[Albion] You are the ref: Dale Stephens' challenge on Gaston Ramirez

[Finchley Seagull]

If Stephens was a different kind of player who seeks oppositions cards, he could have thrown himself into the air when Ramirez kicked his boots. Dean would have then walked up to give a yellow to Ramirez, then put the card away when he saw the injury. Fortunately for us, Stephens isn't that kind of player concentrating on forcing an attack instead. It's a shame Dean isn't as intelligent.

Absolutely. It was a foul on Stephens. Ramirez came in late on him. It's so clear when you watch the replays that I don't get why Boro fans still spend time on Twitter and here backing the decision.

 

[GT49er]

It is obvious Dean has reacted to the injury .....which is plain wrong...!! end of...!!

Not according to Dermot Gallagher - "an injury that serious..........that might even need plastic surgery......must be a red card".

 

[sydney]

Not according to Dermot Gallagher - "an injury that serious..........that might even need plastic surgery......must be a red card".

sorry but that is bollox....it's not about the injury its about the contact and the intent , of which there was none.....thorne from derby is currently nursing a double leg fracture ....the ipswich lad was not even booked......these ex ref punditry cockwombles need to FECK ARF....they do enough damage when they are in the job , we don't need them hanging around pissing on the fireworks after they have retired.....how many houses has dermott gallagher got , have a guess...!!??

 

[B.W.]

Not according to Dermot Gallagher - "an injury that serious..........that might even need plastic surgery......must be a red card".

Gallagher is just backing up his m8... so, every time a player gets seriously injured, the opponent should be sent off then!!??... OK, what happened when Solly get's crocked!? Not even a card for the opponent!

 

[pb21]

Absolutely. It was a foul on Stephens. Ramirez came in late on him. It's so clear when you watch the replays that I don't get why Boro fans still spend time on Twitter and here backing the decision.

This is my interpretation too, Ramirez was late to a 50/50 ball and ended up fouling Stephens and injuring himself.

 

[sydney]

If Stephens was a different kind of player who seeks oppositions cards, he could have thrown himself into the air when Ramirez kicked his boots. Dean would have then walked up to give a yellow to Ramirez, then put the card away when he saw the injury. Fortunately for us, Stephens isn't that kind of player concentrating on forcing an attack instead. It's a shame Dean isn't as intelligent.

does this look like an intelligent , adult , male...??

the guy is a top shelf , died in the wool , bell-end..!

 

[GT49er]

sorry but that is bollox....it's not about the injury its about the contact and the intent , of which there was none.....thorne from derby is currently nursing a double leg fracture ....the ipswich lad was not even booked......these ex ref punditry cockwombles need to FECK ARF....they do enough damage when they are in the job , we don't need them hanging around pissing on the fireworks after they have retired.....how many houses has dermott gallagher got , have a guess...!!??

Yes of course it's bollox - I know that. Was just stating what Gallagher said.

 

[Driver8]

Absolutely. It was a foul on Stephens. Ramirez came in late on him. It's so clear when you watch the replays that I don't get why Boro fans still spend time on Twitter and here backing the decision.

This. Had Ramirez been a fraction of a second later he would have been the one getting the red card for a reckless challenge. I have zero confidence in the FA however.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

This. Had Ramirez been a fraction of a second later he would have been the one getting the red card for a reckless challenge. I have zero confidence in the FA however.

Agree. FA won't rescind. Then predictable Boro fans will sign on here again or register and use that to prove they were right all along (when it does nothing of the sort).

What I'm really struggling with is what Stephens should have done. To me, if his foot is a little high, it is to get on top of the ball and control it (and obviously his studs will be down). Are players allowed to control a bouncing ball because the decision on Saturday suggests they're not.

 

[sparkie]

Agree. FA won't rescind. Then predictable Boro fans will sign on here again or register and use that to prove they were right all along (when it does nothing of the sort).

What I'm really struggling with is what Stephens should have done. To me, if his foot is a little high, it is to get on top of the ball and control it (and obviously his studs will be down). Are players allowed to control a bouncing ball because the decision on Saturday suggests they're not.

It would be useful if the FA are shamed into clarifying this.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

I once jumped for a header with a bloke who broke his ankle on the fall.

So....apparently I should have been sent off?

Brilliant. Worrying when even the refs don't know the rules.

 

[Finchley Seagull]

It would be useful if the FA are shamed into clarifying this.

They won't but it would be a fair question for the club to ask (and could be part of their evidence and then ignored). If there are still any Middlesbrough fans loitering on here, I'd be genuinely interested to hear what Stephens should have done. To me, he is completely blameless in the whole situation and yet we lose him for half an hour against them and the whole of the play offs (while Joey Barton can stamp on players and get away with it). You do wonder about football sometimes and referees

 

[AnotherArch]

Never a foul. Dean had been there all the game and should have seen what you may not have seen on the tele, which was Boro leaving a foot in (Ramirez) or even bodies (Nugent, Ayala) after tackles all afternoon. They were so late that the camera may have panned away too quickly.
Now looking at the TV replays, you even see Stephens after the 'handbags' telling Dean, referee-style, of three previous occasions.
When that ball drops Ramirez is so slow that he would never have played the ball but intended to take out Stephens. Its just that his leg contacted before his foot.

 

[Hamilton]

If we win the appeal I'll eat Paddy Ashdown's hat. No way was it a sending off. No way will they change their minds.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bozza]

Never a foul. Dean had been there all the game and should have seen what you may not have seen on the tele, which was Boro leaving a foot in (Ramirez) or even bodies (Nugent, Ayala) after tackles all afternoon. They were so late that the camera may have panned away too quickly.
Now looking at the TV replays, you even see Stephens after the 'handbags' telling Dean, referee-style, of three previous occasions.
When that ball drops Ramirez is so slow that he would never have played the ball but intended to take out Stephens. Its just that his leg contacted before his foot.

I watched some highlights last night for the first time and the Stephens "One Two Three" thing caught my eye.

I'm not very good at lip-reading but during the altercation Stephens was saying "What did you XXXXXX for?" to Ramirez.

I had a chuckle when one of the commentators initially said: "Whatever contact there was from Stephens, you have to feel Gaston Ramirez is milking it a little."

12 minutes of highlights here for anyone interested: https://weshare.me/18e2a251164ca87a with the key stuff from around 6:30.

 

[sparkie]

With Dean's eagerness to get off the pitch at the end, you do wonder if he was secretly happy he hadn't upset the crowd.

 

[AnotherArch]

With Dean's eagerness to get off the pitch at the end, you do wonder if he was secretly happy he hadn't upset the crowd.

Yes the caring referee.
Safety and welfare of players?
Last off at end of game to ensure propriety?
Not this time.
Goodness knows what happened to Stockdale.

 

[sydney]

Having watched the replay a few times and more importantly had a couple of days for the disappointment to go away I think it was the correct decision.

Stephens won the ball but he also left his boot in after the challenge. It's something that happens in football all the time and if he hadn't caused so much damage it probably would've been a yellow, but he did cause that much damage and if you do that as a result of leaving your boot in then I'm afraid refs are going to send you off.

his boot only had one way to go after getting the ball without making contact with ramirezs' leg and that was upwards ...virtually impossible .

 

[grawhite]

Interesting to note that the 7 stupids cvnts who voted for a red card included 2 x Palace, 1 x West Ham and 1 x Norwich....and the other Palace troll Gregbrighton.

Quite why they are allowed on our forum is beyond me.

Was going to also say this.... They shouldn't be allowed to even vote on anything that is not related to them...

 

[Billy the Fish]

his boot only had one way to go after getting the ball without making contact with ramirezs' leg and that was upwards ...virtually impossible .

That's because of the way he went into the challenge with his leg straight out in front of him like that, it's studs up.

If he'd been less aggressive his body position would've been different and he probably would've taken a kick because Ramirez was the one who was late, but Dale jumped in a way that meant he had to leave his foot in.

I'm not trying to say it's clear cut, I think it was an unfortunate set of circumstances because if Ramirez wasn't so slow and didn't miss the ball by a foot they would've connected at the same time and there wouldn't have been a problem.

But anyone saying it's not even debatable is viewing it through blue and white tinted specs.