The rules state it has to be a careless, reckless or excessive trip or kick to be a penalty. None of these boxes were ticked in my opinion...so it's not a penalty.
But was it a foul?
I don't think it was a foul. You make a good point in decoupling the two things.
It's one of those myths perpetuated by the likes of Andy Gray on Sky Sports that if you make contact with an attacking opponent and don't make contact with the ball in the penalty area, it's automatically a foul.
In playing for that contact, so he could do his little dive, Calderon was being canny. But the ref knew what he was up to.
The rules state it has to be a careless, reckless or excessive trip or kick to be a penalty. None of these boxes were ticked in my opinion...so it's not a penalty.
How can the keeper rushing off his line like that, with defenders in attendence not be careless?? It was an unnecessary challenge and there was contact. If the ref decided there wasnt sufficient contact for a penalty that doesnt AUTOMATICALLY make it a dive.
There was contact, but only because Calde left his foot in cleverly*. Unfortunately it ws the one of the few decisions that twat got right.
*or ungentlemanly depending on your viewpoint
That one slow-mo replay from the east stand last night showed it perfectly. There was no contact whatsoever. He dived.
In full speed from most of the ground it looked a cast iron pen. But although Durso is a massive wally, he got that one absolutely spot on.
Spot on, Kazenga.
Spot on, Kazenga.
it was a penalty for sure, yes calde played for it but the keeper took the man not the ball and thems the rules...how many pens are given because a defender or keeper takes the attacking players trailing leg and not the ball?
LOTS.