Stoke City Vs Blackburn | Samba red card for two yellows

Description of incident: Awaiting a Blackburn corner in the first half, Samba and Shawcross were jostling inside the area. The referee called them to one side and gave both players a yellow card. In the second half, Stoke were launching a counter attack and Samba pulled back a City player. The ref brandished Samba his second yellow and then red card.

Date of Game: Saturday 6th February 2010

Home Team: Stoke City | Away Team: Blackburn Rovers

Referee: Steve Bennett | Linesman: Andy Halliday & Mike Mullarkey

Decision Type: Red card | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 2/5

Affect on Result: None | Winner: Stoke City | Loser: Blackburn Rovers

Players Involved: Christopher Samba (Blackburn) & Ryan Shawcross (Stoke City)

Summary: The incident for the first yellow was innocuous. Neither player deserved a yellow; you see worse than this in every single Premier League game and nothing gets said to the players. Having given Samba the first yellow, he had little choice in showing the red when the defender clearly pulled back a Stoke player who was breaking away for a promising attack. The ref got half the decision right, but unfortunately half doesn't count here. Wrong decision, Samba shouldn't have been in the position to receive a red card.



Cheers,
WB

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Stoke City Vs Liverpool | Huth goal ruled onside

Description of incident: In a hectic final few minutes of normal time, Stoke swung a corner into the Liverpool area. Higginbotham climbed higher than anyone else to head the ball towards the back post where Huth was unmarked to stab the ball into the Liverpool net. Goal given.

Date of Game: Saturday 16th January 2010

Home Team: Stoke City | Away Team: Liverpool

Referee: Lee Mason | Linesman: Simon Long & Mo Matadar

Decision Type: Offside | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 1/5

Affect on Result: N/A | Winner: Stoke City | Loser: Liverpool

Players Involved: Danny Higginbotham, Robert Huth (Stoke City) & Emiliano Insua (Liverpool)

Summary: Easy offside call, despite Liverpool's synchronised arm raising. Right decision as Insua was playing Huth onside on the opposite side of the six yard box.

Cheers,
WB

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Stoke City Vs Liverpool | Fuller penalty shout

Description of incident: Fighting it out in his usual style with several Liverpool players on the right hand side of the area, Fuller went tumbling over a Kyrgiakos' leg. The referee gave a corner to Stoke City.

Date of Game: Saturday 16th January 2010

Home Team: Stoke City | Away Team: Liverpool

Referee: Lee Mason | Linesman: Simon Long & Mo Matadar

Decision Type: Penalty | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 1/5

Affect on Result: N/A | Winner: Liverpool | Loser: Stoke City

Players Involved: Ricardo Fuller (Stoke City) & Sotirios Kyrgiakos (Liverpool)

Summary: Easy decision, Kyrgiakos clearly touched the ball before contact with the player and it was such a melee in the area it would have been almost impossible to give a penalty.

Cheers,
WB

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Stoke City Vs Liverpool | Lucas penalty shout & booking for diving

Description of incident: Lucas played a neat one-two as he entered the right hand side of the Stoke City penalty area. Higginbotham came across to challenge Lucas as he came onto the exquisite return ball. Lucas went tumbling as the ball went over the byline with both referee & linesman agreed with the decision of no penalty & goal kick to Stoke. The ref then booked Lucas for diving.

Date of Game: Saturday 16th January 2010

Home Team: Stoke City | Away Team: Liverpool

Referee: Lee Mason | Linesman: Simon Long & Mo Matadar

Decision Type: Penalty | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 4/5
Decision Type: Booking for diving | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 2/5

Affect on Result: Hard to say for definite as it occurred much earlier than the rest of the real action however, arguably cost Liverpool the game | Winner: Stoke City | Loser: Liverpool

Players Involved: Leiva Lucas (Liverpool) & Danny Higginbotham (Stoke City)

Summary: I'm taking the referee's position into account, as his view of the incident was a difficult one; Lucas did appear to be tumbling before contact with Higginbotham. However, as Andy Gray pointed out during the live commentary of Sky Sports, it's not Lucas' job to get out of the way of the challenge. And Higginbotham's challenge was a rash one. So, although I expect these types of calls to go either way, I still feel it was a penalty and Lee Mason got it wrong. Although on this occasion, I feel more criticism lies with the linesman as he had a better view. With regards to the booking for diving, I saw this as a relatively easy decision and felt the ref also got this one wrong. I think he was justifying his no penalty decision by making this call on the dive. Was Lucas looking for the penalty? Yes. Does that mean it wasn't a penalty or that Lucas should be punished? No.

Cheers,
WB

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Stoke City Vs Fulham | Sidibe Goal

Description of incident: In a flowing move, Stoke's Rory Delap charged into the area.  He had expected an earlier ball so had to put the breaks on.  Then the ball was swung into the box, Delap flicked it on for Sidibe to volley into the ground before nestling in the top corner of the net.

Date of Game: Tuesday 5th January 2010

Home Team: Stoke City | Away Team: Fulham

Referee: Mark Clattenburg | Linesman: Dave Bryan & Robert Madley

Decision Type: Offside | Verdict: | Decision Difficulty: 5/5

Affect on Result: May have cost Fulham a point | Winner: Stoke City | Loser: Fulham

Players Involved: Rory Delap & Mamady Sidibe (both Stoke City)

Summary: Having seen the replays, Delap was definitely offside.  It was such a close call that I wouldn't expect anyone to notice it with the naked eye.  The pundits on Sky Sports seemed to suggest that because it was such a close call that it meant it was onside.  Now I know the benefit of the doubt should side with the attackers and I would not blame the officials for the decision they made but that does not mean Delap was not offside - he was.

Cheers,
WB

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