22/8-23/8 Matchday Discussion [all R]

[sarabella]

In an effort to give neutral fans a place to discuss the matches in which their team isn't playing, we're going to try something new this year. I realize a lot of club boards already have something similar, but I also know a lot of people don't feel comfortable discussing certain matches in a pro-club forum.

The rules are simple:
If reading stuff that is necessarily 100% rah-rah about your team upsets you, don't bother reading or posting in this thread. There are match threads in most club forums that would better suit you.
Be respectful of other people's opinions, even if you disagree.
Trolling of any kind, particularly personal attacks, will not be tolerated.
The midweek matchups are:

22/8 - Tuesday
Watford - West Ham United
Tottenham Hotspur - Sheffield United

23/8 - Wednesday
Aston Villa - Reading
Blackburn Rovers - Everton
Manchester City - Portsmouth
Charlton Athletic - Manchester United
Fulham - Bolton
Middlesbrough - Chelsea

The [R] in the thread title covers results for all of these matches.

[sarabella]

TV lineup:

Fox Soccer Channel
22/8 . . . Watford - West Ham . . . 2:30pm ET (live)
23/8 . . . Boro - Chelsea . . . . . . . 3:00pm ET (live)

Setanta Sports
22/8 . . . Tottenham - Sheffield U . . . 3:00pm ET (live)
22/8 . . . Tottenham - Sheffield U . . . 9:00pm ET (delay)
23/8 . . . Charlton - Man United . . . . 3:00pm ET (live)
23/8 . . . Charlton - Man United . . . . 9:00pm ET (delay)

Sky Sports
23/8 . . . Charlton - Man United . . . . 7:30pm GMT (live)

[hasselbrad]

I'm going to have to record Watford v. West Ham. Hopefully the Hammers keep up this weekend's pace.

[sarabella]

Bump. I'll be watching the Everton game on stream.

It sucks that they schedule the games the same night as Champions League.

[musicl]

Yeah that does suck. After these games when do you think the next time will be when all the teams have played an equal amount of games?

I think after the 2nd to last game of the season.

[dustcowpoke]

Why are night games more exciting than day games?

Watford vs West Ham and Boro vs. Chelsea were better than all the other games last Saturday.

[chrizzah]

I just saw Ben Thatcher's challenge on Pedro Mendes blast night. Stuart Pearce can say all he wants about velocity and mistiming, but there's never a need to go in to a challenge with your forearm raised, especially a nothing challenge like that. It was completely disgraceful. I hope Thatcher gets a four game ban or so.

[michaec]

It's a pity that the main talking point from the midweek matches is Thatcher's "assault". I agree, he should be dealt with harshly for that, he's not exactly new to this kind of thing either.

[billyireland]

If something happens over Thatcher with Mendes (and it should - that was an assault, not a tackle), then action also needs to be taken over Michael Brown for his attempt to end Giggs' career over the weekend. Of course, it's not like the FA to do things fairly, so... :rolleyes:

Still, woeful tackle. If Prutton got a 10-match ban for losing his nut at the end of the 04/05 season, Thatcher deserves at least the same, probably more.

[sarabella]

That was brutal. I don't think 10 games is enough, and it should certainly be without pay. It was completely uncalled for.

[Alan_V]

If something happens over Thatcher with Mendes (and it should - that was an assault, not a tackle), then action also needs to be taken over Michael Brown for his attempt to end Giggs' career over the weekend. Of course, it's not like the FA to do things fairly, so... :rolleyes:

Still, woeful tackle. If Prutton got a 10-match ban for losing his nut at the end of the 04/05 season, Thatcher deserves at least the same, probably more.

I'll preface this by saying that I haven't seen Brown's tackle, but I don't know Billy. Even in the real world there's a punishment difference between attempted murder and murder. The fact that Giggs continued on in the game and Mendes was taken to hospital unconcious is enough to warrant a deeper look into Thatcher's tackle on it's own. Afterall, the FA have their own butts to cover. :)

[Boundzy]

I don't think 10 games is enough, and it should certainly be without pay.
Agreed. There was no attempt to play the ball. He appeared to deliberately throw his elbow at Mendes' face. In my opinion, a suspension of less than 10 games would be an abject failure by the powers that be.

[billyireland]

I'll preface this by saying that I haven't seen Brown's tackle, but I don't know Billy. Even in the real world there's a punishment difference between attempted murder and murder. The fact that Giggs continued on in the game and Mendes was taken to hospital unconcious is enough to warrant a deeper look into Thatcher's tackle on it's own. Afterall, the FA have their own butts to cover. :)
The difference is that Mendes got it to the face. As anybody knows, a smack like that to the face is going to hurt badly (plus Thatcher seemed to be successful in his attempt), whereas Brown went for the leg (two footed, studs up, right across the shins) and didn't fully connect. It is not uncommon for a player to get a tackle like that and be fine, because the offender's leverage was JUST ABOUT not good enough. To do that to a player like Giggs (as opposed to a Keane or Shearer, who were no angels themselves) at this stage in his career for seemingly no reason apart from a megging a few minutes beforehand, is unforgivable. It is also not the first time Brown has done this, remember when Sean Davis last season? How long until he succeeds in ending a player's career?

It's just odd how the FA were 'powerless to act' because of the yellow being given for this yet not for Thatcher, no? One rule for Man United, another for the rest of the league indeed...

[superdave]

It's just odd how the FA were 'powerless to act' because of the yellow being given for this yet not for Thatcher, no? One rule for Man United, another for the rest of the league indeed...
Irony!

[billyireland]

Irony!
Intentional, thank you very much.

[Alan_V]

I finally saw a good replay and WOW. It's obvious he raised his arm to fend off contact. It's definitely worthy of an FA review and the police investigation. Psycho is supposed to be having a meeting with the chairman to discuss internal sanctions.

Had a conversation with a lawyer friend (not criminal, I'll admit). States that here, you'd have to prove intent to inflict injury for assault, especially as it occured in a contact sport. He'd more likely be charged with Reckless Endangerment.