Weekend 14/15 August

[cmonurz]

Agree with the above. Cole's challenge was no more reckless than Wilshere's on Mascherano earlier in the match, Wilshere late and landing on Mascherano's standing leg, for which he was booked.

[Chaney]

high reckless very late tackle commited with both feet off the ground, clear red IMO.
and dont those scouse fans absolutely take the biscuit by booing a player as he is stretchered off.

[Stranded]

Agree with the above. Cole's challenge was no more reckless than Wilshere's on Mascherano earlier in the match, Wilshere late and landing on Mascherano's standing leg, for which he was booked.

Sorry it was much more wreckless and the two decisions were correct by the ref.

[cmonurz]

Absolute rubbish you and me would be apoplectic if Kebe was sent off for that.

[Row Z Royal]

1-0 Ngog (of all people).

[Row Z Royal]

Absolute rubbish you and me would be apoplectic if Kebe was sent off for that.

I'd say what I'm saying now - "harsh red, but you can see why the ref's given it".

[cmonurz]

Hello! Who needs Torres? What a finish!

[Chaney]

Arsenal will never win another thing until they find a premier league standard keeper.

[Row Z Royal]

Arsenal will never win another thing until they find a premier league standard keeper.

Shay Given, anyone? Do it, Wenger - you know it makes sense.

[cmonurz]

Roy Hodgson smiles after the Liverpool goal, one smile more than Rafa ever managed.

[Row Z Royal]

Roy Hodgson smiles after the Liverpool goal, one smile more than Rafa ever managed.

Woy's got a crackin' C.V. and I'd quite like him to succeed. Although he's very competent technically, he's a bit more emotional and I think that'll endear him to the Liverpool fans even more than Rafa did.


Either that or he'll fall flat on his face and be gone by Christmas.

[leww_rfc]

Come on Arsenal!!

[gazzer, loyal royal]

Cole's challenge was a red card. Reckless, dangerous 2 footed lunge.

However, what i don't understand is why players put themselves in the position to be sent off for that sort of tackle. Its at the other end of the pitch to Liverpool's goal, and if they score from there then there are some serious questions about organisation.

Arsenal look insipid and very narrow once again, Liverpool look organised

[cmonurz]

Cole's challenge was a red card. Reckless, dangerous 2 footed lunge.

More absolute rubbish.

As contact is made, Cole's toes on his right foot are on the floor, or millimetres from it, and his left leg is outstretched. He is late, and he looks up the line, having failed to block the ball. It was a poor, late, challenge, and fully deserving of a yellow card, but equally nothing like the sort of challenge that players should be getting sent off for.

I can't wait for the huge double standards when a Reading player is sent off for the same at some point this season. Nearest comparator is Long's red card last season - the difference being Long was a foot off the ground and even later than Cole.

Agree that Arsenal lack any sort of spark, fwiw.

Random stat - the last 5 times, dating back 9 years, that Liverpool have had a man sent off at Anfield, they have won.

[buzzby]

Oh dear

[cmonurz]

Howler of the season contender from Reina.

[Royal Rother]

Pathetic decisions from the ref with the handballs. Inexcusable inconsistency.

[cmonurz]

Atkinson was absolutely atrocious.

[handbags_harris]

No he wasn't. He was distinctly "ok", got the majority of decisions right IMO although there was the glaring inconsistency with the handballs. From the referee's position on the field where the Cole challenge came in from you can see why he sent him off. People forget that the referee has one view, and then has to make an instantaneous decision and from Atkinson's position it looked worse than it was. Red card? Some would give it, some wouldn't, clearly given the varied response on here, but the referee's positioning is absolutely key to the resulting red card. But Atkinson atrocious today? Absolutely not.

[cmonurz]

Imho, the angle that showed Atkinson's view was the 'best' one, it was clear from that angle that Cole was 100% focused on the ball, barely centimetres off the ground, if that, and stretching his left leg like hell to try to get to the ball. He wasn't even headed at the player, but hit the Arsenal defender at an angle as his body went through the line of his attempted block.

If that's a challenge we all now think is a red card, then we've all decided that football isn't and shouldn't be anything like the game we started watching 10 or 20 years ago.

Atkinson was pinickity and inconsistent all afternoon, I don't know what the free-kick count was but there was barely a rough collision that didn't go unpunished in one way or another, the handballs just the icing on the cake.