As is very often the case when an official has made a controversial decision he will invariably balance things up during the course of the game and before the interval he was given the chance to do just that, courtesy of a raised Christian Poulsen hand in the penalty area. Once again it was a correct decision. Now you may conclude that my take on the three major decisions described is backing up the referee and I am about to argue that he had a good game. Wrong. Stuart Attwell’s problem on Saturday was not his judgement on these three incidents. Throughout the game he managed to put in a performance which was well below the standards expected in the top flight. On numerous occasions he penalised Liverpool for ‘nothing’ challenges whilst in my (admittedly biased) opinion similar challenges by Sunderland were allowed to go unpunished. He also seemed to have great trouble applying the advantage rule sensibly. At one point he appeared to have indicated offside against Glen Johnson and was faced with red-shirted protestations, however he had actually waved play on – cue Mackem protests and general confusion all round.
He went on to incur the wrath of the visitors when he decided that a challenge by Liverpool skipper Gerrard on Danny Welbeck was worthy of a mere yellow card. On MOTD the ever-insightful Alan Shearer claimed that it was either a red card or nothing. Somebody should remind Mr Shearer that if that approach had been applied in his playing days he would have spent more time off the pitch than on it. It is also worth noting that a certain Graham Poll has declared via Twitter that the referee blundered by only brandishing a yellow card. Maybe Mr Poll thinks the Liverpool captain’s challenge should have warranted at least three yellow cards! By the end of the game Liverpool had endured long periods of Sunderland domination much to the frustration of the crowd, but had finally showed some semblance of cohesion and passion in the final 25 minutes. But for Daniel Agger’s impression of the proverbial “head like a ten bob bit” the home side would have bagged those desperately needed 3 points, but in the end a draw was a fair result.
Predictably all the post-game media talk centred around the referee. Steve Bruce also chose to blame Liverpool’s players for the controversial first goal, labelling it ‘unsporting’ and ‘unfair’. Maybe it was Brucie, just like the beach ball assisted goal in the fixture between the sides almost 12 months ago. Anyway, back to Attwell. He was certainly unlucky that he had so many big decisions to make especially so early in the match. Andy Gray has called for him to be removed from PL games for a period as a punishment. I agree that he should be given a break, though not as a punishment more as a chance to allow him to gain experience away from the spotlight. His career got off to an inauspicious beginning in 2008 when he infamously awarded Reading’s ‘ghost goal. On the advice of his assistant he gave a goal when the ball had passed a mere “three yards” the wrong side of the post! Yes, that’s where you have heard his name before. He was also the referee who failed to dismiss Steven Gerrard (again!) for clouting Michael Brown of Portsmouth across the back of the head last season.
At 27 Stuart Attwell has a long career ahead of him. For such a young lad to be thrust into the high octane environment of the Premier League at such a tender age where the stakes are so high may not be in his best interests. A spell in the lower tiers should not be viewed as a punishment, instead a help in his career progression. At least young Mr Attwell can console himself that even his latest erratic performance on Saturday, he still has in my opinion some way to go before he can consider himself the worst referee in the PL. That honour would have to go to either Andre Mariner or Chris Foy.
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I think Turner stopped the ball at where the free kick was to be taken, then casually back heeled the ball to the keeper, unfortunately for him he was too casual, Torres was right to pounce on this mistake and the ref was right to allow the goal. Turner is bound to try to cover his clanger is’nt he. The result against Northhampton was nothing short of disgraceful, Hodgson has to hold his hands up and accept responsibilty, i know we should still have won it, but to have no back up on the bench, tut..tut naughty boy Roy, embarrasing your club so early, not exactly getting the fans on board. On the plus side we should have had six points from United and Sunderland, just some dreadful defending let us down, Agger should be sweeping behind Skirtle and Carra should be at right back, Johnson should be left back… in the changing room, that is! Oh, well, Roy should get it sorted, soon i hope. YNWA.
remember big fat head gloating over the beach ball goal, going on about liverpool upsetting kenwyn jones, who he willingly sold to stoke, he should look the constant attempts at upesetting our great players – fat head is the correct desription for bruce.