trousers

Also... I reckon there's an inconsistency in Barnes' side of the story during his MotD interview just now... He said that he never even saw McCarthy had come out that far... If that's the case why was his last touch so heavy? If he hadn't seen the advancing keeper then surely the ball would have stayed at his feet? Anyway, all immaterial now. Decent enough result at the end of the day. 3 points versus Cardiff and things will be looking quote healthy.

My initial instinct was a penalty and I can still see why most people think it was a clear cut penalty, but I think your analysis is reasonable. It does look like Barnes pokes the ball too far ahead and to the right and in that split second knew that the goal attempt had run away from him so the best option left to him was make sure he went down rather than try and avoid McCarthy. Seems odd that the lino never intervened either.

If the shirt pull comes before the handball then, chronologically, the handball is irrelevant as Crouch committed a foul first? Not sure why MotD chose not to show the Crouch challenge from behind...

If that's the case, assume we haven't passed the threshold yet? Wonder if we'll start to see less of Ings as the season goes on so that we get to keep our options open?

This. I'm no medic, but wondering if the cold weather acts as a bit of a catalyst for someone who is susceptible to muscle injuries? (Likely to be bowlocks but I've a masters in thinking out loud...)

Nice tug on the shirt there Crouchie...

Postives... We've not played particularly well in our last two games yet have come away undefeated against two teams that are in good form.

Keown saying Stephens was fouled and penalty shouldn't have been given. All about opinions I guess.

Crouch all over the back of Stephens but the ref was always going to turn a blind eye to that after not giving the first half penalty shout. Draw probably the fair result but still gutting to lose in that fashion. Still unbeaten in 2019

1-1 What a load of old ****

Big fat dog cock

Zero chance of us hanging on to this lead

Valery on for Armstrong

Is it me or have we gone into Puel/Pellegrino/Hughes 'sit back on a one nil lead' mode here? P.s. Everton 3-1 down

When's the next England game? Redmond a shoe-in if he keeps up his form under RH?

Get in!!!! 0-0 all day long

It'll be 0-0. Mark my words

This

My guess would be a reoccurrence of his recent hamstring injury. Perhaps it just felt tight and he came off as a precaution

This is inevitable I would venture

Analysing it a bit more = fan bias ? If you say so squire.... FWIW, I still think it was a penalty, on balance, but I can see why the ref didn't give it

Having initially thought it was a stonewall pen, I'm now thinking that Barnes engineered it rather than it being a simple case of McCarthy bringing him down. Could well be the right decision in hindsight

Assume so. Probably one of those mandatory can't play for X days on medical advice cases

Head injury on Wednesday

The only reason I can think that the ref didn't give it is that Barnes pokes the ball right and then moves left to ensure he makes contact with the goalkeeper. I still think it's a penalty but maybe if Barnes had moved in the same direction as the ball the outcome would have been different. Clutching at straws but hey ho