Mousa Dembele gets six-game ban for violent conduct

[2bearis2do]

Too harsh, not fair etc - you can argue it either way until the cows come home. It happened, it was ugly and there were bound to be consequences.

The most disappointing thing for me was that Moussa (who for me and I've often said it) has been our key player this season, the lynchpin, the most vital bit of glue in the middle of the park. Sadly, he lost the plot against Chelski - when he should have come to the fore with leadership qualities, not only in terms of his own behaviour but in terms of the pace of the game, directing our younger players. He should have become the calming influence at 2-goals up, the main man in the middle of the park, dictating the pace. Directing our traffic.
Physically, in the tackle and in the brawl he stood up to them, maybe that was the message he wanted to show the younger players? I'm not sure - everyone seemed to lose the plot. But a calmer true leader's head should have helped us maintain our shape and our lead.
He too, (as I love the guy and follow him on social media) will be disappointed with himself, gutted that he got sucked in and down to the level of the Costa's and Fibreglasses of this world and it will cost us at the beginning of next season when we really want a fast start to the campaign.

 

[longtimespur]

Nice to see something sensible being said by a fellow professional

http://sportsnewsireland.com/soccer...n-for-scratching-chelseas-diego-costa-harsh/?

 

[Danners9]

I think 6 is harsh.

I'd say 4 is more reasonable. A red for violent conduct +1. It's not a 'gouge', that implies an attempt to remove the eye. It was not that. It was a scratch? perhaps. A push in the face? an aborted reach for the eye? Either way, it amounts to raising your hands to an opponent, which is violent conduct.

I also think that the reaction of Costa - holding his other side - should be taken into account. If they are saying 'alleged act of violent conduct', surely the impact of this act should count - seeing as we can't guess intent. Although I feel they have.

Hazard did similar to Mason later in the game, by the way. Completely ignored.

 

[thelak]

I don't get how people are defending Dembele. Once you lose your tag like that and do something stupid you leave yourself open to judgements like that. He shouldn't have raised his hands. Period. What he did looks ugly, was pretty weird and could cost us.