The Cryptic Creatures of the Golden Age

Speaker 2
I think that very easily could have been a red card. I think he's quite lucky that it wasn't. You've seen them given us yellows. You've seen them given us reds. I think I'll use that kind of language probably on several decisions in this game. You've seen but go both ways. But I think on another night, he very may well have been sent off for that. I think he should
Speaker 1
have been sent off. I think it's entirely deliberate. The look doesn't look good for me. Exactly. Well, the look is so he knows where to swing his arm in order to connect with Gabrielle. And I think that is what
Speaker 3
makes it
Speaker 1
a red card for me. Players, LeCane is very strong. It was tough going, I think, for Gabrielle at times against him because he is so strong and he's so canny and uses his strength very well a lot of the time. But as we know from experience, I think there are times where,
Speaker 3
perhaps in the Premier
Speaker 1
League, with the protection of being England captain and all the rest, he has been able to get away with certain things that other players would not have been able to get away with. So we know that there is that side to his game. I think this particular incident, you can see him have a look. He throws an elbow back. He catches Gabrielle on the underside of the chin, slash the throat. That is deliberate violent conduct. And it should have been a red card. It should have been a red card. I think he's very, very lucky.
Speaker 2
I think that's right. I think he absolutely knows what he's doing. And him and Gabrielle had a lot of running battles down the years. It would have been a big moment for him to go off A, because it would have been absolutely hysterical. From 60,000 Arsenal fans high light of the season. But it would have also shortened them with him for the next game. Again, I take no pleasure in saying this, but I thought he put in a really good centre-forward performance. That attacking formula by and have of A and dropping in three runners who can all sprint beyond him. It's quite effective,
Speaker 1
isn't it? Yeah, it is. Let's move on then to another controversial incident where Bayern Munich feel like they should have had a penalty. Yeah. This is confusing. I've watched this back quite a few times. Substitutions are being made. Gabrielle J. Zusen-Liandra Trossaude coming on from Martinelli and Georgino. The refs whistle goes. Rhea kicks it to Gabrielle. Gabrielle picks it up. The refs whistle goes again. The Bayern player, we couldn't figure out. I didn't really understand what was happening in the stadium at the time because I don't know whether it just wasn't paying
Speaker 3
attention. That's
Speaker 2
just by completely on TV. I'm not even sure the US commentary drew attention to it. Yeah.
Speaker 1
Because we were looking at Kane going, what the fuck are you complaining about? The balls in play? What played
Speaker 2
a fucking game? We thought he was complaining because you know Kane had a shot, right? Yeah. I think that deflected off rice. Was it to do with that? I can't remember. I can't remember. We thought maybe they were claiming for a handball on the block because we just couldn't make sense of it. Because it's obviously a really strange incident. And this thing of defenders taking goal kicks is quite recent. So there's not much precedent for something like this. No, there isn't.
Speaker 1
Bayern obviously are very unhappy about it and remain very unhappy about it today. And Thomas Tukos unhappy about us, all some quotes from their supporting director talking about how unhappy they
Speaker 3
were about it. I mean, how do you...
Speaker 1
I'm trying to think about this and think about what would happen if it was up the other end.
Speaker 2
Sure. And that is the way to think about it. And I'm sort
Speaker 3
of... Like if they gave a penalty, I obviously wouldn't complain about it.
Speaker 1
I'd say that was a bit odd.
Speaker 3
But at the
Speaker 1
same
Speaker 3
time, I don't think I could bring it...
Speaker 1
Or I could bring myself to vociferously complain that a penalty wasn't given for that. Does that make sense? Like if it had been... Fucking delicked and noir or even, God forbid, Eric Dyer.
Speaker 3
If that
Speaker 1
had happened, it
Speaker 3
would feel so churlish to
Speaker 1
demand a penalty. Because it's really just a silly little mix-up. And I
Speaker 3
know technically it is a penalty.
Speaker 1
If the whistle is gone and Rayas played the ball and Gabrielle picks it up, it's a handball in the box. Technically. So like I said, I wouldn't complain if we got that up the other end, but I would not feel any real sense of injustice if the referee did, you know, what he did in this game. And just sort of said, look, play on. That's just... Come on.
Speaker 2
The point I've heard made elsewhere is what advantage did we gain from it? You know? And the answer is none. I mean, it's sort of a technicality. Gabrielle obviously doesn't realise that the kick has been taken. So yes, the referee could have blown for a penalty. Personally, I like that he didn't. A, because I'm an astronaut fan. And I don't want it to be given. But B, because, you know, I often say I want common sense applied. And I think common sense dictates that, you know, an 80% chance of a goal in the form of a penalty kick would be... unjust punishment for something, sort of... Yeah. You know, that has no malice whatsoever attached to it in which gains no advantage. You'd be being a real jobs worth to apply that particular law, that particular time. I'd be interested
Speaker 1
to know or interested to have seen how big Bayern's complaints about this incident would have been if the scored state to one, for example. Like if they'd won the game. Well, yeah, maybe.
Speaker 2
And another thing to consider, I think, is whether this decision or Bayern's complaints about this decision factored into the decision he made at the end of stoppage time. I...
Speaker 1
I... I have a strong suspicion that it did. Yeah.
Speaker 2
I think it's very plausible. Very plausible, right? We've all had experience of seeing referees do that, you know, to think, I might have... That was a bit generous for the AML. Yeah, yeah. Even things up or whatever. I've no doubt. I mean, it's just basic psychology, isn't it, that that might be in play. So, yeah, I think it's a really weird one. If they'd given it, would we all be criticizing Gabrielle this morning and saying he lost Ed after the Kane thing? Man, I don't know.
Speaker 1
I don't know. I think we just say that was like complete,
Speaker 3
just a
Speaker 1
brain fart for a couple of seconds. It was just a complete mix up. I
Speaker 3
think we would probably be saying
Speaker 1
it's absolutely outrageous or absurd to give a penalty in a Champions League quarter final for something like that. And I think that would be true at both ends.
Speaker 3
It would
Speaker 2
have been a bit like sending Ron Van Persie off for putting that ball in the back of the net in the
Speaker 1
new camp. Exactly, yeah, it would be exactly in that ballpark.
Speaker 2
It's like, okay, technically you could do it, but it shouldn't because, you know, you're doing the damage to a game and the offense was so, you know, without malice.
Speaker 1
The lesson here, of course, for Bayern Munich is to do what Barcelona did and pay the referees
Speaker 4
first. Legend.

EP: 177 Children in the Woods

Blurry Creatures

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