The Eduardo Affair: Botched and inconsistent

The Eduardo Affair has been grabbing all the headlines recently, and now that the striker has been charged with a two game ban it looks like Arsenal are going to appeal against what the club calls an ‘arbitrary decision’. This is the best course of action in a totally unjust situation.

UEFA have set a precedent in doing this, that is that they will now have to take retrospective action on all such incidents, and punish them in a similar way. If this does not happen, then it will mean that Eduardo has been singled out for special treatment, in a totally unfair way.

So I would like Ryan Babel prosecuted for his dive in the 2008 Champions League QF at Anfield, which knocked us out of the competition, and Rooney prosecuted for that dive with at Old Trafford in 2005. Last year Ronaldo dived to get the freekick at Emirates in the Champions League Semi, which he then scored to put the game beyond hope of a come back.

At Old Trafford on Saturday we saw the sort of problems this decision causes, when Arshavin was denied one of the most blatant penalties I’ve seen in years.

In the second half Wayne Rooney was looking to go down over Almunia as the ball headed out of play. In principle there is no difference between what Rooney and Eduardo did, they were both looking to go down over the keeper. Rooney ran towards Alumnia and was already down on one knee before he touched Almunia.

UEFA have overturned a referee’s decision, and now they must be prepared to do that for every game. The referee didn’t see it as a dive, he saw a foul, and gave a penalty. He then stood by his decision after the game. UEFA looked at video evidence (which they refuse to use during games) and retrospectively said that he dived, and decieved the referee.

For deciving the ref Eduardo has been given a 2 match suspension, an offence which would have earned him only a yellow in the game. This doesn’t make sense and I hope that Arsenal pursue all options and take a stand over this.

UEFA refuse video evidence during games, there’s the whole 5 ref crap on trial in the Europa League this season instead, but they are happy to use it after the match to prosecute someone. Eduardo isn’t even a serial offender, I’ve never seen him dive before, unlike C.Ronaldo or Drogba.

Le Grove have started up ‘dive watch’ keeping track of all the dives which UEFA should be prosecuting players for over the next few months, have a look and add to the list, because it only helps our argument.

Tony Attwood also discusses the possibility making UEFA look stupid with their overreaction to the situation, in a nicely written piece.

What do you think about Eduardo’s treatment, are UEFA right to take a stand, or complete imbeciles?

3 thoughts on “The Eduardo Affair: Botched and inconsistent

  1. I have been a football fan for 50years, edwardo dived,but i have seen as blatent dives in every division,Ronaldo should have been suspended nearly every game,rooney on Saturday dived the ball was out of play before he hit the deck.
    I think this will be very costly for my beloved Arsenal they will strugle to be awarded a penalty
    as arshavin prooves

    1. paul billington

      Total agree with everything you say, i thought i was misunderstanding the rules of the game !!!!

      Now lets see if another premiership player is brought into question ??
      Paul
      Ps lambo, is that really you ??

  2. steve west oz

    i am not an arsenal fan but i have to say the eduardo decision is just typical of uefa,platini being a puppet for fifa,blatter & co.its well documented that platini doesn’t like english football and never will,the amount of other foreign players in numerous countries doing the same week in and week out and getting away with it speaks for itself,consistency and transparency we will have to wait and see,unfortunately it is eduardo who is the yard stick in future decisions in this matter again we will have to wait and see,but don’t hold youre breath gunners fans!!!just read the book FOUL by andrew jennings and you will probably know what i’m on about,as an Hull City fan we will prob dive to just above the bottom three(hopefully) gunners,keep playing the entertaining football and have a good season…………………………cannot wait for the adidas world cup

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