Aston Villa and Tottenham charged by FA with failing to control players

[PeterWithesShin]

I know most people disagree but when I finally saw the footage of the incident I didn't think Benteke deserved to walk. It was a very tame push off. If that is 'violent conduct', blimey.

In the modern game it was a red. But Mason and Soldado should have gone at the same time. That they got away with it is what boils my piss.

[brian green]

It goes on sadly in every walk of life these days.   Great big over the top punishments for high visibility high media profile things, the gaze of authority conveniently directed elsewhere when vicious, subtle, secretive stuff happens.

A Coronation Street actor is dragged through the courts in a post Savile witch hunt, a convicted rapist will doubtless be allowed to re enter the glamourous bubble of professional football.   Double standards everywhere.

[pooligan]

Swarbrick obviously went to the same school of refereeing as the likes of Kevin Friend and Phil Dowd

[dave.woodhall]

It goes on sadly in every walk of life these days.   Great big over the top punishments for high visibility high media profile things, the gaze of authority conveniently directed elsewhere when vicious, subtle, secretive stuff happens.

A Coronation Street actor is dragged through the courts in a post Savile witch hunt, a convicted rapist will doubtless be allowed to re enter the glamourous bubble of professional football.   Double standards everywhere.

A radio presenter is ostracised because of a case of sexual harassment while a film director and child rapist is allowed to ply his trade with the full support of his profession.

[lovejoy]

Swarbrick obviously went to the same school of refereeing as the likes of Kevin Friend and Phil Dowd

Was Friend the clown at Stamford Bridge last season?

[dcdavecollett]

Yes, he was.

[Steve67]

What a load of shit. The F.A. should charge the Referee for failing to control the players. Four of them, and not one of them spots the cheeky head butt by the Spurs player. Fecking useless.

[lovejoy]

Can Mason get the ban he deserves because of this? If so I'm all for it.

[Tom_Mc9?]

They started it.

[Dave]

Can Mason get the ban he deserves because of this? If so I'm all for it.

I think it depends what was in the referee's report. If he mentioned it (and considering it led to the Benteke sending off, I can't see how he couldn't bring it up) then I think they consider the matter to have been dealt with.

If it's not mentioned then they can take action retrospectively.

[peter w]

I wonder if the powers that be considered it a way of punishing Tottenham considering they largely initiated the raucous. It was mostly Tottenham players and only Benteke really involved in any heated stuff. Maybe they thought that it was a tad unfair that only benteke received any type of sanction and thought this was the only way to bring Tottenham to account also?

[dave.woodhall]

I wonder if the powers that be considered it a way of punishing Tottenham considering they largely initiated the raucous. It was mostly Tottenham players and only Benteke really involved in any heated stuff. Maybe they thought that it was a tad unfair that only benteke received any type of sanction and thought this was the only way to bring Tottenham to account also?

The FA looking for a way to punish Spurs? Sure.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

My mate's conspiracy theory:
Benteke was targeted...not by those marking him during the game but by players unlikely to come into contact with him....so Lamela starts the "incident", Mason extends it (and asks the ref to wield a card), Soldado follows it up by "raising his hands" and pushing Benteke THREE times. (What was his reason for doing that?)

Stating the obvious but, if Benteke's red card was for the dreaded sin of raising of hands, Soldado should've followed Mason for use of his head who should have followed Vertongen for the studs up tackle who should have followed whoever it was with the elbow in Benteke's face that the ref acknowledged and took no action against. Once Swarbrick has fu**ed up he feels he can't be seen to make amends by sending off 2 or 3 Spuds players who should have gone and caused a bigger fuss, drawing even more attention to his shit performance and a black mark against his name etc.

Will Swarbrick be reffing a game this weekend?
 

[Dave Cooper please]

They started it.

Yeah, but Spurs' Dad is bigger than our Dad.

[Chris Harte]

Will Swarbrick be reffing a game this weekend?
 

No.

http://www.premierleague.com/content/premierleague/en-gb/referees/appointments.html

Move the marker to week 11.