Not for me, that's what I like about the English game. I like that from a set piece it's not just about winning a header it's about holding off your opponent and/or outsmarting them. Dawson had every right to clatter him, he was stuck under the ball so was in the way with no real chance of heading the ball towards goal. I just wish PL refs hadn't turned soft on defending in the box in open play. It currently is very odd that you can get away with so many things in the box for a set piece but can't in open play if the attacker flops to the ground.
I like the NFL rule interference rule, where you can't grab, or even impede someone from getting to the ball, but you can run towards the ball yourself if you're trying to play it, even you knock another player out of the way to get there. Grabbing someone, whether it's his shirt or his head, turns what should be maneuvering into wrestling. IMO. What Dawson did would have been fine except that he had his arm around the other player's neck. But the main thing is for the powers that be to write some rule that's easy to understand and enforce it as well as possible, whatever that rule happens to be. To have grabbing sometimes be a pen and sometimes not is ridiculous. Also, I think the Falque pen was when Seattle handled a Townsend cross.
Nothing serious, I hope? Who does that leave as back-up for Friedel? McGee? Vorm's still on holiday from World Cup duty, even if we do sign him, I'd have thought.
Yeah, Vorm's in need of a rest, that minute he played at the world cup must've really taken it out of him!
He was still presumably training throughout the tournament though. I don't know what it's like for 'keepers but if it was an outfield player that hadn't been used but their team made it through to the last weekend of the World Cup I'd assume they need an extra break.
He can have a holiday as long as he wants when he retires in his mid 30s. Plus 3 out of every 4 summers. Plus his hours aren't exactly gut busting during a standard week anyway. Poor footballers
Vorm has confirmed what I said, strangely. Pulled off a beach in Ibiza, passed his medical and straight back to the beach. It's a hard life, eh?
So after stopping by to see their old pal Clint, Spurs will renew acquaintances with Jermaine tonight. The last game was as interesting as I expected, and I hope this one will be half as entertaining. I'd like to see how Lamela, Soldado and Eiriksen play together. Carroll-Capoue looked pretty good. I'd like to see them again. The game against the Sounders was a bit like a Sherwood game except that everyone ran hard. Constant danger at both ends.
And speaking of Defoe, he seems to think that the lads are enjoying life under Pochettino... http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/foo...no-and-i-think-hes-there-to-stay-9622964.html
So who's staying up past their bedtime on a school night for the game? Don't leave me talking to myself on here
"So who's staying up past their bedtime on a school night for the game? Don't leave me talking to myself on here" I will be drifting in and out of sleep between now and whenever. The smart money is on me waking up to see the HT summary and nothing else.
Starting line-up: Friedel, Naughton, Kaboul, Veljkovic, Davies, Capoue, Mason, Lamela, Lennon, Eriksen, Soldado. Bench: McGee, Fredericks, Walker, Rose, Dawson, Fryers, Falque, Carroll, Ceballos, Townsend, Holtby, Kane. Our new Welsh left-back goes straight in.
No, just been watching a few episodes of The Office. What happened, is West Ham's new tika-taka style not been working out? I'm shocked!
No school night for me. It's on at my dinner time, and I happen to be taking tomorrow off in any case. I just got some expensive strong beer. So it's a holiday in redwhiteandermblueville.
