I couldn't make the game today or hear it due to work so could someone clarify something for me: - Firstly, were they straight red cards that Fix and Ramirez received? - Secondly, as straight reds (if) doesn't that mean a three game ban meaning their season is over...? Thanks!
Both straight reds for serious foul play/violent conduct and will almost certainly be three games, season over.
I guess we'll see on MotD in an hour or so, but to me, Ramirez's 'foul' seemed purely accidental. I stand to be corrected, as there may be some intent shown in the highlights that I didn't see at the game, but from what I saw, a free kick seemed harsh, let alone a straight red. Ramirez was on a really good run, he'd just used a brilliant turn to take the ball between 2 West Brom players and was running into the West Brom half. 1 West Brom player (Shane Long I think) was just on Ramirez's tail, and suddenly went down holding his face. The referee deemed Ramirez to have slapped him in the face, presumable in frustration for not leaving him alone. However, for me, Ramirez was only looking forward, and was relatively clear of the West Brom player. Bearing in mind that he was on a decent run, and he didn't look behind him in frustration or anything of the sorts, to me the decision that Ramirez was guilty of violent conduct seems absolutely bizarre, I'm sure that it must be accidental. As I say though, we'll see on MotD.
No-one would want Fox! I actually don't think he's been THAT bad in the last few games he's started. However, that tackle was stupid and unneeded. Ramirez will be here until next Summer at least. He was having a better game than usual and then it ended through a moment of madness. Ramirez' exclusion means that Puncheon will get more of a look-in.
Not sure Ramirez has done enough to get a move, at least not for the money we'd want for him after what we paid out. Probably needs another season here.
Poor pass from Davis for the Fox sending off. The old fashioned hospital ball. Seeing it live I thought he had to go for the challenge as it was there to be won, but if you jump in the studs showing you're in trouble. Not condoning or disagreeing with the Ramirez sending off, but it tests the theory as to whether play on is always best. Based on previous cautions in the match for pulling back, Long was looking at a yellow card. If the ref had blown up we all would have groaned because we had the ball , but it would have prevented the frustrated smack from Gaston.
Although he is only young he is a professional footballer and should be able to deal with some pulling. He was moving away from Long and had the potential to set up a useful move for us from that passage of play.
That is one brilliant, brilliant point. You have to feel sorry for the referee in that situation, he can't really win. Yes Gaston is a professional, and you can't condone what he did. But put yourself in his shoes; having Long nick away you along your whole run, not getting close to the ball, would hack you right off too. Long was fouling Gaston (why was the free-kick overturned by the way? It was still a Long foul first), and arguably deserved a yellow card. But of course had the ref blown up, you'd have never known if Gaston might have wriggled clear and say, slotted Jay through to score. As you say, the moment the referee blows up, we'd have all been groaning and (wrongly) shouting 'you don't know what you're doing'.
Looked to me as if: 1. Ramirez was trying to shake Long off, and 2) he got hit in the throat, not the face.
I have not seen MOTD but I think that led to the confusion from the crowd when the ref gave us the free kick initially. When I was 16/17 and had a little pace to get away from defenders I experienced a similar situation with the defender stretching my shirt to the seams. I flung an arm back to try and shake him off and caught him in the face. Unlike Gaston my hand was open and it was only a weak slap which earned me a yellow, but what really frustrated me was the award of the free kick to my opponent. I managed to upgrade my card to red one after accusing the ref of being a ferocious self pleasurer
Almost had a quick question myself a moment ago, when I checked on Reading and QPR and they were relegated. Immediately, I went to the table and saw that if Villa lose everything and Wigan obtain only 2 points from their remaining fixtures, mathematically, either go stay up. I pondered for a good 30 seconds, and then the little matter of Villa playing Wigan on the last day hit me. That's the way it goes sometimes.
