Gabriel headbutt on Haaland

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

100% a red. But then we know that reds are only mandatory for some clubs and "common sense", "discretion" have to be shown in "certain cases". Hence, the statement we got was in no way an explanation of the application of the rules, but an excuse outlining the way in which the rules were being ignored. Hardly a City game goes by without a rule which doesn't exist being applied, to City's disadvantage.

 

[Gazza]

The only player I can remember being banned when they’d already been booked was Ben Thatcher

Remember Rooney walking past a Wigan player in the middle of the pitch miles away from the play and elbowing him in the face. Surprisingly he wasn’t retrospectively banned

I think the FA just said it was 'a standard coming together like many others during the game' - he actually changed course and went out of his way to elbow, but yeah, OK.

 

[foggy1974]

He plays in the next 2 games. That gives an advantage to Arsenal. VAR is a joke. They saw the head butt on their monitors, in slow motion, in freeze frame. and the corrupt VAR officials still didn't think it was a red card offence.

In rugby he would have been put on report & more than likely got a retrospective ban, but we're talking about pgmol who have been trying all season to get the tarquins over the line

 

[LevyBee76]

just saw this on an article...

There can be no retrospective action as VAR has effectively made it obsolete in the Premier League. If an incident has been assessed by the on-field team or the VAR, then the Football Association is unable to seek a charge.

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

Violent conduct
View attachment 189851
Not violent conduct
View attachment 189852

Martinez red was fucking ridiculous as funny as it was. I hate all the gaslighting Sky do to cover the refs arses.

 

[Father Paul]

In rugby he would have been put on report & more than likely got a retrospective ban, but we're talking about pgmol who have been trying all season to get the tarquins over the line

Exactly but as has been said earlier we can use this as extra motivation over the next month to make sure we get over the line.

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

Well it would be interesting to see what any of the referees would do if one of our players did the same. There appears to be a total lack of consistency and varying interpretations of The Laws of the Game.

Kevin Horlock might have something to say!

 

[tamworthblue]

Think Haaland kept his cool. If he’d gone down rolling around VAR would have had him for ‘simulation’. Exactly what the ArseFucker was aiming for.

 

[Bigga]

We were already 2-1 up at that point though, so we wouldn’t have had to break them down.

It could be crucial to have Gabriel suspended for the next 3 games.

Okay, I can't remember which came first but, either way, it's harder to break 10 than 11, these days.

 

[jprkas]

Nothing will be done retrospectively,as that would mean Arsenal their best defender for 3 games,although if there is any sort of justice hopefully he sticks the ball into his own net in their next game and lose or draw because of it ..

Way he (Gabriel) performed yesterday, poor for both goals, I'd rather he was available than suspended. He was their worst defender. Some refs are not going to give red cards in the big matches if they can help it, like 'Henderson' in the cup final.

 

[jaiguruKun]

I'm hoping Haaland might actually get some decisions go his way as a result of this

 

[BringBackSwales]

Had the head butt been the other way we’d be seeing it on a continuous loop on sky sports

 

[BlueMerlin]

This is a BBC Sports article today…
Should Gabriel have been sent off?

It makes reference to Martinez being sent off for touching Calvert-Lewin’s hair which C-L exaggerated for sure. And it was Brooks on the VAR. Go figure.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

Had the head butt been the other way we’d be seeing it on a continuous loop on sky sports

Not seen much coverage of Gabrielle slapping Cherki on the back of the head. He did it a couple of times. A few video's popped up on Twitter post match, but the PL got them taken down sharpish. Had that been the other way round, we'd also be seeing those incidents on a loop.

 

[Semper aggressus]

Course it was a red. Any head movement to an opponent’s face always is.

But this is blatant cheating to try and help the PL ‘product’ get a different title winner. Can’t have Arse’s best defender suspended for three games can they.

 

[citymad]

Gabriel should be texting Erl and thanking him.

 

[Bill the Blue]

Seems today that everyone in the media are saying it was a straight red card offense and he should have been sent off and copped for a 3 game ban..

Why didn't the ref and VAR do the job they are paid to do ?

Maybe they did..

Ultimately, once again City have been stiffed by VAR and the referee..

It's an unbelievable achievement that we have managed to get ourselves into this position in the league despite the shit show officiating that we have to overcome on a match by match basis..

 

[surprisedbygrass]

The only player I can remember being banned when they’d already been booked was Ben Thatcher

Remember Rooney walking past a Wigan player in the middle of the pitch miles away from the play and elbowing him in the face. Surprisingly he wasn’t retrospectively banned

 

[Burtonblue]

I'm hoping Haaland might actually get some decisions go his way as a result of this

Lol
Keep hoping fella

 

[danielwood5]

I genuinely think, only in top level football, people have completely changed the definition of what a headbutt is.

The problem is that he made a headbutt motion and though soft as shit it was still a headbutt motion.

Whether he connected or if it was forceful or not shouldn't be part of the consideration of where it sits in the violent conduct stakes as that's when things start getting problematic with it becoming more and more accepted until people do start getting hurt, see the way holding, grappling and diving has got worse as time has gone on with referees becoming more and more lenient as players push things a little bit further each game.

The facts are pushing your head towards another players face is not a part if playing the game, he wasn't trying to play the ball, he wasn't trying to block a pass, his actions only happened because he lost his temper and was lashing out. That should be the basis of this being a red card, not withstanding the precedents that have been set over this going back decades.

The other big problem with the decision is that it if a player does exactly the same thing in a game between the team in 12th and the team in 13th then the player would likely get a red card and it wouldn't even be a discussion. Personally, I dont think there should be different rules depending on the stakes of a game, the same way that I dont think a goalkeeper should be able to handle outside the box just because it's an FA Cup Final and it's not what the neutrals want to see.
Taylor and Brooks didn't issue a red card as they knew that sending off Gabriel could be a deciding factor in not only this game but also Arsenal's next 3 games, which in a title run in it could easily be seen as the decision which cost Arsenal the title. That absolutely shouldn't be part of their considerations when deciding what is an offence and what isn’t but their lack of action and cowardice could well be the factor that gives Arsenal the title and robs our players the results of their hard work this season.