Everton v Southampton. 29th Dec @ 13.30.

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Forget all the noise from the lazy sport writers and tepid fans. Cease the day and be glad in it. I know I am.

 

[deipnosophist]

Forget all the noise from the lazy sport writers and tepid fans. Cease the day and be glad in it. I know I am.

Carpe Diem

 

[Zatara]

Yeah opposition fans do that all the time "oh if we had so-and-so we'd have won" and conveniently ignore that we were missing the small matter of our captain and first choice international CB; one of our most important players just back from injury; one key player sick; our goalie out; our best bench option injured; our possible player of the year suspended ... but yeah aside from that we were full-strength.

Saints fans are the dorky* IT guy who doesn't follow football playing "footie fan" dress-up for Halloween.

(Dorks bad; nerds good.)

Any saints fan ive met is certainly in the 'harry potter' bracket.

 

[Hangleton]

Well, at least Saints Fans haven’t taken the glory hunting route that so many southerners do...

 

[andy4efc]

Got skinned by Coleman for that goal, though.

Their other full-back Luke Shaw is a really amazing prospect, if we weren't blessed with quality LBs at the moment, though.

Ward Prowse is an attacking midfielder mate. Shaw is a left back, still- didnt get out to Coleman quick enough when he skinned WP

 

[Jeff Jones]

Let's be honest here. His hand came up into the ball's path after it was kicked. Definite pen.

Even so, we should've had one, too.

 

[Jeff Jones]

I thought Alcaraz was utter gash in all honesty; think he failed to clear the box with an header in about 8 out 10 attempts, in the first half he played 2 Southampton players on 2 separate occasions (luckily enough they were flagged off), he caused more trouble by spending ages to get the ball away (although Soton did play with a high pressure front line) and looked like a player who had been out for a long time



This is just the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard

Your first comment is one of the most ridiculous statements I've heard.

I was pleasantly surprised by him.

 

[mrb85]

Let's be honest here. His hand came up into the ball's path after it was kicked. Definite pen.

Even so, we should've had one, too.

So what you're saying is that it was a deliberate use of the hands designed to make himself a bigger obstacle for the crosser. Why on earth would he deliberately have done this in this situation though? Indeed why would any defender deliberately use his arms in this way if the outcome was lik;ly to be a penalty???

 

[The Equaliser]

Definite free kick. It was outside the area or on the line at best.

 

[Jeff Jones]

So what you're saying is that it was a deliberate use of the hands designed to make himself a bigger obstacle for the crosser. Why on earth would he deliberately have done this in this situation though? Indeed why would any defender deliberately use his arms in this way if the outcome was lik;ly to be a penalty???

I'm not saying it was deliberate, and I know the rule says it has to be. Only Alcaraz knows if he meant it but it doesn't always matter. He moved his hand into the path of the ball, whether he meant to, or not.

I changed my opinion on the interpretation of this a few years ago when Chelsea beat us 2-3.

We had a free kick from a tight angle just outside the penalty area late in the game. John Terry was a one man wall - if there is such a thing - and stood with his arms spread out, The ball struck his hand which was in an unnatural position and it should've been a penalty. It wasn't given and we lost the chance to equalise.

If you still don't agree, ask yourself this. Why wouldn't all defenders in those situations hold their arms out to make the target smaller?

Oh, btw, I'm glad the pen wasn't given because I'm an Evertonian, but that's the only reason.

 

[evilwebby]

Let's be honest here. His hand came up into the ball's path after it was kicked. Definite pen.

Even so, we should've had one, too.

I thought so too, tbh.

And I'm sorry but anyone who says that's not in the penalty area cannot be taken seriously - his feet are inside at the point of contact, and his body is leaning into the box ffs!

 

[Tony Mendez]

It was a pen.

We won. Boss.

 

[Stan Lee Park]

The media in general have been fawning all over Saints this season, but to be honest from their display on Sunday I couldn't see what all the fuss was about. They kept possession pretty well -when they were a goal down, that is. They had a punchless attack and generally were outclassed in midfield by our midfield which for most of the game was missing Barry, Mirallas and Pienaar. They need to improve to stay in the top half of the table, as I think the likes of HullTigers and Swansea are playing much better.