Please don't get me wrong here, I'm as thrilled with those three points today as Lambert is. YEE-Haa, in fact. But what I fail to understand is why, after Vincent Kompany was sent off for an 'over the top' tackle last week, why wasn't Dani Ayala sent off today? It was late, clumsy and actually pretty dangerous, so I'm trying to find out when all this "consistency" as oft spouted by the FA is going to occur? On a +ve note, two of the best counter attacking goals you'll see all season. Maximum credit to Simeon Jackson for the first, and WFLGH for possibly the 'assist' of the season. Happy Days
There is consistency of sorts. Each ref is consistent but they don't all give the same thing for the same incidents, thats why we've had Kompany, Johnson and now Ayala all making similarly bad tackles and we've had a red, a yellow and no card at all. Its all down to how each ref interprets things and unfortunately they all interpret the same things in completely different ways. But I echo Cromer's YEE-haa. Unbeaten in seven, back to back prem away wins for the first time in God knows how many years, 11 points clear of relegation and comfortably in the top half of the table.
Completely agree with everything you said. Obviously the penalty was at the opposite end to us, but it looked pretty bad from where we were. Having said that, I'm sure there was a similarly bad tackle by a WBA player a few minutes later that wasn't even a foul! At least the refs are consistently inconsistent!
Posted this on the motd thread, but should have put it here (pleeeeaaase Dave sir, don't ban me). "Re. Ayala's tackle, the fact that the game was being played in such a good spirit -- competitively but entirely fairly and without nastiness from any of the players on either side -- probably had a bearing on Mike Dean's decision. He didn't have to show any cards all afternoon apart from this particular incident. It must have been a pleasure to referee the game. If it had happened in a bad-tempered, hot-headed game where he'd already had to give out several cards, maybe it would have got red. Well done to both sides, AND to Mike Dean. "
What I'd like to know about the penalty is this, on his run up, Shane Long (spit) hesitated about halfway! I thought that was banned several years ago! Did I imagine it, or has it been repealed?
I dont think it has been banned, if it has then only in this country. Neymar is a sod for doing that! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtzrvDL2SJw
I have to agree with you lot on this... And congratulations on a good result, that 40 point mark isn't far now.... I think It's already been eluded too but Ayala's challenge looked a lot more dangerous than Kompany's although on this occasion there was no snarling, drooling Wayne Rooney lambasting the referee so fair play to WBA for just getting on with it
I think they were so relieved to get back into the game, they didn't think about claiming for a red card.
