Barton's Week That Was ........
Well there's never a dull moment being a Blue; that's for sure !
I don't really enjoy being negative towards City - honest I don't, but I have to say that Saturday's performance at Pompey wasn't just bad because we lost, it was more disappointing because once again, it's not the football that's particularly grabbed the headlines, but a certain Mr Barton is once again at the centre of attention for all the wrong reasons.
What is it about Pompey that seems to bring out the worst in some of our players? The infamous Thatcher incident doesn't need any more comment here, but how ironic that it was the hapless Mendes on the receiving end of what looked to me to be a horrendous and indefensible challenge.
I know Mendes keeps scoring irritating and outrageously spectacular goals against us, but let's hope the poor lad hasn't sustained long-term damage to his achilles. Was it accidental or was it deliberate? Only Joey knows the answer to that one, but the ex-player pundits on Sky TV, (i.e the old pros who know better) seemed to be unanimous in their view that it was no accident.
Whatever way you look at it, it was bad .... unacceptably bad, and I for one don't want to see the players in my team putting in potentially career-ending challenges. Rightly or wrongly, City are beginning to get a reputation for on-field thuggery if the comments I've had recently are anything to go by. I do however, expect our lads to play hard, but fair.
I'd like to see Pearce nip this one in the bud and leave our players in no doubt that future, similar transgressions will not be tolerated. In fact, all team managers should do the same, it's not just a City thing, but once again it's us in the spotlight at the moment.
The other matter that Barton seems to be embroiled in, namely being the subject of potential Police action for alleged gesturing, in my opinion is a total waste of everyone's time and should be halted immediately. What a waste of Police resources, and in this instance, I have a certain amount of sympathy for Joey as he, admittedly mainly of his own making, has become an easy target.
Whereas I'm glad City have come quickly to Joey's defence over the gesturing incident, I'm disappointed they haven't given out the right messages over the Mendes tackle. Whatever moral high-ground can be taken from the aftermath of Saturday needs to be grabbed with both hands, and quickly!
It's been a roller-coaster of a week for Joey. One minute, he's newly capped and the answer to England's misfiring midfield and then all of a sudden he's a football's public enemy number one again. It will be a very short England career if he can't sort this part of his game out.
In conclusion, I just wish I had something positive to write about the football :-(
5 comments:
I seem to remember Gerrard having the same issues when he started out, but he's cleaned up that side of his game. Perhaps he should have a quiet word with Joey now they are good England mates !
he knew exactly what he was doing !!
Yawn....Yawn....Yawn... if it had been anyone else that had put the tackle in on Mendes not a word would have been heard.
You're right Alphie, that Barton cops lot more flak than most other players, but nevetheless he doesn't help himself a lot of the time. I'm sure most fans, whoever they support, wouldn't like to see their players doing the same.
His sock actually got penetrated, and there was a scratch on his leg too. What a pansy. Nobody remember the 'Bee up against 'Chopper Harris'? Summerbee would get clattered half a dozen times in a match, but he'd get to the line every time. Mendes is a wuss.
Post a Comment