Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

[Gerontophile]

Liverpool storm into a 2-0 lead with both from Mane.

[hobbes]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

Well that was fun. Mane could have had 4 or 5 there.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

People must think that jermaine Jenas is the smartest cunt who ever kicked a football, because whenever he appears on tv he is surrounded by mental cripples, and he lets them do the talking.

[ale]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

have riffed on this before ...but Spurs seem to get an inordinate respect for basically achieving little...reading the build up to this game it seemed to be taken for granted the problems were all Liverpools....recent results dictated commentary rather than the respective records of each club against their like minded challengers...

[blameless]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

Piss-poor refereeing at the Emirates, with two complete ricks benefitting Arsenal. Alexis Sanchez shoves in the opening goal with his hand, and then with the score still 1-0 Kieran Gibbs somehow doesn't get sent off for flattening Lazar Markovich when he was last man.

[Nefertiti2]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

Sanchez did not "shove the ball with his hand" the ball came if the keeper at his hand from point blank range. No foul& therefore a goal. You may think the rule is stupid but it was applied correctly

As for the Gibbs incidentt -yes certainly could have been a red but then so could the elbow from Huddlestone ,the stamp from Ndiaye , the shoves from Maguire , or the second yellow for Ranocchia on Sanchez (for which Sanchez was incorrectly booked for diving) so let's call it quits.

[Jah Womble]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

ale wrote: have riffed on this before ...but Spurs seem to get an inordinate respect for basically achieving little...reading the build up to this game it seemed to be taken for granted the problems were all Liverpools....recent results dictated commentary rather than the respective records of each club against their like minded challengers...

Tottenham's poor away record against rival challengers was referred to a number of times before and after yesterday's match - but why 'wouldn't' pundits be focusing on the home side's abysmal form ahead of it? As well as they played yesterday - and always bearing in mind how abject Spurs were - if I were a Liverpool fan I'd be angered that my side could lose key games at home to Swansea, Southampton and Wolves (and then at Hull), only showing up when a higher-ranked club comes to town.

As regards the earlier point, Spurs are generally respected by the media for playing decent football (most of the time). The lack of silverware is of concern to those of us that support the team - but doesn't - and shouldn't - really detract from this.

[blameless]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

Never change, Nef.

[SouthdownRebel]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

Shaky start, but Burnley are having a real go against Chelsea. Should have scored a second after David Luiz completely missed a through ball. Enjoyable game.

[Nefertiti2]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

blameless wrote: Never change, Nef.

Handling the ball involves a deliberate act of a player making contact with the ball with the hand or arm. The following must be considered:

the movement of the hand towards the ball (not the ball towards the hand)
the distance between the opponent and the ball (unexpected ball)
the position of the hand does not necessarily mean that there is an infringement
touching the ball with an object held in the hand (clothing, shinguard, etc.) is an infringement
hitting the ball with a thrown object (boot, shinguard, etc.) is an infringement

;-)

[Outside Agent]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

I saw Sanchez's punched goal yesterday and thought that even the most biased of Arsenal fans will know the goal shouldn't have stood. Then I came on here.

After Koscielny's punched winner in the 93rd minute at Burnley back in October I thought that even the most biased of Arsenal fans will know the goal shouldn't have stood . Then I came on here.

Yes, never change, Nef.

[Nefertiti2]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

Outside Agent wrote: I saw Sanchez's punched goal yesterday and thought that even the most biased of Arsenal fans will know the goal shouldn't have stood. Then I came on here.

After Koscielny's punched winner in the 93rd minute at Burnley back in October I thought that even the most biased of Arsenal fans will know the goal shouldn't have stood . Then I came on here.

Yes, never change, Nef.

Neither goal involved a "deliberate act of contact" so the referee was correct in both cases. Handball involves intent as the guidance I posted earlier indicated.

the movement of the hand towards the ball (not the ball towards the hand)

The ball moved very quickly towards the hand

the distance between the opponent and the ball (unexpected ball)

The ball was completely unexpected, coming off the Hull keeper at very close range

I think you want the law to be changed. I recommend you contact the Football Association using one of the contact details below.

0800 169 1863
info@thefa.com
Wembley Stadium
PO Box 1966
London
SW1P 9EQ
@FA

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

I don't know if I'd describe it as a punch, I mean you can see why he has his hands out like that, and it gets hammered off him. But I think the time has come to amend the rules so you can't accidentally handle the ball into the goal. It's kind of farcical

[Jah Womble]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

Nothing like stating your case.

FWIW, I don't think it can be described as a 'punch' - Sanchez didn't have much say in the matter. Should it have stood? Yes, probably. The previous discussed was more contentious.

[zahidf]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

How many games can Utd go without losing but still stay in 6th in the table?

[Jah Womble]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

Reginald Christ wrote:

As well as they played yesterday - and always bearing in mind how abject Spurs were - if I were a Liverpool fan I'd be angered that my side could lose key games at home to Swansea, Southampton and Wolves (and then at Hull), only showing up when a higher-ranked club comes to town.

I've a feeling that tendency is going to come back and bite Liverpool in the arse next season. They've got a very good record against the top sides since Klopp arrived but no team dominates those encounters for a couple of seasons on end, the margins of victory are just too tight. Klopp's clearly getting the most out of the current squad against the big teams by revving them up before each game and appealing to their sense of occasion. But it won't be long before enough of their rivals cop on that the way to stop Liverpool is to defend deep, play it long from the back until their forwards exhaust themselves and then hit them on the break. I'm surprised Spurs hadn't worked that out. They really should have taken something from that game yesterday based on current form. It looks bad that they haven't.

I think that this is what frustrates me most of all about Spurs of late - the lack of learning from previous such mistakes. Poch is a fine manager who has nurtured some good players and encouraged great football at the Lane, but he also seems a fin(it)e one in that we still keep hitting this same wall. I struggle more than a little with the fact that he appeared totally unprepared for what most of us rather suspected might happen at Anfield (given that it has done almost every other time we've played there in recent seasons) and when push came to shove, had little answer. The injuries to Vertonghen and Rose are frustrating, but we have to learn to cope - just as all leading sides have to. All this 'bad day at the office'-stuff on social media is weak and sounds more like Spurs circa 2009.

It seems transparent to me that the club would benefit from a sports psychologist as there is still this infuriating tendency to clam up when playing other top sides - although I'll concede that we've been much better at dominating the home fixtures. Another area is that of captain: as great as he is, it makes no sense to employ Lloris as skipper, given that he cannot influence the game from the goal. We were like headless chickens in Saturday's first half - a leader at the heart of the action would be better able to galvanise here. It all seems rather obvious to me, but hey-ho. (Sorry - very lengthy response to your one line there! I'm sure the glut of Liverpool fans on here will offer up wisdom as regards their club.)

Anyways, of our remaining away fixtures this season, Burnley represent the highest-placed opposition. So, 'fail at your peril', etc...

[Jah Womble]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

As indeed happened with the finish-line in sight last season. After very convincing victories over Man Utd and Stoke, the discipline utterly collapsed (especially at Stamford Bridge) which made us look lightweight, in my opinion. I'm fearful that something similar will happen this time out - and Saturday hasn't augured well. Oh well, long way to go yet...

[Nefertiti2]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

Never mind all that, there are more important matters to discuss. Such as Wenger - should he stay or should he go?

Stay, obviously.

[Ray de Galles]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

Another vote here for Sanchez's goal probably being perfectly legal under the current laws, and that they should probably be tweaked.

[Tactical Genius]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

I echo the remarks on Potchettino. Our defeat was tactical 100% for two reasons.

1. Holding onto the ball at the back in the first 15 minutes:- One thing that is guaranteed against Liverpool is that they will come at you hard in the first 15 minutes. As long as you can weather that storm, Liverpools energy levels drop off sharply and you can then dominate them and the game.

Liverpool clearly targetted our most dozy players Wanyama, Dier and Davies and box-pressed them to death.
Spurs got into the game after 20 minutes, but were chasing the game and could not afford to throw enough men forward for fear of the counter-attack.

2. We didn't shut down Mane. You don't need to watch many vidoe's on liverpool to see that their main threat is the have Mane coming in off their right running with the ball on the break, but we continually gave him free reign. This is just dumb, and Liverpool could have been negated by clearing the ball early and providing additional support to our left back.

[Ray de Galles]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

Gah, we should have two simultaneous games on Sky and BT with identical kit match ups with Bournemouth v Man City & Lazio v Milan but the latter are wearing their change kit.

[longeared]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

Fraser was lucky to only get a yellow just now, he had no intention of going for the ball.

[longeared]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

And Sterling scores while I type that.

[SouthdownRebel]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

Good decision to rule out the 'equaliser'. Who's the competent professional in the black?

[Ray de Galles]

Lazyitis - Gouching on the couch.

The Bournemouth season ticket holder in my office has been bemoaning how many of the goals they are giving away come from errors like poor clearances, miskicks & slips. That goal came from just such a mistake and it was the fifth or sixth tonight so has been coming.