Just wanted to say its about time refs clamped down on the whole 'wall moving' incident. To my memory it's three times now it's happened to us the other being away at Brighton last season. Not only was it not a free kick but the clear obstruction on the wall was not seen either. Ivanovic did it later in the game aswell. Either refs need to penalise it or the end man on the wall needs to anticipate it or throw an elbow at it, the latter being my proffered option. Also well played City yesterday gave it a good go! UTT!
Later in the game mcgregor was shouting 'elmo push into him' when organising the wall... I believe it's up to our players to ensure it doesn't happen by being strong It's daft really but it seems to be commonplace now
Out team was pretty small compared to the chelsea team, until huddlestone came on especially in midfield
Elmo was a right fanny in the wall, we should have had Sagbo on that end - don't think Ivanovic would have had as much luck against him. When Brady got a freekick on the edge of the Chelsea area, I would've liked to see our players push their wall to the side, purely to see if the ref would have given a freekick to Chelsea - probably.
As did Geovanni's free kick away at Burnley in 09/10, but the ref still gave the free kick to Burnley.
The Sky slow-mo version showed it from a 'players-eye-view' and you can see Elmo get pushed, so he steps back behind the wall... you can see his head poking out from behind everyone else as the ball whizzes past him just above his head. Had he held his ground, i.e. been 2 steps further forward, he'd probably have got a nick on it on his head, which may have sent it for a corner, or anywhere bar the back of the net... who knows.
I play Sunday league and had someone do it to me, I just shouted to the ref that he is all over me, and I will be going over as soon as the ball is kicked, as he is not trying to get the ball. The player soon left me alone.
You need a strong wall controller or extra man on the end of the wall that takes the instructions from McGregor, he has to be a strong bastard though (not Elmo) to stop twats like Ivanovic from barging into said wall...Sagbo is a good option as he can also break off to close down creative free kicks. And if any **** stands in front of the wall all of our players should push/niggle/or kick the **** out of him until he or the ref gets the message
To be honest, the wall just sort of collapsed. If Ivanovic is strong enough to shove everybody out the way then that says more about the strength of our players than it does about him. We need to toughen up. I always wondered how walls let opposition players join in. You see the opposing team sticking players into the middle of walls; why don't the other players just force him out or stand in front of him?
Surely the point is that physically pushing or dragging another player is a foul and would be given anywhere else on the pitch. A defender retaliating against such treatment risks giving away a pen, the attacker losing the free kick opportunity so to some extent the defender gets the **** end of the stick.
that's how Stuart Pearce got most of his free kicks at Forest - Birtles would push the wall out of the way - Refs too busy watching the Ball rather than the Wall - anyway Premier League will always give these decisions to the top teams as it helps investment, branding, funding etc - they don't want 'little ole Ull', Fulham, Stoke etc upsetting the status quo - thats why the cheating bastards get away with diving as it gives the ref the opportunity of giving the top teams a freekick or pen - it's a joke really but it really is corrupt at the top - incidentally McGregor, next time Torres is running towards you hit him full on the nose and mouth rather than a glancing blow - at least he will have earned his pen then and most of the football world will be cheering you on
