Football Season 09-10/2010 World Cup Thread

[Undertaker]

Also, i don't hear Andy Gray moaning about Ferguson waving an imaginary card. He usually goes off on one. Then again, Ferguson isn't foreign and he has his c*** up Fergusons arse.

[skyhigh]

no way was it a red card. half a dozen lpool players in close attendance. not a penalty though.

[Undertaker]

Gotta disagree with that. If Valencia isn't fouled, he's bearing down on goal and getting a shot off. A goalscoring opportunity? I think so.

To be fair to knob head Webb, the linesman should have helped him out as to where the foul took place.

[skyhigh]

fairly contentious grey area that one about goalscoring opportunity if ya ask me.

[Undertaker]

It is and seeing the replay, it probably was only a yellow.

It's a cracking match. Why isn't Benitez playing Aquilani? He cost a fortune.

[skyhigh]

aquilani seems to have missed the boat in aclimatising to the epl due to his injuries, maybe risky playing him this season? if he's there next season i think he'll be a 1st pick most weeks. or maybe he's just not suited? mention in the papers today that he will be sold along with riera and babel to keep torres happy?? mnu seem hard to beat when theyre at full strength.

[skyhigh]

read a thing on the bbc site which was discussing whether or not fletcher would be in the england squad if he were english? mixed views, what do we think?

[Patrick Bateman]

I've always thought that Fletcher looked like the missing Neville brother.

[Undertaker]

He probably would be because England don't have anyone at the moment that can spoil games. Gareth Barry does it at the minute but he's not good enough to be a regular fixture for a top International side. Owen Hargreaves always did the dirty work quite well but he's another Balsa Boy. Too injury prone.

[Danny C]

I didn't think there was much in that game, not a lot between the sides. I guess they were due a win after we'd won the last 3. Just disappointing that of two evenly matched sides, one is challenging for the title and the other is scrapping it out with the also-rans for fourth. Ho hum.

Paul Merson discussing the finer points of the game with Nani:

[JSDOUVRES]

I'd probably say that Liverpool are fighting it out for a place in the Europa League, not champions league, Don't quite know how Benitez is still there but then again who out there could replace him and who would with the average squad they have. Benitez has made some awful buys and strange sales and now he is paying for it.
Of course today they raised their game against United but still lost. I reckon Gerrard will go in the summer and maybe Torres too. Could be even harder for them after.
At least it's looking like a good finish to the league this year. I still have my money on Chelsea though.

[Undertaker]

At least it's looking like a good finish to the league this year. I still have my money on Chelsea though.

I reckon you would get better value by putting it down the drain. Chelsea look out of sorts to me. United and Arsenal look to have the momentum but things do seem to change very quickly. I think Man Ure will win it.

[Danny C]

Don't quite know how Benitez is still there

Because the man is a genius who can win the European Cup with Djimi Traore and Vladimir Smicer.

but then again who out there could replace him and who would with the average squad they have.

Oh yes, that "average squad" finished 4 points behind United last season and was coming off a three-game winning streak over United. Match report.

So far as who could replace him... Hiddink and Mourinho for two have both registered an interest.

Benitez has made some awful buys and strange sales and now he is paying for it.

No, he's paying for decades of poor ownership, culiminating in Yank owners who are even worse than the Glazers. The debt on the club accrues £1m interest every 9 days. You tell me how any manager is supposed to operate under conditions like that?

Benitez has a mixed record in the transfer market, like all managers.

I reckon Gerrard will go in the summer and maybe Torres too.

£10 charity bet says both those players will still be at Anfield this time next year. If I'm wrong I'll split the cash between the Terence Higgins Trust and the Bakers Benevolent Society in honour of a certain pop singer. You in?

[Lush]

no way was it a red card. half a dozen lpool players in close attendance. not a penalty though.

This is from "Laws of the Game" on the FIFA website:
Holding an opponent

Holding an opponent includes the act of preventing him from moving past or around using the hands, the arms or the body.
Referees are reminded to make an early intervention and to deal firmly with holding offences especially inside the penalty area at corner kicks and free kicks.

To deal with these situations,

• the referee shall warn any player holding an opponent before the ball is in play
• caution the player if the holding continues before the ball is in play
• award a direct free kick or penalty kick and caution the player if it happens once the ball is in play.

If a defender starts holding an attacker outside the penalty area but continues holding him inside the penalty area, the referee shall award a penalty kick.

The text in bold quite accurately describes the foul commited by Mascherano. As for whether it should have been a red card, you can hardly argue that a team which has been awarded a penalty has been denied a goal-scoring opportunity. So IMO, the referee got it absolutely right.

[Lush]

Double post.