Get well soon, Raul

[AndyWolves]

He may not remember much but he will feel it for a long time. I have to assume you've never had a serious accident like this, otherwise you wouldn't be so dismissive. Remember, Raul had just headed the ball out. To do that he flicks his head up-field. So the collision was magnified by his own head flick as well as Luiz's torpedo-like thrust. If you read the report from the skull and brain specialists in the B'ham Mail, you'll understand that healing the skull fracture is the easy part. It's very likely, given Raul's head movement, that some of his brain cells could have been overstretched and the consequences of that could be far-reaching. I most certainly hope not—but now is not the time to be frivolous about the seriousness of the injury.

I wasn't being dismissive at all, I'm fully aware that this is a serious, potentially life altering injury.

Peter Cech had a similar injury and was able to return to playing, one of the reasons was that he had no recollection of the injury happening so it didn't affect his game.

Also, I think with the kind of injuries Raul has had you're better off not being able to remember such a horrific event happening to you. Ignorance can sometimes be bliss

 

[Deleted Cyber]

I wasn't being dismissive at all, I'm fully aware that this is a serious, potentially life altering injury.

Peter Cech had a similar injury and was able to return to playing, one of the reasons was that he had no recollection of the injury happening so it didn't affect his game.

Also, I think with the kind of injuries Raul has had you're better off not being able to remember such a horrific event happening to you. Ignorance can sometimes be bliss

As a former boxer I completely agree with you. I have been knocked out and cant even remember the fight let alone the punch that did it. The only thing I remember is the smell of smelling salts. That stays with you forever. I knew you were not being flippant or dismissive.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Sounds promising.

It does doesn't it? I'm finding it difficult not to read too much into that, but him talking about being on the pitch "soon" is fantastic!

 

[jdrodrigues]

I'm hoping he'll get better soon. Medicine has come leaps and bounds in the last few years, injuries that ended careers are now treated in a routine manner.

That challenge, while I don't say it was on purpose, was completely reckless from David Luiz.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

That challenge, while I don't say it was on purpose, was completely reckless from David Luiz.

Yep, i'm still very surprised that not one pundit/journalist has suggested this, probably through fear of the pile on.

The thing is, in not at least having a conversation about Luiz's challenge we won't see anything changing, so we will see this happen again and again.

 

[Jinky]

Yep, i'm still very surprised that not one pundit/journalist has suggested this, probably through fear of the pile on.

The thing is, in not at least having a conversation about Luiz's challenge we won't see anything changing, so we will see this happen again and again.

It's probably because, as the majority of them are ex-pros, they understand that these things can happen in a contact sport like football. It's surprising that it doesn't happen more often, to be fair.

I am still of the opinion that if you watch it in real time, it happens in a split second and it's harsh to say David Luiz was "out of control". He's just a big lad, attacking a ball, trying to get a run on his marker. Raul stands his ground and it all happens within a second. Analyzing the stills after doesn't change that, regardless of how they look.

It's similar to the other week when we had a penalty go against us and the referee only watched the replay in slow motion, meaning it looked worse - if he'd watched it in real time, it was obvious Kilman couldn't get his hand out the way.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Luiz having his hand in Raul's mouth is, as I've said, completely bizarre.

Otherwise I think it's just one of those things. If it were Gabriel that had done it rather than Luiz who we've known for a decade is a raging oaf who clatters around everywhere, I don't think there'd be the same level of questioning.

 

[1986]

As an aside - Neves was on the bench on Sunday and only came on later in the match .

Who would take a penalty - should we get one - if neither Neves or Jiminez is playing ?

 

[Jinky]

Luiz having his hand in Raul's mouth is, as I've said, completely bizarre.

Otherwise I think it's just one of those things. If it were Gabriel that had done it rather than Luiz who we've known for a decade is a raging oaf who clatters around everywhere, I don't think there'd be the same level of questioning.

Yeah, agree there (about if it was Gabriel). But as Mark said yesterday, the hand in the mouth is clearly accidental & just one of those motions that looks completely weird in a still photo, but the reality is it was probably there for less than a tenth of a second!

 

[Jinky]

As an aside - Neves was on the bench on Sunday and only came on later in the match .

Who would take a penalty - should we get one - if neither Neves or Jiminez is playing ?

Neto, would be my guess.

Although I'd let Coady take it!

 

[Tredman]

Moutinho perhaps?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I think Coads is 1 out of 3 for us. Definitely missed at City, was the other in the Asia Trophy thing we won?

Joao for me.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Yeah, agree there (about if it was Gabriel). But as Mark said yesterday, the hand in the mouth is clearly accidental & just one of those motions that looks completely weird in a still photo, but the reality is it was probably there for less than a tenth of a second!

Certainly be a hell of an achievement to fish hook the bloke midair at full pelt just as you're about to clash heads, even with all the bizarre things we've seen from Luiz in his career I think it would be some stretch to believe he'd set out with the intent to take someone out of a game with a flying headbutt and mouth fingering combo.

Taking a complete punt I'd guess that he's realised too late in the day that Jimenez is coming across and going to beat him to the cross he's attempting to steam onto the end of and has attempted to get his hands up and provide some sort of buffer/protection but such is the fast moving pace of the modern game it's not got to plan, rather in keeping with the whole situation.

 

[Tredman]

That’s the point though, intent shouldn’t come into it - it’s whether it’s dangerous or not.

 

[AndyWolves]

Podence or Neto on pens for me

Marcal might be decent too, no idea why though

 

[AndyWolves]

I was watching West Ham Vs Villa last night and tensed up everytime a headable cross went into the box. Especially when it was a very congested penalty area

 

[Paul]

Podence or Neto on pens for me

Marcal might be decent too, no idea why though

Andy and Marcal sitting in a tree...............

 

[Lupo]

There is a link on the Wolves website/App for anyone who wants to send a message to Raul and the club will pass them on to him

 

[MARKakaJIM]

That’s the point though, intent shouldn’t come into it - it’s whether it’s dangerous or not.

How do you limit that in a congested box though?

No-one allowed to go within a set distance of zonal markers? Players only allowed a 5m run at attacking a cross?

The outcome is shit but it's little more than pot luck the way it's panned out, how many corners get played through in a season and how often do you see incidents like that one as a result?

 

[Johnny75]

How do you limit that in a congested box though?

No-one allowed to go within a set distance of zonal markers? Players only allowed a 5m run at attacking a cross?

The outcome is shit but it's little more than pot luck the way it's panned out, how many corners get played through in a season and how often do you see incidents like that one as a result?

You can't limit it but what Luiz did is dangerous. Take rugby as an example, occasionally a player takes another out in mid-air, they don't mean it and it is an accident, something completely unavoidable but it is dangerous, so the player gets a yellow card an 10 minutes in the bin.

Even if Luiz was booked for a dangerous tackle (as you would a high boot) then players may modify their behaviour and not go charging in at the near post and attacking the man.

The bit that is the most dangerous here is that Luiz has attacked Raul's space, Raul jumps from his spot and is focused completely on the ball, for Luiz to win the ball he has to be in front of Raul and he isn't, it isn't as if Raul has appeared from nowhere he is set in that position.

Luiz has attacked a man who can't defend himself and is unsighted so cannot protect himself. Luiz could've pushed Raul over rather than go in with his head if he thought he could not get to the ball, both are a foul. It would be the same in rugby, basketball, American football and any number of contact/ collision sports.

If there was intent for Luiz to take Raul out then he would be rightly sent off but there clearly wasn't any but it is dangerous play and should be treated as such.