Reading v Chelsea

[caller]

Anyone actually played the game around here - I guess so?

Anyone believe the knee on Cech was avoidable - I guess so? As did Stevie Coppell who did his best to say it was without intent. A man of integrity, employed, he knows the reality as do the rest of us and he said as much. Result - Cech in hospital.

The 2nd challenge on Carlo? Physical assault more like, by a player diving in late, blindly, no eye on the ball, to cause disruption. Result? Carlo in hospital, out cold.

Should have been dismissed, no ifs, no buts.

The pundits? The Sky commentors, brain dead, thats why they get work, in the UK, on pay per view. George Graham? Sad git. Scum that touched greatness but took the money instead, even in the early days at Chelsea as a "Docherty Diamond" as proved later. It saddens me that he was allowed to pay tribute to Ossie earlier this year. He got his two'pennyworth this evening in return.

Jose? For once dignity. Having listened to the useless wnakers who are paid as pundits, he pulled them apart.

Reading, a bright future and a one-off. They played well and were unlucky, just sad the game was marred by the above events. The future is bright for Reading, because of Coppell (and their players) and his comments on what happened today. It won't happen again.

[Heebio]

I thought the challenge on Cech was accidental - the camera angle from behind seemed to suggest that anyway. I agree completely however that the challenge on Cudicini was physical assualt - should've resulted in a straight red and a 5-6 game ban. Not surprised no action was taken though, Mike Reilly is a pedantic little prick who gets it wrong week in week out. Which of course qualifies him for Fifa status, refereeing internationals and CL games....who the hell makes these Fifa appointments?!?

On a side note, the refereeing in Scotland is ten times worse. Witnessed a full on assault in the Edinburgh derby yesterday - the Hearts player physically stamped on the back of a Hibs player's neck and we didn't even get a bloody freekick. Same guy got a second yellow later in the game for a completely innocuous challenge. Mental. There's no logic or consistency to refereeing other than getting away with ruining games week in week out.

[appleman_thai]

Agree that Riley is one of the worst referees in the premiership.

But I think he got both the 'goalie incidents right! I think both were accidental with no intent.

First, the ball was there and he went for it. Hi collided with his knee - if he really had intent wouldnt it be easier to hit him with your foot?

Secondly, Sonko was in the air. How can he change direction to avoid collision - he is no Superman - although he did have an inspired game.

Both unfortunate incidents and Mourinho should just shut up about it. The guy is just full of it. But better to focus on that rather than how his team were outplayed, dived consistently and play really boring football.

[lomuamart]

I was following this via The Guardian website this morning and it seemed that Chec's injury may be "severe". Ie, a scull indenture and possible brain damage. (Unlikely, but they've got to wait some time for the outcome).
I'm sure you've all seen this back in the UK, but I'm just trying to follow it here. I'm not a Chelsea supporter and football is a physical game, but for the manager to be suggesting that he might report the offending Reading player to the police seems to have got a caning in the newspaper and might be premature.
Didn't see the incident, so can't comment about "intention".

[Joni]

Cech is maybe about six months away. And Cudicini is some time out of match.
So in Chelsea their third goalie Hilario playing at the moment.

[Jim]

Well guys, I was at the game. It is a shame that the talking point is not how Reading were unlucky to lose. But that is now inevitable.

Having seen both the Man U and Chelsea games live, and being a life long Man U hater, I would offer my views on both. At the end of the Man U game, both teams were applauded off. On Saturday, Chelsea were, IMHO, quite rightly given the loudest booing I have yet witnessed in over 30 years of watching football. Their attitude is a disgrace to the Premier League and anything to do with anyone who believes in any kind of fairness, grace or spirit in sport. I never will like Man U, but they came and tried to win a game of football. Chelsea came to cheat and with an incompetent referee, they managed it. I was looking forward to watching them again (they were very good in a cup game about 3 or 4 years ago), I am now ashamed that that bunch of whinging cheats are English champions.

Oh, and for everything Chelsea have said in public about the incidents with the goalkeepers, it is my understanding that we shall be pressing the FA to charge Mourinho with bringing the game into disrepute and for Hunt to issue proceedings against him for defamation.

[lomuamart]

Well guys, I was at the game. It is a shame that the talking point is not how Reading were unlucky to lose. But that is now inevitable.

Having seen both the Man U and Chelsea games live, and being a life long Man U hater, I would offer my views on both. At the end of the Man U game, both teams were applauded off. On Saturday, Chelsea were, IMHO, quite rightly given the loudest booing I have yet witnessed in over 30 years of watching football. Their attitude is a disgrace to the Premier League and anything to do with anyone who believes in any kind of fairness, grace or spirit in sport. I never will like Man U, but they came and tried to win a game of football. Chelsea came to cheat and with an incompetent referee, they managed it. I was looking forward to watching them again (they were very good in a cup game about 3 or 4 years ago), I am now ashamed that that bunch of whinging cheats are English champions.

Oh, and for everything Chelsea have said in public about the incidents with the goalkeepers, it is my understanding that we shall be pressing the FA to charge Mourinho with bringing the game into disrepute and for Hunt to issue proceedings against him for defamation.

Yeah, I saw that side of things today as well.

[caller]

Well, I've sobered up now!

Interesting how people view things differently, isn't it?

Its wierd, the foul that led to the goal, Coppell said straight away he had no complaints and irrespective of what it looked like on the terraces, the evidence shows it was a foul.

Interesting to see Terry after the game, named as man of the match, by the way, his face looked as if he'd just done a few rounds! I don't think it was make up. It was a tough, physical game.

I agree the referee was poor, especially when he tried to get Cech to leave the pitch for treatment! What was he going to do, start the game without him? Farcial and as it turned out, dangerous.

Haven't seen any comments from Jose about reporting the first incidence to the Police, agree that would be silly, but he has asked the FA to look at it. I personally thought he conducted himself very well. He didn't rant, he didn't shout, he spoke calmly and explained his reasoning. Not sure what else he can do. You might not agree, but I think he had the right to raise this.

I also stand by what I said on both incidents. Hunt could have avoided Cech in my view, just as Drogba jumped over the Reading keeper later in a similar 60/40 ball. Hunt just wanted to put himself about and now we have seen the consequences. Cech with a depressed skull fracture.

It was actually a big game for Chelsea, especially after the Reading-Manc result and that was shown in the players reactions after the game.

No point getting in to Chelsea being dirty cheats, thats the atmosphere and supporter talking. I thought it was the other way, but then I support the other team!

Two goalkeepers hospitilised does say something.

[caducus]

Let's suppose that I spend an evening in a pub in Hua Hin, stagger to my CRV, and then drive back to Cha-Am in ten minutes flat.

Now, somewhere between Hua Hin and Cha-Am I flatten a motorcyle - not that I know anything about it. Next morning the police come a-knocking on my door. The motorcyclist and pillon rider are OK, a few broken limbs but they will live. I am asked to accompany the officer to the station.

"But I didn't intend to hurt them!" I protest.

Nevertheless, I am charged with dangerous driving.

In Association Football the offence of 'dangerous play' carries an automatic red card.

I wasn't at Reading last Saturday but from the TV replays it would appear that both Hunt and Sonko deserved red cards; and maybe the Thames Valley police should be considering further charges against the latter.

[Wanderlust]

Agree that Riley is one of the worst referees in the premiership.

But I think he got both the 'goalie incidents right! I think both were accidental with no intent.

First, the ball was there and he went for it. Hi collided with his knee - if he really had intent wouldnt it be easier to hit him with your foot?

Secondly, Sonko was in the air. How can he change direction to avoid collision - he is no Superman - although he did have an inspired game.

Both unfortunate incidents and Mourinho should just shut up about it. The guy is just full of it. But better to focus on that rather than how his team were outplayed, dived consistently and play really boring football.

Having seen both incidents now several times and in super slo-mo I have to say that appleman_thai has it pretty much spot on. The one point I would like to make is if it had been the two forwards of Reading that had been injured rather than the Chelsea keepers, would there have been the same outcry? I don't think so, despite many times all keepers claiming high balls with their knees raised at head height (Arsenal's Lehmann being a particular culprit). Football is still thankfully a physical game, and keepers are often most at risk. Lets hope that both the Chelsea guys fully recover, and that Hilario lives up to his name while he stands in!

[Wanderlust]

Let's suppose that I spend an evening in a pub in Hua Hin, stagger to my CRV, and then drive back to Cha-Am in ten minutes flat.

Now, somewhere between Hua Hin and Cha-Am I flatten a motorcyle - not that I know anything about it. Next morning the police come a-knocking on my door. The motorcyclist and pillon rider are OK, a few broken limbs but they will live. I am asked to accompany the officer to the station.

"But I didn't intend to hurt them!" I protest.

Nevertheless, I am charged with dangerous driving.

In Association Football the offence of 'dangerous play' carries an automatic red card.

I wasn't at Reading last Saturday but from the TV replays it would appear that both Hunt and Sonko deserved red cards; and maybe the Thames Valley police should be considering further charges against the latter.

Of course here you are completely forgetting about the 50-50 ball to be won, and the fact that the rules about dangerous play are very open to the referee's interpretation, whereas dangerous driving is a very specific offence. The logical follow on from what you are saying is that all balls in the air cannot be challenged for because of the risk of the two players heads clashing, no player can challenge the goalkeeper as he might get injured, and in fact no tackles of any kind can be made! All of these things can lead to injury so could be designated as dangerous play in your book! That is not the football that I, nor I imagine the vast majority want to watch.

[Guess]

I have already written a long piece on this which I hoped would be an unbiased view as being a life long Chelsea supporter I lived for the last part of my life in Europe in the shadows of Reading.

Anyway TT&T cut my IP connection during transmission and it has dissappeared from the forum.

I do not have the time to do it again.

What I have seen here is many people heartes ruling their heads. I can agree with much said from almost all posters but the love, envy or even hatred of Chelse is apparent in nearly all posts. These emotions surely should be swept aside when two respected football talents are lying in hospital.

I must say that the analogy from caducus was good and I am sorry wanderlust but the statement "whereas dangerous driving is a very specific offence" is balderdash. I would like to see it in writing and I would also like to see in writing what determines a reckless challenge in soccer.

I have not seen the incidents many times but from what I have seen in both cases there was an element of recklessness, which could be considered punishable and also some very unfortunate bad luck.

As for any behaviour that occured after the first incident and any remarks made by the manager after the game must be taken with consideration that two well respected and telented golakeepers were at that time lying in hoispital with unknown injuries. In a situation like that would anybody be capable of remaining totally calm.

Let us hope that any enquiry held in the future will produce an adequate result. As for the two injured players lets us hope they are OK.

I will repeat one thing I wrote in my first post. The booing by the Reading fans is exactly the sort of behaviour I would expect from Greater Bracknell Scum but I thought Reading people had more class than that.

[Wanderlust]

I would like to see it in writing and I would also like to see in writing what determines a reckless challenge in soccer.

I have not seen the incidents many times but from what I have seen in both cases there was an element of recklessness, which could be considered punishable and also some very unfortunate bad luck.

FIFA does not define 'reckless challenge' but it does define 'Serious Foul Play' which under their rules deserves a red card. I would assume the English FA rules would be similar.

Serious Foul Play
A player is guilty of serious foul play if he uses excessive force or brutality against an opponent when challenging for the ball when it is in play.

I am neither a Reading nor a Chelsea supporter, and while the injuries sustained were nasty, I don't believe in either case there was excessive force or brutality - they were just very unfortunate collisions, which could have resulted in injuries to either players involved.
I am not going to get into the debate about what was said after as I am tired of this whole debate now, and at the end of the day the referee's decision should be final. So Guess, whatever you say, you are wrong on this one!

[caller]

Some good news about Petr Cech:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 068828.stm