It could quite easily have been the case that Burstow kept himself hydrated and needed a waz when the final whistle went so he headed down the tunnel, but no, some people need to make something out of nothing despite the team spirit being the best it's been for donkeys years with these lads. I haven't heard the commentary tbh but I'd pull the ****er up if that's what he said.
If Hume made the Norwich player onside then why didn't the linesman say that to Ekwah and Ballard when they went over instead of just waving them away in the manner of - "I don't have to explain myself" . A conversation wouldn't go amiss.
Barnes has done this a few times over the years, says something that blows up a huge row over nothing, generally something innocuous, but later on it blows over and is forgotten about. There were a couple of cases last season, but I can't remember the specifics. He's either a **** stirrer or incompetent, he should know after however many years that things he says will get picked over. Personally having listened to his commentary over the years I think he's more incompetent than a **** stirrer, but I wouldn't rule it out.
Barnsy et al are what they say on the tin. I hope he chases the useless c**t and his mate, two arrogant dimwits, in a long line of Radio Newcastle/Total Sport muppets.
He's both imo. Can't wait to have a pop about the littlest thing. After a 3-1 home win I'm suprised the BBCs commentator is focused on a sub that didn't get on the pitch making his way down the tunnel. Shouldnt he be looking at the celebrations of the fans in the stands or maybe the joy of the 11 players in red and white on the pitch perhaps? I'm suprised he didn't mention the Carlisle score tbh (NOBODY GIVES A **** NICK) No, he chooses to mention a non used sub going down the tunnel.
Think you're asking way too much of the officials to be normal sensible humans. All of them are high on power.
He's new and not a Sunderland player. Maybe at this point in time he feels a bit weird celebrating a game he played no part in.
He's here, they are his team mates, they have just won an important game , and he cant take a minute to celebrate, it certainly feels a bit weird to me.
Agree **** him he ain't exactly been fantastic I'd play Hemir over him anyway purely as we own him. Why develop someone else's player when we can do that with our own
At the risk of being ridiculed I am not sure he does need to answer himself really. Players can be a precious breed at times. Ekwah ballsed up with a schoolboy error, that is the top and bottom of it to me. After Dan Neils yellow card for soft dissent you would like to think they might learn. I think Ballard got one for dissent after the goal, and now sits a game out. They are young lads but they need to learn arguing with a ref or linesman is a waste of energy these days. I would fine every player booked for dissent personally, it is entirely unprofessional.
He didnt tolerate dissent at all from memory. He was big on respect across the board. Had the pleasure of spending a little bit of time in his company and he was a gentleman. When you look at players and their behaviour towards officials it is a real problem in the game. Fergie gave his players free reign to intimidate and others have followed his example. It needs stamping out in my opinion and I would go as far as to say there is a link between the standards of officials and the behaviour they have to endure.
I think at times some officials have the idea that players may make loads more money in a month that they will get in a year but when you are out there on the grass I am in charge and you do as I say. I
players have always had words with the officials but as Felltop said, fergie got his players acting like bell-ends and the rest followed as man utd seemed to get every tight decision so i am all for cutting down on dissent but it should not be simply ruled out, games get passionate and good officials should be able to step out, have a few words/warnings and make sure they follow them straight up with cards. same as the falling over screaming in agony lot, pickford went to a lad today to tell him to get up (aye i know, not his job) and the lad literally leapt to his feet and went face to face with pickford and strangely, no limp or anything, that sh1t needs to be a 5 minute sin bin offence till they stop it.
Exactly, and players need to understand that and control themselves. If not its the cheats who provoke reactions that win every time.
He's a professional footballer and wants to play games..I think it's a positive that he was pissed off and didn't want to celebrate on pitch. Its how he reacts now and hopefully he works hard in training and kicks on. Been a bit unfair some of the comments about him. Still a kid, he could come good
I watched the full 90 minutes last night and, I have to say, I'm a bit baffled at the comments of how poor our performance was. Norwich came up with a rigid 4-5-1 so had ten behind the ball, height in the middle of defence and one lightweight attacker. Their keeper was booed, for the first time on 14 minutes, for blatant timewasting. We had to be patient and we were but we attacked from the start. We had a steady stream of chances, Ekwah's missile, Clarke hitting the post, etc, and had about 70% possesssion before they scored ... ... Patterson's first meaningful touch was to pick the ball out iof the net. Even then we didn't panic, we just continued to play our game and it always looked like we'd win despite Norwich's timewasting increasing. They have some good individual players and , so always had a chance, but tactically we approached the game in the only way we could. Norwich started the season with 6 wins and a draw in the first 7 games so are obviously capable, only the top two teams have scored more goals ... our defence restricted them to two on target efforts and one corner so I don't find too much to criticise there. O'Nien was excellent and was in their half more than our own, on 40 minutes Hume loses the ball on the halfway line and Norwich have a very good break on. O'Nien stops it in it's tracks and takes the yellow. Rusyn is involved in the winning goal twice, playing the ball to Dan Neil then dragging the central defenders away. Just before the break he broke down the right and put in a great cross which unfortunately fell to Clarke who's not the bravest with headers, could've scored and finished the game if he was. After the break we didn't think about sitting back as used to happen, just continued to pass the ball and keep up the pressure. On 48 minutes Huggins tries to replicate Hume, takes the ball into the area and almost scores. Even though we were winning we were brave and committing defenders forward. When Norwich had a go Mowbray put on three subs, to take back the initiative, both Pritchard and Hemir had good chances to score right up til the final whistle. TBH all I could see, to criticise, was a handful of individual errors but no more than Leicester made against us ... ... serious question, what more do people want, is it just their favourite players in and the ones they don't like dropped.
I am a big critic of the referees lately as they do not control games effectively. Then you have pundits in studios coming out with absolute **** like them 2 on Tuesday night sayin the Sunderland players should have been in the refs face for no giving a penalty, these will be the same ones who said **** all when DN was sent of the previous game for waving his arms in the air. Referees should have the respect of the players but that is a hard earned respect, get bid decisions right, treat the players with respect, be consistent, give bookings when they are due, try and let game flow and play advantage where possible, after phase of play go back and give bookings for foul play or denying a break. This stuff is not rocket science but the amount of teams that now adopt the tactic of fouling us in midfield with shirt pulling and shoulder pulling is scandalous. I watched the full 90 mins on Sunday and the attempted fouls on PR and JC was ridiculous and that is only 2 players. The forearm smash to the head on the byline was a straight red with the assistant 5 yards away was a horrendous decision. All in all the standard needs to be better but I believe our players showed great restraint in not getting involved but the less they complain the more the referees seem to let it go, its as if they look and think I don't need to give a decision as they wont complain about it but if they do I will give a yellow card but the opposition complain all the time so I wont bother and just let them drone on. Our whole game plan is built around possession and transition into attack and very quick counter attacks. if fouls are committed in these areas it should be classed as professional as the players know exactly what they are doing or trying to do and the only way to stop these spoiling tactics is for a referee to speak to the players an give appropriate punishments. Which I thought Keith Stroud (really do not like him as a referee but thought he handled that game quite well apart from being let down by his assistant for the penalty) did quite well for both teams against Leicester and as such it was a good flowing game even though the result was not what we wanted.
