Mark Holmes urges the FA to clamp down on the use of elbows, blasts treatment of the FA Cup and backs Andy Carroll in his latest Monday Moan.

Last week I came in for an incredible amount of criticism for stating we couldn't say for certain if Mario Balotelli meant his stamp on Scott Parker and this week, unfortunately, I lead once again on the possibility of a player being punished retrospectively for violent conduct.

FA need to be firmer on elbows

As I said last week, I couldn't honestly say for certain whether Balotelli purposely tried to stamp on Parker, but I was never in any doubt that Joleon Lescott intended his forearm smash on Younes Kaboul.

I was quite surprised when I heard the Football Association had decided to charge Balotelli, but I was absolutely staggered when I realised they had let Lescott off the hook.

Since the FA upheld Vincent Kompany's sending-off (which I backed, incidentally) it seems a lot of people expect every mistimed challenge to be punished by a red card and I think the FA may have got carried away by what is currently 'in vogue' and simply forgotten about just how dangerous elbows in football are.

The damage they can cause far exceeds a broken leg or snapped Achilles, and it sent out completely the wrong message not to punish Lescott for such a clear-cut offence.

And now the FA has landed itself in a sticky situation because at least one club is going to feel extremely aggrieved by whatever they decide to do about Robin van Persie's elbow on Carlos Cuellar on Sunday.

Ban him and Arsenal will quite understandably ask why Lescott wasn't punished the week before, but let the Dutchman off the hook and there will be a lot of people, not least those at Aston Villa, questioning whether the FA is serious about player protection.

Elbowing is something referees and the FA simply cannot afford to take a soft stance on. Also, unlike the Balotelli incident when I felt the intent (or lack of it) had to be taken into consideration, I think intent is a moot point regarding elbows.

I'd like to think Van Persie didn't purposely elbow Cuellar in the face but he put his opponent at risk in throwing his arm back, and that type of dangerous action needs to be discouraged quickly before someone is seriously hurt.

Neil Warnock argued earlier this season that Van Persie is persistently guilty of this sort of dangerous play and, while I don't see enough of him to give my own view on that, a lot of strikers are guilty of using their arms to hold off defenders.

A clamp down on that sort of behaviour needs to begin immediately.

FA need to be firmer, full stop

This isn't 'bash the FA' day but, as this column comes on the back of FA Cup fourth-round weekend, I can't pass up the chance to mention the continuous poor treatment of the competition.

Last year's final, which I attended, took place on the same day as FOUR Premier League games, and with the final round of fixtures still to come. It was a scandalous belittlement of what should be the FA's jewel in their crown, but there were at least mitigating circumstances with the Champions League also due to be played at Wembley.

However, the same situation has arisen this season too with the final currently scheduled for May 5, on a full Premier League weekend and just days after the Europa League final. Oh, and it's almost certain to be given a 5pm kick-off.

I don't agree with the Guardian's ludicrous assessment that 'the majority of the teams taking part are not that interested in winning the competition', but I do agree that it could do with freshening up.

Attendances at ties over the weekend just gone have made that quite clear but the FA must not fall into the trap of believing that no-one cares about the FA Cup and that we're happy for it to be treated as a second-rate competition.

The FA's general secretary Alex Horne has at least said negotiations have begun with the Premier League to avoid a repeat of the 2011 clash - and the only way the FA Cup will retain its glamour is if the FA make it clear the Premier League must be scheduled around the FA Cup, NOT the other way around.

Give Andy Carroll a break

Unlike the other 99.9% in the media, I focused on the football this weekend. I couldn't care less about what some idiot does in the stand or who is going to shake hands with who before the game - because I'm a football journalist, not a bloody political reporter.

So, with my love for the game still intact, I sat down to watch Liverpool v Manchester United and managed to enjoy a good old-fashioned game of nogger.

Old fashioned is probably a good word to describe Liverpool's number nine Andy Carroll, and I thought he had a decent game leading the line at Anfield. What's more, I think he is an extremely good player that will score lots of goals for the Merseysiders.

That's because, to stress the point again, I am a football man that couldn't care less about transfer fees and pays little attention to the stream of spurious rumours started by the tabloids about the likes of Carroll.

I do not know how many more times Kenny Dalglish has to state he is happy with Carroll for the press to believe him! Yes, he cost a lot of money and yes, his form has been largely disappointing, but he is also still very young and at exactly the right place and working with exactly the right manager to improve his game.

I just wish the rest of the football media could remember why we got into this profession in the first place - not to talk about handshakes or racism, but to discuss and report on the beautiful game we all profess to love.

Have your say

I have to give a quick mention to Daniel Sturridge's shocking dive against QPR - isn't it about time the FA followed their Scottish counterparts and took retrospective action on this too? - but I want to hear your moans.

What got your goat this weekend, and what aspect of football do you want to see changed?

I'm also looking forward to reading which team I support today - I was a Manchester City fan last Monday but a Spurs supporter the week before so I can't wait to add the latest club to my long list of loves!

Get your comments in and, remember, you can also follow me on Twitter to hear me moan from Tuesday to Sunday too.