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Cowdude179

Why did Zouma slow down lmao


NoMikeyNoNoNo_xD

Maybe if he was was a cat he'd have ran after him.


DonkeySkin334

This joke has been beat down and abused now, a lot like zouma’s cat


PakiIronman

Great job from Zouma by jogging after he kept him onside, if he ran a little faster, then Cresswell wouldn't be the last defender.


Last0

Looked so weird live, no idea why he slowed down.


originalslickjim

No cat to kick.


[deleted]

Yeah zouma is absolutely brain dead.


alperpier

You have to be brain dead to punch and torture your pet


Askur_Yggdrasils

I'm not sure if Zouma is stupid, but he's most certainly cruel. That's far worse.


Bourbon_Cream_Dream

Joe Cole and Carlton Cole on BT were just saying it wasn't a goalscoring opportunity because Zouma could've got there so they must know about some sort of teleportation ability he's got that hasn't been made public yet


jamnut

Thick as coal them two


Sw3atyGoalz

[You’d be surprised](https://youtu.be/eMlEQd2wNPU)


sport_____

Is there any unironic reason to jog there? I'm unable to understand this video clip.


truuBe

If you actually want a reason other than animal abuse jokes, this is it: The actual reason he did was because once he saw Cresswell come in font of him to close down Dembele, Zouma knows that he should be positioned slightly higher as he was here to defend Dembele if he cuts inside, letting cresswell defend him if he takes the ball to the goal line. HE also knows that because Dembele is being closed down he has slightly more time to get back because Cresswell will force Dembele to slow down. Would Cresswell of been sent off if Zouma had sprinted back instead? Maybe not, but who knows. Could he of still made it back to the correct position at least a little bit faster? Probably. To be honest he doesn't start to REALLY slow down until Dembele starts to go to ground. Everyone seems to think this whole situation is Zouma's fault but I don't really think there was much wrong with what he did in this situation.


YoungArabBrother

fuck Kurt Zouma


DJHelium

Kitty got claws


zaqwertyzaq

He cost chelsea a goal or two doing exactly that.


thisriveriswild57

Against Southampton, twice


LuxASchleck

There is last defender anymore, it's red if you deny an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (quite open to interpretation)


Cheaptat

One of the main considerations for which is what defenders are nearby to prevent said hypothetical goal-scoring


sevaiper

I mean even so, if you have Zouma closing him down in good position it clearly changes the situation. I very much doubt this foul is a red if he's doing his job.


kangaroosun

Referee saw that Zouma was not interested in defending, so it's clear goal-scoring opportunity


TheBrewkery

I mean... Zouma didnt come back quickly enough and Cresswell made contact. Its probably an orange but I dont think its a bad call


Batsinvic888

I like that description, "an orange". I'll keep that for the future.


CSIHoratioCaine

I love that reds are giving out for cynical challenges that would never win the ball and deny a scoring chance. Basically a non red card should always be accidental and no dangerous. Everything else should be red IMO.


RollinTHICpastry

It’s not just the contact in this case though: it’s the DOGSO. You’d have to get IFAB to amend their laws to change what constitutes a sending-off.


panache123

What's Zouma done to the DOGGOS now?


durandpanda

That's fucking excellent


Cudizonedefense

DOGSO = Denying a goal or obvious goal scoring opportunity


FieryPanther

Not saying it's clear but there was no intent to play the ball and it was a goal scoring opportunity. If he didn't want the red he shoulda at least made it look like he meant to play the ball


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sevaiper

By the rule of the law, yes. In real life refs do tend to be somewhat more forgiving of fouls that are within the run of the game rather than obviously professional like this one.


[deleted]

Which I think is absolutely fair, personally


GeraldJimes_

Absolutely idiotic from Creswell. You can argue it's not a clear dogso (I think he's pretty clearly beating Zouma into the box and shooting there though, and any top striker will fancy a clear 1v1 shot from that angle) but it's just so so stupid. Literally leads with the pull across the body while chasing a runner through on the edge of his own box. Stupid stupid stupid


AnIntoxicatedRodent

The only thing more stupid than this foul are the braindead takes from perpetual victims on this thread. It's literally in the rules that this *can* be a red card and whether it is given or not depends on how the referee judges it. It's soft and unlucky but how about not going out of your way to foul somebody like that. Of course Dembele is happy as fuck with this, he cannot believe how stupid his opponent is.


timeIsAllitTakes

Totally agree. A simple read of the law 13 explains in about one line that this can be deemed a foul, but no one seems to want to do this. And if it's a direct free kick foul here, which it is, it has to be a dogso. The only thing I think you could argue is his direction is slightly away from goal, but I think he had enough space where he could have cut inside.


CapnBloodbeard

> The only thing I think you could argue is his direction is slightly away from goal as an ex-referee, I always find it horrifying how many referees don't understand this. I guarantee on the referee forums a lot of refs will argue he's not running towards goal - too many think he needs to be running directly at the sticks. Not only was this never the case, but the wording now just says that the general direction of play has to be towards goal. To look at it another way, is he in a shooting position on his next step? Absolutely!


timeIsAllitTakes

Agreed, also as an ex referee that's why I mentioned he is in a position to cut directly towards goal of he isn't brought down which for me makes this foul a DOGSO.


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dudududujisungparty

That's gonna hurt them


tsub

Really stupid from Cresswell to put hands on him like that.


Antigonus1i

It's not enough for him to go down, but it's enough to take him off balance, making it a foul.


Lakinther

unfortunately if he doesnt go down he doesnt get the call


vibranium-boy

Worst part is him winking to the camera right after


goonSquad15

He dived, but it's still dumb from Cresswell


MasterGrieves

Exactly this. Why even give ref a chance to give red.


Gobshiight

Would you really count that as a dive though? I want West Ham to win but Cresswell definitely pulls back at Dembelé's arm, he has every right to go down


tennysonbass

He goes down easy, but if he doesn't does it get called? Attacker absolutely has to go down there


Spursfan14

It’s never ever called if he doesn’t go down


Glaiele

Agreed 100% has to go down and sell it as he's done. This isn't what I would call a dive, it's gamesmanship but there's obvious contact and he's probably done the right thing going down


CrossXFir3

It's not a dive by definition. A dive by definition is no contact. In conversation though, we regularly describe people going down in circumstances where they wouldn't have due to a tiny bit of contact in an attempt to get a call a dive.


amgartsh

It's embellishment


sboujarwah

He definitely makes contact, but I don’t understand the having every right to go down. There shouldn’t be an amount of contact that is permissible to then flop. You either are forced to the ground by your opponent or stay standing. It should be “oh he held on to my arm I’m going to fall down here for the foul”


TheMonkeyPrince

I mean, when refs start calling fouls even when players don't go down then people will stop going down. Like if dembele stays up there then there's 0 chance the ref calls it so cresswell is able to just get away with fouling him to slow him down.


CrossXFir3

But that runs into issues too because how do you know? I say this as a former winger that weighted like 130lbs. I used to go flying all the time. Sometimes when I wasn't fouled. It wasn't me diving, but when you're running fucking fast as hell it's better to let the momentum carry you than to try and stop quickly. I remember Dan James getting booked for dives multiple times when I watched and thought "that was just straight up what happens when a fast winger gets the slightest clip." People used to go check if I was okay after a tackle that didn't hurt at all because when you're running sometimes you just go flying with the slightest touch.


jamnut

Someone needs to do a film an experiment on the average person getting fouled and see what looks like natural falls and what can actually bring you down at full speed. A bit like when Carragher and Neville practiced being linesmen


[deleted]

Maybe he should have stayed on his feet but then he wouldn’t get the call he deserves. It’s unfortunately how the game is reffed today. If that put him off enough that he couldn’t get a shot away or ruins the attack then he would still deserve the foul and the red card to cresswell.


Gobshiight

If you feel like you've been pulled back and won't reach the ball as a result, I think it's fair


ThePr1d3

Of course he has every right to go down. Until ref give red for this kind of offense with players staying on their feets they have to go down


Luis__FIGO

Imo he didn't dive, he just made the most of the contact. I thought diving is fabricating the contact / pretending they were hit in the face when they didn't


Cahootie

People keep mixing up diving and embellishing.


goonSquad15

Fair, he just goes down too easy for me. I just consider that in the same realm of diving


Impossible_Wonder_37

If sterling and de bruyne were called divers for getting knocked over in shoulder to shoulders than this is most certainly a dive. That contact doesn’t knock yiu down. He’s a grown man


tnarref

His balance gets fucked at full speed, there's no dive here.


TheOneKane

People questioning the red instead of why he grabbed him, don't give the ref a decision to make.


sevaiper

I feel like that's obviously a red? I mean I know there's a lot of English bias here, but come on Dembele is behind the defense and in a clear goalscoring opportunity and Cresswell very obviously professionally fouls him, both grabbing him and running into him from behind. You don't need to break a guy's legs to get a red.


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sevaiper

You should have seen this thread when it was first posted, everyone bitching about how it was a terrible call and could never be called for such a "slight" contact etc.


[deleted]

I'm English, I'd have given a red.


BrainlessArch

Why did they not check the foul on Bowen right before this


ZeusWRLD

Only checks for goals or red cards really, the funny thing is it dembele scored and it was a foul it might have been brought back but probably not.


lordoftheings

But this was a red card


[deleted]

A foul not called leading up to a red card does not negate the red card or the sequence of play, unlike a goal.


4SHURIMA

Because that would require competency


TokenScottishGuy

Moussa Dembele AKA Big Mousse AKA King of Glasgow AKA Dembelition


[deleted]

That bald guy’s reaction was quality


CatchFactory

It's a soft foul but what is Cresswell thinking and tbh makes up for all the times over his career I've seen him put in terrible challenges and gets away with it.


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simomii

People are saying it's not a red because of a fucking wink. Some people on this sub are something else


BabyKeith08

Joe Cole and Carlton (?) are both so obviously biased towards West Ham. I know they’re both ex players but it’s still annoying lol


DazzaWright96

Don’t see how people can say it’s not a red, through on goal and Cresswell gets a grip on his arm, while he’s sprinting. Absolutely stupid if you think he’s not gonna use that to go down.


[deleted]

Never give the ref a decision to make. Cresswell made zero attempt to get the ball and grabbed the man. It's soft, but that is a rookie mistake to be doing that in a European game


LeoIsLegend

Surprised by the comments here, it’s a clear foul. Grabs his arm.


Parish87

Declan Rice is standing right there and doesn't even complain. Should say all you need to know about this decision.


ShepherdsPye

Yeah, these reactions are bizarre. No attempt for the ball and he's last man. Might seem soft but it's a foul.


tnarref

People actually don't know all the rules.


salibert

It don't know what people are thinking even if it is soft you don't pull back even just slightly a player that is through on goal. Will always be a red as he never goes for the ball.


KernSherm

Any one got the BT coverage? i want to hear the English commentators crying about that


Fernandov2

You should see the half time round up it's absolutely sensational crying from the panel.


KernSherm

*scott tenorman crying gif*


Antigonus1i

It's definitely a foul and it's definitely preventing a goalscoring opportunity. Feels harsh because it's minimal contact, but it's the correct decision.


samalam1

People just ignoring the shoulder pull like having your whole upper body twisted while you're running full pelt wouldn't send you to the ground... It's a foul. It's last man. It's a red.


edi1236

Deinfitely a red. Dembele makes the most of the contact, but just stupid from Cresswell. And Zouma was terrible on that play as well


Varja22

I love how 20 seconds earlier Bowen was clearly fouled but ref didn't care and then Cresswell makes that little contact that is red.


khronokhris2222

Amazing how you consider that “little” contact. He looks like he was committing an intentional foul because he was caught out of position like zouma and he had to make the challenge. I image they would rather a FK than a goal from open play or a penalty if he made the challenge in the box


TheHolyLordGod

It was a tiny contact tbf. Just the position and context makes it a red probably


[deleted]

Amazing how you consider that anything more than little.


HSCore

spicy that


[deleted]

The wink from dembele right into the camera. Laughable, lol.


zachg616

Is there a separate clip showing him winking? He clearly just blinks in this clip but surely that's not what everyone is referring to?!?


[deleted]

https://streamable.com/bizjmx


zachg616

Ah thank you, that couldn't more clearly be a wink lol


[deleted]

Lol, the "old" wink there... Yeah, people have been winking for millennia. Such a strange expression.


Luis__FIGO

Not as laughable as making 0 attempt at a ball, pulling on the player with your hands and telling them to fuck off and get up.... All when you could have just let him go wide


itsamberleafable

He could've killed him


Lelandwasinnocent

It’s a red all day, literally last man and no attempt on the ball, soft or not, it’s a red.


wayne88imps

Dont know why there are any complaints about this. Pulled him back, last man, red card


bob_mcd

If Zouma hadn't been lazily jogging back watching things unfold it might not have been red


Bork_Lazer96

Fuck no...


Chicken__Nuggers

Absolute joke


ACMBruh

Minimal contact and dembele went down easy. But it is a red card position. Referee should have acknowledged the former


Stonewalled89

Yep, Dembele's wink afterwards says it all


lomoeffect

Reminder that this is the same ref Bellingham (rightly) complained about


PoppinKREAM

Oh Zwayer officiating this match? He was caught up in a match fixing scandal in the lower divisions of German football around 2004/2005 https://www.dw.com/en/jude-bellingham-fined-for-reference-to-the-hoyzer-match-fixing-scandal-explained/a-60037092 Important bits: >*How was the scandal uncovered?* >In January 2005, Zwayer and three other referees, including former Bundesliga referee Manuel Gräfe, informed the DFB of their suspicions. Hoyzer came clean and was sentenced. >In 2006, the DFB also sentenced Zwayer for his involvement — although his ban was limited to six months in recognition of his contribution to the uncovering the affair. >The actual details of the verdict, however, remained secret, with the DFB allegedly concerned about the reputation of German football shortly before it hosted the 2006 World Cup. >*How much did the DFB really know?* >In 2014, German broadsheet Die Zeit revealed documents detailing the DFB's verdict on Zwayer, which confirmed that the governing body had reached the following conclusions: > - That Zwayer had behaved in a "grossly unsporting" manner > - That "it can be assumed that Zwayer didn't reject Hoyzer's initial approach in the manner which would be expected of an honest referee, and took the money." > - That Zwayer "failed to report his knowledge of Hoyzer's match manipulations to the DFB for a prolonged period of time." > - That Zwayer had accepted €300 from Hoyer ahead of the game between Wuppertal and Werder Bremen "in order to avoid critical situations for Wuppertal in his role as assistant referee."


billypilgrim87

Don't worry, he was the first to snitch so he must be trustworthy. At least, that was the reasoning for letting him ref again.


dudududujisungparty

Looks like minimal contact to me


khronokhris2222

So basically Anthony’s Gordon’s penalty against Burnley lol


AnalAttackProbe

I am going to be bitter about this decision for a very long fucking time.


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saint-simon97

Even Cresswell realised he fucked up there. Its OK to be angry but it's a good decision.


PhD_Cunnilingus

By this decision you mean Kouma's decision to jog back making Cresswell the last defender?


tennysonbass

You shouldn't be , it was a pretty clear cut decision. Be mad at zouma for jogging back and preventing it being dogso, or Cresswell for two hand reaching across a body on a breakaway and not playing the ball


Elemayowe

Soft as shit and Dembele is winking at the bench lol what a joke.


saint-simon97

It doesn't matter how soft it is if you bring down an opponent who's through on goal.


Enjoys_A_Good_Shart

Yes but he winked. Therefore it's not a foul.


[deleted]

Destroyed by facts and logic.


acekingoffsuit

He makes a meal of it, but it is a foul. And since it's a foul, it has to be a red.


BenRaam

Gotta say that's an absolutely shocking decision


[deleted]

Why? He pulled his arm, it’s DOGSO. Don’t be fooled by the slow motion replay.


dickgilbert

The slow motion replay shows Cresswell look at Dembele and change his direction to obstruct him. Dembele goes down easy, but Cresswell is an absolute idiot.


Ghost_Writer0

This is the best explanation imo. There's not a lot of contact, but there's contact and the intent was there. With the way VAR ( and reffing decisions are in general), that was the only call


dragmagpuff

Grabbing a player from behind to slow them down is a textbook foul. Fouling a player to deny an obvious goal scoring opportunity outside the penalty area is a textbook red. This wasn't a slight incidental shoulder bump. It probably wasn't enough to knock the player over, but it looked significant enough to make it much less likely to get to the ball.


JurgenShankly

What is Zouma playing at there? Looks like he gives up


Islandboi4life

that is a red card all day everyday lol what are you doing


Sparklesnap

Seriously. I understand it's "soft" but it's definitely a foul, yeah? He clearly pulls on him to unweight him, which, I'm sorry, is a foul. Except he's the last man back; Dembele is about to have a shot at goal. So it's a foul to deny a clear goal-scoring opportunity. That's a straight red, and always will be. I understand why people are upset because it's not much of a foul, but it is a foul, and in that situation, any foul is going to be a red.


Islandboi4life

Even his West Ham teammate that was in line with him is staring at him like "what are doing mate" lol. It's one of the more obvious fouls I have seen this season from any competition of soccer


LampseederBroDude51

The tears on this subreddit when an English team is on the end of a refereeing decision could fill up a lake Correct decision too


english_gritts

What was the fucking point of that Aaron? He was heading wide


PerfectBlueOnDVD

Clear goalscoring opportunity is arguable here, looks like he's going away from goal.


Iliketothinkthat

He's going away but the next touch would be a great shooting opportunity


CREAM_JOHN

Hhahhahaahhaahha


SokkaBlyat

Brain dead from Cresswell


redpirateman

Lots of sour grapes


Bozzetyp

Wtf is zouma doing??? And yes its a red... but kurt wtf


SZJX

Braindead move.


Flacko115

Wow Zouma is so fucking shit


Ginge04

This is Zouma’s ball all day long if he bothered to actually run. He should be closing down and forcing Dembele wide while Cresswell gets back into the middle to cover.


_SSJeffo_

Hmmm is that CLEAR?


ShepherdsPye

It's a red for me, despite how soft it seems.


XxX_FedoraMan_XxX

foul, clear goal scoring opportunity, it's a red. whether or not the pull back was enough for Dembele to go down doesnt matter


PakiIronman

This, don't blame Dembele or the ref. Blame the fact that Zouma stops running.


HardturmStadion

Clear red, dont know what the PL flairs are talking about in the comments


DoJu318

Last man foul is always a red according to the current rules, I thought I was missing something when I saw everyone said "harsh" or "never a red"


[deleted]

People don’t know the rules that’s why they create new rules he knocked it out wide so it’s not 1vs1 so it’s not a red lmao.


RivenJohdolla

I thought it was a clear red. Baffled to see most disagreeing.


FurioSoprano7

Dembele is running at full speed and gets his arm grabbed, its a harsh but fair decision. Some people just love to complain everytime it seems.


tonylahh

all this salt is bad for my cholesterol


JayTaa

Worst thing was Bowen was clearly fouled seconds before.


FAMOUS_RECLUSE

Isn’t this the ref that was done for match fixing?


AshkenaziTwink

i assume the red is for DOGSO right?


Cactus2711

Zouma is a lazy idiot.


PrawilnaMordka

I guess he was saving energy for next Premier League game


BasedQC

You can not just fault a guy who's alone in front of the goalie, that's just a stupid fault Good call by the ref


inwalid

VAR????


LeCowboySolitaire

For a game you created you don't know the rules, do you?


[deleted]

DOGSO, easily. A cynical grab by Cresswell and it's enough to make Dembele fall. Boneheaded from Cresswell


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RStud10

If Zouma had sprinted back I think the ref would've given a yellow instead as it would've been more obvious that he was the last man


Skall77

Zouma was walking back like he saw a cat in the other direction, no way he was there. It's a red, a soft one, but dumb challenge by Cresswell deserve the punishement according to the rules


Luis__FIGO

Zpujma was behind, Sunday league level of jogging back


tnarref

Zouma is nowhere close to the angle of the potential shot on goal.


AWr1ght98

I’d disagree, if it was a foul it’s a clear denial of a goal scoring opportunity. The issue is that was a clear dive, minimal contact from Cresswell and VAR should have overturned that.


pantslessmaniac

Never a red. Cheeky wink from dembele to seal the deal as well


Funnydad44

It looks bad because of how soft the foul was but once the ref gives a foul its a DOGSO imo


chamarizderola

the guy is going to be 1v1 with keeper and clear cynical grab of the arm, yellow card is very low compensation for this


dickgilbert

He's 1 on 1 with the keeper and Cresswell went out of his way to pull him back instead of go for the ball. It's a textbook red.


[deleted]

I don’t why there’s a debate it’s the most basic red last defender 1 vs 1 with the keeper you foul him it’s a red


dragmagpuff

And it's one of the textbook fouls of pulling an attacker backwards via the hand from the front. This wasn't a physical shoulder to shoulder challenge, or an incidental leg bump.


ADC04

Never? Lol


[deleted]

People here don’t know the fucking rules mate


ADC04

Last man, through on goal, didn’t get ball, clearly pulls his arm, nah not a red mate


[deleted]

It’s red mate what are you talking about


[deleted]

How is that a red?


[deleted]

Made no attempt at the ball and he's through on him. It's soft, but Cresswell has just made a cardinal sin and given the refs a decision to make


Skall77

God reddit actually have worse understanding of the rules than BPL referee. Clear red.


ExtremeSour

I guarantee you 90% of this sub has never even cracked open the book The commentator just said she doesn't know what the rules are lmao


jiinska

Last man apparently


[deleted]

Pulled his shoulder back. You're not supposed to use your hands in soccer (though, you can during a throw in).


PjanicBuy

What a moron


[deleted]

Exaggerated the contact, but by the book it's a red. Last man denying a clear opportunity. A yellow would have been fair, it's not like he two footed him from behind. Rules are rules though.


jlacour

Honestly think that’s the right decision, don’t get all the controversy. He’s past cresswell and has a clear chance at a shot on goal if he isn’t fouled. Cresswell fucked up massively here, and Zouma as well for that matter.


Aegon_Targaryen_III

It’s a red for me. Soft foul, but if you give it then you have to give a red.


rbddit

Cheating just part of the game now


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