After the 1-1 draw at Anfield yesterday, Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini accused Liverpool players of getting Mario Balotelli sent off, and having examined the incident several times - and being completely objective - I have to agree with his view.
Mancini was clearly disappointed with the decision:
"It was not the correct decision. Mario moved his arm but I got the impression the referee thought it was a free-kick but not a card. After all the Liverpool players went to him complaining, he gave a second yellow card."
After the game, Kenny Dalglish stated the following:
"Balotelli got himself sent off. I don't think anything our boys did influenced the referee in any way".
I beg to differ...
As soon as the incident occurred, Liverpool players swarmed around the referee, with Dirk Kuyt and Charlie Adam being particularly vocal.
Adam used his elbow to suggest to the ref that Balotelli had deliberately elbowed Skrtel, which he clearly hadn't:
As soon as Skrtel went down, Lucas was (literally) right in the ref's face, exhorting him to take action:
Kuyt also approached the ref and tried to influence his decision by counting down on his fingers the number of incidents in which Balotelli had been involved:
Is this not trying to get a fellow professional sent off?
Of course it is, and in my view, it's totally out of order. It's not like Balotelli did something particularly heinous; how many players - including Liverpool players - have led with the arm in aerial duels over the years?
What makes it worse is Skrtel's reaction. After the challenge, he was writhing on the floor clutching his face with both hands, but it's clear from watching the footage of the incident that Balotelli's arm did not make contact with the front of Skrtel's face:
As you can see, Skrtel is facing away from Balotelli when his arm makes contact, so unless the Italian has an Inspector Gadget-like extending arm, how could he have made contact with the front of Skrtel's face? Despite the lack of contact, Skrtel acted like he'd been elbowed in the face:
Skrtel clearly made the most of it; in fact, it could be argued that he indulged in a little bit of play-acting to make the challenge appear worse.
Kenny Dalglish predictably blamed Balotelli after the match, but thankfully, former Liverpool defender Gary Gillespie offered a more fair and objective view the issue:
"He [Balotelli] leads with his arm but I don' think it's a flailing arm. He doesn't swing his arm, he just goes in with it. For me, I think that's a little bit harsh to be honest. I think it's a foul and a free kick, but not a sending off".
If the tables were turned and it had been, say, Luis Suarez sent off, and Man City players had tried their best to get him sent off, I'm sure Liverpool fans - and Daglish - would've been singing a different tune.
Adam, Lucas and Skrtel played superbly against Man City, but this is not about supporting Liverpool; I hate to see this kind of thing in football generally, and I especially hate to see Liverpool - a club historically renowned for fair play - engaging in this kind of unseemly, Man United-esque behaviour.
What goes around comes around, and the universe has a habit of redressing the balance when it comes to unsporting behaviour and injustice. Mark my words: at some point this season, Liverpool will find themselves on the end of a similar injustice, and it will hurt.
Jaimie Kanwar
Mancini was clearly disappointed with the decision:
"It was not the correct decision. Mario moved his arm but I got the impression the referee thought it was a free-kick but not a card. After all the Liverpool players went to him complaining, he gave a second yellow card."
After the game, Kenny Dalglish stated the following:
"Balotelli got himself sent off. I don't think anything our boys did influenced the referee in any way".
I beg to differ...
As soon as the incident occurred, Liverpool players swarmed around the referee, with Dirk Kuyt and Charlie Adam being particularly vocal.
Adam used his elbow to suggest to the ref that Balotelli had deliberately elbowed Skrtel, which he clearly hadn't:
As soon as Skrtel went down, Lucas was (literally) right in the ref's face, exhorting him to take action:
Kuyt also approached the ref and tried to influence his decision by counting down on his fingers the number of incidents in which Balotelli had been involved:
Is this not trying to get a fellow professional sent off?
Of course it is, and in my view, it's totally out of order. It's not like Balotelli did something particularly heinous; how many players - including Liverpool players - have led with the arm in aerial duels over the years?
What makes it worse is Skrtel's reaction. After the challenge, he was writhing on the floor clutching his face with both hands, but it's clear from watching the footage of the incident that Balotelli's arm did not make contact with the front of Skrtel's face:
As you can see, Skrtel is facing away from Balotelli when his arm makes contact, so unless the Italian has an Inspector Gadget-like extending arm, how could he have made contact with the front of Skrtel's face? Despite the lack of contact, Skrtel acted like he'd been elbowed in the face:
Skrtel clearly made the most of it; in fact, it could be argued that he indulged in a little bit of play-acting to make the challenge appear worse.
Kenny Dalglish predictably blamed Balotelli after the match, but thankfully, former Liverpool defender Gary Gillespie offered a more fair and objective view the issue:
"He [Balotelli] leads with his arm but I don' think it's a flailing arm. He doesn't swing his arm, he just goes in with it. For me, I think that's a little bit harsh to be honest. I think it's a foul and a free kick, but not a sending off".
If the tables were turned and it had been, say, Luis Suarez sent off, and Man City players had tried their best to get him sent off, I'm sure Liverpool fans - and Daglish - would've been singing a different tune.
Adam, Lucas and Skrtel played superbly against Man City, but this is not about supporting Liverpool; I hate to see this kind of thing in football generally, and I especially hate to see Liverpool - a club historically renowned for fair play - engaging in this kind of unseemly, Man United-esque behaviour.
What goes around comes around, and the universe has a habit of redressing the balance when it comes to unsporting behaviour and injustice. Mark my words: at some point this season, Liverpool will find themselves on the end of a similar injustice, and it will hurt.
Jaimie Kanwar
I didn't need to get to the bottom to see who wrote this article. A literary genius indeed. Jamie you are lost on a simple footballing website. Try something more aspirational.
ReplyDeleteI truely wont if you actually are a Liverpool Supporter sometimes a hell of a lot of your posts are negative towards the Reds?
ReplyDeleteDaglish was right Balotelli put himself in those positions, his first Yellow was terrible and if you are already on a Yellow card the challenge on Skrtel wasnt needed very clumsy and rightly given a Yellow card. Mancini is just deflecting the fact he needs to grow up and stop playing like an idiot. how many red and yellow cards for him this season already??
Do you have anything to add to the debate, or is this childish response the best you can do? If you disagree, construct a counter argument.
ReplyDeletethe decision was made by the referee!!
ReplyDeletehow many times over the years have wee seen other clubs get 'favourable' decisions ? and if anything, the sending off probably hindered us as City defended in numbers making it harder to find a way through (although we did).
also, Lucas was immense again and i reckon there are countless people that need to eat some humble pie. Well done Rafa !!
You are an utter bloody idiot!!! What game were you watching? Ballotelli leaned with the arm intending to hit Skrtel in his face. Simple as that. You are a fool!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh so ignore the fact that what Ballotelli did has no part in the game of football and could have potentially severely hurt Martin.....of course.
ReplyDeleteCue Manchester Uniteds entire team mobbing the ref for stuff....
It was a second yellow and could have been a straight red Fact.
Well said Jaimie...Cheers for being honest...
ReplyDeleteI felt Mancini didn't brief his players properly... Having a referee who likes to send off players (remember the everton game???) and booked almost every man city players prior to the sending off, he should have known the risk of sending out balotelli which also have a bad repo... Not only the players, even the crowd wanted balotelli to get a yellow card... He really gave a good reason to the referee to send him off for an early shower :)
ReplyDeleteYOU ARE VERY SAD
ReplyDeleteSkrtel is facing away from Balotelli when his arm makes contact, so unless the Italian has an Inspector Gadget-like extending arm, how could he have made contact with the front of Skrtel's face?What the F was his arm doing there in the first place??? YELLOW CARD. He is trying to professionally foul him and therefore got the just punishment. End of.
ReplyDeleteI see no mention of Aguero asking the ref for a car for Adam or mention of Kompany consistently kicking Suarez from behind?
ReplyDeleteWell balanced article!
How do you know Balotelli was 'intending to hit Skrtel in his face'? Can you read his mind? As I noted in the article, Skrtel's was facing AWAY FROM BALOTELLI when contact was made, so why was Skrtel clutching the front of his face like he'd been hit in the face?
ReplyDeleteIf you don't like it, leave. There are plenty of other LFC sites to visit.
ReplyDeleteYes, 'guest'; you are a fool. You cannot know his intentions and better people than you saw something quite different. Try taking off your red coloured specs.
ReplyDeleteRight, and no other players ever lead with the arm when jumping for the ball. No Liverpool player has ever done that, have they? And I'm sure when an LFC player did, you were also arguing that it was a professional foul and calling for a yellow card.
ReplyDeleteIntention was there to hurt.. Jamie I love to see you to be in skrtel's shoe when a men of Mario size come dashing with his elbow on your face!!!!!
ReplyDeletei tink u shouldnt be writing anymore. your articles are shit!
ReplyDeleteThe intention was to hurt? And you know this how? It has nothing to do with your pro-LFC bias, does it? Watch the incident again: it's the same kind of thing that happens week in week out in the Premier League. Skrtel is 6"4! He's a big, tough guy, yet he goes down like he's been shot. Embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteSorry, Balotelli clearly sprints straight into Skrtel and smashes his forearm into his head. I don't think it was malicious but it WAS dangerous, and very risky for him given that he was already on a yellow. As many other commentators have said, it was almost predictably stupid from Mario Balotelli.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Liverpool players deliberately trying to get him sent off; well, yes they probably did, but then Jamie, if someone did that to your team mate in a match you would be pretty angry about it, I know I would - to expect no reaction at all is ridiculous. I'm not even sure if you're trying to say that 'we are Liverpool FC and we should be above this kind of behaviour' but I don't see how else you would expect a team to react to an incident like that really.
I must say, Jaimie, that your attitude and approach are somewhat odd. While it's clear that you are a serious supporter, it is also clear that you have a tendency to initially doubt the club. While Balotelli may well have not struck Skirtel in the face, he also may well have made some contact. The video is simply not conclusive. Instead of blindly taking the Red side, which would be silly, you tend to leap to the anti-Red side, also silly. I feel that your articles would benefit from a little more objectivity. Of course, Adam, Lucas, et al were inappropriate in trying to influence the ref - but that's par for the course on every team in every league of football. Why on earth would you possibly waste your time (and ours) trying to turn this into an issue? Again, it's your attitude and approach as a putative Liverpool supporter that strike me as odd.
ReplyDeleteAnother failed article by Kanwar. We all know what Balotelli is like, and it was an elbow, but you can't blame our players, it looked like an elbow in real time. More anti-liverpool drivel!
ReplyDeleteJamie as you stated to the poster asking if he could read Balotellis mind? so your saying you can read his mind? when in pain you dont always hold the place where uv been hurt, your posts are always negative and i for 1 wont be reading your drizzle any more
ReplyDeleteJaimie- you and some other regular posters on this site are over negative towards LFC. I can see the idea, write provoking articles which will generate reaction and increase the 'ad' click rate on your site.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's exactly what I'm trying to say. I know it's probably wildly optimistic on my part to expect LFC to be above this kind of thing, but rightly or wrongly, I hold our players to a higher standard.
ReplyDeletePlayers make a deliberate choice to try and influence the referee, and in this situation, several Liverpool players tried to get a fellow professional sent off, and that's really depressing to me.
You are completely right in your analysis but sadly that is the face of modern football and until referees start dishing out cards for unsporting behavious it will continue.
ReplyDeleteoh i see you delete comments that go against your veiws?
ReplyDeletehis arm was up, backing into skrtel, and he was on a yellow already. you cant play like that these days. you see penalty's given for that sort of play and alot less. Also the amount of decisions that have gone against Liverpool this season alone we were due at least one back. i agree it was a bit harsh, but its the nature of football today. like when you see a lame penalty given and the team high five each other like they have already scored.....its the nature of the beast.
ReplyDeleteJaimie,
ReplyDeleteI just watched the video again a couple of times, and unlike your picture the video does look as though Balotelli`s arm is in Skrtle`s face at the beginning of the contact.
In a previous scene, Balotelli had kicked Adam from behind, for which he could already have seen another yellow card as well. Likewise, the foul on Johnson was highly cynical. All in all, Balotelli acted like a complete madman during his short time on the pitch and his dismissal was very much deserved IMO.
No. Read the comment policy: comments that contain insults or derogatory comments are deleted. If you don't have the maturity to debate in the proper manner then your post will not stay on the site. Repost it without the snide comments and it will stay live.
ReplyDeleteHardly a reasoned reply.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, regardless of intention, if Balotelli was reckless or negligent in putting his arm up, and subsequently caught Skrtel - does that make it anything less than a booking? Any player who puts his arms up challenging for a header runs the risk of making contact with an opposing player. It is dangerous and completely feasibly that you risk a booking in those circumstances. That's all it was - a booking, not a straight red, It just happened to be his second.
And how can you presume to know the level of pain Skrtel is in? He's holding his head, all of which is likely to hurt in the event of a collision.
You're right - I can't presume to know the level of pain Skrtel is in. I just don't see how it's possible for Balotelli to make contact with the *front* of Skrtel's face when the defender was quite clearly facing *away* from Balotelli when contact was made.
ReplyDeleteSkrtel clutches the front of his face with both hands. It's an exaggeration IMO, and probably contributed to the sending off.
Well said. I dont think I have ever read anything possitive from Jamie. If anyone tries to disagree with him he just says they are a bias fan and dismisses them.
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree. At the 'beginning of the contact', Skrtel has his back to Balotelli; how is it possible for the Italian to bend his arm around the side of Skrtel's head and make contact with the front of his face?
ReplyDeleteHow do you know categorically that he wasn't? Just as it is unclear how intentional the elbow was, so it is unclear that it was NOT intentional. You have shown one frame as 'evidence' that he was not hit in the face (or the side of the head which would have a similar effect). The real point is that Ballotelli puts himself into these positions - he was on the field for less than 20 minutes and created the problems himself.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that the Liverpool players should just have left the ref to his own devices, but that does not alter the fact that Ballotelli is his own worst enemy and, at the end of the day, needs to take a good look at himself FIRST - and only then worry about what other players are / aren't doing.
I suppose what I'm saying is that I think the primary emotion of the players was anger at what they would understandably perceive to be an over the top challenge on their team-mate, rather than gamesmanship to get Balotelli sent off... That is apart from Charlie Adam; he LOVES to have a good chunter to the ref, I like him a lot.
ReplyDeleteI think you might need to learn to ignore this one Jamie, the players are going to do the same as every other team in trying to influence the ref. As long as they never get to the levels that Utd used to do in surrounding the ref, purple-faced with indignation that he dared to award a blatant penalty against them, then I think I'll also turn a blind eye.
Just before Balotelli challenged for the ball you can clearly see him looking at Skrtel first. He then proceeded to run and instead of trying to jump up, jumped into Skrtel with his arm raised. At this point Skrtel saw it coming and turned his back so to cause minimal impact on the face and caught him close to the ear.
ReplyDeleteJumping into someone is a foul. Jumping into someone with their arm raised in their face or back of the head, it's a yellow card. Simple as that, he got a second yellow and was sent off.
jaimie....
ReplyDelete1. it was clear foul
2. player on 99% knows what is doing and you cannot say by this foul there was not an intention when Balloteli was running with elbow clearly before tackle
Jaimie- You have not written an article highlighting the positives from yesterday's match. This website is based on writing provoking articles to generate reaction and traffic.
ReplyDeleteDid you write an article praising liverpool after their win last weekend against Chelsea?
mancini is a phoney - if he is so outraged he will definately appeal wont he ?, if not he's a phoney.
ReplyDeleteJaimie- why are my comments being checked by the moderator first? my comments were totally free of swear words or personal insults.
ReplyDeleteLiv4life: You've posted a few comments complaining about this site's approach today. Seriously, if you don't like this site, why don't you just go elsewhere? Why keep coming here if it irritates you? I don't get it, and you just don't get the what this site is all about.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I did post an article praising LFC for the win against Chelsea last week:
http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2011/11/chelsea-0-1-liverpool-good-bad-and-ugly.html
I also posted lots of other positive stuff over the last week, but you already knew that.
Skrtel turns away just as the contact occurs, and Balotelli knows he is jumping into Skrtel. From the video it seems impossible to me to conclusively know if slight contact in the face has been made, but it looks that way to me. I respect your point of view if you see it differently, but don`t you agree that it was a potentially dangerous foul and it was thus right for our players to protest against Balotelli`s reckless behaviour?
ReplyDeleteAs a City fan, I believe that Liverpool players got away with murder yesterday!
ReplyDeleteOnly City players seemed to get booked for fouls, whereas Liverpool players where given freedom by the ref to foul at will.
Suarez is a very clever manipulater of refs and some of his dives were worthy of the Olympics. Skilful player, but a cheat and generally nasty piece of work.
Neither of Balotelli's fouls were worthy of a yellow and the last one was an absolute joke.
Balotelli is, however, daft as a brush!
You're right, Gareth. Players are always going to influence the ref, and I guess I should just ignore it. I can't though! It goes against my sense of fairness.
ReplyDeleteI'm also a huge fan of Charlie Adam; fantastic player, and I'm glad we have him.
Istanbulwin,the only way a second yellow card can be appealed is in a case of mistaken identity.
ReplyDeleteMancini isint foolish enough to contest a case of mistaken identity.
Skirtel will get done later in the season,karma always has a way of coming back around,as it will hopefully to Charlie Adam.
I agree that it was a silly challenge to make, but I can't agree that it was potentially dangerous, especially against a 6"4 man-mountain like Martin Skrtel.
ReplyDeleteSkrtel should've just got to his feet and brushed it off. Instead, he milked it and inflamed the situation. The sight of Skrtel writhing on the floor with his head in his hands is probably what triggered the reaction of his team-mates as it looked like he'd been hurt. But lo and behold, he was back on his feet pretty swiftly.
I need to add a few things, when a player jumps he puts his arms up for leverage (try jumping with your arms by your side), Balotelli doesn't jump, so why is his elbow up? Also, when players break their legs they hold their faces, or even fall over, do you need to hold the part of your body that's in pain? When someone kicked me in the balls I held my stomach, I must have faked it!
ReplyDeleteStop complaining about the site and your comments won't be moderated. If you have an issue with me, or the site, you can email me and I'll be happy to discuss it.
ReplyDeleteIstanbulwin - you cannot appeal a 2nd yellow card
ReplyDeleteSorry, but how can you claim that Ballotelli's first yellow was wrong? Are you that biased a supporter? Seriously dude, next thing you will be claiming that Man City's current position in the league has nothing to do with money.
ReplyDeleteYou need to wind back from the picture that you show,the one seen here is a number of frames later,after contact ! naughty boy !!!
ReplyDeleteleading with the arm = yellow card
ReplyDeleteGet your self checked out cos you ain't human
ReplyDelete.
You got kicked in the balls and you held your stomach.??
If you break your leg will you put a pot on your arm?
As I said above,wind the film back.The natural thing to do is to turn away fro someone putting his arm in your face ! naughty boy !
ReplyDeleteYeah, ya hold ya stomach, you get stomach ache from a kick in the balls pal, your either a woman, or a man with no balls, or are fortunate enough to have never been kicked there. As for a pot on your arm? I don't really understand that, but a lot of your comments rarely make sense.
ReplyDeletei guess you didnt see aguero, silva waving cards after skirtels challenge on aguero on the touchline first half.
ReplyDeleteWhether the action taken by the referee was right or not, the unacceptable factor was the attitude of our players in haranging the referee. We are quick enough to condemn that load at the other end of the East Lancs Road when they do it, and even Chelsea have not been spared from condemnation for their frequent displays of petulance, so why should it become acceptable that LFC are above criticism for the same churlish actions ?
ReplyDeleteNo, I didn't see that. And what does that have to do with the issue at hand anyway? Nothing.
ReplyDeleteDave, I saw Milner dive twice yesterday amongst other City players, but I was really shocked at Milner. Richards too, his was a belly flop reminiscent of Shefki Kuqi. Suarez goes down easily, butto be fair it's when players seem to run into the back of him, do they not learn? We had a few chances to break an there where quite a few haul backs by City players that stopped us in our tracks, I didn't think you got in to too many positions to make us foul you! Look at those stats. As for Balotelli, that first one was blatant, not a shirt pull, but a blatant attempt to stop a promising attack and throw someone off the ball, he span him round and didn't complain about the yellow, he took one for the team. He did a few bad tackles then ran into Skrtel with his arm up, not looking at trying to get the ball, not using his arm for leverage, but basically give Skrtel one in the face, if he wasn't, why was his arm up? Answer me that please?
ReplyDeleteLucas being mentioned again for the wrong reasons.
ReplyDeleteI watched the replay of that incident a few times from the different angles and it clearly shows that Mario caught Skrtel in the side of the face, or the ear. Skrtel is not known for play-acting, so I guess he was hurt because he even screamed when he was falling on the ground.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure that the card should have been given for that, but Martin Atkinson is known to never hesitate to show a card, whatever game he officiates. His red card stats are worst in the premier league. He pulls out red almost in every game. The problem with him is his inconsistency and unpredictability of his decisions.
In the game against Everton he didn't give a red to Fellaini who made a very rough tackle on Adam, but he gave a red to Rodwell for a less dangerous tackle on Suarez. He pulled out red card even before Suarez hit the ground, so I don't think it was Suarez who provoked him by his theatrics.
Atkinson is not serving us well by his refereing, because after the games people are more keen to discuss his tedious decisions rather than the game itself or the players.
All i can say is that we should have won last night. Only Hart's brilliance saved City's ar$e from the 1st and very deserved defeat. We outplayed them in all departments.
If you see the players actions after the final whistle: City - clearly happy, high-fiving each other, givng massive hugs to Hart, etc... whereas Liverpool players looked drained and disappointed as if they lost. That means that they felt that they had to win and could do it too.
How do I keep making the mistake of clicking on your website.....always garbage!
ReplyDeleteGo and write for one of the Mancs.
As soon as the ball is flicked into the air towards Skrtel, Balotelli races for it. Is it not possible that in his zeal to get the ball, Balotelli just ran into Skrtel? He probably saw a flash of red in the corner of his eye and put his arm up to shield himself. The footage clearly shows (IMO) that Balotelli has his eye on the ball.
ReplyDeleteIt was a clumsy challenge, but as Brian said in a previous comment, Liverpool players shouldn't have been haranguing the ref to get him sent off.
Jaimie..... you go and call yourself a Liverpool fan........why don't you just FO back to manure!.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that you will not allow this, but I thought that i'll let you know anyway, Liverpool fans are no fools, (that excludes you, by the way), they know that, whatever you publish, is TOTAL C**P!!!.
You must be Jordan Henderson in disguise..putting Lucas down so that you can take his place in the team
ReplyDeleteor that restraining order ain't working...
Ashfah - Lucas is a quality player, you're just going to have to accept it. The stats prove it; his performances prove it; his international status proves it. I still think he needs to score or create a few goals a season, but for now, he's doing well.
ReplyDeleteStewart Downing on the other hand...
I could also make your 'banning' me Quite difficult, but I don't think that, you're worth my time!.
ReplyDeleteLeading with the Elbow , no intent to play the ball ! He was not jumping, he ran straight into Skrtel to take him out ! Yellow every time !!
ReplyDeleteLets see how you like being hit in the face with an Elbow at pace !
You see what you want to see.
Leading with the elbow? Balotelli's elbow was nowhere near Skrtel's face. His arm, at best, made contact with the side of his head, but that's it. Please provide a screenshot that shows balotelli's elbow making contact with Skrtel's head.
ReplyDeleteWAS THERE ONLY ME THAT SEEN AGUERO TRYING TO GET CHARLIE ADAM BOOKED (HOLDING HIS HAND UP GESTURING TO BOOK HIM) WHEN HE WAS PUT ON HIS ASS???? OR DOES THAT NOT COUNT?
ReplyDeleteWAS THERE ONLY ME THAT SEEN AGUERO TRYING TO GET CHARLIE ADAM BOOKED (HOLDING HIS HAND UP GESTURING TO BOOK HIM) WHEN HE WAS PUT ON HIS ASS???? OR DOES THAT NOT COUNT? GET OVER IT AND STOP USING EXCUSES FOREIGN PLAYERS DIVE AND TRY GETTING PPL BOOKED, ITS IN THERE GENES AND THEY ARE IN EVERY TEAM IN THE EPL.
ReplyDeleteRead more: http://www.liverpool-kop.com/2011/11/adam-lucas-kuyt-and-skrtel-totally-out.html#ixzz1f0tLH1xD
As with most Pool supporters you'll always see things thro' red tinted glasses.
ReplyDeleteBalotelli's second collision was relatively innocuous by todays standards and he clearly didn't catch him in the face with his elbow.
We'll never agree on this tho' cos' we're both biased!
imho as a city fan balotelli deserved to be sent off ,Not for the foul , but for being a prick
ReplyDeleteyou cannot come on and play like a spoilt child in a game of that importance
It's a part and parcel of today's game. Every team does it. Some less, some more. I don't like it, it's the ugliest part of the game. But I don't take it that tragically, because if you don't beat the rival, the rival will beat you. EVERY team, in every game is trying to win by legal and illegal means. So if our player all behave like angels and martyrs without showing some aggression and fighting for their win, they are going to suffer, because the other teams are going to con refs against us. So Jaimie.... live with it. If you don't like it, don't watch football. Watch ballet.
ReplyDeleteJaimie.....shall we play the 'YOU CAN ONLY BAN ME IF I WANTED YOU TO'....or not???
ReplyDeleteI agree with the haranguing certainly, I don't like it, I also agree that Skrtel looks like a soft s@&te and I can never get my head round players acting (if it was) more hirtthen they are because I'd expect my mates to rip me for it after the game. But to be fair red flash or not, he ran into a player with his arm up, and gave the ref reason to give him a yellow. I'd rather it not have happened because ten we'd be talking about how well we played and how unfortunate we where to draw, but that's the way of the football. It's becoming more and more non contact and Balotelli should know better, he's only a year younger then Carroll an the sh£)e that man gets for his behaviour an performances compared to Balotelli's is unbelievable, theres a lot of sympathy for Balo just because he's an idiot, foreign and 21. He's a man, he wants to act like one.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, it's part and parcel of today's game, but that doesn't mean we have to accept it. It's a vicious circle: the more fans just accept something because it's part of the game' the more it becomes a staple of the sport. That applies to cheating, player greed, and every other negative thing associated with football. When apathy starts to set in, things just get worse.
ReplyDeleteAs the old quote goes: "the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men (and women, of course!) to do nothing".
unbelievable jaimie. you still want to convince yourself that it was not foul. I am wondering why...? My friend is referee and he told me that it is clear foul with intention to harm the player. Yellow card is justifiable.
ReplyDeleteYour friend is a referee? Big deal. It's all opinion at the end of the day.
ReplyDeleteYour comment policy is as much of a joke as your Arnie avatar. It's fine for you to openly criticise the players of the club that you claim to support, and it's fine to post emotive headlines and articles in a bid to drive traffic to your site, but you can't take a bit of criticism. Perhaps if you were to change your comment rating system to a thumbs up, and thumbs down, people may be able to tell you what they think of you, without your getting upset. I personally wish you had a "dislike" button as well as a like button.
ReplyDeleteI try not to Dave, if you read what I've wrote back to Jaimie (above I think) I am critical, but I do think that Balo asked for it an yeah we can compare it to other challenges but in the refs rulebook it probably states if you lead with your arm then it's a yellow, and because he'd ran in, didn't jump an it wasn't in a crowded area it was on stage for all to see. Then coupled with players reactions and fans and Skrtels it was always gonna be a yellow. I thought it looked bad real time, an I would give a yellow. And I would also have ran in to support my teammate too.
ReplyDeleteJaimie - a stout defense! You must be regretting your post by now! Sadly the state of the game is such that the actions of those Liverpool players is nothing to be surprised about. As a City fan I've been pretty disgusted by one or two things that have happened from our team over the weeks. Spectacular(ly) bad diving in the box, rolling around in mock agony, trying to influence the ref. I think every pro watches a DVD of the Rags doing it and tries to copy them. If United were banned forever from English football this kind of thing would probably stop ;-)
ReplyDeleteVicious circle is a right definition. Players do everything to gain advantage for their team. We don't like to see it. No one does. But what can be possibly done? Fair play doesn't seem to work these days.
ReplyDeleteDemanding that our players stop doing it would mean that we want to give advantage to others who will continue to do it against us.
Oops Back again...Jaimie....I thought that you're always preaching, about fairness....so why do you keep banning those comments, that are of opposite opinion to yours?.
ReplyDeleteOops Back again...Jaimie....I thought that you're always preaching, about fairness....so why do you keep banning those comments, that are of opposite opinion to yours?.
ReplyDeleteOops Back again...Jaimie....I thought that you're always preaching, about fairness....so why do you keep banning those comments, that are of opposite opinion to yours?.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a coincidence that there is controversy in most of Liverpools games with regards to cheating, falling over and trying to get players sent off. It must be a king Jenny tactic!
ReplyDeleteOops Back again...Jaimie....I thought that you're always preaching, about fairness....so why do you keep banning those comments, that are of opposite opinion to yours?.
ReplyDeleteIn 17 minutes Balotelli committed more fouls (4) than any other player in the whole game. He led with his elbow for a ball which wasn't even 50/50.
ReplyDeleteI have no sympathy for him.
Re: the reactions of Adam, Kuyt and Lucas I think they felt generally aggrieved for their own player. I don't see them or many Liverpool players with this sort of reaction week in and week out.
You might have been better to note a silly and senseless challenge that Andy Carroll made from behind against Kompany within a few minutes of coming on (after losing the ball to the same player). Another day that could have been a red.
JAMIE KUNT!!
ReplyDeleteare these articles kidding or what???
ReplyDeleteevery player no matter who it is goes down when challenged illegally!
so get over it... it happened and that was it!
if super stupid Mario did not pull down Johnson in the first place, none of this would have been an issue!
the guy is reckless and stupid...
If he didn't make contact with Skrtels face, how did Skrtel end up with a cut lip!? Are you a secret city fan? Those are very carefully selected images you have used and don't tell the whole story! I personally feel City had a lot of favourable decisions in that match and were lucky not to have Kompany sent off earlier on! Put that in your crack pipe...
ReplyDeleteOther players surrounding ref and complaining is normal in such tense game, when incident (especially if you don't have replay to see what exactly happened) occurs, you as player react to it straight away and 'protect' your teammates.
ReplyDeleteOn the oher hand, Skrtel's reaction could've been too much.
The only way for this to be proven without a doubt is to reenact it. I'll balotelli and come rushing with my elbow into your face. You may turn, but just a bit so I hit the side of your left ear. Afterward you compose an article detailing whether your head, ear, or entire face is paining.
ReplyDeleteRemember, i'll be rushing into your face NOT intending to do so...
So, only hitting the front of the face is a yellow card? How stupid is that? What if skrtel got a concussion from the hit with the elbow on the back of his head? I think intention alone is enough to justify the yellow. You Dont need to break a leg or injure someone to be consider a foul. It's like someone try to stick a foot out mailously during a tackle while it misses someone's leg would still be a red or yellow. So, I don't really get what you are writing.
ReplyDeleteJamie instead of focussing on whether Balotelli can bend his arm,,,is it not just possible that Skrtel turned his head at initial contact, bearing in mind that one can rotate ones head more than 180 degrees it is possible that part of the front of Skrtels head could have been hit...
ReplyDeleteYou mention Suarez, he may have spent some time on the floor when hit from behind, but not many of those occasions were awarded free kicks were they.
ReplyDeleteYou're right Carl, that's entirely possible.
ReplyDeleteBalotelli may have been aware of where the ball was but he did not end up anywhere near the ball when he jumped, he led with his arm and clumsily clattered Skrtel, at the end of the day if you want to be angry about this, be angry with the officials as it is they who made the decision, I don't see you complaining that Kompany was in the face of the ref, check your first piccie he is clearly trying to influence the refs decision.
ReplyDeleteGiven the fact that the ref was besieged by Liverpool players trying to get Balotelli sent off, I think it's more likely that Kompany was trying to moderate the situation and ensure that Balotelli was treated fairly.
ReplyDeleteIt is relevant Jamie cos we are talking about, in your words "Trying to get a fellow professional sent off".
ReplyDeleteHindsight and reviewing video footage over an over again, selective video frame grabs and still we are only left with your opinion, just remember the ref does not have the same benefit you have, He has to judge and make a decision in real time, the Liverpool players also react in real time and if they thought at the time Skrtel was badly injured who can blame them for being angry.
ReplyDeleteThere is only one player to blame for the outcome and that is Balotelli himself, from the moment he went on the pitch he looked like a mad man possessed, running around like an aggressive uncontrolled idiot.
how do you know Balotelli was NOT intending to hit Martin Strtel???
ReplyDeleteProblem with your argument there Jaimie, is that he didn't even bother to jump. He just clattered into Skrtel, leading with his arm. Had he jumped he might have gotten away with it. As it is, he deserved the second yellow, regardless of what any of the LFC players did or said.
ReplyDeleteMario led with his arm. We don't know what he was thinking at the time so I won't speculate. It is enough to say it was a dangerous challenge and I saw no attempt to play the ball first, in fact one could argue the only 'positive' move he made was to lead with his arm - I did not see any effort to actually get the ball.
ReplyDeleteIf you have played football at any level you can tell in most instances when a genuine attempt to win the ball is being made and you can see when the player's first objective is to protect himself or seek to hurt the opponent rather than challenge for the ball fairly. Myself and thousands who saw the incident read it the same way as the referee - to be clear, this was not a genuine attempt to win the ball. A yellow card was the correct decision.
So, every player that clatters into another should get a yellow card? How many such instances happen over an average Premier League weekend? I'd imagine it's a high figure.
ReplyDeleteIn the absense of the ability to mind-read, the evidence has to be considered objectively, and based on the evidence, I don't believe there was an intention to deliberately hit Skrtel.
ReplyDeleteYou have also produced evidence of Kompany trying to influence the refs decision in your first piccie but I don't see you complain about that.
ReplyDeleteWhy should I complain about that? Is Kompany guilty of bad sportsmanship? Is he trying to get someone sent off? No - he is doing what a captain should do: defending his team-mate, and trying to ensure he's treated fairly.
ReplyDeletehonestly mate, we are fresh off of playing some top football against the top side in the league, and you decide to make a pathetic article about a part of the game that is irrelevant for Liverpool fans.... this is the second article i've read of yours and its the second time you've really irritated me, you come across as extremely arrogant and when i read your reply to peoples comments you show a real tendency to talk in a condescending manner. this comment will probably be removed but i really had to get my point across to a person who hides behind his pc and stirs up some pathetic debates that are designed to rub people up the wrong way.
ReplyDeleteI think what viewers of this site have to realise is that the author only gets paid from the revenue he generates from advertising, the advertisers pay because the site has many hits, the site has many hits because the author always looks for the view that will enrage most supporters. Again in this article the author has achieved this aim and both he and the advertisers are happy.
ReplyDeleteWith regards the article, Kenny hinted a few games ago that he was changing tact when it came to referees decisions as giving them the respect demanded resulted in decisions going against us, hence. Creating a seige mentality on the pitch has never done United any harm and although Kenny wanted to avoid that approach he slowly realised if he didn't adopt it Liverpool would continually be at a disadvantage as virtually every other top team does the same thing.
Actually I doubt very much you 'all' know what Balotelli is like. You probably think you 'know' due to the media circus that surrounds him and have hounded him from day one of his career in a City shirt. And different people have different perceptions. In real time it looked just like it was in slow time and all the replays, a clumsy attempt at getting the ball, and my perception of it was not a yellow card offence.
ReplyDeleteJamie Kanwar: Sometimes I see an article by you I like but all too often I seen hypocritical articles or just some slagging off our players. They got riled up because they thought Skrtel was deliberately elbowed in the face. It's called sticking up for your team mate. If you did look, Skrtel DID get elbowed, he just turned away AFTER the incident.
ReplyDeleteYou could have written and article praising Lucas, as he was by far the best player on the pitch, or you could have conceded that Glen Johnson, despite your beliefs that he can never defend, was actually the best defensive fullback in the game. But no, instead, you decide to moan about nothing.
Wouldn't have happened in the days when no Corinthians player would take the field without a clean hanky. Liverpool can either out United United or sit back and watch them rack up the titles. Vote now !
ReplyDeleteIt was a second yellow card therefore no doubt he had to go.Jaimie surely your not suggesting Skrtel cheated are you? Think not...... The Liverpool players maybe shouldnt have reacted the way they did.Manure players hound refs all the time they have been it for years and its not nice.It is part of the game and maybe more refs should dish out the cards when theyre getting pelters only then might it stop.I thought not..................
ReplyDeleteThe first one was a definite yellow, no doubt. The second one was a matter of giving the referee the choice. It could have been nothing, it could have been a yellow. And off he went.
ReplyDeleteKompany is the captain of our team. Maybe you did not know this.
ReplyDeleteThat was my impression as well, the moderating part.
ReplyDeleteive watched the FOUL a few times now and it was a yellow ballotelli looked at skertl and deliberatly fouled him he got him in his right eye with his elbow mancini is turning into ferguson if it doesnt go there way he winges.
ReplyDeleteWhich begs the question: If he is rolling around on the ground and no free kick was awarded, does that not warrant a yellow card for poor acting after the umpteenth time?
ReplyDeleteSuarez is a wonderful footballer. But his acting makes him a disgrace. However, the bigger travesty is that the refs are letting him get away with it. If acting inside the box is often awarded with a yellow, why is not deemed equally serious outside the box?
Also, waving imaginary yellow cards should be an automatic yellow. City player or Liverpool player or any other player for that matter.
The first yellow was not a professional foul. Just an idiotic one. Ballotelli is known to be an idiot on occasion.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing promising about that attack was that you had the ball on the wing. No more, no less. If you want to compare promising attacks, you can compare Reinas inadvertent handball outside the box, which was a promising attack aka a clear on goal opportunity.
Absolutely counts. And there are City fans, believe it or not, who same as Jamie, do not approve of that kind of behavior.
ReplyDeleteThis is not a matter of what club you belong to, but what your personal moral and ethics are.
Cheating and/or trying to influence the referee is never ok. No matter who does it.
As a city supporter I found the article interesting. It was a bad tackle and the Liverpool players certainly influenced the referee. However, I think the sending off was inevitable as Atkinson could not be said to have dealt equitably with every incident. Balotelli's first booking was was for a pull on Johnson's arm - however Skrtel managed to rugby tackle Aguero with both arms bringing him to the ground and no yellow. There were a many similar incidents. Don't get me wrong this is not whinge about the referee just the poor standard of decisions throughout the game for both sides....just that the cards seem to go to City on almost every occasion. Good exciting game only spoilt by a poor ref!
ReplyDeleteIt is not "part of the game". It is this exact thing the RESPECT campaign is about. And it is not ok, no matter what team does it.
ReplyDeleteJamie Kanwar: Sometimes I see an article by you I like but all too often I seen hypocritical articles or just some slagging off our players. They got riled up because they thought Skrtel was deliberately elbowed in the face. It's called sticking up for your team mate. If you did look, Skrtel DID get elbowed, he just turned away AFTER the incident.
ReplyDeleteYou could have written and article praising Lucas, as he was by far the best player on the pitch, or you could have conceded that Glen Johnson, despite your beliefs that he can never defend, was actually the best defensive fullback in the game. But no, instead, you decide to moan about nothing.
Regardless of what adam,, kuyt and lucas did, balotelli has to smarter. it was clever by skrtel, these days in football unless the players overreact the referee isnt going to take action. even when he should. this is the reason you see players overreacting, sometimes it works against you and the ref thinks you have overreacted when you have not. now back to balotelli, if you already have one yellow then you do not go making stupid challenges it doesnt matter if he catches skrtel, we have seen players act alot worse, joey barton against arsenal, yes its wrong its not it good spirit. but at the end of the day players are trying to win the game and playing against 10 is easier than playing against 11. i dont condone players asking for the ref to give another player a card, but it should not matter, the referees job is up hold the rules of the game, whether he gives a player a card or not is entirely his decision it should not matter what the players around him are doing. the same way that its up to balotelli to act smarter. this kind of thing happens all the time and it will carry on for a long time, more teams/players will use this to their advantage its up to everyone to be smarter.
ReplyDeletetotally agree the refs decisions were not great, but even more annoying is that they were not consistent.
ReplyDeleteHe fouled 4 Times , Didnt give the ref much of a decision, elbow to face or not.....
ReplyDeleteI do agree that the players trying to influence the ref is extremely poor sportsmanship, and the only way to get it to stop is for the ref to start handing out yellow cards in those situations to players who are not the captain, therefore have no business in that situation. However the clattering that Ballotelli gave Skrtel is also unacceptable, If he had made some attempt to jump and head the ball I would forgive the fact his elbow was high because that is how you jump... but what business did his elbow have being at head height when he was merely running at Skrtel? So therefore I believe that a yellow card was warrented and being has he was already on one there can only be one result, and that is the one that occured
ReplyDeleteClaerly a foul. Typical cowardly forwards challenge making sure he doesn't risk hurting his pretty face. And actually offensive to the ref to suggest his opinion was changed. Adam was the only one badgering the ref, Kuyt got involved when Kompany did. Worth a booking regardless of anything Skrtl did or didn't do. Try posting something positive and supportive for once Jaime.
ReplyDeletei hope you were on the receiving end of balotelli arm, after that, maybe u can re-write this article.
ReplyDeleteNo, your right it wasn't professional, yes it was clumsy, what difference does that make? He grabbed Glen on the outside of him an span him round. With no intention to play the ball. He should have just jumped on his back an ride him like seabiscuit because that's not a professional foul is it? So tackles that aren't used with legs are not a yellow?
ReplyDelete- The intent is irrelevant.
ReplyDelete- He was sent off because he collected 2 yellow cards. If you are going to complain, you should level the complaint at the player for how silly his 1st yellow card was, and putting himself in a difficult position. - You can't go into a tackle with a leading arm. Plain and simple foul. - The snapshot you have provided is one or two frames from the actual incident. - You can view a video of the entire thing here instead of just showing 1 snapshot to support your view: http://goalshighlights.com/2011/11/balotelli-red-card-foul-vs-skrtel-liverpool-1-1-man-city/- I think the video clearly shows him going into the challenge with his left elbow and hits Skrtel near the right eye. To my mind, this is dangerous contact and would deserve a yellow card. If you slow it down enough, you can cast doubt at anything. The referee doesn't get a slow motion replay.- At full pace it looks like he's gone in and elbowed Skrtel in the face. Skrtel, historically, is player that never goes down unless he's taken some damage, so the immediate reaction is to assume that it must be pretty serious. This would explain the reaction of the liverpool players. - Even still, the practice of trying to sway the referee occurs in every game with most serious fouls. To just conclude that the referee just buys whatever the other team says is insulting to referees. I suggest you show more respect. I think they have a difficult job with people like you making false analyses, and overall they do it professionally. - You are correct to point out that refereeing varies from referee to referee and game to game. In another game, another day, that may not have been a yellow card. Thanks for stating the obvious.
Mario Balotelli didnt jumo for the ball either, so that means he wasnt playing the ball so yes it is a foul and a yellow....!
ReplyDeletejump* for the ball... sorry for typo!
ReplyDeletejaimie you are the king of technology, viz all those still frames, so why not get your recorder out and rewind and give us the freeze frame from a few moments earlier
ReplyDeleteleading with a straight forearm when making no attempt to jump is foul play (yellow card x 2 = red card, well done ref) and not football, more like WWF, Skrtel has had many serious head injuries, this could have been much worse if he had not seen it coming and started to turn away
lets have some balance for once, your anti Liverpool sanctimonious whingeing keeps cropping up on Newsnow, i wish i knew how to block it!!e
i used to find some of your articles interesting, if a bit one-eyed, but of late you seem to think you are more important than the story, every week, another in-depth pop at someone in red, get a life, you are boring me rigid, i want to read something useful for once.
Nev the Red
yes but balotelli didnt jump up for the header. Skrtel was also holding his lower half of his face in one of your pictures!
ReplyDeleteContrast Skrtel's reaction with that of Shawcross when smashed in the face by an elbow in the Stoke-Blackburn game. No writhing, no card waving. I'm a Stoke fan and we do have rough players, and players who dive - Etherington and Pennant - but I can't abide it when there's a pretence of serious injury, and Liverpool fans should feel the same. The only thing worse is the hysterical Arsenal type crowding of refs that you saw after the incident. ANY player waving a card should be caught retrospectively and banned for it. It's despicable - and ironic that a poster above says you should watch ballet if you don't like it! Watch this and weep, too http://h12.abload.de/img/suarezg6ujn.gif
ReplyDeleteJaimie instead of moaning about the LFC players asking the referee to do his job and standing up for their team mate why not take a look at Balotelli. The referee looked at him in amazement at the first tackle, as if to say you are giving me no choice you idiot! Ands what does he do? does he keep his head down, stay out of trouble, help his team? Fat chance. He embodies everything you profess to hate about the modern day footbller, spoilt, arrogant, brainless, greedy, disloyal etc..Roberto Mancini sticks up for him and YOU AGREE! When are these modern day footballers ever gonna learn Jaimie when the likes of YOU keep sticking up for them!! You know the ones you profess to hate, remember?
ReplyDeleteI thought you supported Manchester United, but now I realized you support anyone who is agaisnt Liverpool. shame on bias bloggers, not saying you are one though.
ReplyDeleteTo your argument, didnt Company deserved a second yellow card for constantly fouling Suarez and didnt Man city players did the same running to referee time every time Suarez fell.
no you are not bias. and this is not your first time, you have sided with opposition managers. same old story.
Jaimie,
ReplyDeleteI'm curious to know what your initial thoughts were when it happened? I mean before you reviewed it.
From your seat at Anfield, did you get a good look at the time? Did you notice the players go to the referee?
Jaimie you really are a complete fuck wit ! go and support united or chelsea.
ReplyDeleteyou think you are being clever but ur just being a prick mate.
Well said roland! this jaimie fella is a complete tool!
ReplyDeleteWho do you support mate??? you are a tool!
ReplyDeleteBellend!!!
ReplyDeleteI dont think this tool is a red fan
ReplyDeleteBallbag anyone?
ReplyDeleteBallbag did you not see kopany kicking shite out of suarez? talk about that,
ReplyDeletei dont think you are really a liverpool fan mate!
Ballotelli's sending off was so predictable, he didn't need much help from LFC, he was disinterested from the start, chased and dragged Johnson down, needlessly, and his whole body language gave it away. He would be better off being the bad guy in wrestling , he would be appreciated more ! :),,,,especially with that hair cut,,,
ReplyDeleteJamie, it was a foul, you can't lead with your arm.
ReplyDeleteI think it deserved a yellow. So the red was the right decision.
Skrtel did make the most out of it BUT he's entitled to do so. Mario was NOWHERE near the ball and he had just been cautioned for a cynical pull on Glen. Just so you know, that wasn't an aerial duel. It is an offence to nudge a player in the air when you're not going for the ball because they can't control themselves during the fall, they might end up with a broken neck. I've personally gone through that and injured my shoulder AC joint, which will stay with me for the rest of my life
ReplyDeleteIMO, Mancini is just being a hypocrite. He was furious with Mario on the sideline and went on to defend him and divert the blame on Liverpool players. If he sincerely thought that it was our players' fault, he would have given words of encouragement to his pet player and blame it on us right there, right then
Did I say it wasn't a yellow?
ReplyDeleteCan you not just admire the fact that we stood toe to toe with by far the best team in the country at present and deserved to take their un-beaten record. You are possibly the most cynical Liverpool fan I have ever met. Not once have I ever read an article by you praising our players, manager, ethos, tactics. Always moaning. Ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteBalotelli committed a definite yellow card offence by raising his arm knowing an opposition player was behind him without even bothering to jump. Every professional pundit I have heard comment on the incident so far has agreed it was a silly booking, but a booking none the less.
Please start to act like a fan and perhaps sing someone's praises every now and again, or just admit that you are a United fan pretending to be Liverpool one and be done with it!
Sorry not had the pleasure of meeting you, meant to say heard!
ReplyDeleteI do agree that our players took full advantage of a scenario an immature and hot headed Balotelli got himself into. Having said that, this is the game today whether we like it or not. LFC's players would be stupid to not try and get whatever advantage they possibly can within the rules of the game. Balotelli fouled Skrtel which can not be disputed and in the rules of the game (whether we agree or not) that foul however innocuous warrants a yellow card. 2 yellows = a red......simples. Do we criticise goalkeepers for time wasting when they take forever to kick out a ball or a player being substituted in the dying minutes of a match and then proceeding to walk at snails pace to the touch line. No we don't. Why? Because that is the game. Let's not get on some proverbial high and mighty horse believing that LFC players are or should be different to every other team in the modern game. Football has become theatre and we're just gonna have to accept that fact!
ReplyDeleteYou should consider that you have seen it several times now while during the match the players saw it once. I too initially thought it was the right call but on seeing it additional times I realised it wasnt as bad
ReplyDeleteI totally don't agree with your argument Jaimie,I clearly think Mario 'why always me' Balotelli catches Skrtel's face.Your picture during the time when Balotelli caught Skrtel was the preliminary stage of it,try looking for a picture where his elbow clearly rested on Skrtel's face. I 200% assure you that his elbow did catch Skrtel's face.
ReplyDeleteDid I say it was professional?
ReplyDeleteGo look yourself in a mirror Jaimie. You know nothing about soccer.
ReplyDeleteweve had too many decisions go the other way around for us. wats wrong wit sometin goin our way? n he didnt jump for the ball so y was tat arm raised? to block off Skrtel rite? yes Skrtel, Kuyt n Adam made things worse. but would u keep quiet n watch ur fellow team mate elbowed by an arrogant player? i wouldn't...
ReplyDeleteSo, you're saying that if you see a fellow player being clattered by an opposition player leading with his elbow you should do NOTHING? Least of all demand that the ref do something about it? What are you supposed to do? Punch Balotelli in the face? Just stand there waiting for the game to restart and ignore what just happened? Fairness starts with players NOT FOULING others with intent. I really don't understand how it can be wrong to address the ref and ask him to do something about the opponent player injuring your own player. I'm not saying mob him, and we didn't do that. But looking at the ref and asking him "Can he do that? He just elbowed him for no reason!" in my book is not wrong. Maybe you find that confronting Balotelli is "fairer", like pushing him or even mobbing him, than demanding the ref do something about what just happened. And, dude, when the whole team reacts spontaneously about a tackle like ours did, you know there's something wrong with it, and it's not the team's attitude.
ReplyDeleteJaimie it was Man-Utdesque behaviour only till it was done by United (which by the way is a completely baseless accusation). Now that Liverpool have done it - its Liverpoolesque behaviour as well. All the best.
ReplyDeleteHad Balotelli not been punished, people would have been saying how he was lucky not to get booked and how this thuggery is being encouraged blah, blah, blah. It was dangerous play. I could plant both my studs in you shins and you might not get hurt. But its dangerous play. Some punish it, some don't. Can't even say 'Deal with it' since the decision was in your favour.
ReplyDeleteWhat did u expect them to do stand there? dumb article
ReplyDeleteJamie what really matter is He deserve a RED (straight Red for the last incident)
ReplyDeletei have never seen any team (players) just keeping their smile when one of their own goes down by an elbow, ofcoz Lucas, Dirk and Adam were explaining the ref... but its all fair... they were not out of order...they were trying to get justices for their own man...
No need to read his mind jamie. read his actions.... first on johnson dirty very dirty for a player like him secondly the kick on Adam super dirty. He himself invited trouble the ref cannot allow a player on field with a dirty mind. The ref did well and he will be applauded for that. I ll give a minus to this article.
ReplyDeleteyou spotted it. I am a liverpool fan and i started loving to see balotelli play but the spoilt kid changed everything.
ReplyDeleteya n u remember that patrice evra thing when he was challenged by suarez?? N there have been many calls for you to look at some frames before the one that you have mentioned in the article!! So y are arguing about this. Instead of a pic put the clip of the incidence..
ReplyDeleteHey jamie, watch it from a different angle. He comes in with the elbow and does make contact... Whether or not it was a second yellow card, well, the ref already had his hand in his pocket before our players"swarmed him" as you state... 50 - 50.. Bolatelli is a tool so who really cares...
ReplyDeleteRegardless of IF Mario did it intentionally or not...fact is, he picked up a yellow card earlier and then made a bad challenge on THE TURTLE...It was a bookable offense. We all know that players in some way will try and influence the ref.. everyone does it. You cannot BLAME Liverpool's players for him getting sent off.. Mario put himself in that position and got punished justly...
ReplyDeleteI generally believe the "players influencing the referee" idea is a misnomer. These are very experienced, hardened professionals. I'd suggest that if there was even the slightest hint that a referee had allowed the suggestions of players to influence his decision he'd be booted back to the lower leagues for a few weeks. It's a very serious accusation to make and really undermines the credibility of referees.
ReplyDeleteJust think about it for a second. A referee, from the first time he picks up a whistle, has to contend with everyone around him telling him how to do his job. As football players ourselves we know that. I often can't help opening my big mouth when decisions go against my team in a social Sunday game. This is just how it is, every single match, from games for 5 year old kids right up to the top level of a world cup final. What we have in England, just like the standard of our football, is a very high standard of referees. They will have trained their entire careers to deal with nonsense from players. It would be one of the first things you learn and over time their protests and suggestions would not even enter your mind. You'd simply become very good at ignoring them.
Ask yourself, truly, what is more likely: referees allow themselves to be manipulated by players OR fans allow themselves to be deluded in order to explain away results that they otherwise don't like or can't deal with? When we get in that fanatical state of mind it's all too easy to allow ourselves to think that there is some conspiracy theory. It's more interesting, more inviting, but really it's just a psychological trick we play on ourselves. What evidence is there truly that the referee actually changed his mind? Do we know his thought processes? Do we know what his original decision was going to be? It's fanciful to think we do.
Or course that doesn't excuse the behaviour of the players. They are still attempting to influence the referee. I think it's time the law was laid down and some cards handed out. Touching a referee should never ever be allowed. Getting in the face of a referee and ignoring his request for you to walk away should be a simple yellow, repeated offences a red. Feigning injury, just like diving, should be a punishable offence. A few weeks of a zero-tolerance approach would bring players into line. What Liverpool players are doing here is absolutely not acceptable. But do we really think it made the referee re-think his decision on giving out that second yellow? For me it's very very unlikely.
I seriously think Jaimie Kanwar is either a Manure fan or Evertonian because his topics are all about the negativity of Liverpool. I never see he done a piece about the positivity of Liverpool.
ReplyDeleteAs for the topic, 10 out of 10 teams will do what Liverpool players did, to stick up for a teammate. It is called FOOTBALL. If you want to whine go ahead and play Netball. I just wonder why this issue is talk about. I seriously think that Liverpool-kop.com should look at the Kanwar guy creds. He smells of Manure fan to me. To negative for a Liverpool fan.P/S: Jaimie dont bother for a reply cos I wont be reading any of comments :D
this is nothing compare to other incidents where players collides on the chest or stomach but fell down in pain like being punched ! just stop your argument mr JK, you are like a primary school teacher trying to point what is right or wrong to your school kids. sad but true.....life goes on..
ReplyDeleteNothing agaisnt you jaimie but seriously proffesional players do it all the time in most countries so why bring it up for liverpool ? A much more intresting article would have been - Liverpool were gifted a red card but why can we not score goals ! It annoys me so much especially when the chance is put on a plate . Cheers
ReplyDeleteI watched the replay on LFC.tv a couple of times, if you guys have access to the 12 minutes highlights of the game, take note at 09:41. Balotelli definitely took a glance at Skirtel, and knew exactly where he was before he ran into Skirtel.
ReplyDeleteThe replay, also seems to me that Balo's elbow landed heavily on Skirtel's face. The impact, whether intentionally or not, I believed is enough to send Skirtel down on the floor.
I can also confirm that the referee did has his hands in the pocket before the Liverpool players surround the referee. The Liverpool players were just trying to protect Skirtel from Kompany who looked liked he's trying to pull Skirtel up.
So now he did hit Skrtel?!?!
ReplyDeleteIf you watch the incident again, you can see Balotelli looking at where Skrtl is jumping as he is running up towards him. He does not look at the ball. He then jumps in to him leading with his arm without any real prospect of getting the ball. He catches Skrtl in the face with the elbow as he jumped across. It was a clear foul. Worthy of a yellow card because it was dangerous and was at the least reckless. There is a strong suspicion that he had intent.
ReplyDeleteYour photograph is completely misleading about where Skrtl was hit because it shows after he was struck and turned away rather than the point of impact when he was facing the ball.
The players reacted, but who can blame them. The players usually know when someone is out to cause damage. There had been niggle from the Citeh players all game and the ref had let a number of robust challenges go.
Mancini can't complain too much about players seeking to get their opponents booked when Aguero was waving an imaginary card every time he was tackled.
Kanwar, you specialise in writing this sort of incendiary nonsense. It is no surprise that people question whether you really are a genuine Liverpool fan.
YNWA
truth is that we are happy to accept foreigners as part of the English premier Leaguea and the undoubted quality they bring but ultimately they will bring along some baggage including play acting, Skrtel done what the majority of players would have done including myself as he knew Ballotelli is a liability and had already committed 3 fouls in the space of 5 minutes so yes he only has himself to blame, Mancini only doing the honourable manager thing protecting a player who on his day is unplayable i.e at old Trafford but also a liability like Sunday.
ReplyDeletePersonally, i do not think Adam, Kuyt or Lucas were too over the top in their pressure towards Martin atkinson, it certainly wasnt in the mould of Roy Keane and his bunch of losers chasing the referee to the corner flag vs Boro a few years back.To me they were reminding Atkinson of the persistent fouling and stupidity of Balotelli. After being booked 2 minutes earlier he was just stupid for challenging for a ball he was never going to win and it is irrelevant what part of the head he caught Skrtel. He was sent off because of his reputation and not because of LFC players reactions.
Yes at times it is hard to watch players trying to influence the referee but it goes on in every single game and twice Aguero brandished an imaginery card to referee on sunday after being brushed on the side of his head to go down holding his face.
Suarez in the first half went down to a prefectly legitimate tackle by Kompany but rolled over complaining for a free Kick, not good to see but gota just accept he is the way he is positives and negatives alike.
Could be worse, he could be rolling around in the form of Ronaldo or Nani or bouncing off players like Ashley Young and rolling over looking for fouls but trying to look innocent!!!!
"but a blatant attempt to stop a promising attack and throw someone off the ball"
ReplyDeleteThat would be the definition of a professional foul.
Still on your anti-Liverpool agenda i see, Why on earth do you look to see where the player is then stick out a elbow with no attempt to jump? to say the LFC players got Mario sent off is a joke after watching the game back on TV you hear the commentators say all most instantly "he is reaching for the yellow" also you see mancini disgust in his behavior.
ReplyDeleteHe later defends his player but most managers would.
And to show screen shots instead of the video you can pick your moments for your argument as watching the video, Skrtel holds his face in your picture but watching the actual game play holds his right side of his face most of the time.
Very poor argument you have made.
That's wrong I'm afraid. You can't have it both ways. If Liverpool's players are wrong to attempt to influence the referee one way, then City's players are also wrong in attempting to influence him the other.
ReplyDeleteTwo things. 1) As Andy Townsend said - at no stage did Balotelli's feet leave the ground - he thus had no intention of going for the ball; I happen to agree with him that it was a yellow. 2) You name 4 Liverpool players encouraging the Ref to give a yellow card. If that is true, doesn't it say more about the Ref than about the players you mentioned? Shouldn't professional refs be above being intimidated, especially since this is not an unusual scenario?
ReplyDeleteJaime, I know you're interested in getting the facts straight but according to Martin Skrtel's profile on the Liverpool site his height is 1.84 mtrs which equates to 6 feet. I don't know how tall Balotelli is but he's certainly bigger framed than Martin
ReplyDelete@guest ...As it will then to most premier league football players since almost every player in almost every team simulates at some stage. Having said that, I do believe contact was made with Skirtl.
ReplyDeleteAny self respecting red should steer well clear of this drivel.
ReplyDeleteKanwar has been exposed on a number of Liverpool forums for being the closet Manc that he is.
Your best bet is simply to remove Liverpool-Kop from you Newsnow feed. Inflammatory nonsense.
Any self respecting red should steer well clear of this drivel.
ReplyDeleteKanwar has been exposed on a number of Liverpool forums for being the closet Manc that he is.
Your best bet is simply to remove Liverpool-Kop from you Newsnow feed. Inflammatory nonsense.
Jamie Kanwar, just when I thought you'd turned over a new leaf. Forget the players for a moment. If you look at the challenge, Balotelli was making zero attempt for the ball and rather looking to block Skrtel and flapping his arms around. Now if you're on a yellow card already, don't go making stupid challenges. Any professional ref would look at that challenge and would be thinking about a yellow card. The way Lucas, Adam and Skrtel reacted wasn't sportsmanlike but are you going to tell me that no players from other Premier League teams do that? If you do, then, in all honesty, you're a twat.
ReplyDeleteTo reiterate what 'Redruffing' said, you automatically jump to the anti-Red side and never look to find anything good about the team that you claim to support. Your 'critical realism' seems to just be criticize everything little thing about Liverpool.
P.S. In case you haven't noticed the two of the people tweeting 'An honest LFC fan' are Man Utd and Man City fans - and I bet they love this s***..sorry I meant 'critical realism'. ;)
This is hilarious - you've even got screenshots รก la Oliver Stone!
ReplyDelete"Back.... and to the left..... Back.... and to the left...."
Clearly, it was a homage to the unbiased brilliance of JFK ;-D
ReplyDeleteIf you look about 5 seconds before the Balotelli incident a Liverpool player jumps for the ball with Dzeko and the Liverpool players arm does make contact with Dzeko, however, he just carries on playing. Now if Dzeko had fallen to the floor rolling around, this Balotelli incident would not have happened! Yes the Liverpool players did surround the referee, I don't believe any fan can say they didn't!! Just look at the pictures!
ReplyDeletea minor incident but the handball given against Milner in the 2nd half on the near touchline. Clearly came off his shoulder (top of shoulder at that), referee waved it on until liverpool players and crowd complained. In general i think the referee was easily influenced.
ReplyDeletelets face it Reina should have gone in the 1st half so you certainly got the best of the refs decisions
ReplyDeleteLiverpool are now a team full of play acting fairies. I was listening to this match on radio city,and even Aldridge commented on the play acting (Suarez mainly).http://h7.abload.de/img/suarezg6ujn.gif
ReplyDeleteit was a yellow card offence, he lead with his arm into the face of skrtel, for christ sake jaimie, open your eyes
ReplyDeleteand i bet that if you were there on that pitch you would've done the same as adam and lucas
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe the myopic views of Liverpool fans on this thread. I always thought that Liverpool fans conducted themselves and their views on the game with dignity and fairness. Until now, that is.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a City supporter but I watched a great game that Liverpool deserved to win, but the referreeing throughout the match was very peculiar.
Whatever anyone thinks about the Balotelli decision, the clear intimidation of the referee by Liverpool players was there for all to see. Not good for a team that usually serves as the moral compass for the rest of football.
Well done Jamie for rising above the usual moronic and partisan views on these issues.
I thought you meant it was idiotic but no yellow. As for the professional foul definition, that's not the definition of a professional foul. A professional foul is to deny a goalscoring opportunity, I've checked the definition on a number of websites so that I don't look as silly as you do now. (-;
ReplyDeleteActually the linesman flagged it.
ReplyDeleteThink you should really watch the Balotelli incident a couple of times before making that statement...
ReplyDeleteThat's what you implied with your "promising" attack.
ReplyDeleteAs for looking silly, I think we are done here. This is going nowhere. And you can keep the insults to yourself.