Todays Sunday Supplement....

Rooney went into the challenge with soft legs

Unfortunately the goalkeeper's challenge was just too much and the impact couldn't be cushioned

It's like when you go over the handlebars of a pushbike; if a car hits you without time to prepare yourself you'll have a hard landing and will not be in control. but if you have time to anticipate the impact you can jump off to the side, or deliberately choose to go over the handlebars, knowing that that will be the safest landing away from the subsequent path of both the bike and the car. in this instance you are more likely to have time to execute a forward roll and pirhouette.

Originally Posted by Grimson

Which he didn't.

So referees are infallible?

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

But the key point, for me, is that he's already going down before contact is made.

when rooney jumped over campbell's leg, it was a still a penalty. there doesn't even have to be any contact.

the key point is whether almunia impeded rooney. he did, it's a penalty. rooney played for it. rooney went down easily. rooney was never going to get the ball (although if almunia hadn't come out like that, rooney would have tried to control it, not knock it to the side). none of that matters. rooney may have anticipated being taken out. in which case, he anticipated correctly and reaped the reward. almunia was going to take him down if he kept running. rooney was too quick and too clever. eduardo was neither.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Rooney went into the challenge with soft legs

.

That's a £#%&!ing cracker is that!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cChbA9mX1s&feature=related

Originally Posted by Serenity Now

So referees are infallible?

Not at all. But in this case he got it right, and no gifs, videos, computer simulations, or ball tickling will convince me otherwise.

Originally Posted by Grimson

Not at all. But in this case he got it right, and no gifs, videos, computer simulations, or ball tickling will convince me otherwise.

Thing is nobody is really disputing this apart from a couple on here and Wenger???? Not that I've seen anyway?

Originally Posted by Grimson

And neither Eduardo nor Boruc are going anywhere near the speed both Rooney and Almunia were, which makes a difference. Boruc is not 'flying,' he just sort of lunges, and Eduardo falls over. Rooney and Almunia both slide nearly a dozen yards after they hit the deck.

Obviously there are similarities, but just as obviously there are differences.

Fair enough, I accept those differences you point out and the Rooney/Almunia incident was at a much faster pace, but I do still think Rooney is well aware of Almunia's rushing out and has winning the penalty as his only objective. Perhaps the fact that Eduardo has control over the ball and the fact that the whole incident is a lot slower makes his decision to go to ground a little more cynical, also. Maybe..

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Fair enough, I accept those differences you point out and the Rooney/Almunia incident was at a much faster pace, but I do still think Rooney is well aware of Almunia's rushing out and has winning the penalty as his only objective. Perhaps the fact that Eduardo has control over the ball and the fact that the whole incident is a lot slower makes his decision to go to ground a little more cynical, also. Maybe..

I can see why someone would see it that way as well. But I think we can agree Serenity's behavior in this thread warrants a booking if not two game ban.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

Well, there were two main points. The first was that if Rooney was already going down, then the dive preceded the foul. Therefore, technically, it was the first offence and should the play not have been stopped there? Obviously, this is something it is almost impossible for the referee to judge at the time; the way the incident appeared in live motion, he had little choice but to give a penalty.

Well, I know I keep changing my mind about this, but I don't think Rooney did go down deliberately. The thing is, he got the ball. He was absolutely determined to get there first, and his right leg was stretching for it, so naturally his left leg was dragging behind. When you stretch like that, you naturally go towards the floor. It's not like he went to ground two yards away from the ball, he went down because he was trying to touch it. If you look, his eyes were focused only on the ball. He knew, as all forwards know in that situation, that if he got there first - if he got even the merest of touches on the ball before Almunia - the chances are it would be a penalty. All he has to do is make contact with the ball and the keeper does the rest. As it was, he got there well before Almunia and as I've said before, there was no chance he'd be able to stay on his feet anyway, which is why I'm amazed we're even debating it.

As to whether there's any difference between deliberately putting yourself in a charging keeper's way, getting the first touch on the ball knowing you'll get a pen, and actually jumping into a swan dive - that's another question. But I 'ave not seen ze Eduardo incidente so I cannot commente.

And while I'm not on the subject, I want to point out Fergie's great reaction to the own goal - standing up, clapping and looking utterly baffled as he had no idea what happened.

What has happened to that Buffalo head @#%&! Woolnough? Hasn't been on it for over a month now. Sacked? Head stuck in the kitchen door? Dead?

Originally Posted by Kwik

What has happened to that Buffalo head @#%&! Woolnough? Hasn't been on it for over a month now. Sacked? Head stuck in the kitchen door? Dead?

Hopefully all three. Although the guy today looks like an extra out of 80s Neighbours.