february 25th
Ok, let’s start this morning with the news that José Antonio Reyes has been given a three match ban for ‘violent conduct’ after he skimmed the face of a Sheffiled United player in the FA Cup tie last weekend. That means we’ve lost Bergkamp and Reyes for a total of 6 games for nothing very much at all really. I know the letter of law states that violent conduct = a 3 match ban but there’s violent conduct and violent conduct, if you know what I mean.
Surely there has to be a sliding scale for things like this? How is what Reyes and Bergkamp did worth the same punishment as an horrific over the top tackle like we’ve seen from van Nistelrooy and Jamie Redknapp this season? Reyes might as well have punched him straight in the face, not tickled his cheek with a glove duel-style, then kicked his bollocks in and pissed on his head because all he’d have got is a 3 match ban. I’m not complaining because both players know fine well that if you raise your hands you’re asking for trouble but it does seem wrong that a player who deliberately goes out to injure another can get the same ban as a bit of pushing and shoving from two players who have just seen a team-mate get stamped on. That’s all.
Neil Warnock, after removing himself from the top of the list last week with some kind comments about Arsenal, goes right back onto page one with after talking about Cesc’s tackle on one of his cunty players. Womble-looking cunt says “That should have been a straight red card. Yet all I saw in the papers were accusations that Danny Cullip allegedly stamped on Fabregas. You don’t seem to get the rub of the green when you’re a lower league club in these competitions.”
No allegedly about it, he raked his studs down Cesc’s head, we get a man sent off for a bit of pushing, another banned after the fact (both of whom will miss the replay), they get a last minute penalty and he’s complaining about not getting the rub of the green. Get fucked you wanker.
Tony Cascarino wrote one of the best football biographies I’ve ever read (granted it was with rather good sports journo Paul Kimmage) and he’s now written an article about Patrick Vieira. Leaving the Dennis Bergkamp point aside, which is rather snide, I think he makes some good points. I know not everyone agrees but I can’t find too much wrong with it. Which is a crying shame.
More injury news, and sadly it’s not the ‘Sol has made a miraculous recovery’ kind, Edu is out for about 3 weeks with a hamstring problem. He was touch and go for the Bayern game and only lasted 25 minutes or so. Add him to Sol, Dennis, José and an exhausted Kolo and it spells trouble. The two Fs will step in as needed over the next couple of games though.
Finally don’t forget you can win this t-shirt from harderthansatan.com, just answer the following question. In the 97-98 season Dennis was banned for three games for elbowing which ginger Northern Irish West Ham player in the gob? Answers to: [email protected]. Winners announced on Monday.
So what are you up to for the weekend then?
