The Football Thread

[Ichabod]

What's the problem with Suarez? He got a lot of heat for that racism accusation, which I'm not even sure is true (of course, information about it didn't reach Brazil that much, so maybe it was proved beyond reasonable doubt). Then he got, what, 10 games for that whole "bite on Ivanovic" thing? That was way overboard and likely a case of bis in idem due to the racism thing, as far as I can see.

How many games Terry got for his racism accusation? And how many games Suarez got?

[Krill]

Saurez is a cheating scumbag due to INTENTIONALLY cheating in the WC to stop a goal, plus the proven racism accusation, and then the biting which is not an acceptable behaviour in anyone over the age of 2. The reason the Terry incident is more difficult to assess is that that Terry was actually prosecuted in court but no one could prove what happened: "The 31-year-old told Westminster Magistrates' Court he was merely repeating what he thought Mr Ferdinand had said to him as they traded insults." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18827915, whereas the FA has a much lower burden of proof (arguably to the extent that in this case it was a kangaroo court). That said, Terry is still a bit of a douchebag.

[Azza]

Saurez is a cheating scumbag due to INTENTIONALLY cheating in the WC to stop a goal, plus the proven racism accusation, and then the biting which is not an acceptable behaviour in anyone over the age of 2.

You're forgetting the biting incident he had while still at Ajax.

[Ichabod]

Well, I won't argue against most points, but what's with the intentionally cheating thing? There's a penalty awarded for a handball in football and Gana received that penalty. I don't see it as cheating. Though luck if the guy missed the penalty.

I would understand if someone called a scummbag move what Henry did in that game against Ireland (European Championship Quali, if I remember correctly), where he intentionally played a handball to score a goal and didn't admit to it. In Suarez case, everyone saw what he did and there's nothing in the rules of football that forbid him of doing it (he receives a penalty for it, but he can do it).

At least that's how I see things.

[Krill]

So, you approve of diving as well?

[Ichabod]

So, you approve of diving as well?

Of course I do, I'm brazilian!

I think that handball is more similar to a foul inside the penalty area when you know you can't take the ball away from the player with it (like pulling the other player shirt) than a dive. The problem with diving is the intention to deceive the referees (same as Henry handball, which he "hid" from the referees), not the dive itself (a player can fall on the field as much as it likes, though it won't do him much good). As far as I can see, Suarez didn't intend to deceive the referees in that particular play, so I don't see a problem with it.

[Ichabod]

And on a less controversial matter (I hope ), what's up with the new Liverpool uniform? Worst uniform ever?

[Twinkletoes89]

That really is pretty awful.

Btw Krill, Man Utd may have a weak squad but they've just won the league pretty easily with it. They will still have the team ethic and may still make some serious improvements. We always get ruled out for having weaker squads than Man City/Chelsea yet still do the job.

Mourinho isn't inheriting that much of a core of his old team really. Cech, Terry, Lampard, Essien, Mikel? Who else? I think you are underestimating the job he is facing.

[Brian Shanahan]

I think Mourinho can realistically win the EPL this year.

I absolutely hope not. I'm willing to cheer any team necessary to make Mourinho not win anything.

TBH, the players Cheaty McCheat is most likely to want around are the ones he needs most to get shut of, you know, the cabal that did for Vilas-Boas just as he was beginning to shape the team into something more stylish.

[Brian Shanahan]

What's the problem with Suarez? He got a lot of heat for that racism accusation, which I'm not even sure is true (of course, information about it didn't reach Brazil that much, so maybe it was proved beyond reasonable doubt). Then he got, what, 10 games for that whole "bite on Ivanovic" thing? That was way overboard and likely a case of bis in idem due to the racism thing, as far as I can see.

How many games Terry got for his racism accusation? And how many games Suarez got?

Repeatedly calling someone a "nigger bastard" is pretty racist, no matter how you try to dress it up. Then there is the issue of trying to turn Ivanovic into dinner, an offence he previously committed (on a different player) in Amsterdam, two weeks after punching Gonzalo Jara's lamps out during a world cup qualifier.

To give an illuminative analogy, in rugby, all four offences would carry between 6 months to a year each, with massive scaling up for recidivism. And rugby is supposed to be far rougher than soccer.

Edit to avoid too much spamming: Yes those Liverpool kits are shockers, but not as bad as some of the samples found here. By the way HFK is a real gem of a site.