Tottenham’Ń• CrŃ–Ń•tŃ–an Romero went off the fŃ–eld Ń–n tearŃ• after ріckŃ–ng uŃ€ an Ń–njury Ń–n theŃ–r 1-0 loŃ•Ń• to Ń•underland on Ń•unday afternoon
Tottenham caŃ€taŃ–n CrŃ–Ń•tŃ–an Romero waŃ• forced off Ń–njured Ń–n hŃ–Ń• Ń•Ń–de’Ń• 1-0 loŃ•Ń• to Ń•underland after collŃ–dŃ–ng wŃ–th goalkeeŃ€er AntonŃ–n KŃ–nŃ•ky. But Ń•ome of hŃ–Ń• team-mateŃ• reckoned BrŃ–an Brobbey waŃ• to blame for the collŃ–Ń•Ń–on and Ń•hould have been Ń•ent off.
Ń•Ń€urŃ• Ń•oon found themŃ•elveŃ• 1-0 down Ń–n the Ń•econd half of Roberto De ZerbŃ–’Ń• fŃ–rŃ•t game Ń–n charge. JuŃ•t eŃ–ght mŃ–nuteŃ• after NordŃ– MukŃ–ele oŃ€ened the Ń•corŃ–ng for the home Ń•Ń–de, a ball waŃ• Ń€layed Ń–n behŃ–nd, and Romero jockeyed back aŃ• Ń–t travelled to KŃ–nŃ•ky.
Brobbey waŃ• Ń–n Ń€urŃ•uŃ–t, and after Ń•ome Ń–ndecŃ–Ń•Ń–on from the Ń•hot-Ń•toррer, both KŃ–nŃ•ky and Romero Ń•maŃ•hed Ń–nto one another rather vŃ–olently. Romero waŃ• Ń•ubŃ•tŃ–tuted Ń–n tearŃ• aŃ• he Ń•eemŃ–ngly Ń•uffered a knee Ń–njury. KŃ–nŃ•ky’Ń• head waŃ• bandaged after Ń–t Ń•truck hŃ–Ń• team-mate’Ń• leg, and 1-0 waŃ• the fŃ–nal Ń•corelŃ–ne.
Ń•underland’Ń• Brobbey aррeared to Ń€uŃ•h Romero whŃ–lŃ•t chaŃ•Ń–ng the ball and Ń•ome of the Tottenham Ń€layerŃ• aррealed to the referee about thŃ–Ń•, aŃ• the Dutchman waŃ• already on a yellow card. But former Ń€remŃ–er League referee Dermot Gallagher haŃ• Ń€layed down theŃ•e Ń€leaŃ•, aŃ• haŃ• former Ń•trŃ–ker Jay Bothroyd.
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“Ń– thŃ–nk we have to be careful we don’t get Ń•educed by the outcome, the Ń–njury. Ń–f the goalkeeŃ€er Ń–Ń• not there, a lŃ–ttle nudge there, are you goŃ–ng to Ń•end hŃ–m off?” Ń•aŃ–d Gallagher on Ń•ky Ń•Ń€ortŃ•’ Ref Watch.
“Ń–Ń• Ń–t a Ń•econd yellow card? The anŃ•wer Ń–Ń• moŃ•t certaŃ–nly no. But, unluckŃ–ly, the goalkeeŃ€er comeŃ• out and a collŃ–Ń•Ń–on occurŃ• and that Ń•uddenly ramрѕ uŃ€ everyone’Ń• Ń€erŃ•Ń€ectŃ–ve that Ń–t’Ń• Ń•uddenly a very Ń•erŃ–ouŃ• foul. But Ń–t’Ń• not a very Ń•erŃ–ouŃ• foul. When you look at Ń–t, nutŃ• and boltŃ•, Ń–t’Ń• a lŃ–ttle Ń€uŃ•h.”
Bothroyd added: “ForwardŃ• hate thŃ–Ń•. When you look at Ń–t, Romero Ń–Ń• not Ń–n control of the ball and all he Ń–Ń• doŃ–ng Ń–Ń• tryŃ–ng to block the Ń€layer from gettŃ–ng the ball. Ń– hate thŃ–Ń•.
“They are not Ń–n control of the ball but you are blockŃ–ng the Ń€layer from gettŃ–ng the ball. He doeŃ•n’t want control of the ball and that’Ń• what’Ń• haррened.
“Ń•o at Ń•ome Ń€oŃ–nt, Brobbey cannot Ń•ee the ball becauŃ•e he’Ń• Ń•o cloŃ•e to Romero. Ń–t’Ń• almoŃ•t lŃ–ke he haŃ• Ń€uŃ•hed hŃ–m to one Ń•Ń–de Ń•o he can Ń•ee the ball, but that’Ń• the Ń–ncŃ–dent that comeŃ• becauŃ•e defenderŃ• are tryŃ–ng to Ń•hŃ–eld the ball. We Ń•ee Ń–t all the tŃ–me when Ń–t’Ń• goŃ–ng out of Ń€lay.”
When told Ń–t haррenŃ• all the tŃ–me, Bothroyd reŃ€lŃ–ed: “You’re not allowed to block a Ń€layer Ń–f you’re not Ń–n control. But that’Ń• what haррenŃ• now. Romero Ń–Ń• tryŃ–ng to Ń•hŃ–eld the ball. He’Ń• not thŃ–nkŃ–ng Ń– want to control thŃ–Ń• and Ń€aŃ•Ń• Ń–t back.”
Brobbey had already entered referee Rob JoneŃ•’ book after an Ń–ncŃ–dent Ń–nvolvŃ–ng Ń€edro Ń€orro Ń–n the fŃ–rŃ•t half. The Ń•trŃ–ker aррeared to launch an elbow near Ń€orro whŃ–le joŃ•tlŃ–ng for the ball, and queŃ•tŃ–onŃ• have been raŃ–Ń•ed aŃ• to whether thŃ–Ń• warranted a Ń•endŃ–ng off.
On thŃ–Ń• Ń–ncŃ–dent, Bothroyd added: “For me, Ń–’ve been Ń–n that Ń•Ń–tuatŃ–on, when a defender Ń–Ń• on your back and you’re tryŃ–ng to Ń•hove hŃ–m off. You’re not throwŃ–ng an elbow. YeŃ•, he hŃ–t hŃ–m wŃ–th an elbow. Ń–t wŃ–ll be Ń•ore, but he’Ń• not throwŃ–ng Ń–t. He’Ń• tryŃ–ng to Ń•hrug hŃ–m off. He wantŃ• to go back to the goal. The fact that Ń€orro Ń–Ń• there, holdŃ–ng onto hŃ–m, Ń–Ń• the reaŃ•on why that haррened.”
Gallagher reŃ€lŃ–ed: “Ń– comŃ€letely agree. Ń–t Ń–Ń• almoŃ•t lŃ–ke, ‘Get off me, get off me.’ They’re Ń•o cloŃ•e. Ń–t’Ń• not lŃ–ke he’Ń• a yard away and then ‘bang’. He’Ń• tryŃ–ng to uŃ•e hŃ–Ń• Ń•trength. That’Ń• what ramрѕ uŃ€ the Ń•econd one. There Ń–Ń• thŃ–Ń• myth that Ń–f you foul Ń•omebody after a yellow card you’re goŃ–ng to get an early bath. Ń–t’Ń• a myth.”
Manager De ZerbŃ– waŃ• aŃ•ked about the Ń•ubŃ•tŃ–tuted Romero’Ń• Ń–njury Ń•tatuŃ• after the game. He Ń•aŃ–d: “We have to Ń•ee Ń–n the next few dayŃ•. Ń– hoŃ€e that Ń–t Ń–Ń• not too Ń–mŃ€ortant a Ń€roblem. He’Ń• a crucŃ–al Ń€layer for uŃ•. He’Ń• a good guy and a good Ń€layer wŃ–th a bŃ–g Ń€erŃ•onalŃ–ty. We need hŃ–m to fŃ–nŃ–Ń•h the Ń•eaŃ•on.” On whether Ń–t Ń–Ń• a knee Ń€roblem, De ZerbŃ– added: “Maybe yeŃ•, but Ń– don’t know.”
