Worst. Miss. Ever.
Thu Apr 03 08:52AM
Arsenal's penalty that never was against Liverpool drew a predictably furious reaction from Arsene Wenger last night.
Referee Pieter Vink somehow missed an obvious foul on Alexander Hleb by Dirk Kuyt, thereby denying the Gunners a possibly match-winning spot-kick.
"There was a blatant penalty right under the eyes of the referee. That has happened a few times now and that makes it hard to accept," Wenger fumed.
"He was five yards away from Kuyt and didn't give the penalty. It's difficult to understand, frankly."
Strangely, Wenger offered no such condemnation of Nicklas Bendtner, who failed the task of doing absolutely nothing at all.
The lumbering Dane inexplicably intercepted Cesc Fabregas's goalbound shot about a yard from goal. Even if he had put it in, which he didn't, he was offside. Had he merely stepped aside - goal.
It surely ranks as the worst 'miss' of all time, because he didn't actually have to do anything.
As blunders go, Bendtner's was in a different stratosphere to Vink's, and yet all his manager could do was offer a meek shrug and describe it as "unlucky".
The point, of course, is that people make mistakes, whether players, referees or managers. And these mistakes obviously alter the course of matches.
In Early Doors's experience, it is the team that stops bleating and gets on with it that usually prospers. Not making goalline clearances for the opposition helps, too.
Incidentally, Early Doors fears it may do somebody an injury if it hears another manager or pundit go on about how different the Champions League is to the Premier League. Not when it's Arsenal versus Liverpool, it isn't.
"Ah, but the pressure is so great in a knockout competition - one goal can make all the difference," they say, stroking their beards and completely neglecting the existence of domestic cup competitions.
And that is as opposed to the league, of course, where it takes three or four goals to win a game and no pressure exists at all.
It's a game of football. Strategy should be exactly the same as for any match - score more goals than the other team.
- - -
While English football whipped itself into a frenzy over just how darned good it is, Chelsea were in the process of losing to unfancied (well, not in Turkey) Fenerbahce.
To compound their embarrassment, the home side's equaliser came from a bloke who was once the prize in a soft drink competition.
Brighton brought Colin Kazim-Richards in 2005 with the £250,000 awarded to a fan by a purveyor of carbonated beverages, who will remain unnamed as Early Doors doesn't like to needlessly plug multinational corporations.
Anyway, the Coca-Cola kid has since found his way to Fenerbahce and even the Turkish national team despite having an Antiguan father and hailing from David Beckham's 'manor' of Leytonstone in London.
Having sensibly decided that Colin is not the kind of name a Turkish international should sport, he has taken the 'so good they named him twice' route and now goes by the moniker 'Kazim Kazim'.
He still sounds like he has stepped straight off the set of EastEnders, though.
- - -
Hot on the heels of yesterday's musings on the fleeting nature of beauty, Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed how he used to be "small, feeble and had crooked teeth" before he took the Joan Rivers route to improving his looks.
"I'm a bit vain, I admit" he said before revealing that bears like to do their dirty business in the woods. "I've had a few cosmetic things done and like to change my hairstyle.
"It would be hypocritical of me to say I think I'm ugly," he continued, momentarily distracted after catching a glimpse of his face reflecting off a spoon.
Although the work to fix his teeth is described as 'secret', Early Doors distinctly remembers him wearing train-track braces for a season or so - and as any tortured teenager will tell you, such contraptions are all too visible.
- - -
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "There's no doubt that Ronaldo has quality but it's also true that he has a big head. Some of his little tricks in the middle of the pitch were unnecessary and he needs to show some respect to his opposition. You can bet that we will have something to say about it in the return leg." David Pizarro reckons Cristiano Ronaldo could need plastic surgery on his shins after the second leg against Roma.
TANTRUM OF THE DAY: Frank Lampard's quite spectacular hissy fit when substituted against Fenerbahce, which saw him kick out at a bottle of water and chuck his training top to the deck. A model professional.
FOREIGN VIEW: More mischief-making at Spanish rag Marca, who quote Real Madrid's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic as saying he was in Rome on Tuesday to thrash out deals for midfielders Daniele De Rossi and Alberto Aquilani.
TALKING POINT: Several intriguing suggestions for potential academies, mainly used as vehicles for vicious personal attacks, such as this from grahamnpotter: "The Robbie Savage Soccer School for underachieving poseurs. He has all the attributes required; ridiculous girlie haircut, in love with himself and an unshakeable belief that he is better than anyone else thinks he is."
rachael_blah plagiarises from the film Zoolander - but in a good way: "How about the 'David Beckham Centre For Children Who Can't Read Good and Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too'?"
First prize goes to vincentvegaman for this: "The Stan Collymore Soccer academy, rubbish facilities, but it'd probably have a car park to die for."
COMING UP: Didn't we used to have about eight teams in the UEFA Cup? It's just Rangers to be going along with now as they take on Sporting Lisbon at Ibrox at 7.45pm. Minute-by-minute comments of that one, plus live scores and scorers from all the evening's action.
Even Ronnie Rosenthal must be laughing at Mr Bendtner!
From sikka316 on Thu Apr 03 08:59AMAt the end of the day...you can't win...if the other team...has scored more goals than you... Great strategy ED! Also, maybe now the gooners will have some sympathy for United (Distin's barge on Ronaldo...) Liverpool got out of jail with that one. Who else for a Utd-Liverpool final?!?
From jcverm on Thu Apr 03 09:10AMAt the end of the day...you can't win...if the other team...scores more goals than you... Great strategy ED!!! Also, maybe the gooners will now have some sympathy for United (Distin's barge on Ronaldo...) Liverpool got out of jail with that one... Who else for a Man United-Liverpool final?!?
From jcverm on Thu Apr 03 09:12AMWhat the..... "Strategy should be exactly the same as for any match - score more goals than the other team." ?!
Since when did Early Doors take lessons from Kevin Keegan?!
From general_ashworm on Thu Apr 03 09:31AMWhat the...
"Strategy should be exactly the same as for any match - score more goals than the other team."Since when did Early Doors take lessons from Kevin Keegan, eh? IMPOSTOR!
From general_ashworm on Thu Apr 03 09:32AMI won't say no to a ManU - Lpool final....as long as Liverpool lose
From general_ashworm on Thu Apr 03 09:33AMPoor Nick Bendtner eh...?! Perhaps this will help to rekindle the old competitive banter he has enjoyed so much with Mr Adebayor this season...lets hope so!
From jamierosborne on Thu Apr 03 09:34AMPizarro is what you call in the industry a BAFOON. People come to watch MU from all over for entertainment, the reason why people enjoy watching Ronaldo is because of his flair and his tricks. To say that he's showing no respect by performing his skills (whether necessary or not)is stupid, if you're a good defender you'd just deal with it, Pizarro needs to stop whining like a lil b!tch.
From double_t_uk2002 on Thu Apr 03 09:36AMThere is a different mentality in the CL cos of the away goals rule
From double_t_uk2002 on Thu Apr 03 09:37AMAt last, football in its purest form.....well done ED, its about time we got back to basics, you need score more goals than the opposition to win the game!! Oh, and next to the Stan Collymore Soccer Acadamy, would it be possible to have the Bryan Robson and Paul McGrath Soccer Acadamy, because so if it was a bit cold for Stans Carpark, we could nip next door for a great pint and a game of cards!!
From stevemezzone on Thu Apr 03 09:38AMHow rude these foreign referees obviously don't understand that you are not allowed to give a decision against Arsenal at the Emirates. No wonder Arsene is having his usual whinge about poor quality refereeing. The return leg looks to be exciting and should be a darn sight better than yesterday's outing for the impartial viewer (Bendtner's circus clown act apart).
From g_hine on Thu Apr 03 09:41AMstevemezzone your avatar looks like the bald ED guy on the left!
From double_t_uk2002 on Thu Apr 03 09:51AMJust a small point...if Bendtner was in an offside position when he did actually intercept the all, then he would also have been in an offside position had he merely stepped aside. In which case the referee would have probably annulled the goal for Bendtner being in a position to interfere with run of play from an offside position. (Which would of course have given Mr Wenger plenty more to fume about)
From claudeaf on Thu Apr 03 09:52AMThere seems a lot of bias going on today concerning last nights CL matches. Yes I agree with the princiipal that the team who scores the most goals wins (obviously) but the away goals rule affects the way teams approach matches. And sorry G-hine your bias is as ever evident, it was a penalty that was not given, whether at the emirates or not. Its a pity the people on here don't admit to their favoured teams failings as well as their strengths, cos it all gets a bit juvenile at times. Bit like being back at primary school. "No , my team is much better than your, cos I said so," etc, etc, As for Ronaldo, he may be a brilliant player but at times overdoes his party pieces. Tricks are all well and good, but he has a contempt for other teams at times and back in primary school, nobody liked a "show off"
From barny1158 on Thu Apr 03 10:00AMdouble_t_uk2002 LOL!!!
From jcverm on Thu Apr 03 10:02AMi find myself heartily agreeing with ED on this one. Stop pretending that the Champions League is some mythical competition with its own secret rules which contradict regular football rules.
You score more goals, you go through.
Eventually, you win the final. and despite being the 5th best team in England, you can still be crowned Champions of Europe.
Or you could actually be a good team, like all the other winners of recent times, Man Utd included.
I am a Spurs fan. so the Champions League doesn't affect me.
From dangreavey on Thu Apr 03 10:03AMDear Dangreavey,
Its not that the competition is a mythical competition , but as a spurs fan it doesn't affect you as your team has yet to be involved in it. Maybe if Spurs reached the Champions league ever , your take on it might change. To be honest, I wish it was still "champions league" and not the overhyped fiasco it is now. Surely Champions League should mean just that, but the money making powers that be at FIFA obviously had other ideas, which is a pity. Maybe they should just change the competitions name cos as we all know, it does not just involve the champions of each country anymore.From barny1158 on Thu Apr 03 10:17AMThank you for pointing out my obvious bias. Only as a Championship team supporter, I have virtually no bias whatsoever regarding the Premier League. I just have little respect for the constant undermining of referees decisions by the likes of Wenger, Benitez and Ferguson. They are all as bad as each other in my eyes. Yes the odd poor decision might be delivered by referees, but mostly the managers whine because a decision has gone to the other team and hence in their opinion is the wrong decision. Whilst it is understandable because they are always in a precarious position - a run of bad form away from dismissal. However, referees should be given respect and allowed to make contentious, but measured, decisions without fear of derision at the post-match press conference.
In fact my bias is so evident that I even find it distasteful when Glenn Roeder has a pop at the ref. Yes poor decisions can turn the game against you, but not scoring more than the opposition is usually the reason for not winning and not the referee. A game of football without a ref is akin to British Bulldog, Where the big boys use superior strength to bully and belittle their opponents - oh sorry, it is like the Premier League then.
From g_hine on Thu Apr 03 10:32AMBarny seems to have forgotten that we all know she's a gooner. And as far as I know, they haven't actually won it yet, so until they do.....
From khsnowball on Thu Apr 03 10:33AMarsenal were good but could do with better finioshers.bendtner is 4rm liverpool i think.arsenal stil going to progress .from schmokginok
From wakkyvalentine on Thu Apr 03 10:46AMG-Hine,
I respect your views on the whinges and whines of premierleague managers with regards to referees, but back in the days of the old league, we never had such contentious officials. You never even knew the refs names, from one week to the next,they were just some "unknown fella" who came along and did a job. Yes, they were berated back then, but refs today like to be as "famous" as the players. Some decisions that they fail to make have obviously far reaching consequences on different teams, whatever their league status.A blatant penalty decision not given about two minutes from time, can be costly when you and your opposition are at 0 - 0. Myself I am in favour of Video evidence for crucial decisions, that way there can be no arguements.From barny1158 on Thu Apr 03 10:47AMgoes to prove at this stage that footy is for men,arsenal need a little bit of self belief n a proven goalscoree istead of rigid bentner n sometimes good adebayor
From wakkyvalentine on Thu Apr 03 10:50AMED, aren't you schocked that you actually heard Wenger saying something you couldn't see happen yesterday? Also, Bendtners positioning was just a matter of "being-in-the-wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time&q
uot;, while Hleb getting mauled from behind was an intentional foul, and a mistake by the ref. But, I agree, both are ridicolous...From tor_yvresse on Thu Apr 03 10:54AMThanks to comment # 19, the point made in comment # 14 is proven to be completely correct.
From kevmun82 on Thu Apr 03 10:54AMkhsnowball.
Your point being? I am a gooner yes but I can sure as hell berate my team when needs be. Bendtner had me screaming big time last night and Eboue is a player I would no longer like in the team. As for Hleb , yes he goes down easy at times but last night against Kuyt, it was a penalty. And thanks for remembering I am a gooner , or is it the fact I am not a lad that bothers you, As for actually winning the CL, my take is that we are not equipped to do it this year, nor win the league, but at the beginning of the season we were "wrote off" by everyone anyway. I have been a gooner all my life through good and bad seasons, not a fly by night supporter or glory hunter as are many. Like I said, I can be objective about my team .... unlike some.From barny1158 on Thu Apr 03 10:56AMbarca arsenal 4 d final my ex just says to me but ithink arsenal dont ve wat it takes to be competing at this level.these kids still need a few more years to grow.n a few more experienced player wuldnt do them any harm u know.wenger is a bum to use these kids as an excuse everytime he gives us a season witout a trop[hy.wenger out
From wakkyvalentine on Thu Apr 03 10:58AMI recall, while watching the Arsenal/Liverpool game, when Bendtner came on. The first thing that came to my mind at that moment was 'Thank you Wenger for making it easier for us Liverpolians'.
From yehia18 on Thu Apr 03 10:58AMNobody likes a show off?
From khsnowball on Thu Apr 03 11:03AMyehia18 i wuldnt get comfortable if i were u,remember how milan were comfortable n look where they re at d moment.arsenal are still very unpredictable n i wuldnt be surprised if they outst liverposh..... sorry liverpool
From wakkyvalentine on Thu Apr 03 11:07AMI too am in favour of video evidence for crucial decisions like goal-line disagreements, but football is not cricket, you cannot stop the play for time-consuming slo-mo replays. In the end, we will always have to rely on people ie human beings (who are prone to mistakes) to officiate matches. Every team benefits as much as they lose due to poor decisions and when did you last hear a manager saying "Blimey, we were lucky there, that should never have been a penalty" or "actually, my player was very lucky not to be sent off there, that was a horrendous challenge"
It doesn't happen, yet managers are exceptionally quick to point out the poor decisions that go against them. Ultimately, managers are former players. Players, as widely known tend to be huge egotists. Ergo, managers are reluctant to accept responsibility for poor decisions made by them or their players and instead focus on the faults of the other manager or the faceless official in black (/yellow/green/etc.)
From g_hine on Thu Apr 03 11:07AM
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