Steven Gerrard has channelled his inner Roy Keane punditry in response to Saka requesting protection from the referee. In fairness, the rough treatment meted out to our meteoric winger was no worse than the usual fare that he regularly receives from defenders whose thought processes are a micro second slower than Saka’s feet.
The task of trying to marshall and subdue such a tricky and intelligent footballer is a nightmare for any defender and teams tend to double up on him. This enables them to rotationally foul him and reduce the risk of cards.
Gerrard was incensed at the suggestion that he requires protection, and his reasoning was ‘I am sitting here now with screws in my hip, I’ve had about 16 operations. I struggle to go to the gym at the moment’.
As a defence for continuing to allow Saka to be routinely fouled, it’s not a very convincing one. This is a 41 year old athlete who suggests that it’s only proper order that Saka should be roughed up, so that Saka can endure 16 operations and be crippled by his early 40’s. Surely the point is that Saka should be given every opportunity to avoid this fate by due diligence from the officials.
There is absolutely no doubt that the game suffers from a great deal of disgusting playacting and simulation, but the answer is not to give license to thuggery that will cripple the players who elevate the game. Particularly one who on the whole dusts himself off and gets on with things after the latest assault, which is how Saka generally reacts.
COYG!
Peter Doherty
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