Leveller

I see the listing has a new note from yesterday "SPARE SHIRT BOUGHT TO WEMBLY FOR THE FINAL,MATCH WORN IN OTHER LEAGUE MATCHES"

I've just renewed witha credit card on a desktop PC and there was no problem at all.

Whatever suspicions about Cole Not Gas, he didn't actually say he trusted Manning's judgement over Pearson's - just that he trusted Manning's. W-S-M Seagull (not surprisingly) twisted his words.

As was pointed out in the match day thread, Rudoni looked stronger, more dynamic and generally more effective than Twine on the day. It’s quite possible he’ll be available as an alternative and probably cheaper.

I’m intrigued by all those who can see a clear difference between the style and standard of football played under Pearson and Manning. I confess I can’t - neither positive nor negative. Had I not read all the stuff on OTIB, I’d have been hard placed to know there had been a change. The sacking of Pearson was a shock, but I can’t say it seems to have changed much. We remain consistently inconsistent with occasional ups but more downs.

I’d be interested to see how you define it as “not a trip”. Sticking your leg between another players leg and the ball so that they kick your leg seems pretty much the definition of a trip.

The laws may be clear but they can be changed - and should be, in this instance.

Precisely. Phillips didn’t “miss” the ball. Gordon planted his foot where he did to ensure he got kicked.

There is clear merit in your logic. Yet … it doesn’t feel fair or just!

Suppose Phillips was running down the touch line with the ball at his feet and Gordon put his leg between Phillips and the ball? If Phillips then made contact and fell, it would be seen as a deliberate trip and a foul by Gordon. Its a very similar action seen from a different perspective IMHO.

Where we disagree is that you say Gordon is attempting to play the ball but misses. I think he simply inserts his leg where he hopes to be kicked.

Thanks. But do you think there should be a change, or do you think that what Gordon did (and many others are doing) is a deliberate ploy we should accept?

Anybody else uncomfortable with these? In each case (in my opinion) Gordon saw an opponent trying to kick the ball, and deliberately put his foot in between the opponent and the ball, so that he (Gordon) got kicked. So he’s “bought” a foul and the well intentioned opponent is penalised. Now you can argue that kicking an opponent is a foul and no intent is needed; fair enough - probably 70% of fouls are unintentional in that they’re honestly mistimed challenges. Still, to me this feels like cheating and it seems to be happening more and more. I don’t actually know whether Gordon instigating the contact means it shouldn’t be a foul - I’m not that familiar with the laws. However, my gut feeling is that these situations should not be rewarded with a free kick or penalty. I’d be interested to know if anyone agrees.

Their forum is astonishing. A majority seem to think the club is rotten to the core and that the owners, manager and squad all need to go!

The Wales game actually matters and lots of people with Welsh roots/connections live in England.