Everton manager Roberto Martinez has criticised Steven Gerrard for what he perceives to be an incident of gamesmanship that cost his team victory in yesterday's pulsating Merseyside Derby.
Speaking after Everton's 3-3 draw with Liverpool, Martinez revealed that he'd complained vociferously to the fourth official about the nature of the Reds' third goal. He told BT Sport:
"With the final free-kick, Steven Gerrard used his experience and know-how and moved the ball 4-5 yards away from where it should’ve been taken.
"These small details like that can cost you points, and to lose a goal from that situation, you’re allowed to lose your voice".
Is Martinez right? Here are screenshots from the incident, and subsequent free-kick:
Initial Foul
Gerrard Free-Kick
To be fair, it does look like the incident took place much further away from where Gerrard actually delivered the killer free-kick. You can tell by the lines on the grass. The foul is conceded right next to one of the grass-lines, but the free kick is delivered halfway between two grass-lines. As such, it would appear that Martinez is right.
Having said that, the free-kick is there to be defended, and if his players weren't so slack with their marking of Sturridge - obviously a danger-man in the penalty box (!) - then Everton could've won the game. In any event, such is the quality of Gerrard's delivery, it's unlikely that the extra five-yards would've made any difference.
Martinez also slammed Gerrard for his alleged 'elbow' on Gareth Barry. He barked:
"I was a little bit disappointed with Steven Gerrard's elbow on Gareth Barry. It did not contact his face but it was not a natural position to have an elbow and that could have been a nasty incident."
Martinez has a point here too (IMO), and I'm sure if an Everton player had gone in like that then LFC fans would be moaning about it. Given the fact that Gerrard and Barry are friends, though, I seriously doubt LFC's captain went in with any malicious intent.
Author: Jaimie K
Speaking after Everton's 3-3 draw with Liverpool, Martinez revealed that he'd complained vociferously to the fourth official about the nature of the Reds' third goal. He told BT Sport:
"With the final free-kick, Steven Gerrard used his experience and know-how and moved the ball 4-5 yards away from where it should’ve been taken.
"These small details like that can cost you points, and to lose a goal from that situation, you’re allowed to lose your voice".
Is Martinez right? Here are screenshots from the incident, and subsequent free-kick:
Initial Foul
Gerrard Free-Kick
To be fair, it does look like the incident took place much further away from where Gerrard actually delivered the killer free-kick. You can tell by the lines on the grass. The foul is conceded right next to one of the grass-lines, but the free kick is delivered halfway between two grass-lines. As such, it would appear that Martinez is right.
Having said that, the free-kick is there to be defended, and if his players weren't so slack with their marking of Sturridge - obviously a danger-man in the penalty box (!) - then Everton could've won the game. In any event, such is the quality of Gerrard's delivery, it's unlikely that the extra five-yards would've made any difference.
Martinez also slammed Gerrard for his alleged 'elbow' on Gareth Barry. He barked:
"I was a little bit disappointed with Steven Gerrard's elbow on Gareth Barry. It did not contact his face but it was not a natural position to have an elbow and that could have been a nasty incident."
Martinez has a point here too (IMO), and I'm sure if an Everton player had gone in like that then LFC fans would be moaning about it. Given the fact that Gerrard and Barry are friends, though, I seriously doubt LFC's captain went in with any malicious intent.
Author: Jaimie K
Martinez is grasping a straws, trying to downplay Mirallas' fowl on Suarez which should have been a straight red. Almost every free kick or throw in will be taken, or attempted to be taken further up, unless an official says anything - play on.
ReplyDeleteTalk about mirallas's hand on henderson and his kung fu kick on suarez.
ReplyDeleteAll in good time :-)
ReplyDeletepool are a cheap team who use cheap tactics - gerrard is a scumbag and if he wasn't england captain he would have been given a straight red. enjoy it while it last pool rats, it wont last long. your manager is a Neanderthal and not too bright, only a matter of time before your scumbag team is found out. dirtiest, cheapest team in the league, pure scum from suarez to gerrard and that back 4 thrown in... and glen johnson is probably the worst full back in the league. lol@pool
ReplyDeleteHow about an inquiry by FA on the behavior of Miralas on the whole match and eventual sanctions? is it what his coach is trying to avoid? We remember that Luis was banned lately for 10 matches after FA inquiry.
ReplyDeleteAre Mr miralas and martinez above inquiries?
I am starting to dislike Martinez, I thought he ad class but no he has no class no dignity, to say that miralas tackle was not intentional and then say Gerard elbowed Barry is just f-ing joke, but I look forward to see in you at Enfield the amount of abuse Suarez got was unbelievable... but that's everton its like Mississippi burning...
ReplyDeleteWith all due respect, that's pretty fickle IMO. What about Rodgers? How many times has he turned a blind-eye to Suarez's onfield handballs/stamps etc and/or attempted to justify his clearly negative behaviour?
ReplyDeleteWhere is article of Mirallas fouling Suarez, bro?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thisisanfield.com/2013/11/liverpool-fans-react-3-3-merseyside-derby-thriller-everton/?
ReplyDeletejust look at that agression! seems that player of everton has been inspired by the precepts of machiavel before coming on the pitch!
http://www.thisisanfield.com/2013/11/liverpool-fans-react-3-3-merseyside-derby-thriller-everton/?
ReplyDeletethis is not negative behavior but just systematic and premeditated agression .
ReplyDeleteMartinez is nuts..he should be grateful that his side got an undeserved point...Liverpool wud have have score 5 or 6 in that mood had Mirallas been rightly sent off.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thisisanfield.com/2013/11/liverpool-fans-react-3-3-merseyside-derby-thriller-everton/?
ReplyDeleteMartinez should shut up, and accept how lucky they were.
ReplyDeleteThe decision by the Referee re Mirallas tackle, was nothing short of criminal, and barefaced cowardice.
The G.I.F image you had of the tackle yesterday, let us see it in all of its cruelty. A tackle I believe was borne out of revenge with Suarez and Mirallas having previous between them.
And what a decision by the referee, I still cannot believe it. Anyone who has seen it has accepted it was a serious Red Card offence. Anyone that is, except the referee. Lets examine his decision.
The Ref gave Mirallas a yellow card for the tackle which, under the rules of the game, the Referee cannot award a free kick or a Card unless he is 100% satisfied he or his assistants have seen an incident clearly, and is satisfied his decision is merited and deserved. Which leaves us with the decision itself.
The Referee decided he seen the the incident in full, evidenced by his awarding a free kick and a yellow card, so the Referee feels that is merely a standard yellow card offence, we should refuse to play under that Ref again, also I dont think BR done us any favours describing it as a naughty foul, after the game. Fergie would be having multiple press conferences if it were one of his players, for example when a player was dismissed for kicking a ball at RVP's head, Fergie cited "Brain Damage" was a possibility,
BR really needs to learn from Fergie, Wenger, Big Sam, Mourinho, etc etc, it was an ideal time to milk some sympathy from the FA, Media, Referee's, and the general public, and show Suarez in a victim role.
I woke up this morning and still felt angry, so it has really irked me, I will watch the game again, it was a great game, and neither team deserved to lose, IMO.
YNWA
Ha ha so now it's justice for Louis sewerez.......your lot do like the word justice!
ReplyDeleteAlways the victim...........it's NEVER your fault!!!!
Enfield is in London mate, now piss off.
ReplyDeletejust right! BR has been too soft about it! over diplomatic ! just see his handshake with martinez after the match also! character should not only b shown by the player but the manager should also show some!remebe to what extent kenny went!
ReplyDeleteI see Del Piero sneak a few metres every game. So what? You see it often and it's insignificant in comparison to the shocking tackle by Mirallas as well as the contact with Hendo. He shouldn't have been on the pitch and if Allen scores it's 3-1 and Martinez has nothing to talk about.
ReplyDeleteIt's already written, and will be posted later.
ReplyDeletehey blue pathetic fan , you not going too far in this league! you should be relieved to have stolen ... sorry got a point in that match
ReplyDeleteAre you suggesting that Rodgers should've refused to shake Martinez's hand? How would that help things? Both Martinez and Rodgers are a credit to the Premier League in the way they conduct themselves with dignity and humility, and as we've seen with Rodgers, even the most mild-mannered of managers will defend the indefensible.
ReplyDeleteBehave will yeah! That's a typical lfc fan comment, " let's get an inquiry going 'cos how dare they go near our beloved, diving, cheating, and last but not least, world champion CRYERS!!!" Get a grip will yeah? Saurez is a sly, diving, cheating and racist rat!!
ReplyDeleteJust a reminder to both sides: please keep the discussion civil. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteFine. But I hope you've banned that idiot.
ReplyDeleteSo he deserves GBH, good thinking, why not give him 40 lashes. Or deport him.
ReplyDeletePlease refrain from personal insults (i.e. 'rat'). Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAs for Martinez, some credit in that he didn't try to ignore the issue 100% or act like he didn't see it. He did say that if the tables were turned, he too probably be asking for a red.
ReplyDeleteI think it needs to be said that not only does he appear to be a better manager than Moyes, he also seems like a better human being - no inflated sense of self importance, or meddling.
Defending Mirallas no doubtzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
ReplyDeleteBeing controversial again? Surely not
mate? are you that village idiot I see in every village?
ReplyDeletecalm down please! avoid such a pathetic defense in favour of that everton player! there's a fundamental difference between a dive and repeated aggression to harm someone physically... to try to end his career by pushing studs in his flesh at the back of his knee! an inquiry !yes! to stop him from being a future inspiration to a team which may feel that it is going to lose the game on home ground!
ReplyDeleteDon't be daft. I already condemned Mirallas in an article yesterday.
ReplyDeletePardon me if I don't have much sympathy for him considering he should have been playing a man down for the entire second half. For him to complain about anything the referee did yesterday is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI counted Ross Barkley dive 4 times yesterday. Got caught once. The last one led to one of the Lukaku goals.
Perhaps Martinez should be grateful for the good fortune his team received and focus on his team's poor defending of set pieces.
Did Suarez's knee run into his studs? :)
ReplyDeleteYes he does.Where you lot on here condemning Suarez's tackles on Distin and Mirallas last season? I fucking doubt it. I'm made up he was hurt,the cheating bastard deserved it.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for the return game at Anfield. We should have won,and I reckon we will the next time we meet. Liverpool are good against the likes of Fulham,but against a side with a backbone they average at best.
ReplyDeleteAnd Everton would have won both games last season if it wasn't for a dodge ref. Remember Suarez's tackles at Goodison last season and Distins disallowed goal at Analifeld? Liverpool couldn't beat Newcastle when they were down to 10,so why do you think they would beat Everton?
ReplyDeleteMirrales tackle was just pay back for suarez snide stamp last year wot goes round comes round
ReplyDeleteMirallas should have been sent off no doubt, but let's not let our imagination run away from us on the score. It is much easier to imagine Everton scoring 6 than the other way around...because it if weren't for Mignolet it would have been 6.
ReplyDeleteIt's just deflection.
ReplyDeleteTo quibble about where SG spots the ball while leaving DS essentially unmarked is laughable. SG hit DS square in the head...he didn't even have to move. To think SG couldn't have done that from five yards different is just goofy. And SG's elbow up vs Barry was nothing more than self-preservation..almost like protecting the jewels defending a free kick. He was inbound, with forward momentum, in the air, and could perceive his head colliding with Barry's and he raised his arm for protection. The elbow isn't out. The arm is just up. I think 15 years of premier league experience teaches you a few things about safety.
ReplyDeleteYa Suarez is the racist. Look at how you talk if you got eyes.
ReplyDeleteI don't 'play' devil's advocate. That suggests that there's some deliberate design to everything I post. Every article on here represents my true POV. This is just how I think.
ReplyDeletejust the type they deserve defending the indefensible (what they accused lfc of over Suarez - hypocites)- I hope we never offered him the job.
ReplyDeleteEverton will only get away with the dirt for so long Barry should have been sent off two games running, he deliberately tried to injure Suarez as did Mirallas - red cards on the way.
ReplyDeleteVery exciting match between Cardiff and ManU. It's usually ManU with the late game heroics...not today. Keeps ManU out of the mix for another week, which is nice.
ReplyDeleteDid you not see me say that the Joe Allen argument is like a merry go round? I quite honestly am not going to waste my time arguing something with you which has been argued COUNTLESS times. I would rather watch paint dry..
ReplyDeleteDon't let the truth get in the way of of your hatred of Suarez.
ReplyDeletewhen people ignore the truth it puts them in the dictator category and fosters ignorance - you deliberately engineered this discussion as a way of venting your bile on Suarez - we are LFC supporters not bluenoses to be led by the nose by Kenwright..
What makes me think so..Just because its Everton..
ReplyDeleteyou censor answers to your own posts - very democratic.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand what it means when you say 'if it weren't for Mignolet',does that mean 'if Liverpool were playing without a keeper?'
ReplyDeleteEverton going a man down would have completely taken the wind out of them and I can imagine Everton being taken to the cleaners by Suarez.
So you never argue the opposite of the prevailing point of view as tactic? It's not a bad thing it is always worth looking at things in another way or you don't consider it properly. I think people should do it more as some people make up their minds within seconds and never change it despite evidence or strong argument to the contrary. Playing devil's advocate is helpful for critical thinking and was in no way meant as a slur.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree we should be after maximum points in those games it's not the end of the world to draw one. The teams around us have harder games in that time and so will likely drop points themselves. Not losing those big games is important though. Even if we don't win them to not lose will be good for us.
ReplyDeleteI didn' take it as a slur :-) I honestly don't argue the opposite of the prevailing view as a tactic; it just so happens that most of my opinions seem to naturally be the opposite of the majority view.
ReplyDeleteobviously not a liverpool fan, arsehole.
ReplyDeletejohnny doesn't star with comments like that. now you piss off back to where ever you came from.
ReplyDeletewhich game were you watching, idiot.
ReplyDeleteMartinez talks about how football should be played. Just look at the horror tackles his player have done. Last season at Wigan three this season at Everton . Mc Carthey Barry and Miralas tackle yesterday
ReplyDeleteI disagree. The next three matches are those against lesser teams and if we truly want to compete at the top of this league, then they are simply the games we have to win...whether we are playing well or not. We simply can't afford losses to teams like the next three we face. I was satisfied with yesterday's draw only because we could easily have lost 6-3 and not because of the respect for the derby clash. Our defense was shockingly bad, especially for the effort we put into strengthening it, and only world-class saves from Mignolet kept us in the game.
ReplyDeleteu fukin knob, just like all the other tossers jumpin on the bandwagon against Suarez. Show me 1, just 1 peice of factual evidence from the FA or the so called independent committee panel that baned him for 10 games which says he is a racist!! What, u can't. And whys that, because he fukin isn't one u tit, as they went out of their way to state that in no way do they think for 1 minute that he is racist and that is a DOCUMENTED FACT!!! Your just another jealous fan cos you cant afford to buy 1 of the best and most sought after strikers in world football!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWrong free kick.
ReplyDeleteMartinez was talking about the 2nd goal not the 3rd.
I was watching the same game, mate. In fact, I went.
ReplyDeleteI think we just probably didn't go to the same school of irony, though....... ;)
For me, ever since my first visit to the House of Wood when Kenny scored after 17 seconds and we were 3-0 up at half-time, it is still THE game of the season.
No he wasn't! How do you even get that? Did you watch the BT Sport interview? Clearly not. The discussion was about the Sturridge goal, which is the third goal, not the second.
ReplyDeleteLike or loathe Suarez he has never actually been found to be a racist.
ReplyDeleteTo permit such comments on this board renders both the poster of the comment and the owner of the board liable to an action in defamation.
It also, on my reading of the rules, contravenes them.
Just a thought.
I agree with you Suarez was not found to be racist, and I argued that point at the time. However, others are entitled to interpret what he said in their own way, and if people think he's racist, that's their right.
ReplyDeleteSorry, if not for Mignolet's exceptional performance on at least three occasions where he was alone against a striker and made extremely difficult saves on what should have been goals in just about every case. Yes, Allen missing may have changed the game a bit, but the Everton goals were from set piece into a crowded box where numerical advantage on the pitch has the least amount of impact.
ReplyDeleteMerry go round or not JK, Pete & I have all questioned Allen's contribution in addition to your failure to address this in your responses!
ReplyDeleteI hope you'll still support LFC when he leaves the club:)
I don't think Martinez is criticising Gerrard at all. He's entitled to be a little pissed though. Hence losing his voice. Simple really. As for the Mirallas tackle. I haven't heard one Evertonian say he shouldn't have walked. It's just that we all loved the fact that he did it and got away with it.
ReplyDeleteI'm not the manager :) It was an away game, and a derby so Allen in the middle and Hendo on the right is arguably the correct decision, you can see what Rodgers was thinking. I liked his starting team, I'm not going to get mad if Allen starts or something. But in your previous post you made it out as if Allen was so good and he is imperative to our success or something. Next match, Sturridge is going to come back and I think Rodgers will drop Allen. If Sturridge wasn't fit to start you could put Hendo in the middle and Moses/Sterling out wide, that's what happened when Allen missed the chance and then got subbed but as I said I liked the starting team and was not against Allen starting at all.
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't want to argue because he has no argument! :)
ReplyDeleteHe's not racist either. That's slander.
ReplyDeleteI don't entirely disagree but what I am saying is it is likely those teams we are up against will lose points in that period and we can't expect to win every game against "weaker" opposition. What we should expect is to not lose to them.
ReplyDeleteI remember the "welcome" they gave to that black Man City goalie (Alex Williams).
ReplyDeleteThats not how I meant it to be taken.I just think that playing him in that game was a sensible move and who's to know how it would have finished if he had not played.
ReplyDeleteI took it that Allen got subbed because he got booked same as Lucas. The idea being that we needed players getting involved and we didn't want to risk those players getting sent off. That need to get in dirty was from the start and I would want Allen doing that particular job ahead of Sterling, Moses or even Sturridge. That was not his only job but putting pressure on Barry and their back four was needed and those Allen and Henderson starting together will do that better than any other pairing in our team currently.
The miss was bad but it was one miss, there were others.
I always think it's always a better game at Woodison. Both teams play it open and it's normally entertaining. At Anfield Everton (obviously) have to keep it tighter which has made for some dour games in recent years.
ReplyDeleteAs for your little digs, I was going to say something considered and eloquent in reply, but can't be arsed.
I think we could have won 5-3 easily. We had our chances and they were probably clearer cut than Everton's. Our defence was shockingly bad but the money put in to strengthen was not on show.
ReplyDeleteThey certainly had more One-on-One's. mainly due to the baffling tactic of sending everyone bar Allen and Glen Johnson up at corners, then being hit on the break. We certainly need more power and dynamism in midfield.
ReplyDeleteAnd I hate to say this, even though he put in 2 brilliant crosses, but for the most part Gerrard stank out there yesterday. Sorry.
The linesman saw where Gerrard was taking the kick from, and was happy with it. Enough said.
ReplyDeleteI moaned about that myself in another post. Even though they were one on ones they were not what you would call a clear one on one barring the spanish lads when he was central. The other two were quite wide and the angles are in the keepers favor.
ReplyDeleteI agree about Gerard. I worry that he is at that stage in his career that Scholes got to when playing against a team that are worried and give him more time on the ball he looks a worldy but in a higher tempo cut and thrust game he lacks. He is certainly much slower on the turn these days and once a player has gone past him a bit he may as well be a mile ahead of him.
I think Reidy and McMahon used to do a couple of those every game.
ReplyDeleteIt's a bit like the Carragher tackle on Nani.
ReplyDeleteHorrendous, but the fact it was 1) Nani, 2) a Manc, 3) he actually CRIED, and 4) Carra got away with it suddenly turns it into one of those folklore tackles that we all protest about until we do one ourselves.
So if I call Evra a snidey, lying sh!tbag, hopefully you'll take it in the spirit it is meant, and put it down to my own particular interpretation of the incident.
ReplyDeleteAnd sh!tbag isn't an insult. It's just a bag of shit.
did you forget about the elbow, I think it was barkley not postive about that,that left henderson with a cut on his head. worse than gerrard's. martinez is usually so classy, but the fact he defend mirallas tackle really pisses me off and then to point out an elbow that had no reperepercussions and after his player threw an elbow that left yet another one of our players bleeding is ridiculous.
ReplyDeletethe fa needs to take action against mirallas. especially after those comments. that was a horrendous tackle, that comment makes him look like an idiot. I understand he said sorry but you don't try justifying it with past incidents.
If they wanna talk about elbows how about Distin's forearm smash into Daniel Agger's mouth. Also if Martinez wants to talk about small details that can win and lose a game, one word Mirallas.
ReplyDeleteYou're right he got booked, I forgot about that. I still feel the miss had something to play in being subbed. Moses did nothing, may have been best to leave Joe on.
ReplyDeleteAs JK said though, any competent midfielder could have done what Allen did during the match. On one occasion he tried to pick out Gerrard only 10 yards away but the ball was poor and behind Gerrard and it lead to an Everton counter attack. That's not the Allen we expect. And I've said this countless times, if he's not picking passes or retaining/recycling possession then what exactly does he bring to the team. I'll credit him on his solid pressing throughout the match, and pressing isn't just wildly running at the opposite guy with the ball...But he needs to offer more than that. I hope he gets a run out off the bench next week because I don't expect him to start against Hull.
Well said! Truth is don't post comments if you can't back it up! It's all very juvenile.
ReplyDeleteWe've spent 15mill on a player who offers "Zero positive impact" recouping half would be a miracle. The need for a athletic physical presence has been noted for years, only BR knows why this hasn't been addressed!
This incident send off...100% red card reward.2 times Mirralas make dangerous tackle but reffree afraid to make decision.
ReplyDelete