Live Thuggery

Watched Everton vs Dinamo Bucharest EURO cup live at 80 last night. With Everton being down 1-5 from the 1st leg, and playing home, I reckoned it would be a good match to watch. And indeed it was. Everton threw everything forward from the word go, which opened up for exciting counter-attacking moves from the Romanians.

And then there was probably one of the most blatant, uncivilised, barbaric, savage foul on the pitch that I have ever remember witnessed during live matches.

On the dot of full-time, when the romanians were all home and dry, Everton launched another one of their hopeful long-balls in the middle of the park. Arteta went up to head the ball, got it, when suddenly, out-of-nowhere, this guy Plesan came charging from the back, full-pelted with his shoulder (and maybe elbow too) and knocked poor Arteta mid-air and left him in a heap. It was late, and there was no way that Plesan could have gotten the ball. I mean, come-on, it was absolutely unnecessary for a foul like that and also, given that the Romanians were already 5-2 up with literally seconds to go. It was not a 50-50 challenge (more like 90-10) and if it was not on a pitch, it would have been considered a pre-meditated assault with intent. It was also right smack in the middle of the field and even if Arteta have won the header, there was never any chance that it can cause any sort of trouble to the Romanian goal.

The next 10 minutes-or-so was quite hard to stomach. Especially watching the poor guys leg shaking in a violent fit while surrounded by 5-6 medics. And to more rub salt on the wound, the attacker was only yellow-carded! To make it even worse, as in to put fire on the salted wound, they have already used-up all their substitues!!

However, to be fair to the Romanians, they have also been on the receiving end on some of the fouls. Or to be exact, Duncan Ferguson's elbow. This guy is a cheat. I watched 2 clear elbows on the Romanians that went unpunished from Ferguson, which, at more correct angles, might cause someone's eyeballs to pop-out of their sockets. That did not justify what Plesan did to Arteta though.

Fortunately, based on the news from everton website, Mikael Arteta is now doing OK, and the Blues 'medical team are confident that there is nothing serious to report'

(I know I am a Reds but in football, things like this are not supposed to happen)

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Heh heh..I guess that I have got a lot of things wrong based on my previous entry regarding the Champs League Matchday 2 matches.

AC and Real Madrid would probably trample all over their opponents. -- Not happening.
And also PSV, Lyon and Porto. -- Only Lyon won unconvincingly
Maybe Inter vs Rangers would provide some excitement. -- Maybe this is the one that contain a bit of truth in it.
Anyway, 81 will be showing Real Madrid vs Olympiakos at 2:45am -- Even the screening time was incorrect! he he

I guess, thats what I like about football. Nothing is going to be absolute certain.