Relive every moment of every first team game since the beginning of the 2005/06 season. Our archive of matchday threads originally posted in the General Discussion Forum.
SL wrote:Garcia elbowed Mullins so Mullins reacted by shoving him.
Both silly boys but fingers crossed the ref or the FA can do something for them both.
Maybe Mullins should have just dived on the floor straight after the Elbow ?
Can't help thinking that their losing Luis Garcia will be a greater loss than our losing Mullins. GHarcia is, without doubt, a big match player and a scorer of spectacular goals when they matter. I am sure we could fill Hayden's boots much easier. Anton, Dailly, Fletcher, etc etc.
Something that is certain, the FA won't show any flexibility.
Appointing Scolari has used up their common sense ration for the next 10 years.
Quotes from the Managers taken from the BBC. Is there a hope that common sense will prevail? Oops, it's the FA, they'll be too busy concentrating on touting the extra 30,000 tickets to worry about football........ :evil:
West Ham manager Alan Pardew:
"I think everybody in the whole stadium was hoping the referee would not brandish the red cards but, unfortunately, he did.
"It would be good for the FA to show a bit of clemency and let the players play in the FA Cup final.
"The fact we play each other makes it an even decision for me."
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez:
"We will see if we can appeal because both players apologised to each other and the referee.
"I think that the referee understands the situation. He will watch the video again and if he sees something different he will put it in his report.
"In this case, with the two teams playing in the final maybe someone can be sensible."
Boris73 wrote:Read in the paper that Garcia sat on the bench crying his eyes out. Anyone got any footage? Cheating git.
Didums, shouldn't have did what he did then should he, then Mullins wouldnt have pushed him.
Though Garcias dive could have got him an Olympic gold, or an oscar :roll:
I agreed that Garcia would be a greater loss at the time, but they have Fowler, Cisse, Crouch, Morientes who are all capable to perform on the day (unless Fowler is cup tied?).
However I feel that in reality Liverpool will get to more finals than us over a period of say 10 years and this isn't fair. Garcia will easily play in another final for Liverpool wheras Mullins may not get another chance in his career. I think that it is Mullins that should be upset by this not Garcia!! Dont get me wrong, I am not knocking us but reality is that it may not happen again for a while (I hope I'm wrong!!)
bluebutterfly wrote:
Didums, shouldn't have did what he did then should he, then Mullins wouldnt have pushed him.
Though Garcias dive could have got him an Olympic gold, or an oscar :roll:
am still absolutely sceething now...havent calmed down at all
Vic_Watson wrote:Can't help thinking that their losing Luis Garcia will be a greater loss than our losing Mullins. GHarcia is, without doubt, a big match player and a scorer of spectacular goals when they matter. I am sure we could fill Hayden's boots much easier. Anton, Dailly, Fletcher, etc etc.
Something that is certain, the FA won't show any flexibility.
Appointing Scolari has used up their common sense ration for the next 10 years.
I disagree - if last night's game proved anything it was that they have a stronger squad than we do. We can ill afford to be without Mullins, who has been one of our best players this season. Dailly and Fletch simply aren't as good and Anton isn't a holding midfielder and will be needed elsewhere. I agree, losing Garcia will be a blow, but they have Kewell to come back and Cissé has picked a rather worrying time to run into form and volunteer himself for a wide midfield role.
Luis Garcia is a dirty cheating little rat-faced spanish prick. To all those who've been giving it the big love between us & the scousers, I hope you won't forget this when we play those c**** at cardiff.
Whilst I am gutted for Mullins, and would love to see the FA find a way to allow both players to play in the Final.
For Garcia it is a lesson for all players that go down as easy as he does, had he stayed on his feet, Im 99% the ref who had a very good game allowing the game to flow, would have not sent either player off, but the fact that he went down IMHO forced him to show reds.
Note.
Just contradicting myself here, but it was Webb that sent off Sun Jihai at Man City in the cup for a similar incident when Etherington stayed on his feet, so maybe we shouldn't have been surpirsed to see the red card.
1) Garcia seems to me to be to blame for the whole incident. He was on for two minutes before getting in a paddy because he lost the ball fair and square and clearly lashes out with his elbow. That is a sending off offence. It is inexcusable given the time he was on the pitch.
2) Mullins reacts. In most cases a little shove will get you a yellow at worst. But with a nice piece of over-reaction and cheating by collapsing and putting your hands to your face and Garcia manages to get Mullins sent off too.
3) The ref can surely show a bit of discretion. Black and white rules - b*llocks. The game had no incident to speak of, it was a hand-bags incident at worse and called for a cool head. Absolutely no sense in sending off two players from two teams who will both be appearing in the same cup final.
The whole thing soured what for me, was a thoroughly enjoyable game of football. Slightly disappointed we lost (only slightly because it keeps our lucky omen of league defeats before a cup match going), but utterly pissed off that we managed to let Cissy (surely one of the most expensive wastes of space in Prem football) to score two bloody goals.
EvilC wrote:
I disagree - if last night's game proved anything it was that they have a stronger squad than we do. We can ill afford to be without Mullins, who has been one of our best players this season. Dailly and Fletch simply aren't as good and Anton isn't a holding midfielder and will be needed elsewhere. I agree, losing Garcia will be a blow, but they have Kewell to come back and Cissé has picked a rather worrying time to run into form and volunteer himself for a wide midfield role.
On the other hand, maybe Pards will show some Lyall-esque tactical flair, go three at the back and smother them.
EvilC wrote:
I disagree - if last night's game proved anything it was that they have a stronger squad than we do. We can ill afford to be without Mullins, who has been one of our best players this season. Dailly and Fletch simply aren't as good and Anton isn't a holding midfielder and will be needed elsewhere. I agree, losing Garcia will be a blow, but they have Kewell to come back and Cissé has picked a rather worrying time to run into form and volunteer himself for a wide midfield role.
Too right - just watching their subs warm up at half-time was frightening - Arne Rise, Gerrard etc.
It will be much harder for us - even tho I like Fletch it can't be good for Nigel to lose his side-kick.
we should have won last night, no question. two chances to Cisse to get past our defence, both of which looked as offside as f*** from where i was sitting and that was it. We should have had at least 2, possibly more with the amount of chances we had in both halves. what ****ing planet was the lino on???
Garcia is a cheating little b*stard but Mullins shouldnt have reacted. Hope they both get off to be honest as you wouldnt want either to miss the final over that b*llocks. I just knew the ref would send them off when it happened, he was being a pedantic c*** all night, with foul throws all over the shop and wrong decisions.
There's the incident for those who haven't seen it...
just watched it - what a vicious elbow by garcia. nasty and malicious. Mullins reaction was warranted imo. just unfortunate that garcia is so short his hands caught him around the face. even so garcia acted like he'd been slugged one by iron mike in his prime
Shame Hayden didn't stamp on the c**** head, then do a little spin on the spot making sure his studs ****ed his daigo face up even more, then he could have gone for a nice cup of tea and shared a scone.
There's the incident for those who haven't seen it...
I'm sorry, ever time I see this clip, I am more and more disgusted by that oily little b*stard's behaviour. If you elbowed me in the back, regardless of profession, situation etc. I'd turn around and lamp you - probably a lot harder than Mullins did. To send Mullins off for UNDER-reacting (IMO), ignoring the fact that he was provoked and then buying Garcia's dive is, frankly, total b*llocks. But then what else can we expect from the shambles that is the FA and its officials?
First time I've seen this since last night, where it all happened too quickly to make a judgement. Garcia's overacting was/is a disgrace to the game. I'd like to think that if any of our players did that we would give them some serious stick. How can that cheating f#ckstain sleep at night???!!! :twisted:
