This Glen Johnson tackle on Joleon Lescott ( video below) was the subject of a fierce debate between Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard and Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini after the first leg of the Carling Cup semifinal contested between the two sides on January 11, 2012. Liverpool won the game 1-0 thanks to an early penalty from Gerrard.
Johnson’s two footed challenge on Lescott drew mixed reactions because a similar challenge from Vincent Kompany against Manchester United had earned the City defender a red card and a four match ban.
( Credits of this Johnson tackle on Lescott Carling Cup 2012 with uploaders)
wouldn’t have made a difference to the final result. johnson’s tackle was at the end of the game. lfc would’ve still won
terrible tackle, should’ve been a red. there’s no way you can argue. 2 footed and studs up, doesnt matter that he got the ball. kompany would be spewing.
Wakey wakey fa!
Come on you twats- take some action against johnson.
This is the same as Kompany’s!
Luke, you are missing the point. Mancini never said the outcome would have changed, his point, and rightfully so is a two footed studs up challenge thats draws a red in one game should also draw a red in another game. …
Way worse than Kompany’s. Kompany was sliding, his feet were not together, neither set of studs was aimed at Nani, and was moving more slowly.
Yet I still don’t think it’s red as there was little likelihood Lesoctt would get in the way. Johnson’s intercepting a ball and not really endangering anyone.
Close enough for a yellow though. Regardless of impact on game
In my opinion it is deserving of a red card more so than Kompany’s red. I mean, from some angles, Kompany’s tackle could have warranted only a yellow, but from all angles, no matter where the ref was standing, that is an obvious red card. By the way, this is coming from a Bristol City fan so there is no biased opinion especially as up until now I have wanted City to fail.
FA need either video replays or they need to take their ref’s to specsavers. The only ref i have never had an problems with it Howard Webb.
I am a Liverpool fan, and I have to agree this tackle should have been a red card. Fortunately for LFC the referee did not give the card, which of course should have, especially with Kompany’ red card in mind.
But to say that FA should something about it subsequently is far fetched. If FA should go in a give yellow and red cards for tackles after the matches, should they also give penalties after a match, if videos shows a hand on the ball?
The difference with Kompany, is that the referee in that match was aware of the offence, and gave him a card during the game.
You lot are having a laugh & just proving how much you have in common with Sheep!!
There’s NO rule against two footed challenges in football, FACT! This is an area that’s been hyped up by the media. The actual Law (yes, football has Laws not Rules to what happens on the field) covering the challenges by both Kompany & Johnson deemed that Kompany’s challenge was ‘Reckless & Endangering to an opponent’ & Johnson’s wasn’t. Kompany’s tackle was straight at Nani, with Nani having to hurdle his opponent to avoid being ‘taken out’! Johnson’s tackle was in front of and across Lescott. Johnson took the ball before it got to Lescott, with Lescott not having to avoid the challenge. Re-look at the two challenges
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xniymo_manchester-city-vs-manchester-united-kompany-red-card_sport
https://www.soccer-blogger.com/2012/01/12/video-glen-johnson-tackle-on-joleon-lescott-two-footed-challenge-carling-cup/
Now tell me I’m wrong!
I missed this at the time as I was away at my own football training so didnt know it was this tackle that was being discussed on the radio last night. I actually thought it was one in the first half by the same perpetrator which the “media” seemed to have missed.
Two shocking challenges by a shocking defender, what else can you say?
By the way Lescott had to change his position and hurdle this one also therefore same argument as yours Rhino. However, the wrecklessness is there to see probably for both but with Johnson’s 2 straight legs you have to say that this is using excessive force, ergo a red card.
Disgraceful. As clear a red as Ive ever seen.
Liverpool still getting more disgusting decisions going their way than any other team.
Far more than even Man U at OT – but Liverpool get these appalling decisions home AND away
Are the refs in Liverpool Supporters Club ?
Kompany’s was far less mof a red than this
(But DeJong got away with exactly the same tackle when he broke Ben Arfa’s leg in two places last season – again, disgraceful refereeing)
It seems to me that Kompany went directly in at Nani’s feet, and Nani only avoided being caught by jumping over the tackle by Kompany. From what I have seen of the Johnson tackle so far, he goes in at the side of Lescott and would never have made contact. But, reading Craigo’s comment he says Lescott had to change his position and also jump, so I will have to look again at the tackle as up to now, I have agreed with Rhino on this.
Stevie Gerrard’s comments were more to do with the hypocrisy of Mancini who ranted on that Rooney got his player sent off, and then started trying to get Johnson into trouble too. He never made any judgement on the tackle (down to the match officials that one).
Teams can only appeal red cards, not request for players to be given after the match.Whats done is done, those who want football/soccer to be played in the boardroom can request audience with Mr. Blatter, otherwise enjoy the game!
I dont think this was a red card as johnson won the ball before… i am a chelsea fan so no bias comments
why doesnt everyone just man up and learn to take a tackle? can’t touch someone nowadays.. and after Kompany’s, everyone thinks any sliding tackle is a red card.. if its a red card then Johnson will get banned..
I’m a Palace fan and if we get to the final i would prefer to see someone suspended for a red card. But this is nothing like Kompanys tackle, it is more of a two footed interception than a tackle. johnson was never going to hit Lescott but Kompany went straight in at Nani which i still don’t think was a red either because his legs wern’t together as one was drifting away from the tackle.
Mancini is a hypocrite as always, you can’t moan about other players trying to get someone sent off and then do it yourself.
A clear takle, nothing wrong with it as Johnson plays the ball. Nobody got hurt.
Rhino is 100% right.
what a tackle inch perfect yh it was too footed and dangerous but he never touched lescott and mancini needs to sort it out hes fine with his players tackling like it but as soon as it happens to one of his players hes goes crying to the press what a pussy
It should be yellow. Never ever red, since he took the ball. The only man who should have been sent off yesterday was Savic for his challenge on Agger. Now this is what you call really horrible tackle. It annoys me no one in anti-Liverpool biased media dare to point that straight challenge to other player’s knee is a straight red stonewaller and everyone says clean (yet, dangerous) tackle in which player wins the ball should’ve been red. Btw Kompany should’ve not been sent off against United obviously.
It’s not always so black and white. Johnson clearly is playing the ball. But watch the video and consider this: had Johnson gone in one-footed, his trailing leg would liklely have caught Lescott’s right foot and ankle potentially injuring one or both players. In the end, I have to give the nod to Kompany for the more dangerous tackle, seeing as he slid in with legs apart in a bit of a scissor. A yellow for Kompany, at least, despite winning the ball.
The only reason these challeneges are being compared to each other is because Mancini’s had a tough few days and is having a go to take the heat of himself and his team
To me Johnson’s challenge was reckless and dangerous; some have said that because he got to the ball first that it was an interception. He got to the ball marginally ahead of Lescott. If Lescott had planted his foot the other side of the ball instead of behind it you could have been looking at a career ending challenge. Two feet leaving the floor with studs up like that should almost always be a red card offence; if your intercept a ball a yard away from anyone then ok but this was close up, 50/50; on this occasion nobody got hurt but you wouldn’t want this kind of tackle being done every day. The side angle is probably the only thing that went in his favour; he’ll consider himself lucky and move on; like we probably all should.
Kompany may have been unlucky not to get away with a yellow but a red wasn’t totally unjustified.
As for the FA taken any retrospective action I don’t think so; not for genuine challenges where one official has a different opinion from the other; it’s just the way the game rolls. Sometime people get away with it; others not.
Rhino Rhino Rhino, sheep really??? I work for FIFA let me give you some insite to the rules and regulations of the wonderful game…….
serious foul play (includes any use of excessive force or brutality against an opponent when challenging for the ball. Examples include a dangerous slide tackle from behind, or an “over the top tackle” in which a player raises his foot so the cleats could hit a player, or a two footed tackle that takes down the opponent. FIFA has broadened this definition by saying that “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 and endangering the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play. For current rules visit http://www.fifa.com, Laws of the Game. The above quote is from Questions and Answers, Additional Instructions for Referees). The rules now include “Decision 4”, which says: “A tackle, which endangers the safety of an opponent, must be sanctioned as serious foul play”.
Please now watch video and tell me that this tackle is NOT covered in the (LAW of the game) above.
Granted decision has been made and that is that.
Kompany made a two-footed challenge almost straight into Nani, although he was aiming downward. Though there may have been no contact, that may actually be due to Nani’s swiftness – he simply managed to jump over Kompany’s legs just in time. The ball was intercepted, but that tackle could be quite deadly. A yellow was definitely in order. Webb would have probably had a quiet word with Kompany.
Johnson made his tackle from the side, aiming downward, definitely toward the ball. Lescott was on his hind leg, so he was marginally too slow to get to the ball sooner. In other words: it was well-timed and not aimed at the other player.
I only wish that this incident marks the moment when Mancini senses his team’s downfall. The fact is, Man City edge ever closer to receiving at least one red card in almost every game they play. They surely have received far less than they should (e.g. what about Yaya Toure’s tackle on and scuffle with Mata?). Their superiority over ManU & Totts is questionable, and I still think Chelsea and Arsenal can also become quite dangerous for the Citizen.
Strong tackle ahead of the player, took the ball clean.
For a bad tackle see Cabaye for Newcastle on J.Spearing . Could have have snapped his
leg.
Firstly, Kompany’s tackle was defending at it’s best, a great tackle and should never of been sent off.
As for Johnson’s, it’s not even a tackle. He has intercepted the ball before it got to the man, if he had been late and caught Lescott, straight red for sure.
How can we expect ref’s to be consistent when managers and fans aren’t either from week to week.
Both are good and belong in football!
About 10-20 years ago there wouldn’t be even a slightest debate about this great, though very fast, challenge. No red cards for these tackles, please.
Firstly Mancini didn’t want Johnson sent off. The whole issue here is consistency. The Johnson tackle was playing the ball and so was Kompany, both should be yellow cards at best. Gerard obviously in the heat of the moment thought Mancini was doing a Rooney, when all he was highlighting was consistency, and going deeper clarification of what is and isn’t a dangerous tackle.
If a ref interprets a tackle to be a free kick and red card then I can accept that no problem – whether ref makes a mistake or not. That’s all part of football for over 100 years. It hurts at the time if ref did get it wrong or in my opinion if he got it wrong but hey ho, we get decision in our favour in the future – swings and round abouts.
As for the comments from “Kaka Sunguch” etc about reviewing games for missed decisions – why not? The ref is only human and will make mistakes, just like footballers do.
Kompany received 4 match ban as well as missing most of the match – so essentially a 5 match ban. Now some guys in suits sat around a table and judged a player by the rule book and found guilty of dangerous 2 footed tackle – fair enough. OK so Johnson didn’t get sent off, but surely he should answer to a panel as well for something as clear as 2 footed in comparison to Kompany’s.
Ref’s certainly have a harder job to do now though – trying to make a split second decision whether to spoil a game as a spectacle or not for the fans paying up to £50 to watch. After all where would this sport be without fans.