LOL

[Hightower]

We were playing a 'bunch of nobodies' (as the maggies put it) at Anfield on Saturday, and came away with a point. They were playing a team of world beaters (I mean Stoke have won every trophy going right? Plus it's basically Sunderlands old squad so they must be great) at home and came away with nothing.

 

Uh oh, seems the honeymoon period is over for the black and whites. Whoops, did you even have one, getting beat off Blackpool a couple of weeks ago?!

 

Europe? Not quite

Relegation battle? Quite possibly

Andy Carroll for England? Most definately not!

 

All I can say to all you black and whites is....... lol

[CHR1S]

They beat a lacklustre, imploding, manager less Villa 6-0, Id say that qualifies as a honeymoon! Oh and Liverpool had to cheat to even get a draw! LOL

[Hightower]

They beat a lacklustre, imploding, manager less Villa 6-0, Id say that qualifies as a honeymoon! Oh and Liverpool had to cheat to even get a draw! LOL

 

Yes, but when I mention that result to the maggies here they beat down claims that Villa was in limbo and just point to Andy Carroll getting a hat-trick. Sick of maggies claiming he is ready for the big time - how is Andy Carroll better than Darren Bent?

 

Andy Carroll - 4 PL goals (3 against a 'lacklustre' Villa, 1 against Wolves)

Darren Bent - 5 PL goals (2 against Liverpool, 1 against Arsenal, 1 against Man City, and 1 against Birmingham)

 

Andy Carroll was a good player in the Championship. I think his true skill set will show in the wash this year however.

 

As for the Liverpool goal on Saturday I didn't want to mention it, because us red and whites aren't as bitter as the black and whites. (I feel that referee should not ref in the PL since he allowed the ghost goal though - nothing to do with Sunderland on Saturday, he just isn't up to the PL standard and hopefully will now be investigated)

[CHR1S]

Villa missed out big time when they didn't sign Bent, he would have been perfect for our style. There are a lot of ref's atm who should be booted from the PL!!

[Hightower]

Villa missed out big time when they didn't sign Bent, he would have been perfect for our style. There are a lot of ref's atm who should be booted from the PL!!

 

I really find it strange. I was thinking about this the other day, and there is just no consistancy anymore in English football refereeing. Steven Gerrard went in with a leading arm on Saturday, and had it been Lee Cattermole it might have been a sending off. In fact Michael Turner got sent off for a similar offense last season.

 

I started thinking, is it the complexity of the rules, but came to the conclusion that football is about as simple as it gets. There are many other sports with much more complex rules and they don't seem to suffer the same level of incompetence. I'm not just talking PL either - I watch a lot of local football. I watch Northern League, Wearside League, and play on a Sunday, and see the same inconsistancies across all levels.

[CHR1S]

Ref's don't ref any more, they have to ego manage as well! I have always had my doubts over the legitimacy of the game and its decisions. I liken it to pro wrestling, where sometimes the bad decisions and calamity add to the general "excitement" (if you wish to call it that?) of the game.

The reluctance to add video replays or even a video ref, for me, back up my thoughts and pile more pressure onto the already under performing officials. Look at the Stoke Vs Villa game, a dive in the last minute of the game gifted Stoke the win, a 30 second replay, a yellow card for simulation and a point each was what should have happened!