Those who don't know what I am talking about can seek out their gore videos online themselves. ;)

My point however is the almost worldwide shunning of Martin Taylor.

I've read almost everywhere (local media, worldwide media, local internet, internationally frequented internet) that "evil" Martin Taylor should be banned for at least the rest of the season if not for life.

I call bullyouknowwhat. It was an unlucky tackle that led to a massive and for every football fan highly regrettable injury to Eduardo. Something noone, including Taylor, could forsee. My point is that that kind of tackle happens on average about 10 times a match, this just happened to be the negative extreme of the possible outcomes.

But does that mean we should ban it? No way, Eduardo himself - clearly a lover of football - said it should not be blown out of proportion.
The game is a rough one and it has to stay that unless you want to "pussify" (sorry to the politically correct) it.

Mentioning that, I just get the idea that those idiots who say "soccer" would be a "sissy sport" should actually check out the videos...

We've been talking about it in the other football/soccer threads.

It was a bad tackle but he was already punished for it - red card.

These things happen..

Actually papers and players here have been quite sympathetic and have suggested that the red card was unwarrented. The ref sent him off because poor Eduardo had such a bad injury - but was the tackle so bad? He didnt leave the ground and jump in two footed. he came in from a standing start. He went in low - at ankle height - but was simply beaten by the speed of foot of Eduardo.

As Hitro says, such tackles happen all the time without such injury. One view is that Eduardo's studs gripped the turf so much, his leg was trapped rather than being knocked off the ground - and it was that that caused the horrendous injury.

Actually papers and players here have been quite sympathetic and have suggested that the red card was unwarrented. The ref sent him off because poor Eduardo had such a bad injury - but was the tackle so bad? He didnt leave the ground and jump in two footed. he came in from a standing start. He went in low - at ankle height - but was simply beaten by the speed of foot of Eduardo.

As Hitro says, such tackles happen all the time without such injury. One view is that Eduardo's studs gripped the turf so much, his leg was trapped rather than being knocked off the ground - and it was that that caused the horrendous injury.

I'm a gunner and even I hae to conceed that it was a poor tackle but not with the intent to mess Eduardo up. Wenger has withdrawn his comments and basically apologised for blowing up about Taylor. Tragic for Eduardo, sad for gunners but these things happen. Could hand the manks the title too.

It would be very interesting to see the English media reaction if the same thing happened with an English international player injured by a foreigner, especially if he were from Southern Europe. I don't think the Sun and co would be so sympathetic...