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Zenit St Petersburg 2-0 Liverpool
14 Feb 2013
4:46PM
Good afternoon. Yes, it’s Valentine’s Day but more importantly there are 16 Europa League last-32 first legs to attend to. First up, Liverpool travel to St Petersburg for a meeting with Russia’s current champions Zenit.
We’re just 15 minutes away from kick-off so here are the teams:
Jordan Henderson and Luis Suarez gets us going but it’s the home side who attack first through Brazilian international Hulk before Glen Johnson clears for a corner.
They break through again and Pepe Reina has to be alert to save from Aleksandr Kerzhakov.
Not even two minutes have been played and Livepool have a great chance of their own. Suarez gets onto the end of a long diagonal ball, steps inside his marker but shoots just wide.
It’s 100 miles-per-hour at the moment.
14 Feb 2013
5:05PM
Hulk runs unopposed through the middle and fires towards the bottom corner from 20 yards which Reina has to bat away. The former Porto star was given far too much room there.
14 Feb 2013
5:11PM
Zenit now working the ball well in Liverpool’s half and holding onto position with a passage of tidy passing.
14 Feb 2013
5:18PM
What. A. Chance. Nicolas Lombaerts plays a pass straight to Suarez, who runs through on goal and must score. He opts to go around Vyacheslav Malafeev, however, and overruns the ball.
Hulk or “The Hulk” as Trevor Welch has just referred to him, is causing all sorts of problems. First, he leaves Joe Allen for dead and steps inside Jamie Carragher, who adjusts his feet well to sweep the ball clear.
Moments later, the same player crashes a shot off the post after Axel Witsel’s cross is only half-cleared.
Oh dear, Luis Suarez is again guilty of a glaring miss. Downing tees up Allen, whose cross is tipped to the back post where Raheem Sterling squares to the Uruguayan. He attempts to flick it home but misses the target.
Credit: Dmitry Lovetsky/AP/Press Association Images
14 Feb 2013
6:06PM
The second half has just started. No changes on either side.
14 Feb 2013
6:08PM
Glen Johnson runs at least 50 yards with the ball, nutmegs Lombaerts then sees his toepoke kept out by Malafeev. It would’ve made a superb individual goal.
14 Feb 2013
6:12PM
First substitution of the evening – Danny is off for Sergei Semak. The Portuguese attacker picked up a knock in the first half and doesn’t look to have recovered.
14 Feb 2013
6:19PM
Slovakian midfielder is the next man into referee Carlos Velasco Carballo’s book after pulling back Gerrard in midfield.
Then Liverpool break in numbers with Downing. The winger cuts inside and lets the ball run to the onrushing Suarez, but his first time effort is narrowly wide.
25 minutes on the clock and the deadlock has yet to be broken.
14 Feb 2013
6:28PM
GOAL! Zenit St Petersburg 1-0 Liverpool (Hulk)
The home side are in front and it’s their danger man Hulk. The Brazilian lets fly from 25 yards with a shot that takes a slight deflection off Martin Skrtel on it way past Reina.
14 Feb 2013
6:31PM
GOAL! Zenit St Petersburg 2-0 Liverpool (Sergei Semak)
A second goal in quick succession and it’s the substitute Semak. Anyukov’s cross isn’t dealt with by Skrtel and Semak takes advantage of Johnson’s ball-watching to blast home.
14 Feb 2013
6:37PM
It’s a case of chances not taken for Liverpool. They had several opportunities to secure an away goal or two but will face a considerable challenge at Anfield if the first leg finishes 2-0.
Lucas, meanwhile, has replaced Sterling.
14 Feb 2013
6:43PM
A Suarez free-kick is pushed away and it’s eventually cleared after Henderson tries to recycle the ball.
14 Feb 2013
6:50PM
Viktor Fayzulin on since the 82nd minute, shoots wide of the mark and we’re seconds away from the final whistle.
Let’s be honest, the head area of a player must be protected, we know this, we saw in the world cup what needs to be punished and so on. But if that tackle is a 4 week ban, then it’s making a farce of things. He tried to wrap, and bounced off his shoulder. He tried to hit lower, but bounced off the contact as he tried to wrap and honestly I can’t even see where he made contact with the head in the replays I saw. TMO looked and went on during the match itself. There’s needs to be some sense here and this makes a joke of things
@Andrew Taz Donohoe: correct Andrew. That’s the way I see it too. He dips, he attempts a wrap and I see a head predominantly on front upper shoulder. No intent and not reckless either. Heads clashing unfortunately are part and parcel of a contact sport.
@Jim Demps: The guy who eye gouged tom curry got 6 weeks too. Deliberate malicious acts that can do serious damage to only the recipient, versus another where the damage is accidental and can be reciprocal. Since Addison is made of glass i’m surprised he didn’t need to be carted off too!
Looking at World Rugby’s high-tackle framework that the decision seems to be based on, the rationale seems to be as follows: High Tackle (high contact by tackler’s…) > Shoulder or Head (degree of danger) > High > Red Card.
If it forces player’s to tackle with the correct shoulder and reduces head injuries then fair enough. However, you would like to see referees and citing commissioners being more consistent in applying the laws to make a meaningful change to how players tackle.
@EK: That link is very helpful. Onus is on the tackler and it seems that Addison got his positioning wrong and failed to complete the tackle safely. I would classify it as reckless and 4 weeks sounds about right.
Ban is fair enough to be honest, he was always going to be found guilty, might have saved himself a week if he accepted the charge. Once the citing commissioners and refs are consistent with it from here on in then there can’t be many complaints.
@john williams: It is a black and white reckless tackle I’m afraid. It shouldn’t matter which province you support to see that.
I realise that there is loads of provincial bias in these comment sections, but I am pretty sure that Jim agreed with Bundee Aki’s ban during the world cup. That would not support your theory.
@Mark Smith: Don’t think the height has anything to do with it, that was fine, it was head placement that was the issue. The head injury report did mention that more concussions occur in the tackler rather than person tackled, so for me the ban is fair enough, to reduce head injuries the tackler has to not endanger themselves. However the application will raise questions, should a tackle that has poor head positioning only be punished when there is head to head contact? Or should all tackles with poor head placement be punished as it had the potentional to cause head injuries?
@Kingshu: well of course the former. As the commission said. It was a reckless tackle that made contact with the head. The tackle is only reckless when contact is made. You don’t send off players for punching air. Now if they punch a face it’s different
@PScald: so you sentence based on outcome rather than intent? That’s what’s wrong at present. Throwing a punch is throwing a punch whether it connects or not surely
@RabidHorizon: so you think every tackle attempt with poor head positioning should result in a yellow card or worse? mate, I don’t think you should be watching rugby.
Ridiculous ban,there was nothing reckless about the tackle…he went for a wrap and both heads clashed…it happens in rugby…soon ankle tapping will only be allowed!
Some of the bias on here defies belief. Head first into the players opposite players chin/cheek. Reckless, read up a little on the effects of concussion in later life folks, Rugby has to sort this, or else its gonna end up ruining the game. Tackle low will also have the positive impact on the offloading game although the next problem with the tackler concussion through contact with knees!
Looking at the tackle several times in slomo..I honestly don’t see any reckless play at all..just an attempted wrap and a clash of heads.
Very harsh decision…ridiculous
@Ronan Skelly: It is extraordinary how 2 people can look at the same clip and come to opposite points of view.
Will addison is responsible for his poor technique and head placement. This is a blight on our professional sport that I rarely see in amateur / youths rugby. Leading players like Will (and others such as Sexton, Farrell, Biggar) regularly set a bad example to kids and, incorrectly, portray a negative image to parents selecting a sport for their 6 year olds.
Bams like this are the only way to ensure long term improvement.
@Ronan Skelly: the rule has changed. Players must tackle lower or suffer the consequences. Harsh lesson for Addison but not as bad as the long term effects of repeated concussion.
This was a 100% rugby incident , no malice from Addison , he wrapped his arms and his shoulder hit the opponent below shoulder level . If Addison had gone off with a head injury nothing else would have happened.
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Let’s be honest, the head area of a player must be protected, we know this, we saw in the world cup what needs to be punished and so on. But if that tackle is a 4 week ban, then it’s making a farce of things. He tried to wrap, and bounced off his shoulder. He tried to hit lower, but bounced off the contact as he tried to wrap and honestly I can’t even see where he made contact with the head in the replays I saw. TMO looked and went on during the match itself. There’s needs to be some sense here and this makes a joke of things
@Andrew Taz Donohoe: correct Andrew. That’s the way I see it too. He dips, he attempts a wrap and I see a head predominantly on front upper shoulder. No intent and not reckless either. Heads clashing unfortunately are part and parcel of a contact sport.
Huge blow, 4 really important games he’s missing. Length of the ban seems a bit harsh, but that’s the way the sport is going I suppose.
@Peter McCarthy: Deliberate elbow to face 6 weeks. Legal tackle with poor head placement 4 weeks. Doesn’t seem right to me.
@SilexFlint: legal mauling with poor elbow placement?
@Jim Demps: The guy who eye gouged tom curry got 6 weeks too. Deliberate malicious acts that can do serious damage to only the recipient, versus another where the damage is accidental and can be reciprocal. Since Addison is made of glass i’m surprised he didn’t need to be carted off too!
Would probably help to have a clip of the Addison tackle for context. Link here: https://streamable.com/fpph8
Looking at World Rugby’s high-tackle framework that the decision seems to be based on, the rationale seems to be as follows: High Tackle (high contact by tackler’s…) > Shoulder or Head (degree of danger) > High > Red Card.
If it forces player’s to tackle with the correct shoulder and reduces head injuries then fair enough. However, you would like to see referees and citing commissioners being more consistent in applying the laws to make a meaningful change to how players tackle.
@EK: That link is very helpful. Onus is on the tackler and it seems that Addison got his positioning wrong and failed to complete the tackle safely. I would classify it as reckless and 4 weeks sounds about right.
@Paul Ennis: what? To me Addison came off worse… he hit his own head off the guys arm/shoulder.
Nahh this makes a mockery of the law.
Ban is fair enough to be honest, he was always going to be found guilty, might have saved himself a week if he accepted the charge. Once the citing commissioners and refs are consistent with it from here on in then there can’t be many complaints.
@Jim Demps:
Yes I agree, the rules are there for a reason and the players will have to adapt.
For me the tackle was poor technique and at great risk to Addison to suffer injury, given where he placed his own head.
Players will have to learn the hard way to lower the tackle
@Jim Demps: very harsh ban….U wouldn’t be saying the same if twas Mike Haley
@john williams: wait and see I suppose, I’d more than likely be saying exactly the same thing though.
@john williams: It is a black and white reckless tackle I’m afraid. It shouldn’t matter which province you support to see that.
I realise that there is loads of provincial bias in these comment sections, but I am pretty sure that Jim agreed with Bundee Aki’s ban during the world cup. That would not support your theory.
@Mark Smith: Don’t think the height has anything to do with it, that was fine, it was head placement that was the issue. The head injury report did mention that more concussions occur in the tackler rather than person tackled, so for me the ban is fair enough, to reduce head injuries the tackler has to not endanger themselves. However the application will raise questions, should a tackle that has poor head positioning only be punished when there is head to head contact? Or should all tackles with poor head placement be punished as it had the potentional to cause head injuries?
@Kingshu: well of course the former. As the commission said. It was a reckless tackle that made contact with the head. The tackle is only reckless when contact is made. You don’t send off players for punching air. Now if they punch a face it’s different
@PScald: so you sentence based on outcome rather than intent? That’s what’s wrong at present. Throwing a punch is throwing a punch whether it connects or not surely
@RabidHorizon: so you think every tackle attempt with poor head positioning should result in a yellow card or worse? mate, I don’t think you should be watching rugby.
Ridiculous ban,there was nothing reckless about the tackle…he went for a wrap and both heads clashed…it happens in rugby…soon ankle tapping will only be allowed!
Some of the bias on here defies belief. Head first into the players opposite players chin/cheek. Reckless, read up a little on the effects of concussion in later life folks, Rugby has to sort this, or else its gonna end up ruining the game. Tackle low will also have the positive impact on the offloading game although the next problem with the tackler concussion through contact with knees!
Looking at the tackle several times in slomo..I honestly don’t see any reckless play at all..just an attempted wrap and a clash of heads.
Very harsh decision…ridiculous
@Ronan Skelly: It is extraordinary how 2 people can look at the same clip and come to opposite points of view.
Will addison is responsible for his poor technique and head placement. This is a blight on our professional sport that I rarely see in amateur / youths rugby. Leading players like Will (and others such as Sexton, Farrell, Biggar) regularly set a bad example to kids and, incorrectly, portray a negative image to parents selecting a sport for their 6 year olds.
Bams like this are the only way to ensure long term improvement.
@Ronan Skelly: the rule has changed. Players must tackle lower or suffer the consequences. Harsh lesson for Addison but not as bad as the long term effects of repeated concussion.
Agreed no harm intended.
This was a 100% rugby incident , no malice from Addison , he wrapped his arms and his shoulder hit the opponent below shoulder level . If Addison had gone off with a head injury nothing else would have happened.
Harsh !
Positioning was a bit high but cpntact with his shoulder, length of ban is not proportionate
Hope the referee and the TMO also get punished. This was a red card offence.