Did Cuellar do the right thing?

[calscot 0]

I say no, always no. The punishment is a penalty (which is usually scored) a sending off, meaning you have to fight back with 10 men, and you lose the player for the next game.

 

In this case not only did we lose our best defender while being down to 10 men, we're doubly punished in that the next SPL game is also at Celtic and we lose our best player again.

 

It's easy to use hindsight of the save to say he did the right thing - but if they'd scored as you'd expect them to, then we'd have been 2-1 down with only 10 men. As it was, we were under the cosh for the rest of the game and it was inevitable they'd score unless we could hold out long enough. We almost did, but the 10 men and without the services of the brilliant Spaniard, we couldn't hold on for one more minute.

 

Now we're without him for the next installment and he's a big, big miss.

 

If he'd just let the goal in, we'd have been 2-1 down but with 11 men to get an equaliser. We were in the ascendancy so I think we'd have had a better chance of drawing or winning.

 

I'm not criticising Cuellar as it's one of those rush of the head, in the moment things - and I've been sent off once for it myself.

 

But I still think it's definitely the wrong thing to do in most cases. More-so this time.

[stewarty 1,876]

Yes, it was a gamble that nearly paid off. It would have been save of the season had we held out for the draw.

[calscot 0]

But that's hindsight isn't it? And we also have the hindsight that the 10 men scenario ultimately lost us the game. We still have to see the repercussions in the next game.

 

I really think you have to weigh it up without using knowledge of the save - as Carlos didn't know that MacGregor would do so when he commit the offence.

 

I think that 2-1 down with 11 men we could even have won the game. With 10, and a penalty, even a draw was a big uphill struggle.

 

I'd also far prefer to have Cuellar in the next game. The guy was a class above before his sending off.

[calscot 0]

PS Would you be saying the same thing had MacDonald put the spot kick away and then we lost a couple more goals?

 

The point is you have to have one or other mindset BEFORE you make the save.

[calscot 0]

PPS What I'm trying to point out is that even if something luckily works out, it does not make it the right thing to do. I do think a lot of people are forgetting that.

[johnnyk 158]

these things happen and nearly paid off, instinct reaction sometimes and he'll be feeling the worst today. hopefully winning on sunday then next thurs and see his team m8s get a result against they scum will get him back on track............

[Gribz 743]

Id say it was worth the risk as if he leaves it its a definate goal, if he stops it there is still the chance that the penalty gets saved or missed - which is what happens.

 

Agree with Johnny, its instant reaction at times and nothing can be done.

[Hurlock 0]

I was almost out of the door to have a much needed ciggy when they stole that goal at the end, disgusted. I think it was just a natural reaction from Cuellar, he knew it was sneaking under the bar. If MacGregor is out for a while I'd suggest King Carlos should be our keeper !!

 

What about big gentle Dave Weir and Caldwell ?!?! What happened at the end, I thought Fergie and McManus got on alright ??

[craig 5,195]

PS Would you be saying the same thing had MacDonald put the spot kick away and then we lost a couple more goals?

 

The point is you have to have one or other mindset BEFORE you make the save.

 

How can you possibly have one or other mindset before the goal ? NO player goes into a game expecting to have to make a decision between saving a sure goal thus suffering a red card, or letting the ball go in.

 

In the heat of the moment, even if the player HAD decided before the game they wouldnt do it, things change. When it is a split second decision I dont think they even think about it, they just want to prevent a goal.

 

That said, and using hindsight, it would have been better to have lost a goal and fought back - but if we had of nicked a draw with him sent off, then my hindsight would suggest he did the right thing.

[calscot 0]

How can you possibly have one or other mindset before the goal ? NO player goes into a game expecting to have to make a decision between saving a sure goal thus suffering a red card, or letting the ball go in.

 

In the heat of the moment, even if the player HAD decided before the game they wouldnt do it, things change. When it is a split second decision I dont think they even think about it, they just want to prevent a goal.

 

That said, and using hindsight, it would have been better to have lost a goal and fought back - but if we had of nicked a draw with him sent off, then my hindsight would suggest he did the right thing.

 

Totally disagree with you Craig.

 

You CAN make a decision not to do this. You can coach it out of yourself. Most defenders have done it at some time or other and should have learned from it. You may still do it, but you will be far less likely. You sometimes see players hands go for the ball in other situations and then you see them reflexively pull it back.

 

We can over-ride any instinct. If we couldn't, far more motorcycle racers would crash. Most crashes are caused by "survival instincts" where riders either try to steer out of a tank slapper or throttle off when they should keep the power on. They teach themselves to keep the throttle on and let the bike steer itself when they get into trouble. Keeping the throttle on and turning more is usually safer than braking in many situations - but it's not instinctive.

 

The hindsight argument is incredibly poor. You cannot say a decision is correct because the outcome was ok. And ironically you're saying that "it would have been fine if..." The outcome was actually a bad one, which was highly attributed towards having 10 men. And we still don't know the repercussions for the next game.

 

You don't get Stephen Hendry smacking the pack incase a red goes down and then thinking he did the right thing because one does.

 

An intelligent player will play the percentages, and the percentages to me say you should let in the goal. Carlos is intelligent and I'll bet he wishes he hadn't handled. It's just his instincts took over in that fraction of a second.

 

I seen Celtic lose to an average Xamax side because Tom Boyd played goalkeeper. They went 1-0 down and had no chance of getting back in the game with 10 men.