I thought todays game was a full blooded christmas game. Two teams who wanted it, but at the same time never really looked better than 'decent' except in patches. A big praise for the way the Reds came out in the 2nd half. Should've won really. Trevor Kettle - what a fecking joke. Where do we get the referees from? He should be sacked. Firstly, he was terrible throughout the game. The free kick he gave to Stoke was never a free kick. At least ONE Stoke player should've been sent off. He played at least 7 minutes of injury time. Sent off Foster for an average tackle. Let Shawcross and Fuller get away with obscene gestures. Then, when any normal referee would've blown the whistle AFTER the free kick in the 97th minute was taken...he gives a penalty. Me, personally - I think he'd already made his mind up to give a penalty before the free kick was taken. He needs reporting to the FA. 4 points robbed from us in 2 matches. Anyway, UP THE REDS!!
He didn't "play" 7 minutes of injury time because for much of that time there was the dispute over the free kick and penalty, and all that stemmed from Howard not clearing the ball - WTF was he playing at? Agree I didn't think it was a free kick though - thought he was booking their player for a dive. But we threw those points away.
Got a feeling after he gave them a pen. so soon after ours , if it was a close game he was gunna do his upmost to see to it that Stoke did not lose. Yet again the small town club against the city team syndrome reared it ugly head. P.S. No I am not paranoid , and Iam not saying Refs do it on purpose it may be a sub . concious thing to match their sub standard performances. Ialso think these ref assessors do not exist , alright maybe just a little paranoid then.
I'm going to be overtly paranoid mid morning of the day after and I am at last moving from incandescent to thoroughly hacked off - yesterday evening I couldnt speak never mind articulate how inept that performance was ok why is it that when our lads play away, we get a homer for a ref and when we are at home, we seem to be playing against 11 + 1. I usually hesitate about using the word cheat but boy the Stoke players had that referee in their pocket from minute one. It was so bad that in the second half, our defence looked in two minds about whether or not to make a challenge for fear of being penalised regardless of fairness and legality Jon Macken - goal machine - 3 from 2 starts, Foster - what a game he had
