Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Suspension of Logic
There have been some disparaging murmurs about the "convenient" yellow cards picked up by Adrian Leijer and Archie Thompson against the Mariners on New Year's Eve.
Personally I have no problem at all with their actions. Melbourne have earned the right to position themselves as strongly as possible for the finals series, and, most importantly, the acts through which Thompson and Leijer received their cautions were not physically dangerous.
Contrast this with Luis Figo in the 2000/01 UEFA Champions League, whose repeated (and ultimately successful) attempts to get himself booked in Real Madrid's dead rubber against Leeds United were both blatant and dangerous.
The real issue here is that the rules of the competition are flawed. Finals games, with their disproportionate significance, should not have their results influenced by events (and possibly questionable decisions) far back in the regular season. They constitute virtually a separate competition, and should be treated as such.
Surely the sensible thing to do would be to make all disciplinary records from the regular season redundant come the finals.
Only if a player attracts a red card in the final game of the regular season would I advocate a suspension - if the decision was correct (see here).
Personally I have no problem at all with their actions. Melbourne have earned the right to position themselves as strongly as possible for the finals series, and, most importantly, the acts through which Thompson and Leijer received their cautions were not physically dangerous.
Contrast this with Luis Figo in the 2000/01 UEFA Champions League, whose repeated (and ultimately successful) attempts to get himself booked in Real Madrid's dead rubber against Leeds United were both blatant and dangerous.
The real issue here is that the rules of the competition are flawed. Finals games, with their disproportionate significance, should not have their results influenced by events (and possibly questionable decisions) far back in the regular season. They constitute virtually a separate competition, and should be treated as such.
Surely the sensible thing to do would be to make all disciplinary records from the regular season redundant come the finals.
Only if a player attracts a red card in the final game of the regular season would I advocate a suspension - if the decision was correct (see here).
Comments:
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One idea (and I'm not sure how practical the implementation would be) is the suspension of players against the team that they incurred the suspension against. Example: Someone sent off against SFC would be suspended for the next match against SFC. Why should another team gain an advantage for an infringment against someone else ? Given that our season is short, it might work and its a way that cards and suspensions could be carried into a finals series equitably.
# posted by 
: January 3, 2007 at 5:06 PM
: January 3, 2007 at 5:06 PM
All the player need do is take his shirt off or kick the ball away after the whistle. Which would just show how silly the situation is.
It's funny you have no problem with this Mikey when you did with North's handball a while back. I reckon North's action was much less cynical than Melbourne's two players' the other day.
It's funny you have no problem with this Mikey when you did with North's handball a while back. I reckon North's action was much less cynical than Melbourne's two players' the other day.
# posted by : January 4, 2007 at 11:20 PM
: January 4, 2007 at 11:20 PM
Melbourne have earned the right to collect a suspension for players, by winning the league a month early.
The cards were planned and premeditated, but no-one was injured and no harm was done to the opposition.
It will be interesting to see though, whether Melbourne are able to hold their form into the finals after so many team changes in the last few weeks.
The cards were planned and premeditated, but no-one was injured and no harm was done to the opposition.
It will be interesting to see though, whether Melbourne are able to hold their form into the finals after so many team changes in the last few weeks.
# posted by : January 5, 2007 at 6:36 AM
: January 5, 2007 at 6:36 AM
...One idea (and I'm not sure how practical the implementation would be) is the suspension of players against the team that they incurred the suspension against....
I guess the problem would be if that were the last game they played against the club in question that season. Would the suspension then carry over into the following season? And what if the player had changed clubs in the meantime?
I'm actually all for punishment following on directly from a red card infringement (this whole thing about suspension for however many yellows I've never been a big fan of, though).
...All the player need do is take his shirt off or kick the ball away after the whistle. Which would just show how silly the situation is....
Exactly.
...It's funny you have no problem with this Mikey when you did with North's handball a while back....
Difference is mags, that handball of North's actually directly influenced the result of the game in question. By comparison, avoiding suspensions at a critical time of the season is pretty legit, IMO. Especially considering:
...Melbourne have earned the right to collect a suspension for players, by winning the league a month early.
The cards were planned and premeditated, but no-one was injured and no harm was done to the opposition....
I concur.
I guess the problem would be if that were the last game they played against the club in question that season. Would the suspension then carry over into the following season? And what if the player had changed clubs in the meantime?
I'm actually all for punishment following on directly from a red card infringement (this whole thing about suspension for however many yellows I've never been a big fan of, though).
...All the player need do is take his shirt off or kick the ball away after the whistle. Which would just show how silly the situation is....
Exactly.
...It's funny you have no problem with this Mikey when you did with North's handball a while back....
Difference is mags, that handball of North's actually directly influenced the result of the game in question. By comparison, avoiding suspensions at a critical time of the season is pretty legit, IMO. Especially considering:
...Melbourne have earned the right to collect a suspension for players, by winning the league a month early.
The cards were planned and premeditated, but no-one was injured and no harm was done to the opposition....
I concur.
What people also forget is that Archie and Adrian are suspended - Adrian for two matches.
Results are not so important to MV at the moment but flirting with form at both player and club level could be dangerous.
Interestingly Archie had another option - he could have continued to play and just sat out the last home and away match for the same result - maybe he didn't want to fly to Perth this weekend.
Anto
Results are not so important to MV at the moment but flirting with form at both player and club level could be dangerous.
Interestingly Archie had another option - he could have continued to play and just sat out the last home and away match for the same result - maybe he didn't want to fly to Perth this weekend.
Anto
# posted by : January 5, 2007 at 1:54 PM
: January 5, 2007 at 1:54 PM
Agree with what you say Mikey. Like how in the WC and UCL group stage yellows are wiped out. Same thing should happen for the finals in the A-League.
# posted by : January 7, 2007 at 5:51 AM
: January 7, 2007 at 5:51 AM
Did you see the strange yellow red card given to Vargas in the Perth game - then he stayed on and Byrne walked off.
...Did you see the strange yellow red card given to Vargas in the Perth game - then he stayed on and Byrne walked off....
Nope, didn't catch that game.
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Nope, didn't catch that game.
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