Can anyone help me to decide whether this might have been a foul?

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

It just doesn't seem obvious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGq7VcaHoqo

[Pokster]

www.specsavers.com

[Berni]

Surely the real issue there is that the big ****house froggy chap missed the goal?

[Luis Anaconda]

[Pokster]

wonder if Berni will bite????

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

As for the Costa incident, his employment with Chelsea being put to one side for the moment, it is a sad state of affairs when chaps may think a player should receive a ban from playing for such an incident.

Snide, petulant, cowardly even, yes.

Dangerous. No.

[Monty91]

in such a way? Talking to? Yellow card?

[Snin]

say , i saw that, no more please .. then move on, job done

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

No, a yellow is more than sufficient if indeed a little OTT.

I am not piling down the route of saying “it’s a man’s game” but he didn’t f**king touch him (specific to this incident). Bit of common f**king sense all round.

We collectively would be f**king annoyed if one of our own was seriously reprimanded for same.

[Jake]

I'd consider us v lucky if that occurred and we didn't get a red.

[Monty91]

I'm quite comfortable with the idea that kicking another player in the chest - even with no damage inflicted - should be a red card offence.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

I'm being silly?

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

I am quite sure we collectively applauded the common sense approach of the FA for over-turning Gabriel’s card.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

and sort of scraped hi boot up his abdomen'?

I think my version is snappier.

[Snin]

[Classic Jorge]

http://static.bips.channel4.com/bips/orig/videos/3651491990001.jpg

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

However, in my belief, it was neither kick nor driving of studs into him, nor even scraping of boot into abdomen.

I like referees to use where possible a bit of common sense, evaluating each incident in isolation if they can. This was a very minor coming together and quite difficult to judge with 100% certainty it as a violent action especially if one stands back from the protagonists.

Each to their own of course.

My “silly” comment was of course to your using the secondary YouTube incident as evidence, nothing more. Not for your opinion on this incident.

[Sir Charlie of Nicholas]

I was only winding Pokster up. What better sport for a Monday afternoon?

[Monty91]

It really is inescapable that he meant to kick him. I don’t really have any way of convincing you, other than to urge you to watch it again, perhaps several times on slow motion, if you have nothing better to do, and then consider what was meant by the flick back of the leg into Skertel’s chest.

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

I do not listen to or watch any of the individual post-match analysis so the views of the pundits (Gullit and ???) I have no idea of, nor indeed interest in.

My own view, different to your own it would appear, is that this incident is being seen or judged on the basis of it being Diego Costa as opposed to the actual crime committed, which itself I see as nothing.

Given that it was such a vicious kick in your view I supposed we should applaud Skrtel for not making more of it, or indeed decide that Costa was very lucky in choosing to aim his vicious kick at a complete nutter.

[Monty91]

I can't quite work out your opinion here. Is it that:

a) it was not an intentional kick - play on, lads
b) it was intentional but it was not of sufficient force or aggression to warrant punishment
c) it was intentional but players should be allowed to kick each other in the chest

?

[PSRB]

Although I'd fully expect one of our chaps to get banned for a similar offence

[Steve Williams - gay for Mark Knopfler]

I cannot be 100% without doubt convinced it was a voluntary violent action. Either way not the type of very minor incident I would want to see an Arsenal player red carded and banned for.

Refereeing discretion to the fore.

[Bergkamp's Brain]

I can help you there

[eastgermanautos]

again, it's just an aggressive body check. He doesn't lead with his studs. Mind you, the French absolutely needed to retaliate, or else be considered wusses.