2011

[Jugs]

I don't know mate, I don't know.

RVP will have to get a hat-trick next game

[Slava]

Well.. a couple of chances there I thought Arsenal overpassed in the penalty area. Especially the one where Rosicky had a direct shot from center of goal and squared to Arteta on the left which was blocked.

Mertesacker looks pretty composed and read the play well but he didn't have much pace to deal with anyways.

[amar_e]

Hey guys,
I just booked my ticket to London on 20th of January for Arsenal-Manchester United. I've heard from some people that it will be very difficult to find a ticket since almost all seats are sold to season members. Do you have any suggestion for me?
Thanks.

Phone the Arsenal ticket office in the days before the game to see if they've had any tickets returned. Otherwise go to a tout. Probably your only hope.

[IronChef]

Well.. a couple of chances there I thought Arsenal overpassed in the penalty area. Especially the one where Rosicky had a direct shot from center of goal and squared to Arteta on the left which was blocked.

Mertesacker looks pretty composed and read the play well but he didn't have much pace to deal with anyways.

Certainy had our chances, combination of poor finishing, and excellent goalkeeping held us to a draw.

I like Mertesacker, he can get exposed for pace over distance, but he's a smart player, and he's been getting better as he adapts.

Also, Steven Hunt is still one of the most irritating players in the EPL. Him trying to get Song sent off was pretty appalling, although the sight of Song standing over two Wolves players was pretty hilarious so it works out.

[IronChef]

Suarez gets an additional game ban for giving Fulham fans the finger. Liverpools season going down the drain.

[Slava]

^Andy Carroll must hate that. Its not like they were winning with Suarez either but if Carroll fails to score, his leash will get shorter by the game.

[5DOM]

Alvaro Pereira: Either Evra is not proud to be black or he has an inferiority complex. That term is used in friendly way over here (Uruguay)

[MitchellUK]

Alvaro Pereira: Either Evra is not proud to be black or he has an inferiority complex. That term is used in friendly way over here (Uruguay)

How is it that some of the Latin countries are failing to grasp that Evra is French, and thus to him, what Suarez said was not a friendly term but an insult?

It's like the word "Eskimo". Growing up in Britain, Eskimo was just an umbrella word for all Inuit people of eastern Russia, Canada and Greenland. Only when I moved to Canada did I find out that some of the Inuit population over there found it to be an insulting term.

Fact remains, whether he really meant to offend or not, Suarez chose a word that made reference to Evra's skin colour whilst they were clearly having an argument. I would hazard that most black European's would have been similarly insulted if someone they didn't know/barely knew chose a similar word during a disagreement.

[5DOM]

Alvaro Pereira: Either Evra is not proud to be black or he has an inferiority complex. That term is used in friendly way over here (Uruguay)

How is it that some of the Latin countries are failing to grasp that Evra is French, and thus to him, what Suarez said was not a friendly term but an insult?

It's like the word "Eskimo". Growing up in Britain, Eskimo was just an umbrella word for all Inuit people of eastern Russia, Canada and Greenland. Only when I moved to Canada did I find out that some of the Inuit population over there found it to be an insulting term.

Fact remains, whether he really meant to offend or not, Suarez chose a word that made reference to Evra's skin colour whilst they were clearly having an argument. I would hazard that most black European's would have been similarly insulted if someone they didn't know/barely knew chose a similar word during a disagreement.

While I agree that Suarez shouldn't have made a reference to Evra's skin color to begin with, I don't think it's the same thing as using the word Eskimo. Negrito and the n word are two different words that are pronounced differently. If the former actually is a friendly term and Suarez still only speaks Spanish, I don't think Suarez should be classified a racist. Stupid? most definitely. Racist? maybe.

[IronChef]

Alvaro Pereira: Either Evra is not proud to be black or he has an inferiority complex. That term is used in friendly way over here (Uruguay)

Or he's not from Uruguay. Idiotic comment from Pereira.

[J-Mezzy]

Yeah, I have always supported the suspension but I keep reminding people that negrito is not the N word. Not even close

[MitchellUK]

While I agree that Suarez shouldn't have made a reference to Evra's skin color to begin with, I don't think it's the same thing as using the word Eskimo. Negrito and the n word are two different words that are pronounced differently. If the former actually is a friendly term and Suarez still only speaks Spanish, I don't think Suarez should be classified a racist. Stupid? most definitely. Racist? maybe.

Hence why I said "whether he really meant to offend or not". I understand that negrito is not the n-word, and is not considered an insult in many Spanish speaking countries. The importance, and why I used the "Eskimo" example, is how the word is received by different people in different places.

Maybe he genuinely didn't mean racism, but ultimately using a word that was clearly a reference to another person's skin colour was dumb. Like you said, cultural differences can perhaps lessen the accusation from racism to stupidity. But what I really don't get is the number of people coming out in support of him, like Poyet, like Pereira as quoted in this thread, and others, who are effectively trying to dismiss what he did on those cultural grounds.

At the end of the day, had Suarez said that to someone like Alvaro Pereira, or another South American or Spanish player, maybe it doesn't end up being a situation at all. But Suarez said what he said to a Frenchman playing his football in England, and he didn't say it while they were having a friendly chat, he said it while they were sniping at each other for quite an extended amount of time. Poyet and co. can't defend Suarez on cultural grounds and attack Evra, ignoring that to him being of a different culture and not living in their country, what Suarez said was insulting.

I just wish someone - Poyet, one of Suarez's club or national team-mates, Kenny Dalgleish - would just publicly acknowledge that while they don't think he intended racism, Suarez himself needs to accept that he isn't living and working in a culture like his own, and that they understand how and why Evra might have been upset. Having his friends and team-mates actually going on the offensive against Evra on his behalf (which I obviously don't think Suarez has solicited) isn't helping Luis' case.

[Slava]

Like I said before Suarez was brought up in the Ajax set up and I'm sure they have cultural classes and stuff like that as part of educating the players. Its not like he's fresh off the plane from Uruguay into Europe.

[5DOM]

Great pass by Gerrard and of course Carroll had to mess that up

[Next Coming]

Awesome three points for LFC. Gerrard gets on the pitch and things automatically change. Carroll will get a lot more chances going forward.

Now we just need Chelsea and Arsenal to slip up tomorrow.

[LawdyDawdy]

What a 30 min cameo appearance from Gerrard. It reminded me of when he came on against Napoli in the Europa league and scored a hattrick.

Bellamy was MOTM though. One of the buys of the season.

Coloccini and Cabaye could be facing retrospective action for their challenges.

[Slava]

Another line up with 3 strikers, 3 wingers and 1 midfielder. Atleast we have 3 defenders this time.

------------Berba------Hernandez----Welbeck---

---------Nani-------------Park---------Valencia------

--------------------Carrick -------------------

---------Evra------Jones-------------Rafael-------

--------------------De Gea-------------------

I suppose but Park always plays very high up the pitch.

[Slava]

Mike Dean, you ass hat!

[5DOM]

Damn. Berbatov scores right after

[5DOM]

2-2. Berbatov vs Yakubu