EPL Matchday 19

Dec 22, 2009
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Yeah pretty embarrassing by anyone calling for a ban against Salah. Firstly, he was pulled back by Dummett to prevent his run going any further. Dummett's reaction told the story - he knew he had fouled Salah. Secondly, there's fouls called like that all over the ground all the time and nobody blinks an eye. This wouldn't have got a mention at all if Junior Hoilett won a similar penalty for Cardiff City.


Most ironically Salah's been kicked and pulled pillar to pillar by defenders at Anfield who have gotten away with it repeatedly. No surprises that we haven't heard any of the usual suspects complain about that treatment from defenders(and the fact that Liverpool haven't had a penalty awarded at Anfield since October 2017 - figure that one out). Yeah he shouldn't have gone down easily but Dummett also shouldn't have pulled him back. It's not the worst penalty call I've seen and barely worthy of even a mention.
 

WealstoneRaider

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It was the worst dive of the season. The fact that there was the slightest contact has saved him
 
Oct 5, 2009
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Gloating is a tad overrated. See Arsenal’s players after the 4-2 NLD win as an example. Better to get your head down and not get above yourself, something that should apply to the fans as well imo. For all the stick the City twosome receive on here, one thing you have to say is neither of them particularly (if at all) gloat about it. The majority of the scousers on here wouldn’t be half as humble. Just saying
always time to make it a threesome.
 

WealstoneRaider

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always time to make it a threesome.
I know I give City a lot of stick but one thing I can’t criticise you and Moomba for is rubbing s**t in the noses of other supporters. I’m sure there’s been a smug smile of satisfaction sat there behind your screen but I’m not holding out for similar restraint from the scousers
 

ADL9798

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It was a big dive. Still though I've noticed dozens of times this season players foul him by grabbing his arms while he runs and they get away with it every time apart from 2 instances.

If you're standing still and someone pulls or pushes you like that, it's unlikely you'll lose your balance. Running at pace, solely focused on the ball and probably not anticipating the contact, it doesn't take much to be thrown off. I think this element is often forgotten by the fat blokes on their couch at home analysing the replays in 10x slow motion.

Without a doubt he was unfairly impeded by a defender who wasn't even looking at the ball, let alone making a play for it. Stonewall penalty for me.

I agree with your second statement that he's held his feet on several occasions this season while being fouled in the penalty area, to his detriment. The fact that this was the first penalty awarded to Liverpool at Anfield in a year is mind boggling.
 
Oct 5, 2009
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If you're standing still and someone pulls or pushes you like that, it's unlikely you'll lose your balance. Running at pace, solely focused on the ball and probably not anticipating the contact, it doesn't take much to be thrown off. I think this element is often forgotten by the fat blokes on their couch at home analysing the replays in 10x slow motion.

Without a doubt he was unfairly impeded by a defender who wasn't even looking at the ball, let alone making a play for it. Stonewall penalty for me.

I agree with your second statement that he's held his feet on several occasions this season while being fouled in the penalty area, to his detriment. The fact that this was the first penalty awarded to Liverpool at Anfield in a year is mind boggling.
the problem arises from niasse being given a 2 match ban for being knocked off the ball, and other much worse dives going completely unpunished. why even have the threat of punishment if the overriding argument is 'well there's contact'. very few dives in the penalty area have no contact whatsoever.

not saying you're wrong or anything like that in case this gets misconstrued. i think that people just get annoyed at the fa having used a rule that they were going to be 'tough on simulation' being used twice.
 
the problem arises from niasse being given a 2 match ban for being knocked off the ball, and other much worse dives going completely unpunished. why even have the threat of punishment if the overriding argument is 'well there's contact'. very few dives in the penalty area have no contact whatsoever.

not saying you're wrong or anything like that in case this gets misconstrued. i think that people just get annoyed at the fa having used a rule that they were going to be 'tough on simulation' being used twice.

Niasse was banned for exaggerating the contact & going to ground in a way inconsistent with the contact. Dann stepped across his path & there was contact. Not the most contact, but he was trying to get in his way so a penalty was fair enough even though the ball was no longer under his control.

This is Salah's second dive (at least) this season where there has been minimal if any contact & he's exaggerated the contact, gone to ground inconsistently with the contact yet didn't meet the FA's guidelines?? It's goddamn staggering players are getting away with it, it's not just him.
 
Dec 22, 2009
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the problem arises from niasse being given a 2 match ban for being knocked off the ball, and other much worse dives going completely unpunished. why even have the threat of punishment if the overriding argument is 'well there's contact'. very few dives in the penalty area have no contact whatsoever.

not saying you're wrong or anything like that in case this gets misconstrued. i think that people just get annoyed at the fa having used a rule that they were going to be 'tough on simulation' being used twice.

I don't believe Niasse was pulled back though, IIRC it was just body to body contact (correct me if I an mistaken).
 
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Gloating is a tad overrated. See Arsenal’s players after the 4-2 NLD win as an example. Better to get your head down and not get above yourself, something that should apply to the fans as well imo. For all the stick the City twosome receive on here, one thing you have to say is neither of them particularly (if at all) gloat about it. The majority of the scousers on here wouldn’t be half as humble. Just saying
It's been a long time between drinks. I've been on BF since 2000. I've lived though United's dominance. If we somehow win the league, which we probably wont anyways, but if we somehow do, I'll lose my mind! :D
 
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I don't believe Niasse was pulled back though, IIRC it was just body to body contact (correct me if I an mistaken).
it was body to body, but when is contact enough contact to not only warrant a penalty, but further punishment. i think it's tough to say that running into someone and falling over isnt right but having an arm across you/grab you and falling over is.
 
Dec 22, 2009
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It was a big dive. Still though I've noticed dozens of times this season players foul him by grabbing his arms while he runs and they get away with it every time apart from 2 instances.

It was still a foul even if he did go down way too easily. Dummett's reaction speaks volumes, he knew he pulled him back. Don't pull back players and you won't give away penalties, basic defending 101. Salah shouldn't be going down easily but defenders shouldn't also be trying to get away with pulling him back in the box.

There are dozens of fouls just like this every week given and most barely rate a mention. This one does because it is Salah / LFC and the tall poppy syndrome effect coming into play.
 
Dec 22, 2009
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it was body to body, but when is contact enough contact to not only warrant a penalty, but further punishment. i think it's tough to say that running into someone and falling over isnt right but having an arm across you/grab you and falling over is.
.
Someone grabbing you at pace is different to body to body contact, that is pretty obvious. Just like a little clip at pace can send you flying while if a striker has his back to goal that same amount of contact isn't enough to produce a foul.

It was a foul and there is no reason for the defender to grab him. Not like there was accidental contact, this was a deliberate action to impede his opponent.
 
It was still a foul even if he did go down way too easily. Dummett's reaction speaks volumes, he knew he pulled him back. Don't pull back players and you won't give away penalties, basic defending 101. Salah shouldn't be going down easily but defenders shouldn't also be trying to get away with pulling him back in the box.

There are dozens of fouls just like this every week given and most barely rate a mention. This one does because it is Salah / LFC and the tall poppy syndrome effect coming into play.

Ross supports Liverpool.
 
If you're standing still and someone pulls or pushes you like that, it's unlikely you'll lose your balance. Running at pace, solely focused on the ball and probably not anticipating the contact, it doesn't take much to be thrown off. I think this element is often forgotten by the fat blokes on their couch at home analysing the replays in 10x slow motion.

Without a doubt he was unfairly impeded by a defender who wasn't even looking at the ball, let alone making a play for it. Stonewall penalty for me.

I agree with your second statement that he's held his feet on several occasions this season while being fouled in the penalty area, to his detriment. The fact that this was the first penalty awarded to Liverpool at Anfield in a year is mind boggling.
It was still a foul even if he did go down way too easily. Dummett's reaction speaks volumes, he knew he pulled him back. Don't pull back players and you won't give away penalties, basic defending 101. Salah shouldn't be going down easily but defenders shouldn't also be trying to get away with pulling him back in the box.

There are dozens of fouls just like this every week given and most barely rate a mention. This one does because it is Salah / LFC and the tall poppy syndrome effect coming into play.
My gripe is when Salah is getting pulled back by the arms outside the box/in midfield and a foul isn't given. It's an easy free kick for the ref to give and isn't a game changing foul to award. Even when he stays standing.

I reckon if Salah kept his feet inside the box after getting pulled back the ref would have said play on. It's similar when people are being held at corners. For mine it needs to be significant for a pen to be awarded.
 
Dec 22, 2009
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My gripe is when Salah is getting pulled back by the arms outside the box/in midfield and a foul isn't given. It's an easy free kick for the ref to give and isn't a game changing foul to award. Even when he stays standing.

I reckon if Salah kept his feet inside the box after getting pulled back the ref would have said play on. It's similar when people are being held at corners. For mine it needs to be significant for a pen to be awarded.

It would be good if referees didn't wait for a player to go down after being pulled back to blow for a foul but that's often the case unfortunately. Because it is a deliberate action by the defender a good referee will give the attacker the benefit of the doubt when deciding if there's enough pulling to award a penalty. And that obviously depends on the circumstances, whether the player is running at pace, whether both striker and defender are holding each other's shirt. Considering Dummett was at an angle to Salah and pulled him back as he dribbled past him at pace that to me is a scenario where a foul should be given (and is 99% of the time outside the box without getting mentioned).
 
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Dummett didnt complain which says a lot.

The thing is, Salah definitely dived and went to ground when he didnt need to. But that's modern football. You need to make sure the referee makes that decision.

Because it was a foul. Salah had the ball under control and was driving at a defender, the smallest of tugs from Dummett means he loses momentum and the slightest loss of momentum meant that the other defender who was with them, I think maybe Lacelles, now had the opportunity to clear the ball.

If Dummett doesnt do the slight tug, Salah is still in control of the ball and perhaps can make a key pass or get a good shot off on goal.

But the tug means he loses possession of the ball. No need to go down but he thinks he has to to make sure the ref sees that he has been fouled and lost the ball.

It is a foul, however small it is, it was enough for Salah to lose the ball and the foul was committed in the box. So it's a penalty. Clear as day.
 
The problem with retrospective punishments is that they get applied inconsistently. FA doesn't have the bollocks to punish certain teams knowing the shitstorm that will follow.

It's why VAR won't work either.
 
The problem with retrospective punishments is that they get applied inconsistently. FA doesn't have the bollocks to punish certain teams knowing the shitstorm that will follow.

It's why VAR won't work either.
At the world cup VAR deciding pens was way too dodgy.

VAR should only make decisions on if the ball crosses the line for a goal or corner/goal kick, an offside call and maybe decide if zero contact is made on a pen (eg: When Sterling kicked the ground and fell over, that should be a straightforward non-pen call).
 
Dec 22, 2009
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The problem with retrospective punishments is that they get applied inconsistently. FA doesn't have the bollocks to punish certain teams knowing the shitstorm that will follow.

It's why VAR won't work either.

Interesting conspiracy theory. Which teams are the ones that the FA supposedly doesn't have the bollocks to punish retrospectively?
 
Interesting conspiracy theory. Which teams are the ones that the FA supposedly doesn't have the bollocks to punish retrospectively?

Liverpool, quite clearly, and pretty much all top half teams.
 
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