Who knew Luis Suarez has a sense of humor? His dive to celebrate scoring for Liverpool against Everton in the Merseyside derby was very funny and memorable. His goal and belly flop in front of the Everton bench was the perfect response to David Moyes assertions that Suarez is a serial diver. He is of course, but his Klinsmannesque celebration was still class.
Javier Hernandez’s winner for Man United against Chelsea appeared to be offside. In such a situation the attacking team is supposed to get the benefit of the call, so why the uproar in the media when Hernandez did?
Chelsea fans can’t help themselves. They constantly booed Man United defender Rio Ferdinand during their loss at Old Trafford in a shameful show of support for their fallen hero John Terry. And then when Hernandez scored United’s winner, Chelsea fans in the Matthew Harding Stand, threw coins and objects including a seat at the celebrating United players. It was nice to see the nouveau fans returning to the roots of the old Chelsea that English football knows so well. All that was missing was some Nazi salutes, hissing and the chant of “no one likes us we don’t care.” I wonder what Ledley King thought of it all.
There were a lot of contentious decisions made in games last weekend, but many in the media seem to have overlooked Arsenal’s winner against Queens Park Rangers. Mikel Arteta was in an offside position when Olivier Giroud first shot on goal. When the ball rebounded to him off the cross bar the linesman’s flag should have gone up immediately, but he seemed to be wearing Arsene Wenger designed glasses and missed the infringement.
Javier Hernandez’s winner for Man United against Chelsea appeared to be offside. In such a situation the attacking team is supposed to get the benefit of the call, so why the uproar in the media when Hernandez did?
Chelsea fans can’t help themselves. They constantly booed Man United defender Rio Ferdinand during their loss at Old Trafford in a shameful show of support for their fallen hero John Terry. And then when Hernandez scored United’s winner, Chelsea fans in the Matthew Harding Stand, threw coins and objects including a seat at the celebrating United players. It was nice to see the nouveau fans returning to the roots of the old Chelsea that English football knows so well. All that was missing was some Nazi salutes, hissing and the chant of “no one likes us we don’t care.” I wonder what Ledley King thought of it all.
There were a lot of contentious decisions made in games last weekend, but many in the media seem to have overlooked Arsenal’s winner against Queens Park Rangers. Mikel Arteta was in an offside position when Olivier Giroud first shot on goal. When the ball rebounded to him off the cross bar the linesman’s flag should have gone up immediately, but he seemed to be wearing Arsene Wenger designed glasses and missed the infringement.
When Spurs took to the field at Southampton they wore a hideous grey kit reminiscent of the one worn by Manchester United in the 1995-96 season when they were hammered at The Dell by the Saints. Spurs managed to win the game and are off to their second best start in the Premier League era, sit in one of the Champions League qualifying places, and have earned more points per game than during the Harry Redknapp reign. And still there are pundits who doubt Andre Villas-Boas ability as a manager.
Paul Lambert is a good manager and will be successful at some point in his career. He may not get the chance to achieve it at Aston Villa where the manager’s role is looking more and more like a poisoned chalice. It may take Villa being relegated like Newcastle United and Man City in recent years in order for the club to come back stronger. They are one of English football’s greatest clubs, more so than Chelsea for example, and their long-suffering fans deserve some success. Right now the former European Cup winners are a long way off their glory days.
Fans and media critics alike love to hone in on players who dive in order to con referees. But what about players who argue for throw-ins or corners which are clearly not in their team’s favor? Is this not cheating too? What about pulling an opponent’s shirt in the penalty area at a corner or impeding a keeper on the same play? Or how about manager’s tapping up players or commenting through their media surrogates about signing them from their current club? Why focus on player’s diving when there are other such incidents in the game that should also be labeled as cheating?
Paul Lambert is a good manager and will be successful at some point in his career. He may not get the chance to achieve it at Aston Villa where the manager’s role is looking more and more like a poisoned chalice. It may take Villa being relegated like Newcastle United and Man City in recent years in order for the club to come back stronger. They are one of English football’s greatest clubs, more so than Chelsea for example, and their long-suffering fans deserve some success. Right now the former European Cup winners are a long way off their glory days.
Fans and media critics alike love to hone in on players who dive in order to con referees. But what about players who argue for throw-ins or corners which are clearly not in their team’s favor? Is this not cheating too? What about pulling an opponent’s shirt in the penalty area at a corner or impeding a keeper on the same play? Or how about manager’s tapping up players or commenting through their media surrogates about signing them from their current club? Why focus on player’s diving when there are other such incidents in the game that should also be labeled as cheating?
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