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29 Oct 20:00
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29 Oct 20:00
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29 Oct 21:45
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FA MAKE OFFICIAL RULING AFTER NOTTINGHAM FOREST APPEAL OVER CHELSEA BUST-UP
Nottingham Forest's FA fine for failing to control players against Chelsea has been reduced from £125,000 to £112,000 on appeal. The club successfully challenged the "lack of contrition" aggravating factor in the initial ruling.
File Photo: Chelsea 1-1 Nottingham Forest - Sunday 6 October 2024
Following an appeal, Nottingham Forest's Football Association sanction for failing to manage their players was lowered.
The Reds' inability to maintain player discipline during a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in October 2024 resulted in a £125,000 fine. The Blues received a fine of £40,000.
After it was claimed that both teams had neglected to make sure their players "did not conduct in an indecent and/or provocative fashion around the 88th minute" of the game, the FA charged them. In the final moments of the game, a brawl broke out after Marc Cucurella was knocked down by Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca after Forest defender Neco Williams shoved him.
An independent appeal body has now largely upheld Forest's appeal against the ruling. A hearing last Friday resulted in the club's sanction being lowered to £112,000 instead.
"An independent appeal board has largely supported an appeal by Nottingham Forest FC in connection to a breach of FA Rule E20.1," the FA stated in a statement. Following the large-scale altercation during their Premier League match on Sunday, October 6, 2024, the FA accused Nottingham Forest FC and Chelsea FC of violating FA Rule E20.1.
Both clubs acknowledged the accusation that they neglected to make sure their players were not acting inappropriately or provocatively around the 88th minute. After a hearing, an independent regulatory body fined Chelsea FC £40,000 and Nottingham Forest FC £125,000.
Nottingham Forest FC later filed an appeal contesting the sentence. After a hearing, the appeal board lowered the club's penalties to £112,000 and partially upheld this appeal.
The appeal board explained the decision in their written reasons: "We allow the appeal on the two identified specific grounds, under the umbrella of being decisions which no reasonable commission could have come to, namely: As supported by The FA that the credit for admitting the charge should be the same percentage as that granted to Chelsea F.C, given that both clubs admitted the charges against them at the earliest opportunity and the charges both arose from the same facts; and the finding, as an aggravating feature, that there was a lack of contrition on the part of NFFC, when in its written submissions to the commission that it had stated that "it regrets and sincerely apologises for what occurred."
If not, the appeal is denied. As a result, we partially grant the appeal and lower the commission's £125,000 fine to £112,000 in accordance with Fast Track 7, Regulations 18.1 and 18.2.
The Reds were fined more than the Blues in the initial ruling because of their "lack of contrition" and prior disciplinary record, which were considered "aggravating" considerations. "The commission failed to correctly assess the club's earlier efforts to address conduct issues and the practical implications of this," Forest said in his appeal of the sentence.
Nonetheless, the appeal board came to the following conclusion: "In the appeal board's opinion, this is just not a fair criticism of the commission in circumstances when NFFC did not provide the commission with evidence of such efforts." According to NFFC's written submissions to the commission, the highest rating it can receive is that it indicates that its players exercised a great deal of restraint in the circumstances, which it claimed was indicative of the "steps it has taken" to address the criticism in a prior E20 decision in January 2023. The organisation also stated that it had reminded its players of their responsibilities under Rule E20.
That submission, though, raises the question of what actions have been taken. Simply put, the commission cannot see them because they are not named. We might also add that we cannot see them. In these situations, the appeal board dismisses the argument that the Commission did not properly take into account NFFC's earlier attempts to resolve conduct-related issues.
A £10,000 fine for an incident against Derby County in January 2022, a £25,000 fine for an incident against Crystal Palace in November 2022, a £40,000 fine for an incident against Wolverhampton Wanderers in January 2023, a £55,000 fine for an incident against Wolves in April 2023 and a £75,000 fine for an incident against Liverpool in March 2024 were among the previous instances of rule violations that the commission brought up during the initial hearing.
GUARDIOLA TIPS HAT TO DYCHE: ‘HE’S AMONG THE VERY BEST’
Pep Guardiola hails new Forest boss Sean Dyche as "the best" at set-pieces, noting the trend isn't new. He also revealed that Man City has struggled with dead-ball situations this season compared to rivals like Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola shaking hands with Sean Dyche - COURTESY/PHOTO
According to Pep Guardiola, Nottingham Forest has one of the best representatives of the new fascination in football at their disposal.
Although Mikel Arteta, Arsenal, and their ability to score goals from set pieces are admired by the football community, Guardiola has reminded everyone that the idea is not particularly new.
As demonstrated during his tenure as Burnley's manager from 2012 to 2012, he did, in fact, hail incoming Forest manager Sean Dyche as "one of the greatest."
The 54-year-old guided the Clarets into the Premier League and kept them there for six seasons before exiting Turf Moor.
Forest, who have only won one league game so far and are now in third place, can now access that knowledge.
Man City boss Guardiola said, “It’s true that people utilise every throw-in like a corner and put 10 players there in the box.
"Every move (Michael) Kayode made in the box caused us to suffer when we played at Brentford or watched Brentford play Liverpool in our hotel. Additionally, Kayode was the match's man.
“Today, set pieces are a menace. I recall being in Burnley a long time ago with Sean Dyche. Burnley posed a serious threat in the second and long balls.
"Dyche is by far the finest at these kinds of things. He has already done it; therefore, it is not fresh.
Or Sam Allardyce. Or I recall Stoke City when I was not here. Do you recall the throws made by Stoke City?
Maybe Stoke was the anomaly back then, but more and more teams are doing that now.
"I recall that Arsene Wenger mentioned playing at Stoke City while I was at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, but these days it happens frequently.
It may have happened (only) at Burnley or not at all when I got there, but it is a fact now. You must also pay attention. I still want to play, though.
This season, Arsenal has already scored nine league goals from set pieces, five from open play, and two from penalties.
With eight (plus eight from open play and one penalty), Chelsea is not far behind.
On the other end of the scale, though, are Forest and Man City. While City has scored 12 goals from open play, three more on the counterattack, and two own goals, they have yet to score from a set piece. The Reds have scored two of their five goals from restarts.
"Every manager does what they think," Guardiola stated. I am not ignorant of the fact that I want to score from corners and free kicks. I desire it. However, I dedicate my time to what we need to do to improve our play, attack, and generate opportunities. to score goals.
I pay attention, of course, but I am aware that I am not the manager to try to; I have done that my entire career. When things became rough at Burnley, I recall that we gave up maybe one corner, if any, as the second balls were under our control. That is the most effective method of defending these games.
However, you need to be strong in many areas for that, and we are working on it. I will keep working mostly on our game till the very end. And occasionally, as necessary, adjust.
At Brentford, we performed quite well. James, the French set-piece coach, did a fantastic job of enticing our guys into defending these kinds of acts. The same was true at Arsenal: it was amazing. We did not control the game against Arsenal; therefore, we gave up a lot of corners.
NAPOLI TAKE THREE-POINT LEAD AFTER CLOSE WIN AGAINST LECCE
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa's header secured a 1-0 win for Napoli over Lecce, moving them top of Serie A. The victory was sealed after Vanja Milinkovic-Savic saved a Francesco Camarda penalty.
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa celebrates scoring - Photo Credit: Getty Images
Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa scored another goal to give Napoli a narrow victory over Lecce, although Vanja Milinkovic-Savic also saved a penalty kick from Francesco Camarda.
The thrilling 3-1 victory against Inter put the Partenopei back atop the league, but it came at a price: Kevin De Bruyne will miss several months of action due to a significant thigh strain. Rasmus Hojlund and Amir Rrahmani returned to the bench, but Stanislav Lobotka, Alex Meret, and Romelu Lukaku remained on the treatment table. Leonardo Spinazzola and Scott McTominay were rested, and the 4-3-3 formation was reinstated. Following the 3-2 loss to Udinese, Lecce was without Gaby Jean, Filip Marchwinski, Matias Perez, and Riccardo Sottil.
Billy Gilmour's attempt was deflected wide as Napoli wore their special edition Halloween uniform, but Lorenzo Lucca unintentionally charged down a Matteo Politano strike that was on target.
On the Matias Olivera pull-back, Politano turned over from six yards out, while Medon Berisha also threatened by drilling wide from the area's edge.
Olivera had been put clear by a clever Gilmour first-touch lay-off, but Wladimiro Falcone made a fantastic stop with his legs at the near post.
On the cusp of halftime, Francesco Camarda's chest and half-volley was inches wide, yet it would not have been considered handball.
Moments after the restart, Noa Lang added to the growing list of Napoli players out after hobbling off with a hit to the thigh just above the left knee.
Lucca sprinted onto a long ball that Falcone hurried out to nod clear, and Politano's follow-up was charged down with the goalie off his line, creating a double chance to open the score.
After a VAR review, the Lecce penalty was given because Kialonda Gaspar's header on a corner seemed to hit Juan Jesus' hand, which bent back on impact. Vanja Milinkovic-Savic, who has saved five of the past nine Serie A penalties faced, demonstrated his expertise by parrying the spot-kick when Camarda stepped up.
Hojlund made his comeback from injury, with McTominay and Leonardo Spinazzola reinforcing the team off the bench for the final half-hour.
It paid off, as a free kick from David Neres was glanced into the far top corner off the head of Anguissa from six yards out, giving Napoli the lead.
Nikola Stulic was too slow to capitalise on a Danilo Veiga pull-back, Elmas shot wide, and Hojlund missed the Neres assist in stoppages.
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