Match Day Thread Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth

He definitely threw an elbow. I'm not so sure it was aimed at Arter's face though!

But, obviously, MP thinks its indefensible...

 

I don't think Sissoko's got a lot to complain about. It was reckless at best and to most it looks intentional. I don't know if he's got a history of such things or whether he's been sitting too near Erik Lamela recently?

Erik Lamela's gone from being tigerish to reckless in his tackling. Also, Danny Rose is turned up to 11 even when it's not necessary. We have become even more physical this season and are picking up bookings at a fair old lick. It's probably contributing to our minimal goals against tally but will it catch up with us in terms of suspensions and red cards? We need to tone it down a little or we are going to get someone sent off in the upcoming derby games.

 

It's the same way that they didn't see the Dembele v Costa incident.
The TV companies have decided that it's important, so the match officials have been told that they didn't see it.
Mark Halsey pretty much blew the whistle on that, didn't he?

 

Why else would he have thrown the elbow. Of course he was aiming for Arter, I can see no other explanation.

 

I don't even think that he throws an elbow. He steps across to block Arter from picking up the ball and he catches him with his elbow.
If he'd have thrown it properly, then I doubt the player would've been up so quickly to moan about it.
He's not even looking at him.

I can see why there's an uproar about it and I don't care that much that he's been banned, but I don't think that he meant it.
Not because of any affection for the player, as he's certainly capable of dubious ****.
It would've made absolutely no sense to do it and his body shape just looked all wrong for an elbow, to me.

 

The thing I find strange as far as the officials not seeing it was , what then did they discuss for half a minute after the incident?
Ref: '' Did you see what happened right in front of you? Why did that player fall over clutching his face?''
Lino:'' No idea mate''
Ref: ''Why did he then get up and go for him?''
Lino: '' No idea. Was busy waving my flag for a throw-in. Can't do that and watch the players at the same time.''
Ref:'' Let's ignore it and rely on the video evidence''
Ref, then calls over both players and says'' don't know what happened but calm down chaps''

 

To be fair to the ref, that is almost exactly what he actually did say.
He called them over and said that he didn't see what happened initially, but that they needed to drop it and calm down.
I don't know what he was looking at when he should've been looking at it, though. His linesman should definitely have caught it.
Thought that they were inconsistent and made some poor calls, to be honest.

 

These things rarely come out of nothing and the Geordies didn't complain about Sissoko being excessively committed and a fight waiting to happen. Arter had been very physical and a couple of his challenges could well have seen him get 2 yellows and be off the pitch. His approach drove Bournemouth on to an impressive display and he was definitely their most effective player. Well, he'd need to be to get any attention above the superstar that is Jack ''still in Wanyama's pocket' Wilshire.

Whether MP told Sissoko to get in Arter's face and things got lost in translation or whether, from the bench, Sissoko decided to even things up, I don't know. The ref had a poor game and I don't see the incident involving Arter, specifically, as being coincidental. Coming on the back of Dembele and Alli getting bans last season, this is unwelcome and can't do us any favours, either with referees, the FA or by encouraging other teams to wind us up until someone does something stupid. Given our size and strength, elbows, punches and eye gouging shouldn't be necessary.

 

He committed a nasty late tackle on Wanyama. Not his first either.

5 minutes later he gets twatted by Sissoko.

Coincidence? Only Sissoko knows!...

 

The Sissoko decision is dubious at best and I still to not see this as a deliberate act of aggression. The only aggression came from the media. The players and the manager all except this was an accident and yet people still claim that Sissoko with his back to player was able to target his elbow.
I question that judgement but that is modern football. The fact that the media is more interested in such matters than the football we are all supposed to be watching really should alert you to their game.
I think many have spent too much time watching pundits on TV discuss ref decisions. Mistakes will happen they always have but now the media loves it if they can spot a mistake. Ooooooh look how clever we are and what a dork that ref is.
Good for the game? Good for society? Like **** it is.

Otherwise just bring back the Roman Games and let's start the slaughter.

 

Was in Barca over the weekend and managed to watch the game in an Irish bar.

Thought the first half was pretty dull, not much happened really. Second half we livened up and created chances but again that problem of being clinical arose. Both keepers made a couple of good saves. Thankfully our defence + Wanyama are ensuring that if we're not going to win a game, we're certainly not going to lose it but in my opinion it's two games on a trot in the league now in which we really should've finished our opponents.

Sissoko was very silly, after a promising start at the club the fears of him being a flop are starting to crop up, he was woeful against WBA and done nothing when he came on against Bayer and Bournemouth, to top it off he's got himself a three game ban for a stupid elbow on Arter, whether there was any intent to hit the face or not, he's swung his elbow back and connected badly, so any ban is probably warranted - it could however have a silver lining as it may mean GKN gets a push up the pecking order and given more chances, I really want to see what he can do over 90 minutes or at least a good hour. The only annoying thing about the inevitable punishment for Sissoko is guys like Fellaini, Costa and Huth were doing that all season last year and only got punished for it like once, feels as though the FA only notice incidents when a Spurs player commits it...

I think that's the first result of the season in which we've dropped points from the corresponding fixture from the previous campaign, it's not the first time Bournemouth have got a good result against a bigger side though and it won't be the last.

Three points really is a must against Leicester on Saturday, can't keep affording all these draws if we're to maintain a healthy league position.

 

I agree. It looks by no means certain it was deliberately aimed at Arter's face.

However, MP's acceptance of the charge suggests that he feels that there's little chance of successfully contesting it...

 

Chelski always contest charges don't they? Who was it that pushed someone over very aggressively, got a three match ban, they appealed and it was ludicrously reduced to two. Not the first time Chelski have got away with a charge or not been charged at all is it!