Leandro Bacuna - Sold

[Chris Stares]

I'm certainly not condoning what Bacuna did - he was stupid in the extreme and deserved his ban, but 6 games?  Where is the consistency if Akpan got an extra game ban and Bacuna got an extra 3 for basically the same thing?  Just shows how shite the FA are.

[kippaxvilla2]

I genuinely think someone at the Football League/FA doesn't like us very much.

[Risso]

I don't dispute that he should have been sent off. Six games is ridiculous. You can get less than that for a genuine headbutt or a leg-breaker.

Opinions and all that, but I predicted 5 or 6 games, and think it's fully deserved.

[chrisw1]

It was utterly fucking stupid.  I'm from a rugby background so tend to come from the angle that there should be FAR more respect for officials and punishments for this type of thing should be harsh.  But the FA need to get a grip and have some consistency here.  There is absolutely no justification for such a difference between the two bans.  In fact I think Akpans actions are somewhat worse (albeit the ref made a massive meal of it and fair play for the lino not taking a dive in our game).  They have set their precedent and it is unjust to hit us harder just because we are such a high profile club.

I hope we appeal and it gets reduced to 4 and the FA are made to look the incompetent twats they really are.

[Chris Stares]

I genuinely think someone at the Football League/FA doesn't like us very much.

It's hard not to arrive at this conclusion.

[Chris Stares]

I don't dispute that he should have been sent off. Six games is ridiculous. You can get less than that for a genuine headbutt or a leg-breaker.

Opinions and all that, but I predicted 5 or 6 games, and think it's fully deserved.

I agree Risso, but why the inconsistency when you look at the Akpan incident, where he pushes the ref in the chest, and yet he gets an extra game ban rather than 3?

[Chris Stares]

It was utterly fucking stupid.  I'm from a rugby background so tend to come from the angle that there should be FAR more respect for officials and punishments for this type of thing should be harsh.  But the FA need to get a grip and have some consistency here.  There is absolutely no justification for such a difference between the two bans.  In fact I think Akpans actions are somewhat worse (albeit the ref made a massive meal of it and fair play for the lino not taking a dive in our game).  They have set their precedent and it is unjust to hit us harder just because we are such a high profile club.

I hope we appeal and it gets reduced to 4 and the FA are made to look the incompetent twats they really are.

The ref in the Akpan incident did make a bit of a meal of it, but at least it wasn't the full Alcock stagger, wobble, dramatic slow flop to the ground.  I completely agree on the rest of your comments.  I have no issue with Bacuna receiving extra punishment, it's just the sense of unfairness due to the lack of consistency.  Didn't Wenger get 4 games for pushing an official?  Why does Bacuna attract the extra 2?

[paul_e]

Yeah my issue here is that we've seen, for years, players pushing and pulling at refs and getting a 3-4 match ban so why is this one deemed so much worse, I can't help but think that somehow we're seen as a soft target, big enough to make people take notice but not one of the top 4-5 who'd get loads of coverage complaining about it.

[adrenachrome]

Aston Villa FC
✔
@AVFCOfficial

Steve Bruce: "Leandro overstepped the mark but I think six matches is harsh. We will have a look and decide if we're going to appeal it."
9:50 AM - 3 Mar 2017

[SheffieldVillain]

Yeah my issue here is that we've seen, for years, players pushing and pulling at refs and getting a 3-4 match ban so why is this one deemed so much worse, I can't help but think that somehow we're seen as a soft target, big enough to make people take notice but not one of the top 4-5 who'd get loads of coverage complaining about it.

I can't argue with that and it does seem inconsistent with some previous punishments.

But for me, it's about time it was clamped down on and I hope that any player from now on doing anything similar gets the same or worse than Bacuna. I have no sympathy for him at all. If you are aggressive to any authority figure, you should expect severe punishment. Do it to your boss, you get sacked. Do it to a copper, you get nicked. Football should be no different and 'ooh, it's just because I care' is not an excuse.

The behaviour of players and managers at the top level is directly to blame for this in my opinion, it sets the trend for lower level and amateur football.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/39150413

[Richard E]

Shelvey got a shorter ban for racially abusing an opponent.

[Malandro]

Shelvey got a shorter ban for racially abusing an opponent.

and that says everything about the ruling body. Appalling.

[adrenachrome]

The lino said that Bacuna came at him hard like a berserk Barracuda with breast propellers.

[UK Redsox]

Subject to any appeal, which Bruce, Villa chief executive Keith Wyness and technical director Steve Round are now considering, Bacuna will also miss trips to Huddersfield Town and Wigan Athletic, as well as home games against Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers.

"I've had a chat with Steve and Keith and we'll decide in the next few hours whether we're going to appeal," Bruce said. "I do believe when you put it into context with the guy at Blackburn, they were very similar incidents."

[N'ZMAV]

Shelvey got a shorter ban for racially abusing an opponent.

that's modern football for ya