Fact: there was a tackle, a broken leg, and a red card. Fact: Martin Taylor was employed to act as a defender and make tackles. Fact: Eduardo was employed as an attacker, and thus might expect to be tackled, particulary when he is posing a threat near the goal. Am I missing the point? Is that not what football is all about? Football is a dangerous game - but its stars get paid a lot of money and know the risks. Lets hope the poor chap makes a speedy and full recovery, and lets hope the mindless fools making death threats are brought to justice. I wonder if Mr Wenger is properly ruing his comments now?

Alastair Harris, DERBY,

So nobody has ever seen a worse tackle than Saturday's, ever? Examples of seemingly deliberate attempts to cause injury:

Thierry Henry on David Weir (yellow card):
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2o1EyhMw7h4

Joey Barton on Dickson Etuhu (unpunished):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4BtZ0oWbYY

Joe Cole on Cristiano Ronaldo (yellow card):
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lddPqWLEgMs

David Beckham (surely not?) on Savio (yellow card):
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-jaKTT6xZ7U

A number of tackles by Arsenal players at Old Trafford last week. 2nd rate teams?

Because the players tackled in these clips didn't suffer horrendous injuries like the unfortunate Eduardo, Is it OK? Or do we ban them all for life? To suggest the kind of draconian measures (and death threats, what is that all about?) on Taylor is madness judging by the 'tackles' shown above.

I salute Wenger for retracting his earlier statements about life bans and more people should take notice of that.

Jon, Manchester,

Butchers like Taylor should be banned from the game. Period. It's a huge disgrace to have him around our league. C'mon, he intentionally did it, everyone who understands the game knows it.

trevor, crewe, uk

Has anybody seen the picture of Martin Taylor in todays copy of the times in training with his Birmingham team mates today?

Anybody seen this somewhere before recently?

I wish I could get in contact with Alex McLiesh to tell him he needs to educate his players particularly Taylor on how not to tackle, he lunges in thinking he can win the ball when he's actually standing to far away to make a safe and legal tackle!

Also to Gordon Taylor chairman of PFA, he should be particularly responsible for the education of the consequences of the damage a footballer can do to another when 13 stone of footballer is off the ground and travelling uncontrollably towards another player.

Pictures of Eduardo and other players injuries professional and amateur should be on the walls of all training ground and stadia dressing rooms to ram home to footballers the consequences of tackling with both feet of the ground.

Peter Grubisic, salford, Manchester

"...punches another in the face it is assault and batttery but if as a consequence of the punch the victim falls over and hits head on the pavement and dies it is murder."

Well, technically that would be manslaughter. To prove murder you must prove intent, exactly the point here. If Taylor intended the injury, or was reckless as to whether or not he might cause such an injury, then fine, throw the book at him. If not, it's a 3 game ban for a red card. Every bad tackle could cause such an injury, and Utd's Nani hurdled one against Arsenal which was intended to put a tricky, show-boating winger in his place. At least the intent there was clear: take the player out.

If you punch someone, you may not intend to kill or seriously hurt that person, but if that outcome results from your violent act, you reap what you sow. I believe Taylor intended to block or clear the ball. Thankfully most bad tackles are just mistimed, and when they are intended the victim usually sees them coming.

Jay, Dublin , Ireland

Did any of you people who continue to call for Taylor to be banned for life, a barbarian etc. bother to watch the video link that Paul from Oxford supplied?

Eduardo, the 'brilliant' player did exactly the same tackle to Nani last week, only Nani was lucky enough to have jumped to avoid his leg being broken. How does that sit with your pathetic little comments about Taylor?

J Roberts, Manchester, UK

Seb - you must sit quite near me, I am upstairs in the Main Stand and also had a good view. No way was Tiny trying to injure Eduardo, it was a freak. He was trying to block the pass and Eduardo was just too skilled - not surprising, Tiny is the 4th choice centre-half in a team struggling against the drop.

Interesting that the "ban for life" comments mostly come from overseas "followers". Too much to expect them to follow their local teams instead and actually go and see football in person rather than via television and realize what ACTUALLY goes on?

VA, Birmingham, UK

The punishment should be proportionate to the injury to the victim. Taylor should not play football for at least 9 months. It is not right to say that because other players made tackles that might also have been dangerous and did not result injury Taylor is exonerated from blame.

There are loads of examples of people having the same intention with different consequences. A driver maybe inattentive at a junction and run his car into another vehicle, - causing minor damage, but he might equally have run over and killed a cyclist. I'm pretty certain if he did the latter he'd spend longer in gaol. A man is punches another in the face it is assault and batttery but if as a consequence of the punch the victim falls over and hits head on the pavement and dies it is murder. The law sentences the two assailants differently.

Unless Taylor is punished we invite some Croation player to do Rooney with a leg breaker. And all we''ll be able to say is "part of the game."

Trev, Wembley, Middx

DOes anyone actually know whether the 3 game ban is going to be the only punishment? Is there anything happening for a longer suspension? Any tackle that results in that injury, with the angle Taylor was coming in at (definitely not horizontal), and then connected where it did on Eduardo's shin can never be described as an honest tackle. A three game ban is pathetic-is anything else being done?

Paul Sommers, Stoke, UK

there is only one and a very simple solution for cases like this: ban this guy for life. He did not go for the ball, he simply went for the player. Absolutely disgusting. He shouldn't be back on a pitch ever again. Players who commit fouls like that do not deserve to play football and go on with their lives as if nothing has happened while their victims struggle for months or years to get well.If they are lucky they get back to their level, but often don't. The images say it all, it's absolutely horrendous and disgusting.

Peter, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

It is hard to believe that footballers like Martin Tylor still exists in modern day. I do not understand the whole media why backing this barbarian player. Eduardo is a great player that no one needs to miss him from Euro 2008. It sad such a good player will not be featured in Euro 2008. On the other hand it is good no to see Tylor and his fellows in Euro 2008 because UK is out.

Michael A., Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

If Eduardo was a young English star and Taylor was a Croatian defender do you think the comments would sound a bit different? The rather obvious answer is is 'yes'.

Brian O., Milltown,

I think that there is a clear misapprehension on the part of most people who want to participate in this debate about what foul play is. Intention is irrelevant. Taylor might be a great guy. Maybe he's never hurt anyone before in his life. It doesn't matter. FIFA rules state quite clearly that "a tackle which endangers the safety of an opponent must be sanctioned as serious foul play". Intention doesn't enter into it. Recklessness, negligence, incompetence, call it what you like. If it endangers the safety of an oppontent it is serious foul play and an automatic red card. The sooner referees in England start enforcing the laws of the game the sooner the sorts of tackles that Alex McLeish apparently perfomed for 20 years will disappear in England. One other matter. Would someone please explain to Alex McLeish that the ankle is the joint that connects the leg and the foot - it should not be confused with the shin.

Anthony, Brisbane, Australia

This is one subject where the journos have proved their worth above the halfwitted internet posters and bloggers. Most of them are right - it was a simple accident - the armchair pundits will only have seen the nasty footage or photos (some of them not even that as the coverage has been restricted). I challenge anyone to make a sound judgement based on a photo or a 5 second, single angle tv shot.

There are several challenges like that in any game of football and it wasn't even two-footed. It was a terrible misfortune on Eduardo's part and braying for Martin Taylor to go to jail (that one made me laugh out loud) or even be banned for 9 months - the current estimate of Eduardo's absence - is ludicrous.

It was just an accident. How do I know? I was there and watched the whole thing from a distance of about 25 yards. Martin Taylors stance as he went for the ball showed his intent to play it and not the man. End of story really. All the best Eduardo - cruel luck for a great player

Seb, Chester,

It was an horrendous challenge, but it was not malicious, martin Taylor is not like that, and all these stupid death threats are by people with such a mentality that they should be banned from football for life, not Martin

Lesley Jinks, Birmingham, England

I hope everybody's happy now. This is what you get when the media stir up personal vilification of a player. Complete over-reaction to an accidental injury and whoever is involved in making these threats is clearly far more of a danger than Martin has ever been. Shameful behaviour.

To quote Monty Python 'Should get away with crucifixion, first offence'.

Sophie, Liverpool,

I am a Villa fan and i am in full support of Martin Taylor. Footballers get paid huge sums of money to put their careers in the firing line on a regular basis, knowing full well that an ACCIDENT of some sort can end their careers! I know, as do many others that this tackle was not made with malicious intent but was just down to bad timing due to a world class player in Eduardo being too quick for an average player like Martin Taylor. I think Martin Taylors record speaks for itself in that he has never been charged by the FA for dangerous play and is very rarely booked, however football is now a game of not being able to touch players without uproar being caused!! This tackle was an accident and unfortunatly this is part of the game!! As for the minority of idiots that have made death threats i feel that they should get a life and think of not only themselves but Martins children and family! Football is a physical sport and unfortunatly accidents happen!!!

Ryan Jackson, Solihull,

Perhaps those football clubs who don't earn enough money to pay for "world-class" footballers should just stand to the side of the pitch for 90 minutes while Ars-"Harlem Globtrotter"-enal pass the ball to each other and score 50 goals for themselves.

I'd support the ban on Taylor as long as the same is applied to those Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester Utd players who commit bad tackles. But somehow everyone is strangely quiet when dirty tackles are perpetrated by the big clubs!

And death threats are just pathetic and reduce those individuals far lower down the social scale than bad tackling footballers.

Maz, Yorkshire, England

Lucas, Chicago. You can only claim it is "criminal" if you can prove there was criminal intent on the part of Taylor.

Can you?

Maz, Yorkshire, England

Taylors brought it on himself, if go you in hard with studs showing you run the risk of injuring another player . Taylor doesn't deserve any sympathy. If he didn't realise that going in hard, studs showing, aimed at the shin is going to hurt someone then he definitely needs to be banned for life. Taylor obviously doesn't posses the responsibilty and intelligence to be playing without being a danger. The FA and PL should investigate Birmingham for their comments suggesting a one footed challenge with studs showing at shin height is not a red card offence. It's a disgraceful suggestion after we have all witnessed the potential consequences of such challenges.

Taylor will be back in a couple of weeks hacking people down, the sympathy belongs with the victim of the crime. Taylor a role model for kids, no wonder they are busy stabbing each other.

Haider, London, UK

Tiny is not a thug. He is not a psychopath. He is not the Antichrist. He averages a yellow card every 39 games, and that's as a central defender. He was sold by Graeme Sounness because he wasn't enough of a 'bully'. How about a dose of perspective, people?

Sophie, Liverpool,

It's quite sad how bitter and unforgiving people are to other people. Revenge of varying sorts seems to be what the comments here suggest.

There seems to be little consideration that this was a split second tackle that was badly misjudged by a player with NO history of bad tackles. So much hatred in response to the accident is wrong.

Carlos, Birmingham,

These views above are ridiculous. If this is what people think then what should happen to players who throw in 2 footed tackles but don't injure anyone. They are surely more dangerous and therefore should have a longer punishment, or are we only going for punishments if there is an injury resulting.

Taylor's tackle was poor, but as he has the 'support' of some other members of the footballing community doesn't that suggest that he was just too slow or even that Eduardo was too fast. He will serve his punishment, but next time we see players from larger teams diving in 2 footed, do we automatically send them off, castigate them and call for them to have 'record' bans? I can see those 'ball-winning' midfield players from Chelsea, Arsenal and Man Utd starting to get worried!

Andrew, Crawley, UK

It was only a matter of time. The refs have been consistently letting these tackles go all year. This shows why they need to crack down.

Jack, London,

What happened to fair play? Taylor deserves punishment. What he did was criminal in nature. Football ruling body should take action against criminals on the field. There is no place for psychopaths in sports.

Lucas, Chicago,

OK - two wrongs don't make a right and all that, but Andrea and Steve, please get a grip.

Have a look at this clip from the Arsenal v United game last week. Pay paprticular notice to the young man making the challenge on nani about 4 seconds into the clip - pretty ironic really.

http://www.d1g.com/video/show/1790408

The facts are these: it was a poor challenge. it was not intended to break his leg. Taylor should serve the mandatory 3 match ban. Arsene Wenger should be charged by te FA.

Paul, Oxford,

Bottom line, it was a bad tackle. Taylor was never going to win the ball because his leg would have gone over the top of the ball anyway as he caught Eduardo 2/3 of the way up his leg. The challenge was that high. Regardless of the damage to Eduardo, it was a red card offence, so McLEish should not be defending that. I'm sure Taylor didn't mean to cause such damage to Eduardo, but I firmly believe that he had his manager's words ringing in his ears. Words such as "get the first tackle in", "Let them know you're there" etc. and was keen to carry those instructions out. The managers have to take an equal share of the blame and I'm sure there have been occasions where a manager has told one of his players to kick an opponent out off the match. Its a tough sport to play, a tough sport to officiate and a tough sport to manage as the stakes are so high, but there has to be a line drawn that cannot be crossed.

Rod, London,

I agree with Alex McLeish - poor Martin Taylor. Snapping that dastardly foreigner's shin in half must be awful for him. Thankfully though, the whole (British) football community has rallied around the big fella in his time of need. It's simply unbelievable how insular the EPL is, especially when it comes to home-grown footballers.

The image that says it all for me is not the one where Taylor's studs push through Eduardo's ankle, but rather the still of his studs first making contact with Eduardo's shin, halfway up is leg. That's an absolutely outrageous tackle, and to suggest that it wasn't even worthy of a yellow card, as, rather predictably, some pundits and teammates have suggested, is sheer lunacy and desperately sad.

If Taylor's not the malicious type, as some have suggested, why was his leg even that high up, with his studs showing in the first place?

Ed Martinez, Toronto,

Facts: Eduardo was too good and too quick for taylor; taylor mis-timed the tacke; the tacke was reckless; taylor’s studs were up and well above Eduardo’s ankle, higher than the ball that was on the ground. With his nauseating tackle taylor has managed to stop Eduardo, get a draw for his club, so mission accomplished. He also gets sympathy from his family, friends and some fans, and full support, applause and a pat on the back from his manager. Eduardo on the other hand has a long and painful way to go until he is fit to play again, and that’s because he was too good and too quick for a player that shouldn’t even be playing professionally if he gets things so wrong and nearly destroys another man’s carrier. “Poor martin could be psychologically damaged.” Eduardo is not only psychologically damaged but he is also in agony as a result of taylor’s bad tackle. So taylor should be banned at least until Eduardo is fit and playing again. Death threats are stupid and immature.

Rose, Surbiton-Surrey, UK

I agree, the player who does the damage should be out as long as the one who receives it. This tackle was obviously meant to injure, and should be dealt with severely.

Steve Shiner, Chcago, Illinois

Perhaps in future the idiots like Martin Taylor who seem to think playing like Roy Keane is something to be admired or modelled on will think again in future.

Clearly he should recieve a record ban. This nonsense about it was nicked past him is complete bunk! He clearly went into the tackle with studs up & showing, that is self evident from the pictures.

Without question or reservation these death threats are ridiculous but the game as a whole needs to look at the bully boy tactics employed by some 2nd rate teams to stop players who have superior technique.

No-one is snow white on that one but that challenge was nothing short of banned material. Just because others have got away with it & martin was "unlucky" does not excuse it - simple as!

If this were on the street and not a football picture, he would be looking at a stretch behind bars.

Andrea, London,

Of course it's all Eduardo's fault. These foreigners coming over here and being to quick and skillful for our slow and cumbersome British players. How dare he?

In seriousness though, I've played a little bit of nowhere near pro football and and basically have no skill at all, yet I can't remember ever having tried to tackle with my studs showing. If you're struggling to get to a ball you stick your toes out to get all the reach you can.

The simple solution would be; if you injure a player through your own poor play, skill or speed, whether intentional or not you should miss the same amount of games the injured player misses.

Then maybe people would learn how to tackle properly, safely and fairly with it still being a physical contact sport.

tim, windsor,