Just watched a replay of that tackle in the first couple of minutes on Bassedas last night. No wonder the bloke looked out of his depth for the rest of the night. It was a disgraceful challenge; he was lucky not to have his leg broken. Ouuuch!

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

Answers

On that pitch Bassedas was very lucky his foot did not take more of a grip because if his foot hadn't moved it was broken leg time and a few torn ankle ligaments to boot. That would have been season over and that scuffling brummie tosser would have walked away with no booking. Scandalous decision.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

That tackle was awful - I really think he was very lucky not to have had his leg broken! (:o|

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

When I played centre Half I allways made a HARD /DODgy tackle on the best /fastest forward , just to let them know I was there. Now some of them let this linger on there minds and they were MINE for the entire match , Those who didnt generally got the better of me (im getting on a bit ye kna). SO yes it was a very bad tackle worthy of a booking but Bassedas has to forget it and give as good as he gets , or hes not for the premiership.

just my £0.02

Ken

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

Sorry KB, can't agree. That wasn't a hard tackle, or a calling card. It was a leg breaker. A career finisher.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

I agree Dunx Buit Bassedas has to forget it the fact is his leg was not broken . So he cant run scared for the rest of the match if he does he may aswell be on the bench.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

There was a Hell of a swelling under his eye after a bit as well, wasn't inflicted under the gaze of the cameras. He was looking extremely bright until O'Connor got hold of him.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

Agreed. He looked anxious to be a part of the attack at first. Actually, I was surprised CB got up at all, the 'tackle' dug a trench in the pitch! YBR must've wanted him to see out the game and test his fitness, but he badly faded at the hour mark. Lack of options on the bench with Glass' non-appearance forcing Bassedas to continue?

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

Not deep enough for Homer J Whistleblower to identify it as the scene of the crime: "No no, 3 yards further back Geordies."

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

Midfielder Christian Bassedas picked up a knock on his ankle last night and had treatment at the team's hotel in Sutton Coldfield.

A knock on his ankle!!!

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

I despair at the overall standard of refereeing. The refs in our last two games have been appalling.
There is still a tendency to brandish yellow cards for petty stuff, and yet ignore career-threatening tackles.

The tackle on Bassedas was intended to be intimidatory, was a leg-breaker, and as someone has already said, CB was very, very fortunate that the leg impacted slid on the mud - otherwise it would have snapped. For O'Connor not to even be booked was an absolute disgrace.

Regarding AS's "collision" with the goaly (or otherwise) - either he was brought down, in which case the keeper should have been sent off, or a goal kick should have been awarded. To accept AS was fouled and only book the keeper was a lame "kop out", predicated I suspect on a feeling that AS had made a meal of it. However, his decision was totally against the strict guidelines they are supposed to be following, and does nothing for uniformity of interpretation.

In my totally biased view Brum should have finished the game with 9 men - and would probably still have won!

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000