Just wondered why Cole got cautioned with the yellow but the ref never awarded you a penalty? Very confusing I'm not wumming, genuine question
The ref can't award a penalty if the ball is out of play. As Chicharito had already shot wide when Cole clattered him, yellow card but no pen.
Except for in almost every similar incident that takes place out side the box. Very confusing rule to be honest. I bet its possible to find examples of penalties being awarded for similar incidents.
I understand that. But there is an argument that as Chickpea no longer had control of the ball any tackle on him was an automatic red card for violent play.
I can see that argument, but Cole was trying to block the shot rather than tackle. He wasn't sliding straight at the player a la Carragher or Rafael last season, and it was only chance that he caught Chicharito's shooting foot as it swung through. So it'd be hard to argue he was playing in a dangerous manner - loads of defenders make those sort of lunging blocks every game.
He was lucky he didn't break Pea's leg and the arrogant little gobs***e should have been sent off regardless of if he was trying to block a shot or not.
Regardless of blocking a shot or not if that tackle had happened on the half way line whilst the ball was in play, say whilst trying to block a pass it is still a straight red
I had never thought of it like this before. If someone was just sheparding the ball out of play and someone comes and fouls the player even if the ball has gone out of play, I'm almost certain that the referee would give the free kick. I'm not saying that it's the wrong/right thing to do, but there is this inconsistancy that because it is in the penalty area, you have to think twice about giving it as a foul when anywhere else on the pitch it's a foul.
There is different rules when inside the box, we see it all the time whend defenders obstruct attacker
You say that but we are seeing more referees giving penalties from pushes and pulls which could indicate that referees are starting to see that fouls are fouls no matter where they occur. I understand the logic why it wasn't given but it's the inconsistancies I'm pissed off about. But what can you do about it when referees get a reputation as being lenient or strict. In an ideal world all referees should interpret things the same but that ain't going to happen.
Joe Cole was sent off against Arsenal for lunging in on Koscielny, who passed the ball just as the tackle came in. Ashley Cole's tackle was comparatively a lot worse, so he too should have seen red, and whether or not the ball is in play should only change what is awarded to the opposition, not the colour of card. We've seen players sent off for altercations on the touchline many times, when the ball is out of play.
That doesn't follow for me. No one would make such an all or nothing lunge just to block a pass. Cole's effort reminded me a lot of some of Scholesy's blind lunge tackles - no real control but no intent to injure the player. He could have seen red, but that would have been quite harsh IMO. @Polar Bear, the rules actually state that a penalty can only be given if the ball is in play, but a free kick can be given any time. Not sure why, but those are the rules...
Surely that rule must just apply to inside the penalty area? Otherwise it's probably the most inconsistent rule ever, it often happens in games and a free kick is given 100% of the time.
