If a player had stamped on me like that and gotten away with it I think i'd be wanting to get some sort of onfield payback.
The London press have hardly mentioned the Song stamp. The backpages were all centred on Barton and his thuggish behaviour. In reality, Barton has certainly got his act together over the last 18 months or so. Song should be banned. It reminded me of when Grimandi done it to McCallister in 2000 I think. Must be an Arsenal thing, doing it away from the refs sight like sly foxes and then condemning others.
Shame on the southern press who failed to single out Song for starting the fracas at st james park.
By the way, i'm not condoning Bartons actions. He would have been wise to walk away from the Fod but Song and Gervinhos actions were far worse.
Not one to stick up for Barton but...
posted on 15/8/11
comment by Gingerfinch (U2200)
posted 31 minutes ago
I did feel a bit for Gervinhio. One second he had been tripped up, the next he had a pr.ck like Barton grabbing him by the neck.
Song's stamp or tread was cowardly and he deserves a ban.
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He did not grab him by the neck, it was by the shirt. Barton was grabbed by the neck last season by Diaby, just to put you straight.
posted on 15/8/11
Just posted this on another article (fits here too) -
In defence of Barton, he has changed since his time inside. Whilst I admit what he did to Dabo (Hartson did a similar thing at West Ham and got away with it in comparison) and his involvement in what happened outside McDonalds was wrong, you must give him credit for changing his life around since his time inside. The fact that he has stayed out of trouble and does work for the Sporting Chance Clinic has to be recognised.
People bang on about his poor discipline on the pitch but yet he has only been sent off 3 time (I think) in his career, there are far worse players out there.
posted on 15/8/11
First off, I can't stand Barton! But song did stamp on his leg and if it had been Barton slapping someone like foreheadino did, then they would have collapsed just the same!
posted on 15/8/11
First off, I can't stand Barton! But song did stamp on his leg and if it had been Barton slapping someone like foreheadino did, then they would have collapsed just the same!
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I agree. Plus it doesn't help when players are encouraged to go down if they feel contact. Just listen to the commentators !
posted on 15/8/11
This article has roused some good discussion - should be some 4-5 star ratings
It seems to me that the one star was given by mthierry (U7482) - not because he thought it was a poor article but because he disagreed with it. What a sad world eh
posted on 15/8/11
I agree, Song should be banned for what he did. Doesn't excuse what Barton later did to a completely different player, though.
posted on 15/8/11
I did feel a bit for Gervinhio. One second he had been tripped up, the next he had a pr.ck like Barton grabbing him by the neck.
Song's stamp or tread was cowardly and he deserves a ban.
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He did not grab him by the neck, it was by the shirt. Barton was grabbed by the neck last season by Diaby, just to put you straight.
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Ok, the shirt but he was still manhandled.
posted on 15/8/11
It's the second consecutive season we've been hard done at SJP. Last season, after Diaby was sent off, Nolan committed a similar offence when he grabbed Sczeczny in a head-lock but escaped with a yellow, not to mention 2 highly disputable penalties and a joke free-kick from which Tiote scored.
No provocation from Song's light tread (not 'stamp' justified Barton's behaviour which was turned into a bigger farce by the pontificating and righteous indignation he displayed after the game. The guy is one sick joke.
And I don't know why it's escaped people's attention that his assault on Gervinho occurred with play waved on. Surely that WAS a penalty even if the first appeal was overruled.
The ref quite simply bottled it big time.
posted on 15/8/11
Barton is an absolute character and even though his behavior sometime is a disgrace for the game, we all still want to see characters like this in the game. We all like a rebel you see!
posted on 15/8/11
Imagine if the stamp happened on a Sunday morning? I would have been waiting for him after the game!