http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/sa...ing_to_walk_a_disciplinary_tightrope/?ref=rss Romeu already only one booking from a suspension. We are getting far more cards than ever before...we used to be always high on the fair play league. Are we getting into desperate situations more often or are our players dirtier these days. No wonder Ronald is worried about Romeu, but he still has to risk him sometime....it's a long time till they get written off. Probably saving him for Liverpool game.
When you have this disciplinary situation like this it demands discipline. That means no ripping shirts off, no diving melodramatically at the slightest brush in the penalty area and no unnecessary lunges on the halfway line. Good job footballers are famed for their self-control, eh?
The problem with a disciplinary tightrope is if it affects your decision making...there are occasions where you have to take one for the team....I know at least one of Romeu's yellows was because he had to stop someone. I expect him to get another card at Anfield....just not two, please.
To a certain extent it's a consequence of the players having to fill the void Morgan left. The defensive midfield control is still not quite there and that leads to rash challenges. It'll get better, and hopefully sooner rather than later.
This completely backs up my thoughts that Ron wanted to save Romeu for Liverpool, and let him skip Bournemouth (as he'll be an absolute banker for a yellow at Anfield).
My favourite martyr foul of recent times was Morgan's red against - can't remember - I think it was Chelsea. He mowed down (I think) Fabregas on the halfway line, stopping an almost certain late Chelsea counter goal. A rare occasion where I was actually happy to see someone sent off, as opposed to the outcome if he'd left it. EDIT: yes, was Chelsea. Rule being, don't annoy Morgan: http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/27/cesc-...lin-recalls-red-card-against-chelsea-5123487/
Like one ages ago against West Ham. Some guy was clean through near the end of the game, so Jason Dodd nailed him. He didn't even look at the ref and just walked straight off.
I think it reflects the manager. We were low on yellow cards with Nige because he wanted that clean image. Both MP & RK realised that was costing us domination in midfield and I'm pretty sure midfielders have been instructed to man up a bit. Watching the change in JWP this last year or so is a classic example. But we have a lot of quality midfielders in the squad now to cover for suspensions and injuries; probably not an accident!
Don't joke. While watching a Premier League game on the television with my father-in-law with all the family there, he exploded at the television when the referee booked a player for a late foul. His exact words were, "He wasn't late, he just didn't get there on time" We don't let him forget that.
If Tadic gets the winner on Sunday I'd be tempted to make a silly promise of doing something daft like parachuting naked onto St Mary's before a game with my dog, but I won't, because: 1. Someone has already done that and a Tadic winner triggers that event and 2. I don't have a dog.
Colin Murray promised to run through Belfast in a mankini if NI qualified for the Euros. That should be "fun" to see.
