by Hoop Blah »
14 Sep 2010 14:35
RoyalBlue Hoop Blah I've just rewatched that 3 or 4 times and I can't see the defender clip his foot at all, certainly not before Long starts to go down.
As for the ball not changing direction, it did. It went off towards the East Stand under the initial part of the tackle and Long wasn't in the act of shooting, so that tells you how misleading a still photo can be.
I do think the defender got man before ball, but a still photo which doesn't show how the ball or players got into those positions doesn't really confirm anything.
I know Long has a funny running style but it's not that strange! Right foot is positioned to strike the ball, not to dribble or run. I have to say I don't recall the defender protesting at all about the decision either. The very least you would expect to see him do is indicate that he felt he got the ball.
Along with the ref, Long and the defender, I felt it was a nailed on penalty when I saw it live and nothing has been said/shown since to make me change my mind.
I've not said it wasn't a penalty. I've just pointed out that the picture doesn't actually prove anything.
If you watch the video you see that Long wasn't in the process of taking a shot when the tackle was made, he was still looking to run the ball round the defenders lunge and some of the quotes on here about the direction of the ball and what was happening are plain and simply wrong.
Woodcote Royal And we were 2nd best before scoring the first goal in many matches in the season we amassed 106pts.
In fact, there were many games that season when we simply blew away the opposition in a 20 minute burst that would produce the 3 or 4 goals before going back into our shell.
The first goal usally dictates the course of the game and nothing I've read suggests Palace had a great deal to offer once they went behind. Deservedly well beaten seems to be the general consensus.
Agreed that the first goal has a big bearing on the result and flow of a match, and that we were often second best during the 106 season until we turned the screw. It helps that we had the likes of Kitson and Doyle to do that consistently (and Hahnemann for some matching winning saves too), and I just don't think we have that quality in the squad at the moment to turn games quite as well we did that season.