You say defending it, I just say I'm disregarding it. It is commonplace, I don't see how people can maintain this level of outrage. It's up there with hats on in the clubhouse for me. A complete non-issue.
Must have missed you condemning Gakpo at the week end
The almost comedic moment was Pickford racing towards the incident about to go into motor mouth overdrive but before he arrived the ref showed the red card, Moura had his hands up in apology. He was busting to explode but ended up stood like a lemon with nothing to complain about.
I felt bad for Moura, he's clearly not that sort of player, was just trying to impress in his limited minutes. He's always been a hard worker. Just a bit late with the tackle and the worst possible result. Definite red of course, just a bit unlucky. Was similar with the penalty actually. Very little Keane could have done to be fair, was just unlucky.
They were football incidents. Sometimes stuff happens and both were those types of things. Ref dealt with both, no one moaned at either incident, just move on. Good to see.
As you say though, refs are under instructions to let tackles go more than they used to. That means more rough and tumble than we have seen in previous years but I don't think that is a bad thing. You can't single out the ref if he is only following what he is told, the other refs are doing the same.
No, that's cheating, because a score of 3 never happened. Whereas Kane actually was hit in the face.
As you say though, refs are under instructions to let tackles go more than they used to. That means more rough and tumble than we have seen in previous years but I don't think that is a bad thing. You can't single out the ref if he is only following what he is told, the other refs are doing the same.
Tarkowski is an old school CH, doing a great job for us both in defence and also in attacking set pieces, but he is a frequently on the edge of a yellow card. He is certainly benefitting from the more 'relaxed' approach
That was definitely over the line. He got away with it, but shouldn't have.......
You need to see the incident in real time. It was a push in the face, not a gouge. The contact was fleeting. Absolutely a red, no question, but a still doesn't really tell the story.
Fleeting?
Agree not a gouge but he's certainly shoved him in the face, and judging from the photo poked him in the eye in the process (not as bad as a gouge). Overall verdict is that it probably did hurt, just wasn't enough force to knock you off your feet. He's obviously done that to highlight it to the referee, which as I've said, almost all players do instinctively now. The 'real world' reaction if you like, would be to hold your hands to your face for a minute or two - maybe drop to one knee briefly.
