There Are No Exceptions To This (Silly) Rule Avram

Would we even be discussing Freddie Piquionne's red card if Everton hadn't managed to salvage a point against a struggling West Ham side?

Probably not.

Should there have been a red card for Freddie Piquionne in the first place?

Definitely.

My girlfriend was very much at odds with Match Of The Day's Alan Shearer, as she correctly surmised: "How can he say it is against the rules before saying he shouldn't have been sent off?!" Or at least words of that ilk.

At the end of the day all players know that jumping into the crowd or removing their shirt after a goal is a bookable offence. Whether we like it or not (none of us do) that is the law of the land.

It could be the goal which keeps West Ham up, the goal that wins a trophy or earns promotion, it does not matter. It is classed as enticing the fans, after all if a supporter decided to run onto the pitch to celebrate with the goalscorer the chances are he would never be allowed to watch live football again.

I do not agree with the law however. Football is supposed to be passionate and create moments of elation that can only be equalled in the bedroom. So if a player over-reacts to an important goal he should be praised, not punished.

Not only did Piquionne's dismissal indirectly lead to West Ham surrendering the lead he had given them, it also means he will miss their next game through suspension. The rule itself is as baffling as Mike Ashley's managerial policy, or Kenny Dalglish's belief that Jonjo Shelvey will make it as a first team player at Anfield.


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