Football

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I see the final run of Championship games that Peterborough United put together from an almost impossible position fell at the last hurdle away to a side near the top of their league in a close run match. Still, it showed what team spirit can achieve, as Wigan Athletic proved last season with their final nine games in the Premiership which saw them safe from relegation.

 

[Antman]

Peterborough were so unlucky, cruel game. A Palace fan I know said they would have gladly settled for a draw after another poor performance.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I see that as a special treat to all the posters on the RailUK forums football thread, Sir Alex Ferguson has announced that he is not vacating his managerial post, so this will see another season of creative opportunities to formulate many more acerbically worded postings.

He is due to miss the start of the next season owing to an operation on one of his hips. This may have the effect of slowing his runs from dug-out to the fourth match official...

 

[Trainfan344]

Does that mean there will have to be more fergie time due to the fact it will take him longer to get anywhere?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

And if Aldershot Town implode financially to the extent that they do a Chester/Darlington, Stockport may yet retain their position in the BSP.

Aldershot Town officially entered into administration on Thursday, 2nd May when it was formally stated that there was no money to pay all salaries for the month of April or any creditors bills falling due for payment, which was after the closing date of the current season. How will that affect any points deduction that may be imposed, should the joint administrators be able to save the club

 

[Oswyntail]

....Incidentally, who would have thought FC Halifax would have won at Guiseley in the other second-leg play-off game to go through 3-1 on aggregate ?..l.

Actually, quite a few Guiseley supporters had taken a gloomy view in the days leading up to the match. There was no "buzz" around at all.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Well done to Newport County, who have been promoted to the Football League after beating Wrexham 2-0 at Wembley in the play-off final this afternoon. Kiddie should still have gone up mind

Of course, those who've been around long enough will remember them in there originally, having been relegated to the non-league in 1988.

 

[Butts]

Well done to Newport County, who have been promoted to the Football League after beating Wrexham 2-0 at Wembley in the play-off final this afternoon. Kiddie should still have gone up mind

Of course, those who've been around long enough will remember them in there originally, having been relegated to the non-league in 1988.

Yes I remember them ........

MOD tonight looking like not much of a draw.....(or too much of one )

Liverpool 0-0 Everton and no goals at Old Trafford yet in the Utd v Chelsea Fixture. Are there any other Premier League games today ?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

It's also just occurred to me Portsmouth will be playing Newport next season... hock:

 

[SS4]

Liverpool 0-0 Everton and no goals at Old Trafford yet in the Utd v Chelsea Fixture. Are there any other Premier League games today ?

No. Just those two. No doubt they'll find enough to fill the show since pundits can't get enough of certain teams

edit: They are more than welcome to show yesterday's game at Carrow Road (how did Bennett avoid a red card?)

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Are there any other Premier League games today ?

Nope. Colin Murray's last MOTD2 will be uneventful. I remember once there were three games on a Sunday, all with no goals, and at the end of the show Adrian Chiles apologised for nothing happening

 

[JoeH]

No. Just those two. No doubt they'll find enough to fill the show since pundits can't get enough of certain teams

They're not the only ones.

 

[Butts]

No. Just those two. No doubt they'll find enough to fill the show since pundits can't get enough of certain teams

With yesterdays goals hopefully - Gabbys for your mob were superb especially the second - was that the goal that keeps Villa in The Premiership ?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

They're not the only ones.

Uh huh, they seemed to spend ages (and I mean nearing 10 minutes or more) yesterday after West Brom v Wigan...

 

[Butts]

Nope. Colin Murray's last MOTD2 will be uneventful. I remember once there were three games on a Sunday, all with no goals, and at the end of the show Adrian Chiles apologised for nothing happening

Of course Murray is leaving - any word on his successor ?

Mata 1-0

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Of course Murray is leaving - any word on his successor ?

Mark Chapman IIRC.

 

[JoeH]

Rafael was just sent off for kicking at Luiz after the ball had gone out of play.

Luiz of course should have probably already been off the field after going mad at the referee after receiving a yellow card a few minutes earlier.

Earlier in the game Ramires twice tried to kick Phil Jones in the face, missing both times, and went unpunished, although Jones got a yellow card.

 

[SS4]

A Manchester United player has been shown a red card. At Old Tafford to boot. . Ferguson is quoted as saying all eleven Chelsea men should not be on the pitch

 

[JoeH]

I'm sure the usual posters will be here in a moment to explain why Rafael deserved his red card for reacting to Luiz and why Ramires correctly went unpunished for laying down on his back and aiming kicks at another player's face.

 

[SS4]

I'm sure the usual posters will be here in a moment to explain why Rafael deserved his red card for reacting to Luiz and why Ramires correctly went unpunished for laying down on his back and aiming kicks at another player's face.

I've not seen it but isn't retaliation always an instant red card (so long as the ref sees it)? I'm sceptical about what you're saying about the Chelsea players, it'd be like taking advice about Pepsi from Coca Cola.

Not that I'd mind an FA ban since it'll do us good next week

 

[familyguy99]

Well done to Newport County, who have been promoted to the Football League after beating Wrexham 2-0 at Wembley in the play-off final this afternoon. Kiddie should still have gone up mind

Of course, those who've been around long enough will remember them in there originally, having been relegated to the non-league in 1988.

^^ Well done to Newport then and very good year for Welsh football as Swansea won League Cup, Cardiff champion of Championship and playing premiership football next season, Newport playing in Football league for next season and Bale winning player of year and young player of year this season too.

Dundee have been relegated from Scotland premiership after they could only draw 1-1 to Aberdeen.

 

[JoeH]

Everything I have said about the game is correct. You can watch the highlights later.

David Luiz stuck his elbow in Rafael's face and then chest. Rafael responded with a late 'attempt' for the ball, which was really just a little kick, after the ball had gone out of play. Luiz rolled around on the floor but close ups showed he has a smile on his face and was laughing. Rafael was shown a red card. Luiz's elbows were more dangerous and violent than Rafael's little kick but Rafael received a straight red card and Luiz wasn't even shown a second yellow for his part, not withstanding that he was lucky to even be on the pitch at the time.

Earlier in the match Phil Jones tripped Ramires. Ramires, from his back, repeatedly attempted to kick Phil Jones in the face in retaliation. Phil Jones was shown a yellow card for the initial trip and Ramires went unpunished.

The Chelsea goal came from a break mere seconds after Rooney should have had a free kick after being tackled on the edge of the Chelsea penalty box.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

With the competition to obtain the comparative safety of the third place in the Premiership and its automatic entry into Champions League next season from the "perm any one from three" clubs who are competing for such a place, it was obvious that Chelsea, noting both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur had both won their games yesterday, would have gone all out for a win today, irrespective who they were playing. It is always easier to play against a team who have no real need to fully compete for points rather than against one fighting against relegation such as Wigan Athletic who themselves will go all out to obtain the three points gained for a win to aid in their fight against relegation from the Premiership and the financial implications that will then ensue, as Wolverhampton Wanderers found out to their cost when they were relegated from the Premiership (and doubly compounded by then being relegated to League 1 the following season).

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

Howard Webb sending off a United player...sorry can somebody pinch me?
Definitely a red though

 

[balne-wonderer]

I havent seen the game so cant comment on todays incident. However I seem to remember that 118 was very lucky not to get sent off against Reading at the Majeski in a game that actually mattered.

Lets us not forget the amount of incorrect decisions that Man Utd benefitted from away at Chelsea. Including two offside goals and a dive resulting in a Torres red card. The fact that the man utd fans have to pop up straight away to justify 118s actions leave me sceptical about what really happened.

Thats the first Man Utd player this season to see red. Still not one penalty against them.

 

[JoeH]

Nobody has justified Rafael kicking out at Luiz. He deserved a red card for what he did but so did David Luiz and Ramires before him.

The fact is that if Luiz had been shown a second yellow for flipping out at the referee over his yellow card, or had been punished for the two elbows to Rafael he wouldn't have been on the pitch for Rafael to lash out at.

Had Ramires been sent off earlier for aiming kicks at Phil Jone's face he wouldn't have been on the pitch to foul Wayne Rooney on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area and start the break that resulted in the Chelsea goal.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I'm wondering about the Luiz incident - he went over and was looking at the ground when he began to laugh, so he would not have seen the referee nor linesman signal for a foul, similarly I doubt he would have heard a whistle when on the ground and just yards from the fans, which leads me to think that the laugh may have been because he thought he'd got away with not losing the ball (having beaten Da Silva twice to it) and stopped Da Silva getting to it, and not because his opponent was being dismissed (how would he even know?). Unless he himself admits to doing it because he'd got Da Silva into trouble, it is very dubious to say or charge him with any wrongdoing.

 

[JoeH]

I'm wondering about the Luiz incident - he went over and was looking at the ground when he began to laugh, so he would not have seen the referee nor linesman signal for a foul, similarly I doubt he would have heard a whistle when on the ground and just yards from the fans, which leads me to think that the laugh may have been because he thought he'd got away with not losing the ball (having beaten Da Silva twice to it) and stopped Da Silva getting to it, and not because his opponent was being dismissed (how would he even know?). Unless he himself admits to doing it because he'd got Da Silva into trouble, it is very dubious to say or charge him with any wrongdoing.

Is there a rule about laughing after getting someone sent off?

My complaint is his elbows, and that's what I think he's should be punished for.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

It wasn't directed at you, sorry, should have made that clearer. It was in response to all those everywhere saying what a disgrace he is for laughing, even though by the time Da Silva even got into trouble for it he was on his feet again...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Back over in Scotland, I am sure that Ross County will be very pleased with their current league position in the Scottish Premiership.