I personally wouldn't like that to be a 'rule' of the game. I don't think it is always done with intent to affect the opponent's movement. Sometimes the fingers just grip at something out of instinct. There's a significant difference between that and deliberately yanking someone off course.
Can't agree there, I played and watched every season for about 35 years, not at a very high level but a bit of representational footie in the forces, days of baggy shirts and shorts and,although my memory is shot, I cannot remember a single incident of shirt grabbing, it certainly wasn't a feature as it is in the modern game. Knee capping, nutting etc but not shirt grabbing.
Unless of course it was grabbing the shirt by the scruff of the collar with one hand, billy bemner style, ready to throw a punch
Yeah, thinking about it maybe shirt tugging wasn't necessary as players could then be barged off the ball including of course keepers holding the ball barged over the goal line!
The ref rightly awarded this goal in real time. Then came VAR, and Chiellini's world class dive (it was ****, actually, but it fooled the VAR assisted officials) resulted in the goal being written off.
Agreed, however Yoshida has looked a bit rusty - he was a bit slow to react against Fulham where Babel hit the bar and again in closing down Lukaku for their third goal. These things happen, however if it had been Stephens I think people would have been more critical. I like this settled side however and all we need is a bit more quality on the bench (hopefully Lemina and Ings). Ps. For the next match can we please stop getting caught out by short corners two on one - unless we want them to do it?
Agreed but it always has taken him a few games to get upto speed after a spell out of the team and it would certainly be my back 3 going forwards.
Valery ends next year (2020). JWP has got another 3 years or so, I think, having signed a 6-year deal back in 2016.
Didn't expect much from this game, so pleased with our performance, but annoyed that things went against us and we got nothing....because every thing fell into place in this game and there is no guarantee that it will again. We play well against good teams....can we reproduce this performance against teams that don't play like United. Everyone has their hopes up (me included), but we need to do it again against Spurs...I hope we get something from that game (and Cardiff lose again) because we can't seem to get the points against the bottom sides and those are the games that count double. Mustn't finish on a low....as one pundit said last week...the fact that Saints can score should ensure their safety.
