Everton balls: Oh, come on, we loved Williams chucking his dummy
Argy-bargy at Everton, where the Toffees lost 1-2 to Lyon in the Europa League. The lowlight features the unforgettable sight of an Everton fan in the Gwladys Street end “trying to shove Anthony Lopes, the Lyons goalkeeper, with his right hand” (Times). The idiot compounded his behaviour by cradling a toddler sucking a dummy at the time. There’s thick and there’s wading into a fight against professional athletes whilst holding a child levels of thick.
We’ll get to know this dangerously thick man is. As the Times notes, “The shame game has begun.”
But before that, what happened? As ever the Press seem incapable agreeing on the most bald fact.
Everton fan carrying a CHILD slaps Lyon goalkeeper on his head – Daily Mail
Merseyside Police investigating Everton-Lyon brawl which saw man throw punche while holiding a kid [sic] – the Sun
An Everton fan who appeared to slap a Lyon player while holding a child during last night’s Europa League game has been banned by the club while police investigate the incident. – Daily Mirror
One fan was seen trying to throw a punch while holding a child. – Daily Express
…a fan carrying a child appeared to aim a punch at Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes. – Daily Telegraph
Punch? Slap? Hit or miss?
Lyons were unimpressed with the Everton showing:
Is this football ? 😫 #EvertonOL pic.twitter.com/ygp6O6BngV
— OL English (@OL_English) October 19, 2017
As for the shame and the horror, the players have spoken:
Everton captain Williams, who was shown a yellow card, told media: “It’s what happens, it’s football. It is what it is. It’s high emotions. We want to win the game, they want to win the game and stuff happens. That was just one of those times.”
He later told Everton FC’s website – where the incident is a described as a “heated exchange – “We want to show fight for ourselves, but more than anything for the Club and the fans especially. We’re disappointed we haven’t got a result tonight because I thought we showed good attitude in how we went about it.”
And Lopes opined: “I don’t think it is part of the English atmosphere to hit an away player. It was no big deal, it happened and that was it. For me it seemed to wake up the fans and they seemed to love it.”
They did. And so did the media. Fans and media love a mass brawl. Chuck in a streaker, a few red cards and the match would have been yet more entertaining – albeit not up there with Zidane’s headbutt or Cantona’s kung-fu kick.
Posted: 20th, October 2017 | In: Back pages, News, Sports, Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
