Controversial Birmingham defender may return against Manchester City
by stresster on March 28th, 2008 2 commentsA month ago, Arsenal’s season took a turn for the worse at St Andrews. Not only did they draw the match 2-2 after leading until the final minute of the game, it also marked the end of Eduardo’s season after an ugly challenge from Martin Taylor broke the Croatian’s leg. While the striker continues to hobble around on crutches, the Birmingham defender has now served his three-match ban, with the Daily Mirror reporting that he may return to the team to face Manchester City on Saturday.
“Martin is ready fitness-wise – he’s only played one reserve game but I’ve got to consider whether bringing him back strengthens the team.
“Will my team selection be affected by the fall-out of what happened against Arsenal? Of course it will. If I thought it was a problem I would have to consider it.
“If he was tentative at all, I would consider it but I don’t really see any signs of it. He was okay in the reserve game and maybe he needs another one for us to then make some other judgement.
“Martin is in contention, as are Queudrue and Schmitz. We have choices there and need to find the right formula.”
Indeed, it must be a worry for the Birmingham manager that Taylor might initially be reluctant to challenge an opposition player for fear of causing him injury. Let’s also hope that the player isn’t given too hard a time by opposing supporters, there have been many similar bad challenges this season and it would be wrong to make him a scapegoat simply because his foul resulted in a horrific injury.
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Al - March 28th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Of course he deserves to be given a hard time! His tackle on Eduado was horrific – studs up mid-way up his shin! He hasn’t even bothered to contact Eduado to apologise/sympathise, despite Eduado saying he’d be happy to meet amicabally.
It sickens me that there’s so much sympathy for taylor when Eduado is the one with the hrrific injury. Despite the positive spin put on news of his recovery, it is still far from certain that he will make a full recovery, and even less certain that he will ever play at the highest level again. One thing that is certain is that he will miss about a year’s playing for club and country including Euro 2008.
As for other players who make dangerous tackles and get away with it, they deserve stick as well, and the refs & FA need to clamp down on them regarless of whether their reckless challenge does actually injure the other player.
K'or Ripa - March 28th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
i hope he breaks his leg. I really do. The way he went in was too high and even if Eduardo hadn’t shifted the ball, that fat ape’s foot would’ve still been high. The hypocricy of the English media is a testament to the highest standards of gutter journalism this country has developed over the last 50 years; had it been Rooney and one of the legion ‘foreign mercenaries’ plying their trade here, there would have been a national outcry. ‘He’s a nice lad’ etc. What a crock.