Hayashi Getting Booted

Barry writes

Check out this clip from the Nagoya game and Saturday's Hiroshima match. Twice in two games our keeper gets booted in the head. The first, Hayashi, who's already smothered the ball gets clattered by a trailing leg left in way too late. The forward should be trying avoid the keeper.

The second, Sanfrecce's Ozaki, clearly frustrated at his shutting out by Yoshida, drops his studs onto Akihiro's head in passing.


Hayashi Getting Kicked

If given the benefit of the doubt that they're weren't overtly malicious, both were still clearly dangerous and careless play. Neither resulted in cautions. Keepers are meant to get better protection than this.

We've just secured one of the best young keepers in the country, and I don't want to see him out with head injury because referees are too lax on clumsy, frustrated forwards swinging their studs around.