Kitson and irony

[Stranded]

Big leap to suggest it'll be 4-4-2 on Weds. I expect a slightly more attacking version of Sunday with a man pushing on from midfield.

Long may well get a chance off the bench for 20/30 mins.

Whilst I'm hopeful that Coppell might go 4-4-2 at home to a vulnerble looking Chelsea, I'm also assuming Kitson will get more than a one game ban.

Fair enough, though some reports suggest Lita may be available sooner than anticipated.

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

I hope Kits twated Guillt. Ok it was a red card, but Guillt basically implied that Kits was trying to hurt Evra, which is a fookin disgrace.

[Readingfc50]

Remember Long coming on against Chelsea last time at the Madejski, he didnt look afraid to take them on and looked to unsettle them with his pace. I look forward to hopefully watch him play some part

[Row Z Royal]

This is a case of win some, lose some.

This time, Kitson got it wrong, bludgeoned Evra and, while harshly done by perhaps, got a red. I can understand the refs decision. Apart from the "lets set a new record for ManUre free kicks on the edge of the area" game most of the other free kicks were valid - for both sides.

If a player comes on a lamps someone in 30 seconds he's going to go. The ref can't run the risk of allowing someone who makes that sort of entrance to stay on the pitch. My driving instructor always used to tell me to be very cautious and sensible on my driving test - if the examiner thinks you're a boy-racer in your test then he's going to keep you off the road so that you don't hurt anyone in future.

I don't want Kits to take this *ahem* assertive element from his game. It makes him who he is.

Accept the ban, carry on.

[soggy biscuit]

Oster's foot was off the ground for the freekick in the 94th minute. Was that considered to be 'controlled' and therefore not a red (or even a yellow ?)

Did Oster's foot make contact with the player, as I stated had to happen for it to be a red card?

[1960]

It's quite difficult to argue that it was not a red offence. If Styles & the lino thought it was, then fair enough. But my point was that he suffered much more than Evra a year ago and Riggott stayed on. You can talk about refs clamping down this year, but I was gobsmacked when Riggott wasn't sent off, clampdown or not.

A shame really that Kitson has removed himself from the next three games with Lita injured. It was a totally unnecessary tackle/block/foul in that area of the pitch and he has let the team down big time.

[Archies Volley]

It was a totally unnecessary tackle/block/foul in that area of the pitch and he has let the team down big time.

very unfair on Kitson

red card was fair enough (although would not have beem given to a utd player as discussed)

however, he was sent on and told to try and chase all along their back line and block any balls forward he could. This is what he tried to do but he got it wrong.

[papereyes]

It was at Reading's Madjeski Stadium that we saw the quickest sending-off in the Premier League last year.

In fact, I believe it was the fastest sending-off ever clocked by a player coming on as a substitute. Keith Gillespie auditioned for honorary president of the Petr Cech Supporters' Club by elbowing Stephen Hunt fully 12 seconds after coming on as a replacement.

You'd think, then, that Reading's Dave Kitson might learn the old adage that those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it.

Kitson had been on for less than 40 seconds of Sunday's opening-day fixture for the Royals, away at Old Trafford against champions Manchester United, before he clattered into Patrice Evra.

Red hair, red mist, Red Devils, red card.

Kitson walked, and Reading bravely hung on to the 0-0 scoreline for a hard-earned first point of the campaign.

Simple, then yes? Reading are brave, Kitson's a moron. Case closed?

Not so fast. Compare the two scenarios, from this weekend and from January, when Gillespie committed his misdemeanour.

Now, Mr N Warnock may wish to focus on the lack of action Mark Halsey took against Steve Sidwell for a tackle a few moments previously, but for the purposes of this comparison, let us simply say that Gillespie walked on, confronted Hunt, elbowed him in the mush and got sent off. There was no other decision Halsey could have made.

Now back to Sunday, Kitson on Evra. Referee Rob Styles had a decision to make, and I refuse to berate him, despite him not being one of my favourite officials.

As a referee, sometimes you give a decision, whether it is a penalty award, giving a corner or a goal-kick, or in this case deciding what level of punishment to dish out to an offender, that afterwards you realise may have been inaccurate.

Was Styles right to send off Dave Kitson? The argument 'for' would be that in the Laws of the Game it is written in Law 12 that Serious Foul Play is a straight red card. If Rob Styles construed that tackle to be serious foul play, and you can see why, then Kitson walks, fair and square.

However, the realist in me knows a couple of things. Firstly, I know that if 100 tackles are made like that in the Premiership this season, I would say that no more than 20 will result in red cards.

I have no problem with the sending-off at all if that is what we will see from Rob Styles every week.

People with an anti-ref mindset from the outset frequently contradict themselves, with my favourite being how all refs should give the same decisions uniformly across the board - then go on to suggest that refs should use more common sense. So you want reactive, sensible, rational officials, that automatically give pre-set decisions? Human robots, in other, somewhat oxymoronic, words.

The phrase 'in the opinion of the referee' is used very frequently in the law book, and last time I checked, we all have varying opinions on a variety of issues. How otherwise would you explain the continued appearance of Titus Bramble in the Premiership? I might think he's rubbish, you might think he's rubbish, but it seems that Chris Hutchings disagrees. Titus Bramble is Premiership quality. In his opinion.

So in Rob Styles' opinion it was a sending-off. Other refs may agree, others may disagree, but it is the man in the middle that counts.

The only consistency card I would play within refereeing is that Styles must now be consistent. If a similar tackle is committed next week, Styles needs to send off the perpetrator.

Saying that all referees, on matters like this, matters of opinion, must think and do exactly the same is frankly not possible. It's like saying that because Sir Alex Ferguson lined his team up with a 4-4-2 formation that all other managers should follow suit.

I am not saying that all referees should be mavericks and wildly vary in their judgments - I simply think that when rational, opinion-based calls are required, it is utopian to say the least to think all of the Select Group officials would do exactly the same thing.

However, there is of course one aspect to the sending-off to take into consideration: the location.

I want to point out that I am not saying that Rob Styles only sent off Dave Kitson because it was at Old Trafford against Manchester United. I cannot say that. That's like saying, "Claudio Pizarro, he can score against Birmingham, but not against the better sides." Well he hasn't had a chance yet, so that wouldn't be right.

I'm happy to start the season with a clean slate for all officials, so I'll let Styles off, despite my suspicions. However, if he lets a similar tackle slide by because it is committed by a top-four player, or at a ground less intimidating than Old Trafford (i.e. all of them), then the word 'consistency' should be shouted at Styles from every rooftop.

In my opinion, anyway.

[Archies Volley]

was just about to post the above - very sensible piece IMO

[Behindu]

Oster's foot was off the ground for the freekick in the 94th minute. Was that considered to be 'controlled' and therefore not a red (or even a yellow ?)

Did Oster's foot make contact with the player, as I stated had to happen for it to be a red card?

Massive change in the laws then - it has always been seen that an offence was treated the same whether contact was made or not - red card for striking or attempting to strike a player for example. Players were not 'let off' becasue they were not good enough to connect with their attempted strike !!

From memory I think Oster's foot did make contact, although only with the raised foot of Evra !

[Southbank Old Boy]

Oster's foot was off the ground for the freekick in the 94th minute. Was that considered to be 'controlled' and therefore not a red (or even a yellow ?)

Did Oster's foot make contact with the player, as I stated had to happen for it to be a red card?

Massive change in the laws then - it has always been seen that an offence was treated the same whether contact was made or not - red card for striking or attempting to strike a player for example. Players were not 'let off' becasue they were not good enough to connect with their attempted strike !!

From memory I think Oster's foot did make contact, although only with the raised foot of Evra !

It also wasn't reckless or likely to cause injury.

Osters also wasn't a foul of course but Styles can hardly turn away an appeal from Utd in the closing stages can he!

[Behindu]

I think it was reckless, but it didn;t casue injury. How can you judge what is 'likely' to cause injury ? Duberry's challenge on Rooney wasn't 'likely' to casue injury but it did...

[Rev Algenon Stickleback H]

what did disappoint me was they Evra seemed to roll around in agony clutching his leg above the knee, nowhere near where contact was made.

[Southbank Old Boy]

I think it was reckless, but it didn;t casue injury. How can you judge what is 'likely' to cause injury ? Duberry's challenge on Rooney wasn't 'likely' to casue injury but it did...

Are you saying you can't recognise a challenge that is more likely to inflict pain and/or cause injury over another? If so you're losing grip a bit there.

What was also dangerous and reckless was Rooney's lung on (I think) DLC in the right back area. My memory is 100% clear but Rooney was frustrated having just lost the chance to have a shot in our box and then clattered DLC when trying to clear.

[clauski]

Let's not get too paranoid. It was a bad challenge and on another day with another ref and/or another player it could have got either nothing, a yellow or a red. Yesterday it was a red. There's no consistency but there's no vendetta against a smaller club - if Rooney had put that challenge in on someone for example he'd quite probably get a red.

In my view it was a matter of time before this happened with Kitson - he often goes in for such block tackles and sometimes mis-times it and catches or just misses the player. No malice or intent to hurt, but a risky tackle. To be honest I'm surprised he hasn't had a red or caused a serious injury before.

[cmonurz]

what did disappoint me was they Evra seemed to roll around in agony clutching his leg above the knee, nowhere near where contact was made.

Probably the area of his leg that was jarred by the 6ft 2ins bloke clattering into him.

[Behindu]

Are you saying you can't recognise a challenge that is more likely to inflict pain and/or cause injury over another? If so you're losing grip a bit there.

I can recognise a challenge that HAS caused injury, I have no idea what a challenge that is 'likely' to cause injury might be. A two footed lunge at knee height made from 6 feet in front of me is not likley to casue imjury as I'll get out of the way. A snide kick on my Achilles may look nothing but would hurt like hell.

I just don;t think the phrase 'likely' to cause injury would be very helpful in a game of football.

[Franchise FC]

I think it was reckless, but it didn;t casue injury. How can you judge what is 'likely' to cause injury ? Duberry's challenge on Rooney wasn't 'likely' to casue injury but it did...

Are you saying you can't recognise a challenge that is more likely to inflict pain and/or cause injury over another? If so you're losing grip a bit there.

What was also dangerous and reckless was Rooney's lung on (I think) DLC in the right back area. My memory is 100% clear but Rooney was frustrated having just lost the chance to have a shot in our box and then clattered DLC when trying to clear.

No wonder Rooney didn't make the second half if DLC had his internal organs.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Are you saying you can't recognise a challenge that is more likely to inflict pain and/or cause injury over another? If so you're losing grip a bit there.

I can recognise a challenge that HAS caused injury, I have no idea what a challenge that is 'likely' to cause injury might be. A two footed lunge at knee height made from 6 feet in front of me is not likley to casue imjury as I'll get out of the way. A snide kick on my Achilles may look nothing but would hurt like hell.

I just don;t think the phrase 'likely' to cause injury would be very helpful in a game of football.

So you've never witnessed a tackle and thought, blimey, thats a potential leg breaker? Never thought, he's lucky to not have been hurt there? If your answer is no you're either blind or you just don't appreciate the physical contact that goes on on a football pitch.

Obviously some innocious incidents can lead to injuries, such as Doobs on Rooney at Old Trafford, but over the top dangerous challenges are dangerous because they can lead to serious injuries.

If you don't think so perhaps you need to draw it to the attention of FIFA and just about anyone who's ever commented on a game of football thats involved some hairy tackles. The laws state that tackles that are likely to endanger an opponent are open to a red card and most people can appreciate what a dangerous tackle is.

In Kitsons case I think the red card was a bit harsh, but now I've looked at it without the emotion of being at the game I can see why Styles chose to show red not yellow, even if I dont 100% agree.

[.:BigDaveInTheDungeon:.]

Be honest, if that had been Evra against Kitson at the Mad Stad you'd all have been baying for blood.

Spot on.

It was a very bad challenge. A borderline red, but I wasn't at all surprised when it was shown.

If it had been Evra against Kitson then no way on God's green Earth would Evra have been sent off.

That's what irritates me, and is probably the main difference I noted last season between the football league and the premier league. It's just not a level playing field in that respect.

and wasn't something similar happening in the italian league not long ago, officials being biased towards the larger clubs. don't think it wouldn't happen the amount of money that is at stake, the game is rotten.