Nigel De Jong

[Steviesleftpeg]

Sparking controversy again for a very hard tackle in LA v Portland Timbers last night. Does catch him right on the ankle and the player had to go off on a wheelchair at the end. Reminded me of watching his tackle on Ben Arfa. I loved him at City but his rap sheet for bad injuries and/or tackles isn't getting any smaller (Stuart Holden, Ben Arfa, Xabi Alonso).

The media in the states, probably because he was also responsible for mullering Houlden, are not impressed. It was even more awkward that Houlden was doing the in-studio punditry for the game. His career was basically ended by that leg-break. De Jong's captain, also doing punditry for the game, even found it hard to defend him.

Even worse he actually points to say he got the ball. No Nigel, only the ball of his ankle.

 

[vmsuhail]

He made a tackle on Young during the 1-0 derby win in 2012 that got Fergie fuming :)

 

[blueinsa]

A thread discussing this tackle was removed the other day because we had folk wishing injuries on players and glorifying it.

Its not on so please think before you post.

Cheers.

 

[Steviesleftpeg]

Thanks @blueinsa, I hadn't seen the previous thread, but I totally agree. I respected his tenacity at City and he was a very important player, but I would by lying if I said I wasn't angry when I saw this - angry enough to post anyway and I am usually a lurker. Once is an accident, twice can be a coincidence, but if this is the third serious injury he is responsible for then I am afraid that is just not acceptable.

 

[blueinsa]

Thanks @blueinsa, I hadn't seen the previous thread, but I totally agree. I respected his tenacity at City and he was a very important player, but I would by lying if I said I wasn't angry when I saw this - angry enough to post anyway and I am usually a lurker. Once is an accident, twice can be a coincidence, but if this is the third serious injury he is responsible for then I am afraid that is just not acceptable.

Its an horrific challenge and like you say, he has history.

He can rightfully expect a long rest on the sidelines because of it.

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

Very nasty one that. Don;t think the one on ben arfa was though, and the one in the WC final was bad judgement (with the ball being up in the air he got it all wrong)

 

[starsandstripes]

Being an American, I hate de jong. I don't care what he did at city, he hurt our chances in 2010 with his tackle on Holden, and now this horrific tackle on Nagbe.

 

[Why Always Ste]

one of my favourite players to wear a blue shirt. Loved him at City... but these tackles are inexcusable and it's fucking dirty.
Would be hypocritical to whinge about cunts like Roy Keane (Alf-Inge Haland) and yet condone this.

 

[BlueTG]

He was effective at times at breaking up play and he was passionate, but my how he is overrated by our lot. Has very little positional sense and that's why he is revered for his hard, last ditch tackling. It's quite frankly dangerous and poor from a 'top level' defensive midfielder. It's a thank you from me, but I don't miss him all that much.

 

[Steviesleftpeg]

I remember thinking that the Ben Arfa one didn't look so bad in real time (although my view was quite high up from it), but it clearly wasn't great. Same with this. My initial reaction to most of them, except the WC Final one, is that they didn't look that bad. I mean they don't look reckless, but when you see it so regularly and from a few different angles they all look pretty bad. That they don't look dangerous potentially makes it worse (i.e. not accidental).