10 Sep 2017 18:51:01
I have to say a excellent and obvious point made by Ed001.Why didn't Mane try to head the ball?


1.) 10 Sep 2017
10 Sep 2017 19:16:01
He should have done but obviously didn't fancy a head collision and paid the price, the same could be said for Matt Richie in the Swansea game too, his eyes were on the ball and it's yellow card for reckless play regardless of whether contact was made (Clattenburg) .


2.) 10 Sep 2017
10 Sep 2017 19:28:31
Mane was running at an angle to the goal, if he'd headed it, it would've sent him out towards the corner flag. At that speed there is no way you could cushion a header to bring the ball down.

He had his foot curled up to bring the ball down and Ederson has put his body on the line and thrown himself in front of Mane's outstretched leg. Bad luck and a decision that will always split opinion. As a striker who had my nose broken by a goalkeeper kneeing me in the face in a very similar 50/ 50 challenge, i say Mane was right to go for it with his foot. Just as i shook the keepers hand after he wiped me out and told him i would've done the same. I was running straight at goal though so i headed it over him and into the net.

A head collision could've resulted in two careers being ended in a single moment at that speed though. At least with his leg Mane was able to sort of pull out when he realised he was too late, and only graze the keepers cheek on the way past.

It was just unlucky. That happens every week and nobody gets hurt or booked. This week, Ederson and Mane both got unlucky.

{Ed025's Note - can we please stop with this 50/50 baloney, it was a nailed on 100% set in stone guaranteed red card...lets move on now mate..


3.) 10 Sep 2017
10 Sep 2017 19:38:31
Some of these footballer's wouldn't last 10sec on a GAA pitch.


4.) 10 Sep 2017
10 Sep 2017 19:38:36
This group would probably change the law of newton to their convenient lol. Such skillful are we brining up excuses ha ha.


5.) 10 Sep 2017
10 Sep 2017 19:45:19
HX, the fact remains that if Mane had made that challenge in midfield, it would still be a dangerous tackle as the ball is at head-height and the ref would either interpret it as a red or yellow. You make that challenge with your head, you will NEVER get sent off even if the player headed the ball before you got to it. That is the lesson here.


6.) 10 Sep 2017
10 Sep 2017 20:51:05
Yeah that's what I'm saying but Mane clearly didn't fancy his chances of getting hurt or didn't know where Ederson was, it was a poor decision on Mane's behalf but a red was harsh.


7.) 10 Sep 2017
10 Sep 2017 21:00:31
Disagree 25. Even Man City staff and players are saying it was harsh. That says it all for me. By the letter of the law, it is a red. But you need common sense or every game will be ending 7vs7 soon.

{Ed025's Note - but if we allow challenges like that MK it could end up 5v5 mate, with the other 12 in the infirmary mate..


8.) 10 Sep 2017
10 Sep 2017 21:18:47
MK, there is nothing 50/ 50 about the Mane challenge. He got sent off for a dangerous tackle where his foot was up high on a head-height ball, got nowhere near the ball, the GK got to the ball before him and caught a face full of studs. You getting a knee in the nose just as I got my bell rung by a GK (I went for a head-height ball with my head, not with my foot) changes nothing and has no bearing here. Mane was wrong to go with his foot as that is where the issue is. He goes with his head, he never gets sent off, plain and simple. Stop deflecting.

HX, you are trying to have it both ways. You say that Mane was poor in raising his foot YET say that the red card was harsh. Make up your mind, mate.


9.) 10 Sep 2017
10 Sep 2017 21:40:44
&Barry, 10 secs is being nice. Imagine going up against Monaghan!

Didn't Xabi play GAA over a summer here and he claimed it toughened him up. So off season, have Liverpool play and train with the Dubs.


10.) 10 Sep 2017
10 Sep 2017 21:51:49
I'm hardly deflecting Bingo. Scroll up and you'll see me quite clearly stating that the team and manager weren't good enough. Right or wrong decision, the reaction to it was pathetic. I've seen more spine in a de-boned salmon fillet. I know you will say I'm being harsh on Klopp but he has well and truly bottled it this weekend.

The red card was harsh, most refs would give a yellow as proven today in the Newcastle game, but technically you can't argue with the decision. That doesn't mean that a passionate, maybe partially biased fan like myself won't give it a good go though 👀.


11.) 10 Sep 2017
10 Sep 2017 21:43:50
It's a tough one 25. I'm not sure it's black and white though. If Mane had gone for that with his head, we'd potentially have a player or two in a coma, and if he had pulled out he would've have been called out for shirking his responsibility.

There is a reason head butting is banned even in combat sports though. Head on head impacts are the most dangerous kind of collision so i don't understand the argument for Mane colliding with Ederson head first instead of grazing his cheek on the way past with an already retracting foot.

It was a high speed 50/ 50 challenge and Ederson won the ball. Mane for me should've got a yellow, Ederson should've got a free kick and we should be talking about a great game of football not a was it or wasn't it decision.

I dunno mate 😫 i grew up playing football in Northampton and Corby with guys who filed their studs into points for local derbies, so perhaps I've been battle hardened by the violence at grass roots level!

City Goalkeepers used to play on with broken necks, now they get stretchered off to get a plaster! My Aunt is a nurse and she was in full professional misconduct mode when they rolled him over and then put him on a spinal board. If he had had a neck injury, rolling him over could've paralyzed him apparently. So it was clear then he was milking it and even the medics knew it. Skrtel would've asked them to staple it up so he could carry on 😂

Games going soft mate. I'm not particularly angry because if you follow it by the book, the ref got it right. But if we start following every decision by the book it'll get ridiculous. I think it could've been handled better. The ref has seen a guy pretending to be unconscious and lost his head. Mane was late and high though so there can be no appeal. I'm more upset that the game has got to the point where technically the ref has made the right decision. If it had been Aguero taking out Mignolet though I'd probably be saying Aguero should be banned for life 😂 it's a fickle game, is football!

{Ed025's Note - your right about that last bit MK, alas the art of tackling is dying as well as shoulder charges and it is all getting a bit girly for me as well, the likes of tommy smith and ron yeats would only play half a dozen games a season now, they would either be suspended or incarcerated mate..


12.) 10 Sep 2017
10 Sep 2017 22:14:11
Or train with a few Kerry men that haven't been fed in a week now that would sort them out.


13.) 10 Sep 2017
10 Sep 2017 22:30:31
MK, whether the game has gone or not, is not the issue here and we should not mix the two up. The game is more protective now of players which like it or not, is the right way to go. Now do players get over protected and silly fouls get whistled? Absolutely BUT this should not remove from the fact that the law is the law and tho subject to interpretation, it is still the law. I understand your frustration BUT in the end, this is the world we live in now and the old world is NEVER coming back hence, players need to to be coached better and play smarter. Like you say, it's a fickle game.


14.) 11 Sep 2017
11 Sep 2017 03:10:48
Whilst it is frustrating to see different responses for the same offence, as referees are fond of saying it is the offence not the consequences or intent that counts, generally premier league refs are a high standard. If you don't believe that watch some league 1 and league 2 matches and the officiating dross served up there and you will appreciate EPL refs.