Jack Sparrow

But only if you're already blind. Souttar is fine as a squad player. Davies probably faster and technically better but not as strong in the challenge. Balogun would start before both of them for me.

Because Dessers did not trip the defender. The defender - in his own action - kicked Dessers calf and caused himself to fall. Either way - that trip can only be a foul when it is careless, reckless or excessive. It was none of those. And "impeding with contact" refers to the player committing the foul. Dessers did not make contact with the defender. He got his leg in front as he was entitled to do to take that position. The defender then attempts to play the ball, kicks Dessers leg and falls over. That is not a foul by any interpretation of the rules. You, McFadden and everyone else saying "but thats the rules" has still not been able to cite the black and white, but have been repeatedly told why it WAS a foul and still want to go with Don Fucking Robertson's decision. Incredible.

Further on in that first part of Law 12 is this: "Careless is when a player shows a lack of attention or consideration when making a challenge or acts without precaution. No disciplinary sanction is needed". Careless, Reckless and Excessive specifically refer to players endangering safety of opponents. The tackle was not careless in respect of an arm flying or some other tackle made in a way that would possibly result in the defender being hurt. And it certainly wasn't Reckless or Excessive. The foul could not be given for any of those (charges, jumps at, kicks or attempts to kick, pushes, strikes or attempts to strike (including head-butt), tackles or challenges, trips or attempts to trip) so the only other possible in Law 12 is Impedes With Contact (Direct FK) or Impedes Without Contact (Indirect FK) - the TV pictures don't show whether or not Robertson signalled indirect by keeping his hand raised. Impeding the progress of an opponent without contact Impeding the progress of an opponent means moving into the opponent’s path to obstruct, block, slow down or force a change of direction when the ball is not within playing distance of either player. All players have a right to their position on the field of play; being in the way of an opponent is not the same as moving into the way of an opponent. A player may shield the ball by taking a position between an opponent and the ball if the ball is within playing distance and the opponent is not held off with the arms or body. If the ball is within playing distance, the player may be fairly charged by an opponent. Read the highlighted parts of this. Dessers was within playing distance of the ball when he made the challenge. He has the right to his position and to challenge for the ball. He went to shield the ball by getting in between the opponent and the ball to win it, and the opponent was not held off with arms or the body. It cannot be "Impeding Without Contact" when you interpret it this way. Even if you said the hand touching the back ever so slightly was contact, it still is not relevant because Dessers was entitled to go for the ball. It cannot be either impeding offence. And the irony of tims (and us to an extent) taking Bobby Madden's view of it that he posted on Instagram seriously after years and years of abuse and criticism is off the charts. All of a sudden the refs get it spot on - when it suits the mhankies argument of course.

Boyce DDT'd the Motherwell defender and got him a second yellow. The standards are absolutely disgraceful.

Also have seen folk saying if the defender is attempting to pass the ball and the attacker doesn't get contact with the ball it's a foul. That isn't written down anywhere. The only other reason would be Dessers hand touching the defender's back during it but that is nowhere near enough contact for his actions overall to be a foul as per the LOTG above, he does not push or impede him with that contact. If you say it's a foul because of that, we are now dealing with a non-contact sport.

Of course not but when we have bears going with the James McFadden "its the new roolz int it" mantra, what fucking chance have we got of the actual rules being applied fairly?

Since you clearly do know the rules so well, which part of the Laws of the Game and Law 12 specifically was it that made it a foul by Dessers? It was not careless, reckless or excessive force so none of the above can apply. The closest you could argue is impeding the opponent but there was no contact from Dessers to the CB that impeded him. That takes you to the last part of Law 12 - Impeding without contact The ball was in the playing distance of both players. Dessers has the right to his position that he took, as he was not holding the CB off. There was nothing wrong with his tackle. It should not have been given by a foul.

He scores good goals some of the time and nobody can fault him for that. Defensively today he wasn't all that bad and made a great covering tackle on a cutback that last season they'd probably have scored. The major issue I have with him just now is every corner, every throw in, every FK he has to be there and take and it slows us right down at times - esp the throw ins when we are looking to get on the front foot. Gives the opponent time to regroup and get back in shape. Just let Cantwell or whoever take them quickly, offer an option and join in the move. That and his downbeat attitude and the same old pish after every bad result.

His man management is terrible. The players clearly have something about them but zero belief. We need to invest in a top coach who can motivate and get the best of them. MB might know them, might have worked with a few of them under SG but he is not getting peak performance from anyone in this squad. I don't think he'll go willingly and it will be a tough decision for Bennett/Bisgrove but they might just if they can get someone else in. Question is - who?

Yes the players deserve their fair share of criticism for passing up god knows how many chances but Don Fucking Robertson and Allan Muir on the VAR are an utter disgrace. That Roofe goal stands and we're having a very different conversation right now.

Think the ref will have it in for Cantwell MB has been bigging Roofe up in the press conference and he's scored against them before, can see him playing and scoring. Draw? Yep, dock me some staunch points but we've had some tough games of late and questionable form ourselves. Wouldn't be surprised if it was fucked on the corners but if it comes in I'll buy you a pint.

Got 657/1 bet builder for: Roofe anytime scorer Result = draw Cantwell sent off Over 8 corners have visions of it being a bit feisty like the 2-2 draw in '87

Good point, but they didn't have to play PSV far outspending them to get there.

That wee prick Lang obvs said something to Raskin there, they were shaking hands then the camera panned away before it kicked off.

Yep. Fine margins at this level. Same applies to the EL final and countless other disappointments we've had. Ah well, if we get to Dublin we will follow on.

Borderline red for Tillman there.

Think it was his SSB days and she was with Clyde 1 also.

I hear Florian Kamberi doesn't have a club yet either.

We know what that is to a large extent. If it goes the way of doing a deal, you'd think they'd want NDAs (Non disclosure agreements) in place to keep their victims silent. If they do have NDAs, they'll have to increase their offers substantially as the victims lawyers won't let that go without compensating the victims further. That hits them even harder financially.

The one goal advantage suits us no matter what. They won't be that risk averse IMHO - they know we can score and will want to avoid conceding too. At one goal down they know a set piece, a mistake or one good attack brings it level. We still need to score at least once to put the tie beyond them and they'll hope that they can catch us on the break or a ball over the top with our lack of pace in defence as well.

The debate wasn't about pressing, it was his overall lackadaisical approach to the game. And if you weren't trying to make him out to be great, why only pick the graphs he's at the top of? You even said yourself on page 4 that you'd be interested to see the running stats, so lets see them then. Considering your accompanying text to the graphs was "It’s almost as if he isn’t lazy and his pressing is intelligent" - he may press well at certain times that suit him but that doesn't mean he isn't lazy the rest of the time. One stat in isolation, chosen to make him look good in the debate, is worth nothing IMO.

I don't think he was the only problem and certainly not when the more experienced midfield/forward players (Arfield, Davis, Kent, Colak) and both FBs were equally as bad. But making out that he is some kind of football genius off a couple of churned out graphs is utterly delusional. Lets see how he stacks up against the Ajax midfield on those and then you might get a true picture.

Does lazily jogging towards a defender waiting to pick his pass count as a press? These stats tell nothing.

Best performance of the season so far and we're still well below par. This is a minimum for application and effort from now on.

Sakala = The Zambian McMinn