Well done Burnley & Boro

[SimonBHA]

15 minutes ago, Holgate86mfc said:

Even if I dismiss that one (and there was a few that supported it) there has been a lot of comments on there that do come across very bitter. Maybe it's the heat of the moment I don't know. Just think you need to focus on the job in hand. Take Rosenior as an example and his interview. The end of the day you didn't win and you didn't do enough to win it, we carved out the best chances you had the one chance, that's it. Plus people seem to forget the red card meant our best player also had to leave the pitch

I personally think the game was bigger than it actually was as before the game I was convinced the loser would then blow the playoffs as well. I'm still convinced by that 

Anyway no hard feelings. I've said what I wanted to. Definitely a much stronger playoffs than last year 

I'm not frustrated in terms of Saturday's match as I'm not sure we had enough in us to win anyway. I'm frustrated that we've lost one of the players our side is built around in the play-offs. You're dead right, we won't win the play-offs. This will be our 3rd crack at them in 4 seasons. Without the Kayal/Stephens partnership we won't be good enough. I expect Wednesday to beat us 2-0 on Friday and then 0-0 in the home leg. 89 points, I'm gutted, absolutely gutted. 

[Holgate86mfc]

89 points is ridiculous to be fair, coincidence but the last time a team had that many and didn't go up, we finished 2nd that year as well 

You're appealing the red card, if it's no where near a red as claimed then it should be rescinded. I'm not sure if it was a red or not. A couple of Brighton players were after Ramierz and him and Stephens had a run in just before, that's why I think there may have been intent. Only Stephens will know the answer to that though. You will have Dunk back though? 

Derby will definitely get to the final I think

[SimonBHA]

12 minutes ago, Holgate86mfc said:

89 points is ridiculous to be fair, coincidence but the last time a team had that many and didn't go up, we finished 2nd that year as well 

You're appealing the red card, if it's no where near a red as claimed then it should be rescinded. I'm not sure if it was a red or not. A couple of Brighton players were after Ramierz and him and Stephens had a run in just before, that's why I think there may have been intent. Only Stephens will know the answer to that though. You will have Dunk back though? 

Derby will definitely get to the final I think

They won't overturn it. To do so would be admitting an official made a cock up in a £200m game. Dunk is suspended for the away leg on Friday. Stephens hasn't been sent off before, I don't think there was any intent at all. Even if I'm wrong and it is a red I still don't think there's any intent there at all. Ironic really as that was Barton's claim when he wasn't sent off for his studs landing on Kayal's leg the other week. I've got tickets for Friday because I follow my heart rather than my head!

[Dimmu]

1 hour ago, SimonBHA said:

Not just Brighton fans who think it was the wrong decision though. Clearly it is worthy of debate. Whether my opinion is right or wrong, the pundits on Football League Tonight, on Goals on Sunday etc all thought it was the wrong decision. I don't think this is me being a disgusting or vile fan, I just think he got it wrong. I'm not even to upset in the context of the game as I'm not convinced we'd have won anyway but I am gutted that he will miss the play-offs as he's a massively important player for us. Listen to what they say on Goals on Sunday:

 

First time I've seen this and for me, that's never a red. How rarely you see foul play like this? Kick your opponent's studs by your shin? Ball is free to play and looks like the last touch is actually Stephens'. Therefore foul was made by Ramirez... Of course you can give yellow for dangerous play but that's it at most.

Red for that is not the way this game should be going. Not for me anyway.

[rynny]

58 minutes ago, SimonBHA said:

They won't overturn it. To do so would be admitting an official made a cock up in a £200m game. Dunk is suspended for the away leg on Friday. Stephens hasn't been sent off before, I don't think there was any intent at all. Even if I'm wrong and it is a red I still don't think there's any intent there at all. Ironic really as that was Barton's claim when he wasn't sent off for his studs landing on Kayal's leg the other week. I've got tickets for Friday because I follow my heart rather than my head!

I think the red is harsh but agree that they won't over turn it, I think they will class it as reckless and dangerous but no intent.

[Mafiabob]

1 hour ago, SimonBHA said:

They won't overturn it. To do so would be admitting an official made a cock up in a £200  million pound game. Dunk is suspended for the away leg on Friday. Stephens hasn't been sent off before, I don't think there was any intent at all. Even if I'm wrong and it is a red I still don't think there's any intent there at all. Ironic really as that was Barton's claim when he wasn't sent off for his studs landing on Kayal's leg the other week. I've got tickets for Friday because I follow my heart rather than my head!

Why can't we describe it as a league game with a chance of promotion?

Think people get seduced by Sky et al where money means everything. Describe it as glory to get promotion into the top division. Money ain't everything

[SimonBHA]

14 minutes ago, Mafiabob said:

Why can't we describe it as a league game with a chance of promotion?

Think people get seduced by Sky et al where money means everything. Describe it as glory to get promotion into the top division. Money ain't everything

Yeah I completely agree, the £200m game stuff was doing my head in this past week. I regret using that phrase!

[RadioactiveWaste]

Seeing the video, more unfortunate than malicious, deffinatly.

 

I suppose one thing to be wary of is punishing consequences not actions, its a dangerous path to go down.

Still, I just hope we get past Hull, the pundits àre all going for hull after Rotherham basically took the day off. If was going to have a wee bet, I'd have Wednesday as the dark hoarse, no pressure, and certainly no mugs.

[Mafiabob]

18 minutes ago, SimonBHA said:

Yeah I completely agree, the £200m game stuff was doing my head in this past week. I regret using that phrase!

Just gets me why everyone has to put a price on anything. Media and ex players do this repeatedly 

[McRamFan]

Should get rid of the play-offs.  Brighton should be promoted.  Sick of this rinse / squeeze / pound every penny out of hard working fans just to cause stupidity on forums and fans slagging each off for something that is now just a lottery.  Form goes out the window, luck and bottle come to bear.

[DCFCArmy]

6 hours ago, Dimmu said:

You and other modern day footballers ... at least I tried to walk it off, but soon realized it wasn't greatest of ideas. Feeling your tibia trying to get through you skin was moment to remember though.

I assume that players who did their tibia's 50 years ago went to see the doctor after playing the game first.

It bloody hurt mate.. I also broke it again skateboarding , that one hurt as well but strangely not as bad as the first time 

[Dimmu]

1 minute ago, DCFCArmy said:

It bloody hurt mate.. I also broke it again skateboarding , that one hurt as well but strangely not as bad as the first time 

Football and skateboarding... Nice to meet you, fellow masochist.

[DCFCArmy]

4 hours ago, SimonBHA said:

Not just Brighton fans who think it was the wrong decision though. Clearly it is worthy of debate. Whether my opinion is right or wrong, the pundits on Football League Tonight, on Goals on Sunday etc all thought it was the wrong decision. I don't think this is me being a disgusting or vile fan, I just think he got it wrong. I'm not even to upset in the context of the game as I'm not convinced we'd have won anyway but I am gutted that he will miss the play-offs as he's a massively important player for us. Listen to what they say on Goals on Sunday:

 

He's gone in aggressively though, followed through and almost smashed his leg in, you can't do that and expect to get away with it, add in the fact they were having a lovers tiff minutes earlier and you can't not see it for what it is. 

Boro for me on the day deserved to go up, they were fanstastic in the first half, panicked a little in the 2nd half but once you'd scored they got back into it again, better team on the day went up imo. 

I actually hope you at least make Wembley, you deserve that at the very least after the season you've had, and if we fail to make it there I hope you do in Hull in the final

[SimonBHA]

19 minutes ago, DCFCArmy said:

He's gone in aggressively though, followed through and almost smashed his leg in, you can't do that and expect to get away with it, add in the fact they were having a lovers tiff minutes earlier and you can't not see it for what it is. 

Boro for me on the day deserved to go up, they were fanstastic in the first half, panicked a little in the 2nd half but once you'd scored they got back into it again, better team on the day went up imo. 

I actually hope you at least make Wembley, you deserve that at the very least after the season you've had, and if we fail to make it there I hope you do in Hull in the final

Appreciate the good wishes. Praying the lads surprise me and get the job done. I don't think Stephens has been aggressive, both players have raised their feet, he's just got their first. It's just horribly unfortunate that Ramirez has swung for it as well and been a fraction too slow. If Ramirez had swung before Stephens it could have been Stephens with the injury. Stephens has never been sent off in 240+ games. I think it's wrong to suggest he's gone in with any intent other than winning the ball. Whether its red or not is a totally reasonable debate though.

[maydrakin]

Looks like a very unfortunate accident, where Stephens is trying to win the ball.  How should he try to win it in that position, if not by raising his foot?

On a separate note, how does blue and white stripes possibly clash with all red?

It irks me when teams change their colours for no apparent reason.

[Van der MoodHoover]

15 hours ago, SimonBHA said:

Appreciate the good wishes. Praying the lads surprise me and get the job done. I don't think Stephens has been aggressive, both players have raised their feet, he's just got their first. It's just horribly unfortunate that Ramirez has swung for it as well and been a fraction too slow. If Ramirez had swung before Stephens it could have been Stephens with the injury. Stephens has never been sent off in 240+ games. I think it's wrong to suggest he's gone in with any intent other than winning the ball. Whether its red or not is a totally reasonable debate though.

I recall my Seagull ex-colleague (who coincidentally is also called Simon) remarking early in the season that he was mildly surprised how much Dale Stephens had been "putting himself about" in the early matches of the season.

I must confess I don't know much about Dale, apart from the fact he came on as sub and got the first in your 2-0 against us at the Amex last season - which was the start of our implosion

All the best on Friday. Who will play instead of Stephens? Assume Gordon Greer comes in for Dunk?

[SimonBHA]

8 hours ago, maydrakin said:

Looks like a very unfortunate accident, where Stephens is trying to win the ball.  How should he try to win it in that position, if not by raising his foot?

On a separate note, how does blue and white stripes possibly clash with all red?

It irks me when teams change their colours for no apparent reason.

Agreed although apparently the players think the yellow shirt is lucky and wanted to wear it. If it had gone our way would have preferred to see our players celebrating in Blue & White.

[SimonBHA]

3 hours ago, HantsRam said:

I recall my Seagull ex-colleague (who coincidentally is also called Simon) remarking early in the season that he was mildly surprised how much Dale Stephens had been "putting himself about" in the early matches of the season.

I must confess I don't know much about Dale, apart from the fact he came on as sub and got the first in your 2-0 against us at the Amex last season - which was the start of our implosion

All the best on Friday. Who will play instead of Stephens? Assume Gordon Greer comes in for Dunk?

Stephens is competitive and will put himself about, sometimes you wince slightly when he goes into a challenge. But then no reds in his career so far tells you he doesn't tend to cross the line. He and Kayal are very combative and have been the catalyst to our success this season. They cover so much ground and enable the wide men and wingers to play.

Steve Sidwell will replace Stephens. I thin it's fair to say Sidwell hasn't exactly won us over, although scoring in the last minute at Forest put an end to the "FFS not Sidwell" type comments. Greer will be in for Dunk, which for me, isn't to big of a loss. Dunk is good but does have his moments, such as the sending off against you lot. Greer isn't quick but he's an experienced head and leader.

I genuinely think no Stephens presents us with a big problem. I think we might switch to a 4-4-1-1 to compensate and have an extra midfielder. 

[MuespachRam]

My two pennies.... I watched the sending off and in real time at full pace I thought it WAS a red card, it looked a nasty tackle I thought....after seeing it a few times I think a yellow would have done, but as we know the ref only gets one chance to get it right.....one things for sure, it wouldn't have been a red card if you had been at home.

Best of luck in the play offs, make sure you beat the Wendies, I hate them...see you at Wembley...

[Mr. P]

Barton in talks with Rangers apparently.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36293572