I can't believe that, these things are difficult to see, but why would Vertonghen risk doing that, as he was ahead of Torres at the time and risk letting Torres get the ball and run unopposed into the box. It would make no sense for Vertonghen to dive at that point.
I implied that the particular linesman in question was either biased or didn't know the rules, as he's claimed to have seen the incident. I don't see how a series of unrelated events is connected to that. Note the part when I said, "to this official". I agree about reform being needed, though. It's a mess.
C'mon stop splitting hairs, you know what I meant, there was no contact that was going to cause injury, no discernable contact....pedant....fairy pedant! You moaned JV held his head....so did Torres!
If you want to see the bias towards Chelsea, look further down. I agree the FA is crap, though. While I would have liked to see a Torres four match ban because he deserved it, I'm glad he only got one match as I'd rather have him on the pitch than someone who can score. One subjective reason I really like Rose is I saw him slip in the penalty box as a defender came in, then jump up like a jack in the box with his hand up to indicate it wasn't a foul. Why don't more players do that?
Im not saying 100 percent, just my first view was he dived, but of course I could be wrong about verts as its a fair point about the position he was in yet you often see defenders trying to trick the ref as 9 times out of 10 they get the foul and it relieves pressure. But overall players fake everything these days, be it diving, injuries and so on, that even with our own player I take a cynical view and was disappointed in Townsend and his antics.
Just as I thought, unable to answer. Torres clutched the back of his head because a few fingers brushed the side of his face. That aside, you cannot lead with your forearm into a challenge, that is what Dean clearly indicated as he showed the red card. That means regardless of anything after, contact, player reaction, all irrelevant. FT knew a player was there so can't say he didn't see him, so its intentional, he led with his arm and swung it toward JV, that is enough for a yellow, end of. Instead of criticising refs, in your case just jumping on a bandwagon, you should learn the rules, as you clearly demonstrate no understanding of them yourself...don't know why you're here tbh, do you involve yourself in adult conversations you don't understand all the time then?
Agree entirely. I'm not going to muster the energy and blinkers to get into squabbles with other fans about who cheated and who didn't. Footballers are all a bunch of lying, acting prima donnas nowadays. Some are a bit worse but pretty much all of them have been taught that contact = falling over, even the most honest and intelligent ones. They all cheat a bit. I mean - we, as fans, should rise above it. If only pundits and journalists did. So how about this: Both Verts and Torres cheated a bit at the weekend. No big deal - happens every single game (not in games that you or I play in but then those are games between real people acting like actual adults). Verts DID touch Torres' face when they went up, both of them DID unnecessarily grab their heads when they landed (could you imagine someone doing that in a game you're involved in? Could you imagine what a DICK that person would seem?). The referee DID get fooled into giving Torres a red card. But who gives a ****? He probably should have been off anyway which is a shame cos he was having an awesome game. Shame he was also such a huge dick the whole game. But it's really pointless any fan trying to prove that some other team cheats and lies - they all bloody do, even Spurs now, I'm afraid. What you gonna do? Stop liking football or Spurs? Wish I could sometimes - all the bullshit and simulation and cheating really gets right on my tit and is genuinely embarrassing to watch. Put it this way - the diving and scratching and ref-hassling and bollocks like that is probably the least interesting thing about any game. I'd rather do something positive like bitch about our LB situation...
I think that Verts there won't happen (though I'd like it to) because of our lack of depth in CB with Kaboul's fitness looking iffy. If we had the quality cover in CB I'd play Verts over Rose at LB anyway - obviously not what AVB has in mind, though. We've gone, in a year, from a situation where Dawson was 4th/5th choice and AVB was happy to let him go to Dawson being one of our starting CB every game pretty much with Kaboul (if/when fit) his only real competition. How we've managed to weaken both CB and LB (lost Gallas, Caulker, BAE, gained Rose, Chiriches and, at a push apparently, Capoue) yet still have this impressive-looking (on paper at least) defence is a mystery. Well - as I said elsewhere - I think it might have to do with the solidness of our CM area more than the defensive personnel.
The media love to pick up on these 'incidents' because they love a story. Their reporting of a game is often wrong in any case because whether the reporter knows anything about football or not is just pot luck. I am just not interested in futile arguments about who cheated first or most, it is the part of the game that calls into question my own sanity. Why would I be interested in following a 'sport' populated by thick, cheating, lying, moneygrabbing scumbags? But I do!
On the subject of Dawson I was just doing my FF team and check out his picture: You really do have to love him.
Before and after: please log in to view this image Not been a bad £4m buy, has he? He must be due a goal soon too.
Rose has done a fine job at left back and whilst Chiriches looked poor on his debut against Villa, it was only one game. Given the progress we've made elsewhere in the squad I don't think there's much need to get too panicky about our weakness at left back and centre back. Maybe AVB is sure Capoue can play at centre back and if he's any good there then suddenly we look stronger and only left back is weak. I think every squad has at least one weakness and I'd much rather ours be left back then up front after last season.
We were linked with Bruno Martins Indi of Feyenoord in the summer, a 21-year-old Dutch international who can play both roles. His team were eliminated from the Europa in the play-offs, so he wouldn't be cup-tied. We've also been linked with Domenico Criscito, an Italian left-back who's currently with Zenit. I don't think that it's a position that our management are entirely happy with and I wouldn't be against strengthening it in January, either. Maybe not the time to bring in an automatic starter, as Rose has done well and our current centre-back pairing looks strong, but cover and competition would be good. Kaboul's ongoing fitness issues are a concern, too.
Probably the best £4m we've spent. To think that he was part of the Reid deal where at the time, I didn't have a clue who he was, where as Reid was supposedly the best player in the Championship at the time, crazy how things work out.
LB aside I don't think we're too short in defence. The past seasons we had an abundance of CB's mainly due to King and Woodgate, even Dawson picked up the odd knock plus Gallas picked up one or two a season too so it made sense to have a few. Vertonghen has yet to have a long lay off and his Ajax playing record suggests he's been clear of injuries. Kaboul has unfortunately had one long one, hopefully he can be back fully fit soon. Dawson seems fine at the moment, Chiriches has replaced Caulker and then we have Capoue who can fill in if needed.
His first goal was memorable, the equaliser in a rare result....a win v Chelsea!, a game decided by players who score once in a blue moon, Daws, Makelele! and Lennon! http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6094134.stm
Ha. I clicked the 606 link on that match report. Seems like the ref had a part to play in that game too. "Graham Poll is a disgrace and should be ditched from refereeing full stop." - A Chelsea Fan. I smiled.
