This exact situation has been under scrutiny already. The fact is his cleats were up, and he didn't even touch the ball. I don't agree with a lifetime ban but i would agree with a 3 game suspension. The rules clearly state that cleats up is an automatic red card unless the ball is touched first. Taylor has shown that it wasn't malicious but the fact is that type of tackle is dangerous and against the rules of the game for a damn good reason. the outcome of the tackle ends the debate in my mind

jeremy, Austin, usa, tx

I seen the game live on TV and don't think that Taylor made a vindictive challenge. We have to remember that it was 3 minutes into the game and everyone was still cold and not in their rythm. Eduardo was looking to pass/cross the ball and flicked it away as Taylor challenged. His leg then became the standing leg after the flick and it was too late for Taylor to pull out.
It was late, even clumsy but not vindictive. They don't call him Tiny for nothing and once he is on the move it takes something to bring him to rest. Very unfortunate but blameless i think. We all get tribal about our teams but in the same match Adebayor was no stranger to a double handed push in the back which was more than ungentlemany or an elbow on the keepers head. On another day it might have been Maik Taylor in the eye hospital but I believe Adebyor intended to stop Maik Taylor jumping for the cross and could have easily injured him in the process, but Tiny didn't intend to injure. Adebyor/Maik were both lucky

Bradyfan, Reigate, uk

Carlos - it may have been an accident. At least the fact that Eduardo had his leg broken. The tackle itself WASN'T an accident. Had Taylor been playing the ball his foot would have been on the ground. It was deliberate as so often is the case against skilful players - especially Arsenal players who are deemed not to like rough stuff.

Yet again the FA show themselves to be cowards and imbiciles of the worst kind: no comment from them at all about the incident and yet Aliadiare is given an extra match ban for what everyone says was a nothing challenge. Well done the FA for showing the English game leadership. NOT.

Ken the gooner, Yarm, UK

I'm still staggered how some people really want to believe that Taylor should be punished, punished and more punished. It was an accident - forgive the man! There was no hate from Taylor towards Arsenal and Birmingham/Arsenal have had a good recent history and yet you people are full are hate - you're all like a mob baying for more blood!

Considering that there are two footed tackles in games most weeks, luckily with no serious injury as a result, do we ban every slightly dodgy tackle? You would be banning alot of players (including Arsenal players).

Carlos, Birmingham,

It doesn't matter what his intention was, but it was not how football should be played. The only way to change this is for the FA to take the matter seriously and punished such action more severely such that it deters players from even thinking of trying.

Eduardo wasn't even in the penalty box or any dangerous position. Why in the world would Taylor needs to launch such as tackle just to win a ball? The fact is the consequence to him maybe small enough (yellow card, or much less likely a red), and he wasn't going to be the person who get hurt if he didn't get the ball.

Ling Ho, Aurora, IL

Anyone who was watching the Game could see the tackle was every bit Malicious, no doubt when he comes to write his autobiography he'll tell us how he " took out" Eduardo, much like Roy Keane boasted in his autobiography when he nearly put an end to Alf-Inge Haaland. A claim he later put down to make his book more exciting. If this had happened on the street then Taylor would have been prosecuted, it sickens me that Referees and the F.A. are so wimpy nowadays, what has happened to sportsmanship in this country?

cc, liverpool, uk

it was a shocker. Made me cough up my pretzels watching it on youtube.N

Nick W, Derby, England

Making an ill-timed challenge doesn't make someone a dirty player; the intent of the challenge does. Of course it's an awful thing. I had my tib/fib fractured by a goalkeeper who made a bad decision about how to stop me and it ended my career. I wasn't on-track to ever play at the level of the EPL but it's terrible nonetheless. However; there was no malintent, it was just a case of some guy who got stuck in goals who didn't know how to properly play the position. I can't hold that against him and I think Dudu feels the same.

In Martin Taylor's case, he just wasn't as fast as Eduardo. He was probably trying to get stuck in and make his presence known early on but it takes a sociopath to do something like that intentionally. Now, If it were Roy Keane or Gazza this would be a different story altogether.

I do think there should be stiffer penalties for studs up tackles though, to prevent or at least reduce injuries such as this.

barryman, Austin, TX - U.S.A.

oh, you ran him over with your car? oh dear, that isn't the normal sort of behaviour from you. As long as you show remorse, so we'll just make you sit out work for a month. No, of course we won't fine you or anything like that.

Come on guys....... it makes absolutely no difference if Martin Taylor WAS a dirty player or not. He is now. And should be punished appropriately. Sitting out three games, while being paid I'm sure, is not appropriate.

David Leech, Forest Hill, London

Taylor should be banned for as long as it takes Eduardo to make a full recovery and play at a high level again. Thats only fair.

cHRIS, Brooklyn, USA

Excellent. Do we also offer reckless drivers counseling when they injure someone?

jezzman, harpenden, hertfordshire

What really surprises me in all of this is the outpouring of sympathy for Taylor as if he is the victim ! This is an outrage as it is obvious that the late tackle was meant to injure from the pictures of the initial contact which show it was high on the shin of Eduardo. As yet there has been no condemnation of the manager McLiesh who has admitted that he told his team to go in aggressively early on Arsenal and as such is culpable and vicariously liable for the damage to the talented Croat who is the real and only victim in this case of GBH.

Demo, Dublin, Ireland