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I don't know if you saw the Porto vs. Juventus game last night, but Portos left back got sent off after getting two yellow cards within about a minute.
I thought the first one was correct, but the second one got the old defender in me boiling. The Juventus player played the ball too far from him and the defender would almost certainly have got the ball with his sliding tackle. However, the Juventus player steps into the tackle and turns his back to the defender, so that it a good tackle all of a sudden is "an uncontrolled challenge from behind".

is this blatant cheating and poor refereeing, or just the Juventus player being clever= I know what I think - what's your take on it?

A bit of gamesmanship from the Juve player for sure, I think he's making it to that ball first if he wants to, a tad rash from the defender if you ask me.

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:A bit of gamesmanship from the Juve player for sure, I think he's making it to that ball first if he wants to, a tad rash from the defender if you ask me.

Sterling or Aguero would get booked for it if they did it in the penalty area ...

mr_nool wrote:

Foreverinbluedreams wrote:A bit of gamesmanship from the Juve player for sure, I think he's making it to that ball first if he wants to, a tad rash from the defender if you ask me.

Sterling or Aguero would get booked for it if they did it in the penalty area ...

Straight red mate.

I don't see how that would not be a foul.

If the Juventus player is fast enough to get his body between the tackle and the ball, he would've been fast enough to kick it and then be taken out.

Whether it's an automatic yellow in that case, might be debatable.

fangsanalsatan wrote:I don't see how that would not be a foul.

If the Juventus player is fast enough to get his body between the tackle and the ball, he would've been fast enough to kick it and then be taken out.

Whether it's an automatic yellow in that case, might be debatable.

He's actively looking for the contact. And i'm not sure he would have beat the Porto player to the ball if he hadn't due to the angle of the tackle. The distance the defender becomes much shorter when he steps sideways.

I always hate Juve, a sort of Italian rags' society in my own opinion! But it was a clear foul for me yesterday and ref made the correct decision for me!

Interesting angle on this nooly didn't think of this yesterday when I saw it.

But no matter how I look at this I just can't help but think what a thick bastard the defender is making that sort of challenges barely a minute after you've been booked! And it was not like he Had to make that challenge either I think he just wanted one for the highlights reel otamendi style

If you're willing to take that sort of hit just for some 'clever play', fair enough.
However those incidents where you're looking for the slightest of touches to give you a reason to dive...now that IS cheating. And diving, even if there is the famous tiny contact,

Moonchesteri wrote:Interesting angle on this nooly didn't think of this yesterday when I saw it.

But no matter how I look at this I just can't help but think what a thick bastard the defender is making that sort of challenges barely a minute after you've been booked! And it was not like he Had to make that challenge either I think he just wanted one for the highlights reel otamendi style

If you're willing to take that sort of hit just for some 'clever play', fair enough.
However those incidents where you're looking for the slightest of touches to give you a reason to dive...now that IS cheating. And diving, even if there is the famous tiny contact,

Absolutely Moonchesteri. How thick must a defender be to contemplate that challenge so soon after a first yellow. The player was going nowhere. Yes the forward made the most of it, but that's what they do. Don't give the player the opportunity to garner the foul and don't give the referee the opportunity to administer further punishment.

The art of actual defending is sadly becoming lost. Knowing when to stand off and when to make a challenge is a rare thing these days. What that defender did I could easily see Otamendi being stupid enough to do as well

absolutely a foul and a yellow.

No way is that ever , ever a foul by the defender . The attacker should be penalised for putting his foot into the defender.

Stupid decision by the officials.

I agree that the challenge is rash and stupid considering he's on a yellow. That doesn't change the fact that the juve player purposely takes a step away from the ball and into the path of the sliding defender. He wants to get hit - probably to get him his second yellow. To me that's plain cheating.

mr_nool wrote:I agree that the challenge is rash and stupid considering he's on a yellow. That doesn't change the fact that the juve player purposely takes a step away from the ball and into the path of the sliding defender. He wants to get hit - probably to get him his second yellow. To me that's plain cheating.

If i was reffing that game , the attacker would have got a yellow for stepping into the other player and playing the player and not the ball. That is a foul in my book, obstruction and hitting the other player. Otherwise known as cheating

I understand everyone's point but if you don't think that's a foul then it opens up a can of worms. Can a player ever shield the ball then? In my mind a player has every right to place himself in a position where the opposition would have to go thru them to get to the ball.

Dwaring wrote:I understand everyone's point but if you don't think that's a foul then it opens up a can of worms. Can a player ever shield the ball then? In my mind a player has every right to place himself in a position where the opposition would have to go thru them to get to the ball.

yes a player can shield the ball, but this player didn't even have the ball at his feet, to shield it , a la Merlin.

Fully deserved his sending off, the cretin.

zuricity wrote:

mr_nool wrote:I agree that the challenge is rash and stupid considering he's on a yellow. That doesn't change the fact that the juve player purposely takes a step away from the ball and into the path of the sliding defender. He wants to get hit - probably to get him his second yellow. To me that's plain cheating.

If i was reffing that game , the attacker would have got a yellow for stepping into the other player and playing the player and not the ball. That is a foul in my book, obstruction and hitting the other player. Otherwise known as cheating

I'm glad at least someone agrees with me!

mr_nool wrote:

zuricity wrote:

mr_nool wrote:I agree that the challenge is rash and stupid considering he's on a yellow. That doesn't change the fact that the juve player purposely takes a step away from the ball and into the path of the sliding defender. He wants to get hit - probably to get him his second yellow. To me that's plain cheating.

If i was reffing that game , the attacker would have got a yellow for stepping into the other player and playing the player and not the ball. That is a foul in my book, obstruction and hitting the other player. Otherwise known as cheating

I'm glad at least someone agrees with me!

furthermore the defender sliding in, has his feet on the floor, nowhere near the attacker and is going for the ball with his correct foot , his left foot. He's coming around the ball not through it. The attacker never intended to play the ball

mr_nool wrote:

zuricity wrote:

mr_nool wrote:I agree that the challenge is rash and stupid considering he's on a yellow. That doesn't change the fact that the juve player purposely takes a step away from the ball and into the path of the sliding defender. He wants to get hit - probably to get him his second yellow. To me that's plain cheating.

If i was reffing that game , the attacker would have got a yellow for stepping into the other player and playing the player and not the ball. That is a foul in my book, obstruction and hitting the other player. Otherwise known as cheating

I'm glad at least someone agrees with me!

Add me to that list mr nool.

The only thing the defender did wrong was in not hoofing the Juve cheat into the proverbial Row Z, as part of the tackle.

Well, Juventus is involved here so ...