but you can stop racism

I disagree, I think its been handled poorly, too many delays and lack of solid conviction.

They knew the situation they were in, this is Evra's third kick at the racist can, the other two having been conclusively unfounded, if his word was what they had to operate on while the other 19 players and the official report that they heard nothing then they should have been damn sure before they suspended Suarez.

Its crap like they're in now where, if Liverpool show that their proof is insufficient and they overturn the suspension on appeal then the whole thing is a joke and in a way they'll have actually enabled racism by being weak.

On another note, Suarez is suspended one game for fingering Fulham. Fairly simple on that one.

[d_phaneuf]

by done well I meant with the length if he's guilty

the independent group who decided on whether he is guilty or not is another thing

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Locke

this is Evra's third kick at the racist can, the other two having been conclusively unfounded,

Really? What's the other two?

And don't even attempt to mention the Chelsea groundsman incident.

That charge appears to hinge on evidence to be heard from Phelan, a key witness as Evra claims he did not hear any racist comments during the incident.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...nchesterunited

Furthermore ......

But Evra never cited racism in the Chelsea case, contrary to what you may have read elsewhere. Liverpool's extraordinary statement referred to Evra having no credibility and used as an example his "prior unfounded accusations". Except it was Mike Phelan, United's assistant manager, and Richard Hartis, the goalkeeping coach, who purported to hear the word "immigrant" used at Stamford Bridge. The story that it was Evra has gathered so much momentum now that even the usually reliable Press Association presented it as fact. Liverpool, they said, were referring to "racism allegations Evra made against Chelsea groundsman Sam Bethell, which were not proven".
The truth is something completely different. Likewise, Evra kept his distance when two deaf United fans complained they had lip‑read Steve Finnan making a racist remark to him during a Liverpool-United game in 2006. The simple truth is that Evra has complained of being racially abused only once before, and that was the 1-1 draw at Anfield on 15 October.
If this were politics, it would be described as a smear campaign.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...nchesterunited

[Smelly Fred]

Lovely win the other day by United. A 5-0 drubbing of Wigan with Berbatov getting a hat trick. All while 10 players are injured and Jonny Evans went off injured with Ezekiel Fryers replacing him.

[united]

The most recent example of a footballer dropping tons of cash to be as flashy as possible, Jermaine Penant's new Aston Martin and it's paint job. Insane.

[d_phaneuf]

The Guardian is turning in to the daily mail

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...ted?CMP=twt_gu

within the same story

Luka Modric has alerted Chelsea and Manchester United that he may be the open to a move away from Tottenham Hotspur when the January transfer window opens on Sunday after admitting that "everything is possible".

Asked about the ongoing speculation, Modric told Sportske Novosti: "All this talk is just in the press – I don't know anything about any of these supposed offers. We are doing our best to ensure Tottenham get the results the fans and the club demand. Given the current situation, and particularly given the fact I don't want a repeat of what I went through during the summer transfer window, I can say with almost 100% certainty that I'll be staying at Tottenham until the end of the season.

[Barnet Flame]

I'm not saying I never follow press speculation - it is afterall pretty much unavoidable over here, but I very rarely do.

It is all bollox.

I refuse to believe any news about Arsenal signings til I see the player on our injured list.

[d_phaneuf]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

I'm not saying I never follow press speculation - it is afterall pretty much unavoidable over here, but I very rarely do.

It is all bollox.

I refuse to believe any news about Arsenal signings til I see the player on our injured list.

what do you think about Henry on a two month loan deal?

Sky said tonight that it's all but done

I thought he looked slow in the MLS, but anything would be an upgrade on Chamakh...

[Barnet Flame]

His statue outside the ground is an upgrade on Chamakh.

If I am being honest, I have mixed feelings. I prefer to remember the legend he was for us. He can't produce that now.

But he is better than Chamakh.

[Finny61]

^ I agree. I hope he can help the team though. If he is involved with the team I was hoping it was on the staff, not as a player on the pitch. Missed out on Vieira.

[united]

Ian Irving @ianirv
#MUFC will be exercising the option to extend Dimitar Berbatov's contract by one year until the end of next season


Phil McNulty @philmcnulty
Arsene Wenger confirms Thierry Henry is "certain" to return to Arsenal on loan. Fascinating to see him in action in Premier League again.

[Barnet Flame]

Why Suarez got banned.

http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/Disciplin...ommission.ashx

115 pages if you've got nothing better to do tonight.

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

Why Suarez got banned.

http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/Disciplin...ommission.ashx

115 pages if you've got nothing better to do tonight.

I Just read the summary and conclusion. This whole thing is completely bogus.

[d_phaneuf]

5. The FA's case, in short, was as follows. In the goalmouth, Mr Evra and Mr Suarez spoke to each other in Spanish. Mr Evra asked Mr Suarez why he had kicked him, referring to the foul five minutes previously. Mr Suarez replied "Porque tu eres negro", meaning "Because you are black". Mr Evra then said to Mr Suarez “say it to me again, I’m going to punch you”. Mr Suarez replied "No hablo con los negros", meaning "I don't speak to blacks". Mr Evra continued by saying that he now thought he was going to punch Mr Suarez. Mr Suarez replied "Dale, negro, negro, negro", which meant "okay, blackie, blackie, blackie". As Mr Suarez said this, he reached out to touch Mr Evra's arm, gesturing at his skin. Mr Kuyt then intervened. When the referee blew his whistle and called the players over to him shortly after the exchanges in the goalmouth, Mr Evra said to the referee "ref, ref, he just called me a loving black".

6. Mr Suarez denied the Charge. His case, in short, was as follows. He agreed with Mr Evra that they spoke to each other in Spanish in the goalmouth. When Mr Evra asked why he had kicked him, Mr Suarez replied that it was a normal foul and shrugged his shoulders. Mr Evra then said that he was going to kick Mr Suarez, to which Mr Suarez told him to shut up. As Mr Kuyt was approaching, Mr Suarez touched Mr Evra's left arm in a pinching style movement. According to Mr Suarez, at no point in the goalmouth did he use the word "negro". When the referee blew his whistle to stop play, Mr Evra spoke to Mr Suarez and said (in English) "Don't touch me, South American". Mr Suarez replied "Por que, negro?". He says that he used the word “negro” in a way with which he was familiar from his upbringing in Uruguay. In this sense, Mr Suarez claimed, it is used as a noun and as a friendly form of address to people seen as black or brown-skinned (or even just blackhaired). Thus, it meant "Why, black?" Mr Suarez maintained that when he said "Por que, negro?" to Mr Evra, it was intended in a conciliatory and friendly way. Mr Suarez said this was the only time that he used the word “negro” in his exchanges with Mr Evra during the match.

which considering a quote Suarez gave after it

"I did not insult him. It was just a way of expressing myself. I called him something his team-mates at Manchester call him, and even they were surprised by his reaction."

He admits to saying it, I have no problem with the suspension

Wouldn't mind it being increased with the way Liverpool and Kenny especially have acted the past few weeks

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

which considering a quote Suarez gave after it



He admits to saying it, I have no problem with the suspension

Wouldn't mind it being increased with the way Liverpool and Kenny especially have acted the past few weeks

It is one man's word against another. The FA says in their write-up that they believe Evra because he was calm and cool when giving his statement. What a load of crap that is.Nobody besides Evra and Suarez know what took place, so how can they possibly justify this suspension? Liverpool and Suarez have every right to be upset over it.

It is especially stupid when Evra is on video using much more vulgar terms then negro, which I'm not even sure is a racist term to begin with. The FA are making this decision based on the context in which the word was used, which is completely unclear since apparently nobody else hear this conversation in the busy goalmouth.