Football 2010-2011

[ampersand]

Also sad to see that Eduardo has left us. He never really recovered from his injury - a real shame as he was looking like he could be quite some player. Here's hoping he can rediscover his confidence and form at a new club.

[Steve P]

here's hoping that arsenal play shaktar and he throws himself to the floor and gets away with it. wengers comments would be priceless!

[ampersand]

Nice to hear that you're not holding a grudge I think the reaction to that had a big effect on his form last season. I have no doubt that you would say he deserved it, but there were far more obvious and blatant dives last season (yes Stevie G i'm talking about you) that didn't get a 1/10th of the attention that Eduardo got in the press. Nowt to do with the fact that Eduardo's a dirty foreigner of course...

[eFestivals]

eduardo i'm fine with. it's just wenger's selective vision and sticking up for his own, bollocks that gets me. i know there's plenty similar, but he takes the biscuit. would be lovely if it happened to him to see his reaction.

you mean the same "selective vision" that UEFA must also suffer from, in deciding that it just wasn't possible to say for sure that it actually was a dive?

I do love how the blinkered also manage to have x-ray vision installed on their blinkers.

[Steve P]

eduardo i'm fine with. it's just wenger's selective vision and sticking up for his own, bollocks that gets me. i know there's plenty similar, but he takes the biscuit. would be lovely if it happened to him to see his reaction.

[Cardboard Box City]

you mean the same "selective vision" that UEFA must also suffer from, in deciding that it just wasn't possible to say for sure that it actually was a dive?

I do love how the blinkered also manage to have x-ray vision installed on their blinkers.

[ampersand]

I agree that Wenger should speak our against his players a bit more. If you think he's the worst though you're much mistaken.

[Cardboard Box City]

I agree that Wenger should speak our against his players a bit more. If you think he's the worst though you're much mistaken.

[eFestivals]

Oh look, Neil jumps to the defence of the Arsenal manager.

What you mean is that I've stated a certain fact, to counter the made-up bollox that those with x-ray vision like to spout.

Or are you saying that UEFA are all Arsenal fans too?

I'll always let the truth get in the way of a good story. It's a shame that others prefer their made up crap.

[Cardboard Box City]

What you mean is that I've stated a certain fact, to counter the made-up bollox that those with x-ray vision like to spout.

Or are you saying that UEFA are all Arsenal fans too?

I'll always let the truth get in the way of a good story. It's a shame that others prefer their made up crap.

Edited July 22, 2010 by Cardboard Box City

[The Nal]

you mean the same "selective vision" that UEFA must also suffer from, in deciding that it just wasn't possible to say for sure that it actually was a dive?

I do love how the blinkered also manage to have x-ray vision installed on their blinkers.

Edited July 22, 2010 by The Nal

[ampersand]

What you mean is that I've stated a certain fact, to counter the made-up bollox that those with x-ray vision like to spout.

Or are you saying that UEFA are all Arsenal fans too?

I'll always let the truth get in the way of a good story. It's a shame that others prefer their made up crap.

[eFestivals]

So, when you were banging on about Rooney 'cheating' to win a penalty against Arsenal last season, you'd also accept that this was inconclusive given that no action was taken by the FA or Premier League?

1. I'm not sure now which 'dive' you're on about.

2. whichever it was, I'm pretty sure no special FA or Prem commission was formed to look into it, as was the case with Eduardo.

We all know that the authorities rarely care much about diving and that the Eduardo thing was treated as a special case, so there's simply no comparison.

Whatever Rooney might have done or not done is of no relevance to what Eduardo did. And what Eduardo did is impossible to say for sure was a dive, as UEFA rightly concluded on all of the evidence*.

(* You know, the evidence which includes all available camera angles [as seen on TV at the time], rather than the conveniently edited versions people have presented before from YouTube which somehow seem to have omitted the clearest angle [from a camera that Eduardo was running straight towards], which certainly shows the possibility of contact and which makes the claimed 'dive' unproven).

[ampersand]

3 angles that show no contact don't suddenly disappear because there's 1 angle that shows the possibility of contact

he's not an arsenal player anymore neil. you can call him a diver now

[eFestivals]

We've been through this, it was clearly a dive. The fact he was nearly at a full stop makes it more obvious. That doesnt mean the ban was a total disgrace though. Players dive/go down easy every week.

It defo wasn't "clearly" a dive.

There is no view via cameras which proves it as a dive. There is a view from one of the cameras that suggests that it definitely wasn't.

(note for the hard of reading: "suggests", not "definitely proves").

And as ever, what you present is an edited version which excludes the best camera view of all. Why is that?

"nearly at a full stop". Why? One reason could be that he slowed down to ensure contact - something you say is totally acceptable when Utd players do it. Another reason could be that he'd have needed to just about stop to then be able to get the ball around the keeper if he'd not been brought down.

At no point have I said it wasn't a dive - in fact, I've stated many times that to my mind it probably was. But that doesn't alter the fact that it's far from clear that it was - exactly as UEFA rightly concluded.

[ampersand]

And as ever, what you present is an edited version which excludes the best camera view of all. Why is that?

[Cardboard Box City]

2. whichever it was, I'm pretty sure no special FA or Prem commission was formed to look into it, as was the case with Eduardo.

Edited July 22, 2010 by Cardboard Box City

[ampersand]

in this case, it's therefore impossible to tell whether anyone is play acting. how can any of us know whether someone is hurting or not? no conclusive proof eh neil?

[eFestivals]

3 angles that show no contact

except not one angle shows no contact.

They suggest that there wasn't, but none of them are clear enough to know for sure, and none give as clear a view as the angle that's always omitted from the vids on YouTube (or at least the ones people here have presented).

The best view - from the camera he was running directly at - definitely shows his heel swivel at the point the goalie's knee comes down, implying that it did so thru contact (tho it might just be Eduardo's running action).

The difference between my view and yours is the difference between fact and fiction.

[ampersand]

neil, i'm swivelling my ankle right now. no goalie beside me. it's possible. try it. now add that statement of fact along with the angles which 99% suggest it was a dive and remove your arsene blinkers.

[Cardboard Box City]

Martin Jol has knocked Fulham back.

Clickey

[eFestivals]

I'm on about the one at Old Trafford, in front of the 'Stretty' if memory serves, where there was contact, that you proclaimed to be out and out cheating.

Yep, I consider that deliberately creating contact is cheating. I'm guessing (cos I don't remember) that this was such an incident.

If Eduardo deliberately created contact in that incident, then I consider it no less cheating than I would with Rooney.

But according to the likes of you there wasn't any contact, so Eduardo couldn't have cheated like that in your own view.

The FA don't set up disciplinary as frivolously as they do in Europe.

nor does Europe normally. I put it down to those chippy Scots.

After he was originally banned for two games.

Which they changed after examining the evidence.

That's an evidence-based decision rather than the blinkered view of a "real fan" like you.

And given that you're one of these "real fans" () who think that the pros have knowledge waaaaay beyond what any "real fan" can and even more than the no-nothing armchair plastic fan you consider me to be, why is it you suddenly think the pros know nothing and you know everything?

[eFestivals]

in this case, it's therefore impossible to tell whether anyone is play acting. how can any of us know whether someone is hurting or not? no conclusive proof eh neil?

Sometimes the evidence is 100% clear. That Brazilian player hit by the ball by the corner flag at the last(?) world cup for example.

I'm simply saying that the evidence does not back up your conclusive view that Eduardo definitely dived. Your view is at odds with the solid evidence.

[The Nal]

And as ever, what you present is an edited version which excludes the best camera view of all. Why is that?

[Cardboard Box City]

Man City are apparently finally going to bid for Mario Balotelli, £30 million is a figure thats been knocking about in the press. With Man City it doesn't matter, but thats a risk on a 19 year old with an attitude problem.

Moratti must moonlight as a comedian or something, his decision making is quite comical - a week or two ago he was of the opinion that its nice to have clubs interested in your players but they won't consider any offers, now he's said:

"We don't completely reject an offer without hearing it"

"We don't put the phone down on anyone"