3. Best Laid Plans Don't Matter When The Ref Has A 'Mare
Stoke played well, and on another day Robert Huth could have had a hattrick of headers, Stoke could have had two penalties and Kasami might have been sent off before the first half had got going. As I said, The Potters were the more pleasing team to watch and Mark Hughes was right when he said that only one team looked like they would win the game. However, as well as his team played, it was all for nothing as their day was ruined by the ref Robert East. Mr East missed Phillipe Senderos' early challenge on Stephen Ireland. The big Swiss defender did not get the ball, although he may not have made contact with the Stoke midfielder. However, a goal kick was not a satisfactory outcome. The incident between Kasami and Stoke left back Erik Pieters was unsavoury in so much as it managed to leave everyone looking foolish. Kasami was silly for throwing out a petulant slap come flick, Pieters' fall down to the ground despite minimal contact was embarrassing, and Mr East's reluctance to do anything at all set a precedent for the rest of the game. The second penalty incident left Hughes even more incredulous, and he found many like-minded people in the press room. Jon Walters ran on to a long ball over the top and beat Fernando Amorebieta to the ball. The Venezuelan, playing at left back, clipped Walters heel outside the box, but the ref allowed play to continue, and as Walters ran on Amorebieta fell down, again clipping Walters heel. The ref, this time 'helped', if that's the word, by his linesman, gave a free kick outside the box. As Hughes stated after the game, the ref had played advantage only to then bring back the play for the initial foul. It was not a case of contact starting outside the box and carrying inside, they were two clear fouls, and the ref chickened out by going for the more conservative decision. It was not all against Stoke, though, and Ruiz looked to be tripped by Marc Wilson in first half stoppage time. The ref again shirked a big decision, but at least this proved it was not a bias towards the home team, just general incompetence from the man in yellow.
