Gomes expected to make a full recovery following surgery

I, for one, am anxiously awaiting the day when I can complain about you taking a stupid foul at the edge of the box. :-)

It's much harder for a fullback like Coleman because his game was all about doing doggies up and down the flank.

Gomes will fit right back in quite easily and at his age, he's young still.

Besides, how's that saying go? Let him who is without sin something something?

I do suspect as Steve Ferns said that Son set out to kick him in retaliation but that happens a dozen times a game. The outcome was a fluke horrific event.

Similar to Ramos deciding to pull Salah over. Liverpool fans believe it was a premeditated wrestling move designed to dislocate his shoulder. I never bought that. It was a cynical foul with unintended consequences. Seamus knows more than anyone about such injuries.

If he is willing to take Son's remorse at face value then I am certainly not going to second guess his on-field perspective. But we each have our own views and emotions. If others hold a grudge, argue for or against the red, I respect their views but hold my own. I hope we all agree on condemning the one thing that was clearly preventable: the racist abuse.

Just a very bad situation that happens sometimes.

No one suggests there was intent to hurt Gomes

It may be connected to the prior clash, we will never know.

What is for certain is, if positions were reversed the blessed media would have had a lynch mob at our doors

Get well soon Andre

I've also just watched the extended highlights, there should be no outpouring for Son, it's not in doubt that he never meant to injure an opponent BUT he did mean to take him down and from behind. There was intent of sorts and his ban should be at least doubled.

Regarding salvaging the season, if what happened to Gomes, and the appalling officiating against Everton, doesn't fire us up to achieve, nothing will!!

Spot on John. I couldn't agree more.

I think part of why Son may have been so upset was because he knew himself that he was making a very cynical challenge motivated by frustration.

Of course he never meant to injure Gomes. But he knows that what he did directly led to a sickening injury.

This type of challenge, of its going to be used as a tactic by players, must be punished with a red card. To make no attempt to play the ball and just kick someone to prevent an attack, a simple yellow cannot be the correct sanction.

As a football club, if we didn't have bad luck then we would have no luck at all. We seem to get a lot of 12 month type horrific injuries.

Rodrigo
Vaughan
Arteta
Jagielka
Anichebe
Oviedo
Yakubu
Mccarthy
Coleman
Bolasie

There may be others that I've missed

On the plus side it's not a double break of the lower leg, which is what I was initially fearing. Think his injury takes about 3-4 months to heal then physio and rehab. His season is most likely done but fingers crossed he'll be ready for pre- season next summer. Not sure ligaments ever get back as strong after a dislocation but he's still relatively young.

Think the other players would have been distressed seeing his foot pointing the wrong way.

Have to assume he's out for the rest of the season and move on.

Gomes though, it's two way. He allows comments. He responds to them. I've wished him well a couple of times to receive the old like. Maybe he employs someone to do it for him. I think that it's more likely to be the man himself. He's going to have a lot of time on his hands. I would like to think that the man can be bombarded with tens of thousands of well wishes on Instagram and twitter, his preferred social media. That or send the lad a card via EFC.

He has taken the club into it's heart. He has what appears to be genuine affection for the fans. Like Coleman and McCarthy before him, he needs support right now. So let him know on his social media rather than wishing him well here.

No one suggests there was intent to hurt Gomes.

I beg to differ. I'm suggesting and claiming, without reservation, Son intended to hurt Gomes.

From behind, chased down, in a kicking motion clearly meant to do more to hurt, rather than your "professional foul", with absolutely no chance of contact with the ball.

Do not buy into this narrative that Son "isn't that type of player" and soften stance. It was a wicked and violent tackle, who's only end-game was a career ending injury. An injury 100% caused by, and who is 100% responsible for, Mr. Son.

Read my post on the Tosun thread. Son is a shithouse.

Don't forget Barkley's leg break that changed who he was as a player and robbed him of perhaps almost two years of critical development. Things might have turned out very differently but for that. He still doesn't go in for tackles much.

Horrific and vindictive foul by Reid, btw. Can't make out who would be the team in all yellow in the 80s, Leeds? Spurs? If it is Brian Marwood, then it has to be Sheff Weds. Definitely a red card challenge by Reid. Dunno if he got more than a booking though, as this was the 80s.

So whoever posted that must think what Son did was cool given that he was seeking revenge?

Sorry, I'm in a foul mood today.

Mark, I think Coleman showed some class. But there's a school of thought that we lack a nasty streak and we're too nice and this is a prime example of it.

I'd rather be nice Everton than Dirty Leeds.

Blame doesn't fix anything anyway and is a pointless emotional response to most things in life.

Gomes, from what we're hearing, is going to recover, and to be honest that's the only thing that matters anyway. I was heartbroken for the kid yesterday, but feeling a little better about it all this afternoon.

But yes, the only thing that matters is that it does appear André will recover nicely and we can get back one of our own.

Marwood did Adrian Heath in the 1984-85 season and ended it for Inchy. He only came back in the next year but by then Lineker was playing. The season after Inchy was almost an ever present when we won the title again.

Reidy took revenge. Great story how he was done in the BM ECWC semi at Goodison by Pflugler, stuffed a sponge down his sock and carried on. Later he did the guy, only to find it was Soren Lerby he had clattered.

The only conclusions I can draw from your post is that either:

1) You've never played the game.

2) You're still a little too emotional about what happened to make a rational point.

It was a cynical tackle from Son and one that was definitely a yellow, and probably a red. But several of those type of tackles occur every week as players try to break away and from what I could see he slid in to take his legs away from underneath him. The boy needs to own what he did and I'm sure he will think twice about cynically fouling someone like that again.

To say his endgame was a career-ending injury is bordering lunacy.

Now let's just wish Andre a speedy recovery and hope he can come back just as strong.

On a separate note, if we don't beat Southampton next up, then persisting with Silva definitely is lunacy.

No excuse!

I'll blame your parents for not educating you fully. So did they tell you about the Sandy Brown penalty in the 71 EC last 16. I love Everton folklore.

https://mobile.twitter.com/IGanaGueye/status/1191167861550723075

Pure class on Gana's part. He's sorely missed 😔

Aurier has a part in this too, it may have happened just prior to his tackle but his challenge was overly robust which no doubt exacerbated the injury. I may be wrong in all this, but I can't bring myself to watch it on TV, it happened 15 yards in front of me so I can only tell it like I saw it live and the horror on Andre's face is etched in my memory - I don't think he knew what had happened. I feel sick to the stomach.

He'll be okay though as Spurs are to offer him counselling by all accounts.

You can add Parkinson and Williamson. Neither of whom ever played again. Vaughan, Yakubu and Rodrigo were never the same post injury. Ditto with Ovideo and Li Tie. The jury is still out on McCarthy and Bolasie getting back to their best also.

I can understand Coleman and Tosun going to see Son, but I'm pretty pissed off at the "Let's turn Son into the real victim" crap we are getting from the media.

Someone said something nasty to him and that absolves him from breaking someone else's leg (or, in some peoples' view, is worse). I don't think so. Frankly there is no comparison.

And just because most nasty out of control revenge tackles don't end up in the operating theatre doesn't mean those that do should be considered OK.

By the account of much of the media, if Sanchez had (correctly) been sent of for what was a genuine "professional" foul, ie one intended to prevent the other side from scoring but which has no intent at all to harm the other player, he would have deserved a red while Son's thuggery should have left him on the field.

"Someone said something nasty to him and that absolves him from breaking someone else's leg (or, in some peoples' view, is worse). I don't think so. Frankly there is no comparison."

Please don't tell me it was one of our guys, depending on what was said, I'd hope we took the high road.

Isaac Newton, "every action has an equal and opposite reaction." Son maims Gomes, some nutters start making death threats and hurling racist abuse at him. Media are bound to respond to the latter. Doesn't absolve him of anything.

As for what might have happened had Son not been sent off, I don't just think it was our players he'd need to worry about. The crowd wanted blood (figuratively speaking).

Oh well, hope Everton FC find him and he'll get what he deserves, which is a lifetime ban.

André Gomes
He will boss the midfield
We promise
Came from Barca
Now Goodison is
his fortress
André Gomes
Back to show who's
the strongest

You're a poet and you don't know it!

I like our Gomes song and wish we'd sing it at Goodison: Link

He is a belter, different from the rest.
His name is André Gomes and he's nothing but the best.
He's our midfielder, the best we've ever seen.
Sign him from Barça and make the Toffees dream.

He is a belter!

Generally good in possession, but gives it away too often at times and is too slow to get it back. Not much use when we don't have the ball. No goals or assists in the league this year I don't believe. I think Sigurdsson would be more effective in the role Gomes had yesterday.

I'm so upset for him. As Steve Ferns points out, his road to recovery will be a lonely one at times.

Please make sure we stay in touch by whichever means possible, to let him know we are there for him. Not just this week, but as long as he is recovering. I did with Seamus too.

Not sure if Toffee webbers will agree, but for me, our team improved hugely upon the return of André after his rib injury. He brought forward passing, creativity & a look of class to our midfield.

The prognosis from the medics sound positive, so I look forward to seeing our class act back in his Blue match shirt in the not too distant months ahead. I miss him already.

Schneiderlin seems like a shoo-in from the manager's point of view, but I hope him being miffed at being described as 'negative' will make him more lively with forwards passes, if so!

Good thoughts. In Gana, Davies, Besic, Macca we seemed a bit samey but Gomes definitely gave us a different dimension in the middle.

Next game, I want to see Schneiderin or Delph sat behind a buzzing lwobi and Davies. With Richarlison, Tosun and Walcott up top.

Hahaaaargggh what would Silva do, that age-old question. I wonder, if we make a change in manager, if the new guy will take 18 months to assess his squad and tactics?

Many will already know that Calvert-Lewin's position from school boy to even breaking into the first team at Sheffield Utd is in midfield and has been tried out as a forward. He is hardly pulling trees up in attack, he is doing all the right things, but in the wrong areas, so why not give the guy a run out in his natural position in midfield and give Tosun a run out as a striker or even Moise Kean, he has to be a better option than Schneiderlin.

We just need to try something different.

Do you need to have been a professional boxer to pass judgement on someone hitting someone else? Playing the game previously isn't a prerequisite to pass judgement on a malicious tackle.

Lunacy, for me, is not seeing the intent in Son's tackle.

Opinions.

And my points are all rational and explained. Emotion doesn't negate a point, or make it irrational. What's irrational is discounting a point based upon the veracity / level of emotion of its presentation.

Opinions presented with passion may not be your cup of tea, but it certainly doesn't invalidate the opinion in question.

If you don't agree, then ignore. Many have, many will, many will continue to do so. Won't affect me in the least.

Karen @ 68 - that was a lovely post. Well said.

Mark #47, great catch. And yes, that man is pure class.

Kieran #56, I'm happy to say you're mistaken about Oviedo. It took four years, but he did return to his best. He made the Costa Rica World Cup squad in 2018, had a fine season for Sunderland and then was absolutely brilliant for Costa Rica in last summer's Gold Cup – MotM against Mexico. So happy endings do happen.

I don't judge anyone by their colour race nor creed – just what sort of person they are, if I meet them.

I do abhor anyone that does make judgements of people and their personalities based on colour, race or creed.

However, I also think that, in this day and age, people are far too quick to hide behind the PC shield for things that are often nothing more than "banter".

If I had a pound for every time I've been called a "Welsh [add your own expletive]", I'd be very rich. If I had to pay a pound for every time I have returned the "compliment" to friends who were, English, Scottish, Irish or any other nationality, then the fortune I could have made would have disappeared.

Malicious racism, I have no time for – but I think we all need to start growing slightly thicker skins and remember the saying "Sticks and stones might break my bones, but names will never hurt me".

What next? Every Welshman bleating if he is called 'Taffy'? Or the Scots being called 'Jock'? Or the Irish 'Paddy'? Where will it all end?

I think he's the best U23 midfielder this season and the end of last season. Onyango is one to keep an eye on – only 16 but already playing the full 90 minutes at U23 and at least holding his own.

I wish him the best, but I shalln't be sending him a card or stalking on him on social media in the hope his PR team likes my post. That's asinine almost beyond belief.

I used to think this fan base was intelligent, rational and deserved on-field success more than every other clubs'. I was massively wrong in that view. Reading the threads following the Spurs game, I only see a hysterical, largely unintelligent, ancient and boring group whom I myself feel faintly embarrassed to be associated with.

I used to wonder why my 12-year-old and his peers are entirely uninterested in football but the last few weeks on here have been hugely illustrative in this regard.

A bunch of saddos sending sympathy cards to a total stranger multi-millionaire footballer who, as has already been stated, got hurt playing football and will make a full recovery. It's so cringe-worthy and it's so pathetic that children see straight through it.

No wonder the likes of Eugene Ruane and Ken Buckley can't be bothered coming here any more. It's a game chaps, you need to act your mainly considerable ages and take it as one.

I'll be following in so many other posters footsteps and vacating this site. The failed lawyer, the fellow with too much time in Brazil and the seppos can have it to themselves. Misery loves company they say, it's certainly the case on ToffeeWeb.

Coleman could testify to this, and he wouldn't be the first.

Gbamin, Bernard and now Gomes – are we as cursed by Satan as much as the RS are blessed?

I'd love to see Davies and Baningime getting game time under the circumstances but am fully expecting more Schneiderlin.

It's pretty simple - you are responsible for what you intentionally cause. Intent doesn't mean you have to desire the exact consequence of your act.

If a player genuinely challenges for the ball and commits an unintentional foul that causes a freak injury then I'd absolutely defend them.

If a player doesn't go for the ball then they are absolutely responsible for any ensuing injury. That was Son. Most of the time it's a yellow for a petulant chopping down of an opponent -– but if that person is seriously hurt as a direct result, then it's only right to consider that in the punishment.

The next mark on the scale is the player who deliberately tries to maim and achieves their goal – if we see anything like that nowadays, it should be a life ban.

Looking forward to the next game now so we can all talk about something else.

Btw, in case the other 328 times I've said this were ignored, I believed this to be a red card from the get-go.

But I was under the impression that any ensuing injury doesn't actually matter, it's only the foul itself that is considered when giving the card. In this situation, Atkinson was wrong in originally giving a yellow, but I don't think the injury had anything to do with the adjustment to red.

What do I know, I'm just a seppo lol (I had to Google that and then realized I am one 😭)

So it's a red. What I'm talking about is what I think is right. And I still believe it warrants a red card.

He also didn't show a yellow. Yeah he got it out of his pocket - but he didn't show it.

First season of going the match on our own, we would always take a left when we got to the bottom of the valley. Stop off at the Pick n Mix for sweets to enjoy throughout the match.

Nobody ever had any money to pay, but that was a minor detail. Me mates mam and auntie worked there and we were always able to grab a handful and be on our way.

One time we got there and they were not working. Fuck! We couldnt very well go the match without a pocket full of sweets. So we helped ourselves anyway. Suddenly I heard somebody shout "Eh you, you little bastards" –in blind panic we scattered. As I ran out of the door, an arl woman was coming in (when I think back she was about 40, but anyone older than your mam was considered an "arl woman". We collided with such force I knocked her to her ground.

Fifty yards dolliown the road I stopped. My demeanor was exactly the same as Son's. I was full of remorse and fear. I didn't mean to hurt her, but I knew that if I hadn't have been such a thieving little bastard it would never have happened... She might be dead! I had to go back. When I got back she was on her feet. Relieved. I repeatedly apologised and kept asking if she was okay.

She held out her left hand smiling, forgiving and said. "give me the sweets". I thought she was going to put them back, so meekly handed them to her. I then felt searing pain as she smashed a right-hander into my face, spreading my nose all over it.

"Apology accepted" she said, as she walked away with me sweets.

I don't count sheep when I can't sleep. I count the number of lessons I learned that day and usually by the time I get to lesson number 10-11 I'm off.

All these arguments about rescinding Son's red card or throwing the book at him. Giving him a shorter or extra ban.. Maybe we have a far simpler solution.

Stick him in a room with an angry scouse woman and let natural justice take its course.

That said, I hope he is given sufficient time to make a successful rehabilitation and given patience by the fans when he eventually puts on the blue shirt for the first team, that goes for Gbamin too.

We can only hope.

Link

Whilst "significant improvement in function in 6 months to 1 year following surgery" is likely, the nature of this injury can "considerably delay the full functional recovery (potentially up to 24 months)."

He also highlights the need for psychological support for Andre as "around 5%-19% of athletes experience high levels of psychological distress following serious injuries comparable to those receiving intervention for mental health illness."

Not happy reading.

As for telling a player he had a great game on Twitter being akin to stalking, really? The guys have social media to engage with the fans and if we fans want to send a message of support or congratulations, then what's wrong with that?

However, I have to take issue with your comment: "Thanks Steve, if that is indeed the case, it IS as horrible as the injury, full stop." As horrible as the injury? I doubt Gomes would agree with you!

Imagine the conversation "Neither are very nice, André, but would you rather someone call you a Portuguese prick, or have then break and dislocate your ankle? – reply "They're both as horrible as each other so I'm not really bothered!"

As Hugh @77 says – "sticks and stones etc".

Incidentally, the Red Echo reports that the police have said that "no crime was committed" and adds that they were investigating "a gesture", not a "comment".

We need to remember that Gomes was the victim here, not Son. Get better soon, André.

My mum (God bless her) used to tell me "Sticks and stones will break your bones, but names will never hurt you". In this sense, I'd rather be called ANYTHING unpleasant imaginable than have my ankle broken.

My sympathies lie wholly with Gomes, and as far as I'm concerned Son deserves no sympathy whatsoever including for the supposed abuse hurled at him. I would like to see him punished sufficiently for that punishment to be seen as a deterrent to the kind of action he took, regardless of whether he intended to injure.

I was indoctrinated into the Blue half by my father back in the 1950's and have been lucky enough to have seen many famous Everton victories, perhaps that is why it is so difficult for me to see them struggling for so many years now without success.

It must be baffling for you to read how there are so many diverse opinions in one forum. One thing is for sure though we all, as you do, have one thing in common, our love for Everton.

Then again, never having been through what Gomes has, this may be the norm, I don't know?

With regards to the suggested "perspective transplant", I'll pass... in preference to the self-administered "Ash-ectomy" we've just seen.

Rob #120, the quick release would generally be consistent with an uncomplicated repair of a simple fracture -- and an absence of vascular, nerve or extensive soft-tissue damage. I'd certainly take it as a good sign.

Darren #91, great story. I never knew you had met my Aunt Rhoda.

I think your comment is way out of line.

These days they don't like keeping people in hospital longer than they have to. The "super bugs" put people like Andre at risk as he might get necrotizing fasciitis and have to have his leg amputated.

Gomes will likely get better rehab than I did, although I had private healthcare and was well looked after it'll be slow going. The ankle joint is a complex bit of kit and I lost a fair bit of mobility in mine. The range of movement is not what it was, which is the real issue with recovery and the way the bones heal, especially for an athlete.

It's only ankle surgery, nothing to worry about like a back op or internal organ surgery - it's not a big deal is terms of hospitalisation and bed space so he can go home and chill out no problem.

Yes we do, the most important part.

But the first part was funny! I was thinking it must be baffling for many here as to why this brash, loud, opinionated Yank was word-vomiting all over ToffeeWhinge (sorry, that still cracks me up)!

I wouldn't expect to see him back before pre-season, though class is permanent and he doesn't rely on speed, so there's every chance he could come back the same player. Will undoubtedly be a difficult time mentally but he's got Seamus for support.

I know there's clamor for Davies to take the Gomes role but I thought they complemented each other on Sunday so wondering if this could be an opportunity for Sigurdsson to step back into a deeper role where he could effect the game more?

Son deliberately and cynically took Andre out, without any thought about the consequences. . . . Andre is out for months and he doesn't even miss a game; he has basically missed 25 minutes.

Just doesn't seem right to me.

I think it's pretty poor form from Spurs but the whole thing doesn't surprise me. The game is rotten to the core.

Red card rescinded is the correct outcome.
I said so straight after the game. Watching it back my opinion hasn't changed.

Honestly, even if they (mistakenly IMO) thought the foul itself didn't constitute a red, I'm shocked they opened themselves up to even more scrutiny and rumors of corruption here, in such a widely reported incident that very clearly was in the public eye. Shocked.

Aurier caused the injury, not Son, but his tackle wasn't a red either - just because a player gets a bad injury doesn't mean it's definitely a red card. It was a very specific set of circumstances that caused the injury, a combination of many things.

If Son or Aurier was banned for 3 games, Andre Gomes would still have a broken ankle.

Mark,
lm more shocked that Spurs applied to overturn it in the first place.

It is a disgrace that Atkinson didnt even give us a free kick for the trip on Richy when he was virtually clean through but lets not forget this is one of the sky 6 and the operate under different rules.

Also goes to show Spurs remorse was false as they insensitively appealed the red immediately after the game.

Sky, referees and the FA has to be the most corrupt and immoral gang in sport.

"all Son did was trip him from behind"

Deliberately and cynically without going for the ball.

Red card 100%.

For Andre, the season is over.

For Son, pat on the head: "Sorry we sent you off, lad. You can play again at the weekend."

Fucking disgrace.

Players do that all the time, ours, theirs, everyone, at all levels. You can't give red cards for tripping people up. You also can't give red cards for players who get injured. I've said it already, that's not how football has, or ever will work.

Go and look at the rules. Seriously gents, look it up. It's not rocket science.

"Go and look at the rules". Frankly I don't give a toss about the rules. I know what I saw on Sunday and it wasn't an accidental trip and it resulted in Andre's ankle being smashed.

The fact that the FA have let him off with a 23 minute ban just proves that crocodile tears work.

Asked about Son today "He is OK. He was devastated after the action. It was a mixture of everything. After a few days, he is in a very good way," said Pochettino.

"You cant give red cards for tripping people up"

And

"Go and look at the rules. Seriously gents. look it up, its not rocket science.

Clearly not

Darren - you know I have nothing to say to you. Ever.

Clearly not

But it happens with the sky darlings every week.

Football has become so cynical, corrupt and immoral.

I'm not sure what you've been watching, Mike, but it's a very different video to the one I've seen. Also the photos, and the backup of every single ex pro, and indeed our very own players, WHO WERE THERE, saying to Son and Spurs that it wasn't his fault.

It was an accident. Nothing more.

Simple question. No need to tell me how everyone's out to get poor Everton or all the other stuff that is littered through the site on a regular basis.

I was heartbroken for Gomes when it happened, but the truth is it was an accident.

The referees had clearly said that where a player endangers another a player, they will take the seriousness of an injury into account.

And rightly so, in my mind. It's a very basic premise that if you do something unlawful then you are still culpable for the outcome. A punishment of three games was reasonable.

They were still saying that up to yesterday. Now they've changed their mind. The inconsistency continues and it's baffling. Every week we have a new set of retrospective guidelines applied to the game. Handball or not,
VAR intervention or not, bans for simulation or not...

So, presumably, to get a red card now you would have to attempt to maim a player and actually achieve it. I'd argue that would be far worse than just a red card - it's a case for the courts and a huge ban.

As an example from another sport the English prop-forward Sinkler was laid out cold two minutes into Saturday's Rugby Union world cup final. He had to be subbed, permanently. The sub was then royally mullered in the 78 minutes that ensued, causing us to concede five scrum penalties that set South Africa up for a comprehensive win, but the thing was, Sinkler had been trying to tackle a South African runner when the blow that laid him out accidentally came from the leg of an England player also trying to tackle the same South African. It was a complete, game-changing accident and should be classified in the unfortunate (but true) term "shit happens".

That said, Atkinson showed himself up to be the amateurish, inadequate referee I've long believed him to be by the way he ended up dealing with the episode, and others in the match, all those others going to the advantage of our opponent.

Where are you getting the bit about consequences?

Andy, weren't you backing our very own cheat Richarlison on another thread?

Ernie, understand what you mean about directives but if someone pulls a jersey causing the player to fall and break his teeth off one of his own players' boots should the jersey puller get a red on today's rules/directives? I think not.

Bring in reds for every foul where there's no effort to play the ball by all means. But I think Son is entitled to play the next game as he committed what I'm sure he thought was both a yellow card offence and an offence that wouldn't result in such an injury.

I was disagreeing with your statement at #145 that "Aurier caused the injury, not Son, but his tackle wasn't a red either" -- actually, Aurier did not cause the injury or put in a tackle. Gomes slid into him. I've seen differing reports on whether Gomes caught his cleats or broke his leg impacting Aurier's shin, but Aurier was an innocent bystander. In fact, he went down so quickly from the collision that when I heard the crack on the field mic (clearly audible on TV), I thought for an instant that it was he, not Gomes, who had been injured.

He has just been absolved of all blame by the FA (and, strangely, some on here) and, as such, he officially needs to suffer no guilt or shame. He was temporarily upset on Sunday as, in my opinion, he realised his retaliation had seriously injured another player.

Last year Jagilka was sent off against Wolves for taking the ball and then catching opposing player in the follow through. The opposing player wasn't injured, but he was red carded. This was not rescinded.

Some people are saying that if red cards were awarded for these types of tackles then there would be 3 or 4 red cards every game. Clearly there aren't many tackles where the tackler isn't going for the ball that result in a similar injury to the one that Andre has suffered, but when they do happen, then I would expect a red card.

Unfortunately for Andre Gomes his season is over.

For Son. . . absolutely nothing.

Link

In legal terms it comes down to whether a reasonable man would understand that the outcome could have been a consequence of the act.

In the case of pulling a shirt, I wouldn't have thought serious injury was a likely outcome.

But if you jump across and kick someone (no-one disputes that's what Son did?) then it's perfectly reasonable to think it could cause an injury. Isn't it?

Atkinson apparently overruled Firmino's goal on Saturday, and was then allowed to referee a game 24 hrs later, or was it he was in the studio for the Watford game and decided to give Delafoe a ridiculous penalty?

Either way he's not fit to referee, and definitely not fit to referee Everton, because it's obvious he hates us and that's why it's imperative that these VAR officials, should be made to explain their decisions in a similar way to Rugby Union.

I'm sure he will get us back for making Spurs play with ten men, and even my Liverpudlian mate has agreed that I'm not a paranoid schizophrenic now with regards to Martin Atkinson, but think of the damage he will do to Everton in the future, if a Mike is not put inside these VAR control rooms, because their still controlling us now with ineptitude and deceit, whatever way you want to look at things imo.

Serious foul play
A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses
excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play.
Any player who lunges at an opponent in challenging for the ball from the
front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force
or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.

Point taken but I think Gomes was just really really unlucky and Son was due a yellow.

Maybe my opinion differs from the rules.

Now I know he was born in Bolton, but I wonder where his allegiance really lies in terms of who he supports?

I tore my Achilles five months ago. Two of us went for the ball, I got the touch, he accidentally stepped on my heel. Foul, like I've been fouled a thousand times before. This time, however, season over, maybe done with football for good. But should the guy have been sent off because his otherwise innocuous challenge had such a catastrophic result? I don't think so.

I'd be surprised if he didn't go the games when at uni though. When I was at uni, I had an Everton ST and went to all the home games, but I still went to a load of games for the east midland sides when we weren't at home.

A skillful tackle, going for the ball, minimises the chances of injury. In contrast, if the tackle is not skillful and/or doesn't go for the ball, then the chances of injury are surely increased. Tackles from behind seem to be in this category, because going for the ball is often a non-starter.

If a tackle from behind is cynical, say for example it prevents a clear path to goal, then I think that can be a red card. If a tackle from behind is otherwise cynical, to stop a player progressing (say in midfield), then I think that could also be a red card. Why? Because it knowingly increases the chances of injury to the player significantly, which is something the rules surely try to prevent.

In this respect, it seems to me that Son deserved a red, not because of the actual outcome but because of the danger of that outcome. If Gomes had not been injured, perhaps Son should still have got a red.

Surely the rules could be applied with this degree of rigour without upsetting the flow of games that we wish to see. Indeed, such application might improve the flow by deterring layers from doing cynical interventions.

This issue dates back a long time, particularly during the late 60s and early 70s when Leeds Utd were habitually guilty of 'professional fouls'. In contrast (and I'm not puttimg blue specs on here, just being factual), Everton and some other sides did not do this (certainly not habitually), and the game was far better to watch as a result.

I was at college in London for a year staying just around the corner from Upton Park. When I couldn't get home I would go to all the West Ham games with a load of local lads. Given me a bit of a soft spot for them ever since. Has too really.

Something like having a season ticket for a Club just has to exclude a ref, has too.

I am paranoid though Rob, how do we know Taylor wasn't saying to Atkinson, “let's leave these fuckers moaning a bit longer Martin, because I know you would never want me to award a penalty to Everton mate?

Maybe that is a bit far-fetched, (MAYBE ITS FUCKIN NOT!) but surely there's nothing far-fetched about the spectators hearing what the decision maker has got to say from the VAR studios, and how he's come to make his decision, because isn't Mina supposed to apply pressure in the opposition's area from a corner-kick? Because maybe next week if it's Van Dyke or Maguire doing the challenging, then the hand-ball will probably result in a penalty kick?

Well i'm no lawyer but I suspect you would be correct as your action would not be premeditated, same as Roy Keane claimed on that Haaland tackle ! lol

The biggest surprise to me is that Lee Mason went to University...

I'm not sure he is a world class player yet. Too many of his shots end up in the keeper's arms.

Sadly we have about 4 or 5 "world class players" on their day.

Gylfi, Digne, Rich, Bernard and maybe Pickford. On their day.

The days aren't frequent enough.

"If Gomes had not been injured, perhaps Son should still have got a red."

Sorry, but no way in hell. That would have been a ridiculous injustice. Under the rules, there was nothing to make that a red card foul. If Gomes had not been injured, we would not even be having this discussion. It would have been a routine professional foul yellow and forgotten ten seconds later.

For Son's foul to be a red card would require a change in the rules. And a change in the game that would make it resemble more of a ballet class.

You only have to look as Son's reaction when he saw the consequences of his actions, that he didnt intend to break his leg.

This is my issue; There was no possible way Son could get to that ball, not even if he borrowed Mina's legs. It was very obviously a cynical and deliberate foul. He was "taking one for the team". . but why should taking one for the team only ever result in a yellow ?
Every week, games up and down the country are being ruined by players who's teams are hanging on to a slender lead committing these fouls. "Taking one for the team" has become acceptable. we even have a nice new term for it. we call it "Game management". . Game management ??? its blatant cheating. An attempt to stop the flow (and entertainment) of a game. A deliberate attempt to alter or secure a result using methods that have always been outside the rules.

By rescinding Sons red card those clowns have sent out two messages. They have reaffirmed the wide held belief that it is ok to cheat and they have shown players its ok to seek retribution.
When we stop taking consequences into consideration the game has died.

I cant get my head around these claims that it was an accident. . It was no fucking accident.
Son may not have set out to break Gomes's leg. But our boy is lying in hospital with his future in the balance as a direct consequence of his DELIBERATE, cynical, vengeful, reckless, foul play.

Son's challenge deserved a yellow card, according to the rules of the game. I don't like professional/intentional fouls - and I also think that players who deliberately target a specific opponent with an intentional foul are leaving themselves open to further criticism - but the extent of the Gomes injury has made people want Son to be punished out of line with the challenge he made. As other people have observed, if Gomes had managed to avoid injury then nobody is calling for a red. The fact that the red card has been rescinded gives me greater faith in the rules of the game - which must remain untouched by emotion - and the people making those decisions.

Thanks for your email

Match officials sometimes make mistakes which can impact the outcome of a match. While VAR will not achieve 100 per cent accuracy, it has been introduced to help lead to more correct, and fairer, judgements.

To help maintain the pace and intensity of matches there is a high-bar for VARs to intervene in subjective decisions. No two incidents are the same, and so each is subject to its own unique interpretations by both the on-field match officials and the VAR. The high-bar philosophy is designed to ensure VARs will intervene only if, in their judgement, a clear and obvious error has been made. In all cases, the final decision will always be taken by the on-field referee.

Factual decisions such as offsides are not subject to the clear and obvious test. If the VAR sees an error has been made in such a situation they will intervene, regardless of how marginal the decision is.

You can read a great deal more on use of VAR in the Premier League at the link below:

https://www.premierleague.com/VAR

Thanks for taking the time to contact us, and I hope this helps to explain our position.

Kind regards

Tommy

First of all who the f is Tommy and secondly that explanation is about as clear as the River Mersey on a full tide in a force 7 gale.

Just pathetic.

I just wish our club would finally show some mettle and say how it really is instead of all this crap about consoling Son, unfortunate blah blah. Same with VAR, just come out and say it was blatantly cheating instead of a load of bollocks that referees have a hard job etc. We are such a soft touch. Klopp had no reservations about their VAR issues on saturday.

I wish Andre all the best and a speedy recovery, in my opinion he will be a big loss

"In all cases, the final decision will always be taken by the on-field referee".

To me, this implies that, following any review, the on field referee should decide if a penalty is a penalty or not? In other words, following advice from the VAR official, shouldn't he view the pitch side monitor, and make the "final decision"? This is clearly not the case, particularly were Everton stand, as the decision to award a penalty to Brighton, and the two penalties turned down on Sunday were both made by the VAR official.

Or am I reading this wrong?

There are quite a few posts on this, which consider the actual wording of the rules (rather than any hypothetical rules that some might wish for) including the element of endangering a player without necessarily producing an injurious outcome.

Meanwhile, Fabian Delph missed training with injury. Looks like Morgan Schniederlin will get back in the team by default. Someone check to make sure he ain't got voodoo dolls of our players in his locker!

I think that there are people on here who want to find a way to bend the wording to suit their interpretation of the Son foul, particularly "endangering the safety of an opponent" or "using excessive force". I would say that Son committed a foul that - in and off itself - was not guilty of either of those charges.

We do not want to get into a world in which any trip, any forceful tackle, any last-ditch straining challenge, is to be classified as an automatic red card just because there are people who may choose to argue that the force was excessive (subjective) or the safety of the opponent was in jeopardy (again, subjective). We need to find a way to see the bigger picture and clearly distinguish between fouls that are dangerous, excessive, or brutal, and the ones that are snide (however badly the outcome for the fouled player.)

I hope his appearance will be a boost to all the players and we can go into the game looking to do it for André Gomes.

Would be nice to see a 22 man brawl. Been a long time think any of our lot have a decent hook on them? Any of them head- butters? Yerald!!!
Watched Maradona kicking and scratching in the Spanish cup final from waaay back, Pickford might that guy!
Who's the sly one in the team who sucker punches?
Would Michael Keane even throw a punch?!
Who's the guy who separates every one out?
Who the sub or coaching staff who comes from nowhere to land a haymaker?
I'd think I feel better if it had all kicked off on Sunday.

I have to be honest and say I find it hard to hate Son and I struggled to want him labelled for the foul because I did like the lad, I appreciate his game and his qualities and as far as seeing a footballer from the outside he does seem a nice character.

Having said all that I read your post and its hard to say your not exactly right.

That one instance is exactly as you put it and tripping people at that speed is wreckless. My brother tripped someone unawares when we were kids and they broke their wrist.

It was petulant and little irresponsibilities like that can lead to anything happening.

John, i love them passionate 22 men brawls (as they put it) when i am at the game, but you return home and find it was pure handbags and 22 boy band hardcases pushing each other.

I couldn't have held myself back as a team mate once i knew the damage though and we would have been down to 10 men too.

I absolutely loved that. Mirallas was a big let down because if he could have done for 60 minutes what he done for 30 minutes on form he would have been a better player.

He had no fear of anyone and had no respect for anyone as a footballer. (That wasn't Belgian).

The Squirting of water in Wilshere's face still makes me chuckle to this day. And when he got Suarez back.

One faint silver lining about Gomes's injury will be the game time it affords Tom Davies. I expect to feature in the majority of matches between now and January when either Gbamin will return or we will have to get a new midfielder.

He's not kicked on in the last year or so but this is a real opportunity for him; his energy and desire to move the ball forwards could see him make one of those midfield spot his own.

Stan Collymore tweeted the other day that he had exactly the same injury as Gomes and he was back playing in 6 weeks. So maybe Silva isn't away with the fairies, and even if Silva's prediction is asking a lot, surely it's better for him to paint a positive outlook to Gomes rather than saying he won't play again this season.

Regardless, I still think Silva is away with Faeries, mainly due to the football I have watched whilst he has been in charge. Silva can keep his positive outlook for the job centre.

So only a few months to go and we can have our purple patch again and dream of better things (again!).

By the way Andre, should you feel the need to play before the season ends, then Saturday 11th April would be a good game to make a comeback in!!