Who else saw the shocking tackle,  Ben Thatcher did to Pedro Mendes.


Match of the Day pundit Mark Lawrenson labelled the challenge indefensible, with Gary Lineker claiming it to be shockingly dangerous. Yet referee Dermot Gallagher only produced a yellow card.

Another quote.
Police and FA investigate Thatcher challenge
Thu 24 Aug, 3:56 PM

LONDON (Reuters) - The FA and Greater Manchester police are investigating Ben Thatchers elbow-first challenge that hospitalised Portsmouths Pedro Mendes during Wednesdays Premier League game.
Mendes was knocked unconscious and suffered a seizure. The incident was replayed relentlessly on TV on Thursday.

Didnt see it, but heard all about it at work!

Sounded absolutely terrible.

He only got a yellow.

Another quote.

On the Blues pre-season tour of China, the former Tottenham was sent off against Shanghai for two bookable offences, but not before putting an opponent in hospital with a punctured lung after a similar challenge, which also went unseen by the referee.

A quote from Harry .

"I do not want to see anyone suspended but how could that possibly not be a red card? What do you have to do to get a red, kill someone?

supprised that its not on youtube yet

I have seen it and WTF Yellow card?
If rooney gets a red for what he did and 3 match ban then this is a red card with 2 weeks ban.

This needs to be sorted, fifa, the ref people and some reps from fotball teams and players all need to finally sit down and thrash out whats what and make some strict lines of what is what, Refs in football currently clearly are unable to make their own judgement and keep to it and be sencible about it. It is just not working, they cant be trusted to think correctly and need to be told more on what to do and how to do it.

I dont get how much of a gap there is from rugby and their refs and football refs, its huge, football has no respect for its refs for a start, both make mistakes but the level of inconsistancey in football us huge and in such a big way. Rugby I would consider has more going on in the game at any given time and so harder to reff so whats currently going on in football god only knows.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH5MyVrCXbE

looks nasty, no place for that in the game.

ahhh portugese, he probably dived then  

I would echo this sentiment; "ing dirty ginger"

Quote from: brummie

ahhh portugese, he probably dived then  

I suppose he did dive(for some)

Thatcher has been condemned from all quarters for the forearm challenge that sent Mendes crashing into the advertising hoardings during the second half of Manchester Citys goalless draw with Portsmouth at Eastlands.

Well i didnt see him go crashing into the advertising boards. infact did he touch them?
He should get a several match ban and fine for sure on that though.

dont think he hit the boards. if he did it was slight.