The 2011/12 Gary Speed Memorial Thread

[Lineker]

Never change.

[Cheeky Hughes]

So there were shouts just then for Mario to calm down, and the away dressing room door has been damaged. Ouch.

[Hobo]

I'm proud of City today, following that. All the luck was on Liverpool's side, and the referee knew who he wanted to win- it took a vicious tackle from behind to finally get a Liverpool player booked, for God sake!

Even after all of this bullshit, we're still unbeaten.

Liverpool's luck or Cities?

Because Liverpool played better. They had more possession, shots/shots on target, corners and committed less fouls.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

I suppose this means that the weekend's results have been excellent for Tottenham.

[Cheeky Hughes]

Lets be fair. The bulk of those fouls came from Suarez falling at will, whereas the same thing happens to a City player and nothing gets done. Did you see the amount of times Silva was kicked? I'll give you that Liverpool had the better second half, but the more shots/on target came from the period after the red card. I think it was 6-6 on shots, 2-2 on target just before that red. And by luck, I meant that Liverpool were getting every bounce of the ball, every little deflection and that doesn't include the Lescott o.g.

So yeah, Liverpool were lucky to get their goal, Liverpool were lucky to get the man advantage, and City were lucky to have England's number one between the sticks to save our asses at the end.

[stokeriño]

I suppose this means that the weekend's results have been excellent for Tottenham and Chelsea.

[therockbox]

Lets be fair. The bulk of those fouls came from Suarez falling at will,

You mean when he was fouled?

Players are perfectly within their rights to exaggerate contact, especially when Atkinson had started off by giving Suarez nothing when Kompany came right through the back of him.

[therockbox]

Lucas' chalkboard stats:

Passes attempted 75

Passes completed 69

Success rate 92%

Tackles attempted 11

Tackles won 11

That's split into:

Duels won (aerial) 5/5

Duels won (tackle) 6/6

Interceptions 6

Only committed 1 foul.

Extraordinary.

[Colly]

Lets be fair. The bulk of those fouls came from Suarez falling at will,

You mean when he was fouled?

Players are perfectly within their rights to exaggerate contact, especially when Atkinson had started off by giving Suarez nothing when Kompany came right through the back of him.

Come on, Suarez would probably get a lot more free kicks given for fouls against him if he didn't fall over every time he felt the presence of a defender. The one that was waved away on the halfway line was actually a foul on Kompany and he still went down.

Oh, and this weekend has been ace for Newcastle too, the more the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool stutter the longer our top four gatecrash continues, even after these games of death.

Edited November 27, 2011 by Colly

[Matt]

Lets be fair. The bulk of those fouls came from Suarez falling at will,

You mean when he was fouled?

Players are perfectly within their rights to exaggerate contact, especially when Atkinson had started off by giving Suarez nothing when Kompany came right through the back of him.

Not really. I mean, obviously they all do so it's become accepted, but its not really right to do it. Though, to be fair, I think Ryan claiming Liverpool had all the luck and that the referee was biased is a little bit biased.

[stokeriño]

This amuses me, because I'm pretty sure the vast majority of Liverpool fans who would defend Suarez also cried bloody murder over Drogba's antics in his more theatrical days.

[Dingle]

I really dislike Suarez for this kinda shit and can't see how it's acceptable for a player to exaggerate a tackle. Just remove that aspect from your game and I will be happier. Still, I thought 'pool might have won this since City didn't offer too much and should have brought on Dzeko much sooner. Oh and Silva should have finished the shot first time, was fully expecting a goal.

[Cheeky Hughes]

Lets be fair. The bulk of those fouls came from Suarez falling at will,

You mean when he was fouled?

Players are perfectly within their rights to exaggerate contact, especially when Atkinson had started off by giving Suarez nothing when Kompany came right through the back of him.

Not really. I mean, obviously they all do so it's become accepted, but its not really right to do it. Though, to be fair, I think Ryan claiming Liverpool had all the luck and that the referee was biased is a little bit biased.

Of course it sounds biased, I'm a City fan defending City.

[therockbox]

Lets be fair. The bulk of those fouls came from Suarez falling at will,

You mean when he was fouled?

Players are perfectly within their rights to exaggerate contact, especially when Atkinson had started off by giving Suarez nothing when Kompany came right through the back of him.

Come on, Suarez would probably get a lot more free kicks given for fouls against him if he didn't fall over every time he felt the presence of a defender. The one that was waved away on the halfway line was actually a foul on Kompany and he still went down.

No he wouldn't. You see it every week; a player tries to stay on his feet after a foul in the box and doesn't get a penalty or a freekick, even though in stumbling or having to adjust himself he's lost any control of the ball he might have had. Most referees want an easy life and won't make a 'controversial' decision unless they're forced to. Exaggerating going down forces them into making the decision.

This amuses me, because I'm pretty sure the vast majority of Liverpool fans who would defend Suarez also cried bloody murder over Drogba's antics in his more theatrical days.

Just like the majority of Chelsea fans who defend Drogba also cry bloody murder over Suarez? Or Man United fans with Rooney?

All football fans are hypocrites, especially during a game or in the immediate aftermath.

[Matt]

You can look at your own team objectively.

[Hobo]

Suarez does go down too easily sometimes. I think this has to do with the fact English referees don't give freekicks as easily as Dutch ones might. I also think his ability to control the ball in tight spaces can lend him to getting fouled and the two kind of cancel each other out. Unfortunately.

Meanwhile, Lucas' states are fucking awesome.

[Lineker]

Lucas for England!

[Liam]

Suarez goes down too easily.

There. That is coming from a Fulham fan.

[therockbox]

Because there is no advantage to be gained by trying to stay on your feet.

[Liam]

Because there is no advantage to be gained by trying to stay on your feet.

I get that in some circumstances, believe me. I'm the first person to think that players have a right to go to ground sometimes. Suarez, however, goes for anything and everything almost. It gets a little silly. Contact doesn't necessarily mean foul.