There is no doubt in my mind Referee Mark Clattenburg is an amateur, his positioning and decision making was of sunday league level. The linesmen were also on Boltons side with a few key mistakes along side Mark Clattenburg, with Bolton players going down easy to claim set pieces of which Bolton get way to often. Then Clattenburg gives Craig Bellamy a straight red card for going down when clearly there was contact which is more than can be said for the Bolton players in question. To top that off Clattenburg made up Bellamy's first yellow card after realising his blunder.
Our defence has to take some responsibility and was absolutely in turmoil without Nigel DeJong and Vincent Kompany was not really there, allowing the Bolton midfield free reign, at present I am very disappointed with Kompany for his very poor performance.
All in all the players battled hard to earn us a bit of pride but one thing is for sure, we need to remember that 80% of the time we will be playing against 12, 13 or even 14 players with British referee's way below par and sometimes corrupt or guilty of allowing themselves to be manipulated by the opponent.
Result: Deserved draw for City but deserved more.
My Man of the Match: Carlos Tevez
Worst Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Most boring opponents: Bolton Wanderers
Sorry mate, you're wrong. The ref clearly booked Bellamy earlier in the half and the red came out as a consequence of this. Nor are our refs corrupt in the sense of say the Italians. They are however easily pressurised which is why the top 4 get so many biased decisions. I think had there really been an out-to-get-City them with our refs then our first goal against Chelski could have been chalked off for handball and the free-kick for the second would not have been given. The truth is Blattenberg is a poor ref pure and simple. Always has been always will...
ReplyDeleteNice site! I agree about the midfield and defensive turmoil, but it's no good blaming the ref because we couldn't get in the game but for the outstanding Tevez, and other expensive individual talents.
ReplyDeleteI blame the coaching. I'm not a Hughes-outer but there is something missing when we allow teams lower in the division to overrun us from the first whistle, that's why we have so many draws
Dpkmanc, it was clearly not handball in Micah's case and the ref got it right in the Chelsea game due to that fact, and there is video evidence that Micah was moving out of the way of the ball trying to avoid which was near on imposibble. There has to be atleast slight intention minimum before a ref will show a card and Micah was not guilty of an Henry / Maradona handball.
ReplyDeleteAs for Bellamy being booked for dissent 12 minutes into the game, that was a complete joke and should not have happened.
Chevblue, ty and i agree with some of what you say apart from the coaching to be the blame.
Clearly Vincent Kompany could not do the job of DeJong which allowed Bolton to dictate in midfield and our defence was clearly missing DeJong.
Ill give you one thing, I do question Mark Hughes tactics and timing of substitutions, my jury is out on Hughes until the end of the season as he deserves that much atleast.
Decisions, right or wrong, cannot hide the fact that Toure and Lescott continue to look like stranger to each other and to the Premiership.
ReplyDeleteKompany has ALWAYS been lost if he crosses the halfway line, so how, against a team like Bolton he can start aheaad of Ireland is just laughable. Then, when one wide player is injured why not bring on Pwetrov and switch Bellamy instead of clogging the middle up. We were crying out for width on the right. Hughes is as big a joke as Clattenburg.
If anyone really does want to question my accusation that British referee's are corrupt then watch for yourself.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1235483/VIDEO-Manchester-City-boss-Mark-Hughes-rounds-referee-Mark-Clattenburg-Bolton-draw.html?ITO=1490
Mark Clattenburg told Manchester City staff that he did not like Craig Bellamy.
Even Boltons Gary Megson stated it was a harsh sending Bellamy off but also refused to blame Robinson but then that is expected being he is the lads manager.
ReplyDelete