Michael Owen - FA have got it right...

[palerider]

I've just watched an interesting debate on Sky Sports' Sunday Supplement about this. Jason Burt from the Telegraph who I believe is a West Ham fan was defending the club's right to go to arbitration whereas Martin Lipton from the Mirror was saying it was always going to be a waste of time.

But he also quoted Sam Allardyce from 2004 when Wayne Rooney pushed Tal Ben-Haim in the face and was sent off. Ben-Haim made the most of it in much the same way that Flores did. Interestingly Allardyce defended Ben-Haim by saying it was his right to react like that and did nothing wrong.

[GARNETT]

Oh we'll... That's my theory blown out of the water

Not at all Stevo, the fact that there are differences of opinion a huge difference and it`s still being debated proves to me that nothing was clear cut nothing was conclusive, a red card should not have been awarded.

Owen, Herbie webb and 4 panellists are in the minority.

Time to move on now.

[rednekst]

I thought it was a red too.
He lashed out and even if he had hit him on the arm it should of been a red

That just goes to prove what a (unt you really are Herbie!

[Paulo_10]

I think everyone got too caught up with Flores's reaction. You have to strip that out as it's irrelevant. Carroll lashed out with his forearm. It was not a natural movement; he did it to cause harm. The fact that he didn't is, again, irrelevant. You have to punish the intent, not the outcome and, unfortunately, it's a straight red for that. The fact we've kicked up such a fuss about it is embarrassing in my opinion, and will also hamper our chances when we do have a case for an appeal.

[happyhammer4eva]

I thought it was a red too.
He lashed out and even if he had hit him on the arm it should of been a red

Exactly. It was a red card.

[herbiehammer]

I think everyone got too caught up with Flores's reaction. You have to strip that out as it's irrelevant. Carroll lashed out with his forearm. It was not a natural movement; he did it to cause harm. The fact that he didn't is, again, irrelevant. You have to punish the intent, not the outcome and, unfortunately, it's a straight red for that. The fact we've kicked up such a fuss about it is embarrassing in my opinion, and will also hamper our chances when we do have a case for an appeal.

My thoughts too

[Dailly___7]

I just watched a game where there should have been about 4 red cards according to some of the posters here :/

Carroll didn't "lash out". He attempted to push away a defender who was all over him. You see these incidents a number of times during most football matches.

If Cheato hadn't of gone down like he'd been shot, this wouldn't even have been an issue. The reaction got Carroll sent off.

Never a red card in a million years.

[jon15u]

I think Cheato should have got red for attempting with intent to pony tail butt, Carrolls arm.