I’m 100% behind Pepe’s red card. And I’m honestly trying to stay impartial here and am trying to not allow the upcoming game to influence my thoughts on this. I think the red card was more due to Pepe’s subsequent actions and not so much the first action. Pepe got right back in his face and head butted him while he was still down on the ground. I don’t think he’d have been even carded had he not head butted. There was no reason for that and I think that’s what earned him the red card.
The phrase you reap what you sow comes to mind as well. Pepe has a long history of being red carded and don’t think his history was unknown to the Swedish ref. Past actions like stomping on Messi’s hand, striking players, kicking players, etc probably influenced the ref’s decision as well. The ref(world) knows him as a violent player whose temper often gets the best of him.
That said, I do agree that corruption is huge in FIFA and I really wish someone could just go crazy with a broom and clean it all up.
Wittmann, your opinion on this is accepted but not respected. Mueller went down, yes, but I think that getting a hand in the face can have that consequence. But he was not lying on the ground (he made a point of getting in sitting position immediately from the fall), nor did he make any funny gestures. He was holding his face, yes. And when Pepe went down to the sitting Mueller and “put” his forehead to Muellers head, Mueller did not drop from sitting to lying (as 99,9% players would have), but jumped up and confronted Pepe, without touching him back.
Mueller also did not sign with his hand that Pepe should be booked, like many other players do if they dont cringe on the floor with faked pain.
Pepe got red because of the head butt. It was not a brutal one, but it does not belong on the pitch (and nowhere else) and is a “tätlichkeit”…dont know the English word…that has to be sanctioned with red. He certainly did not get red for the first action, and even if people (not surprisingly the arch enemies England, Italy) insist it was nothing, Pepes hand had no business so high up in the first place. I think no one can say how hard Mueller has been hit or where exactly, but I guess it hurts anywhere in the face, and from own experience everyone who played knows that it is a sensitive area, close to the eyes etc. I like Mueller, thats true, and he strikes me as a very fair, very straight and unpretentious guy.
Apart from that, my favorite team at this WC just got trashed 0-4. Since Sweden lost to them in the barrage, that leaves me Italy and Chile.
Congrats USA! You have a good co-trainer, of course :)
Alexgreat: it was a Red. Always.
But Mueller did not need to exaggerate the foul. There are times when you go down when a hand goes in your face and I do not believe this was one of them.
I hate cheats.
I would not have played Pepe(or Balotelli) if I had been the coach, because I will not abide ungentlemanly behaviour. He does not have my respect, because of his past behaviour. I do not forgive and forget.
Well I never!
So many surprises so far in this World Cup.
That was a weak-ass red card. Soccer is the sport that could use a review system the most, I think, but no one would go for it because it would “kill” the flow of the game. Nevermind the fact that you probably lose 30 minutes to the constant roll-in-the-grass dramatics, celebrations after a score, fouls, etc.
I mean, I’m not a soccer rule expert (and many of which I wonder who the hell thought THAT was a good idea), but to call that a headbutt (which is insulting to Zidane) is to liken two cars kissing bumpers to an auto wreck.
I will continue to watch and enjoy the games, but that whiny baby BS needs to go, and a review system would be the best way to combat it.
Also: Mueller should be ashamed of himself. Not only was it fake, it was terribly faked. He looked like a complete weeny “selling” that foul.
You Americans must cringe when you see the theatrics, Considering how violent and contact your sports are. Many here(Hereford is a Rugby city) do not like or follow football and cite the “nancyness” of the players as reason. The magic spray when someone is fouled etc.
In rugby they play on with an eyeball hanging off or a punch to the ribs.
I agree with Jermofoot, I would love a review of football.
It will not happen as long as a Neanderthal runs FIFA.
Reform. Much needed.
Pepe backfisted him. That wasn’t just “one of those things that happen sometimes” like what happened to Dempsey. I call good on Mueller for taking the “dive.”
The headbutt was totally worthy of ejection especially on back of the punch.
That was a weak-ass red card. Soccer is the sport that could use a review system the most, I think, but no one would go for it because it would “kill” the flow of the game. Nevermind the fact that you probably lose 30 minutes to the constant roll-in-the-grass dramatics, celebrations after a score, fouls, etc.
I mean, I’m not a soccer rule expert (and many of which I wonder who the hell thought THAT was a good idea), but to call that a headbutt (which is insulting to Zidane) is to liken two cars kissing bumpers to an auto wreck.
I will continue to watch and enjoy the games, but that whiny baby BS needs to go, and a review system would be the best way to combat it.
Also: Mueller should be ashamed of himself. Not only was it fake, it was terribly faked. He looked like a complete weeny “selling” that foul.
Maybe you are really not an expert? Apparently, many Americans still need to emphasize how tough they are, even if only by proxy? So whats the proper English expression for Pepes deed? Light touch with the forehead? Not ok in soccer, like it or not.
Everything the US needs to do, is play two draws and they are good to go next round.
Believe it or not, but Germany did not play very well against Portugal but knew how to take advantage of the situation.
I saw better games of them!
Outstanding Ochoa ,well played Mexico!
Well earned draw. Means a draw with Croatia will see them through.
Croatia, despite a better game against Brazil would go home because the refeering was poor in the opening game.
Pepe backfisted him. That wasn’t just “one of those things that happen sometimes” like what happened to Dempsey. I call good on Mueller for taking the “dive.”
The headbutt was totally worthy of ejection especially on back of the punch.
That’s as much of a hit to the face as Mueller as Pepe in an armbar. To me it was incidental but perhaps bad taste to have arms up like that. I don’t know a precedence, but if that warrants a card then that’s weaksauce. Spot Germany the ball if you feel it was a foul.
This is a hit, IMO:
@alexgreat:
Maybe you are really not an expert? Apparently, many Americans still need to emphasize how tough they are, even if only by proxy? So whats the proper English expression for Pepes deed? Light touch with the forehead? Not ok in soccer, like it or not.
Yes, I’m the problem here. No, what I see is a sport that wants to be taken seriously in the US but is completely flush with bullshit, and that’s the status quo. It’s pathetic when a poor tackle is recognized by the player and the victim and they play on is the exception, not the rule. I’m not asking to be the NFL or rugby, I’m saying the sport needs to clean up and police itself and not let these antics play out. To me, it’s less sportsmanlike than getting heated during a match.
And for your info:
Headbutt
Touching heads
I’m not saying that’s what he was trying to do, but he certainly wasn’t trying to injure or strike with a blow from his head. In a loud stadium, maybe he was apologizing. Maybe he was checking if he was ok. Hell if I know, and neither do you. But it’s ridiculous if it’s an instant red card as soon as foreheads come together. Why is that even verboten? They were nearly in embrace seconds earlier. I just saw a Russian player knock down a Korean player, and he then tried to help him stretch his leg out. Why not red card that? Logically, the rules don’t make sense. Don’t even bother going into “he has a history”. I don’t care, and it’s not at all relevant to the play.
Pull a Zidane, red card no question.
It wasn’t the punch that got him the red card. That was just a free kick to Germany. I often see some variation of that sort of thing awarded a free kick.
The head butt was what got him the red card. Don’t lose your cool when a call goes against you. Pretty simple.
I don’t have a problem with the card and wouldn’t be terribly bent out of shape if he didn’t get it either. I also don’t know if Pepe had warnings from the ref. before. From the sounds of it the Portugal team was getting very frustrated all around. Maybe the ref was scared of losing control of the match. Sometimes these sorts of calls aren’t just about the incident in question.
It should have been yellow. The “headbutt” was just a note to Muller that Pepe didn’t like being conned. And, it completely destroyed the game as a contest - I didn’t bother watching the 2nd half.
FIFA corruption will come to a head on the Qatar issue. There has probably always been corruption in the choice of host nation, just like in the Olympics.
London got the Olympics, so its the greatest show on earth. England didn’t get the World Cup, so FIFA is a cesspool of filth. But Qatar is only very slightly less unsuitable as a venue than the dark side of the moon, so the corrupt bidding process is there for all to see.
The only good thing that might come from it is a winter World Cup in England. I’d love to see Brazil having to play at Newcastle in January with a freezing sleet blowing in off the North sea.
Spain must win tonight to stay alive; I think age has caught up with them like Uruguay and Portugal, but not convinced Chile are good enough to take advantage.
It should have been yellow. The “headbutt” was just a note to Muller that Pepe didn’t like being conned. And, it completely destroyed the game as a contest - I didn’t bother watching the 2nd half.
The ‘contest’ was over before Pepe was even carded. The red just took all hope of a miracle away.
The biggest effect of the card will show itself in the game against USA. Coentrão is officially done with the World Cup and Pepe getting himself ejected means Portugal will be without two of their backline starters in their game against US. This is somewhat ameliorated by the fact that the US forwards will also be a scratch (and injured) unit.
Dempsey suffered a broken nose and had trouble breathing after he got kicked in the face. No word on whether he’ll wear a mask or not, but a mask is being considered. And of course Altidore is out for Portugal at the very least. Doctors are hoping he’ll be able to have a fast recovery, but he won’t see the field again until Germany at the very earliest. A banged up backline vs a banged up group of attackers could be the deciding factor in the game. US will likely need multiple goals if it hopes to draw/win.
We know USA has a pretty good defense and Bessler will be good to go vs Portugal. And as a last defense, Howard’s one of the best in the world. But against Ronaldo & Co, it’s a stretch to think a one goal game will be enough for the US to get the result they need.
I’m a bit baffled as to how Qatar could even be considered. I would think as far as playing a game goes the Dark Side of the Moon would be friendlier to players. At least then they’d have some sort of environmental protection in needing spacesuits instead of being expected to run around for ninety minutes in a dessert in summer.
That one will end up a war of attrition. The winning team will be the one with the fewest players keeled over from heat stroke. How do they even expect to provide suitable playing surfaces? Are they building a half dozen or more domed stadiums?
It is also expected for the host nation to stay in the competition.
Does anyone think Qatar will gain a point, let alone progress from the group?
It is a ridiculous state of affairs.
Qatar as a WC host is a slap in the face to the other countries that were bidding to host. I’m with you all, FIFA needs to be cleaned up of all it’s corruption.
And in other news . . . The Roos are giving Oranje a tough test. Australia up 2-1 in the 55th and attacking looking for a 3rd goal.
I got to watch Australia and the Netherlands play till the Netherlands tied it, but had a customer and could not finish the game, but what I watched was an awesome game. :-D
Looks like Spain is about to go home!
