seen a few people saying it was never a second yellow but having seen it he stuck a leg out and missed the ball taking the player instead. Clear booking isnt it?
It's a clear foul. Can't remember reading the law that states a trip is automatically a booking. I reckon players get booked for a challenge like that far less than half the time, but it is a foul that some referees will book players for some of the time, so you can't really complain, just ask for a bit more consistency. It's the one for which he got the first booking that I have a problem with. I'm not even sure it's a foul, but even if it is, it's very rare a player receives a booking for that sort of challenge. Two players running shoulder to shoulder, one goes down, no goal scoring opportunity, a trip at worst. The only time I've seen a referee hand out a card for that before is when it's persistent fouling which doesn't appear to be the case here.
To be fair, the ref had had a word with him a little while before that challenge so it was probably persistent fouling. The problem in general was Bailey was often our only midfielder that was chasing and was often put under pressure as the 3 in front lost it or mis timed a challenge. Up to then he'd handled it really well and was harrying, pressing & putting his foot in. Exactly what we need from a player in his position - it's the other 3 that will need to get better but it's obvious they already are.
I'd say they're both bookable offences. But what frustrates me is the amount of times that a player makes a silly little foul like that when on a booking, and the referee gives them the benefit of the doubt. If Bailey was warned prior to making that challenge then fair enough. It wasn't a particularly bad challenge and their lad made a meal of it. That said I'm probably just biased.
I know what ya saying about area of the pitch, but theoretically, this should not make a single bit of difference.
