FANS want Reece James banned for an additional match after finding out the incredible excuse being given for his red card against Brighton.
The Chelsea captain lasted 19 minutes in just his second game since returning from injury before he was sent off against the Seagulls last month.
James, 24, was fouled by Joao Pedro and then saw red as he lashed out, kicking the Brazilian as he ran past.
Chelsea appealed the red card and came up with a bizarre justification to try and get the defender’s ban overturned.
According to the Daily Mail, the club claim James was disorientated after being fouled by Pedro.
Chelsea add: “It had not been his intention to harm Mr Pedro, he was simply pushing him away with his foot.”
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James missed the final game of the season against Bournemouth so has already served one game of his four-match ban, which was upped from the usual three as his red card against Brighton was his second of the season.
But fans want the ban to be increased as they believe the grounds used for appeal are ridiculous.
One supporter reacted saying: “Should get an extra game for stupid appeals like that.”
Another added: “Why appeal? It was a clear red card offense.”
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A third wrote: “They should even add an extra for appealing.”
And another commented: “Why did he appeal for his stupidity.”
Why Leicester fans WON’T miss Maresca
IT IS fair to say most Leicester fans were not exactly pleading with Maresca to stay, writes Graeme Bryce
OK, they were not queueing up and offering to drive him to Stamford Bridge.
But there will not be too many tears shed or much wailing at the King Power either.
The fans’ attitude to losing their incredibly successful boss could be summed up in a word: ‘Meh’.
Maresca failed to win over the paying public who never really took to his patient, possession-based style of football.
Having been brought up — some would say spoiled — by the swashbuckling title winners of 2016, with Jamie Vardy spearheading manager Claudio Ranieri’s shock champions, Maresca never really got off the ground at the King Power.
So it will be interesting to see what Chelsea’s notoriously impatient fans make of Maresca’s ‘death by a thousand cuts’ style of play.
It was not long before some of the old-school Leicester fans started moaning that Maresca’s patient, play-out-from-the-back style was becoming too boring to watch.
During a 3-1 win over Swansea which left them ten points clear at the top, there were moans and groans coming from the stands amid cries of, ‘Get the ball forward’.
Fans accused him of stubbornly sticking to his Plan A — even when it was not working — and claimed he was way too slow to make substitutions.
But one thing Blues fans can look forward to is his man-management and his attention to detail.
And the Foxes players also adored their manager.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
