Message to Big Sam: Oh do shut up

Ollie Irish

15th, February 2007

12 Comments

Allardyce_nsimp
In the wake of Bolton’s 3-1 defeat by Arsenal last night, Sam Allardyce couldn’t resist having a pop at referee Chris Foy: ‘There were three bookings in the game and somehow, Tal [Ben Haim] has picked up two of them,’ Sam said.

‘I appreciate he might have pulled Baptista back on the
second occasion but there were far worse things that went on in the
game than the first one. You can’t just look at isolated incidents, you have to
see the whole picture and I am disappointed at the way the referee
handled it.’

Oh do shut up Sam. Jesus, Foy refereed the game brilliantly – he deserves full credit for his role in a genuine thriller – and had no choice but to send off Ben Haim for a cynical second yellow (which you acknowledge), which could easily have been a straight red.

FACT: Arsenal played you off the park, at home, without Fabregas and Henry, so give it a rest. Wenger’s kids were much, much better than your lot, so why drag the ref into it?

Posted in Arsenal, Bolton Wanderers, Transfers & Rumours

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12 Comments

  1. TANGODANCER says:

    Few Bolton fans are crying at the result. It was a great game and Arsenal played exceptionally well. One thing you might notice when pointing out Henri etc, were missing, we were without Kevin Davies who frightens the life out of you, and Faye in the centre, no right back and a bit makeshift. I might agree Arsenal bossed the first half, but it was a different tale in the second and the first fifteen of extra time. Could easily have gone the other way.
    Anyway, well done and good luck in the rest.

  2. James B says:

    Arsenal played very well but lets not pretend that the team they put out were “kids”. Denilson, Diaby and Djorou the only ones without good top level experience and the latter two have at least as much as Vaz Te and Andranik.

  3. Ollie, Pies Ed. says:

    TANGO, I didn’t say that Bolton’s fans were upset – Wanderers’ fans have more than enough sense to see that, on the night, Arsenal were the better side. It’s a shame Big Sam can’t bring himself to be as honest though.
    cheers, Ollie

  4. Col says:

    I know this is quite unrelated, but I watched the UEFA Rovers game last night, and the ref in that was brilliant a Mr Pieter Vink. He did everything right. Just goes to show there are some quality refs in the world. Just not in England. Though i think Foy is one of the better ones…

  5. d'artisan says:

    OLLIE, 1. So are you looking for signed confessions from our fans to that effect? I’m afraid you’d have trouble with the wording, because as much as they bossed the first 45 minutes, had the lion’s share of the pretty football and delivered the KO on the counter at the end, football isn’t just ballet. As Arsenal know too well, it involves putting the ball in the net as well. We had several clear cut great chances wasted as well you know, don’t be too blinded by what they did do well.
    2. How precisely is Big Sam lacking honesty? Personally I agree wholeheartedly that Arsenal had the much better share of the decisions. I don’t think they cost us goals though so we would’ve lost anyway. I don’t think anybody can seriously take what he’s said as being a suggestion the ref lost us the game! We lost, he’s pissed off, he vents a little. That’s not lacking honesty. You seem to just want him to say something like “Wow, would you look at them? They outclassed us, fair enough. We’re little Bolton, we’ll just know our place in future.” Bloody Big Sam haters.

  6. Ollie, Pies Ed. says:

    I don’t hate Big Sam at all d’artisan, nor do I think of Bolton as a small club – there was no need to have a got at the referee over Ben Haim’s dismissal though. Thanks for your comments though. Ollie.

  7. Ollie, Pies Ed. says:

    Also, I have no time for the way Sam was screaming obscenities at the ref throughout much of the second half. Wenger may get frustrated but he is rarely abusive.

  8. d'artisan says:

    Hmm, well I did think the first yellow was a bit ridiculous, but I am biased. Often first thing after a game he’ll engage his mouth without sitting down and delicately analysing the precise accuracy of his comments, but I’m not sure there’s anything too wrong with that unless he oversteps boundaries (those boundaries aren’t always the ones the FA have written though, which is often just protecting their own little cadre: ‘though shalt never criticize the [reich] FA!’
    Tied to that, I reckon the touchline is just a ‘managerial style’ thing to be honest. Despite Big Sam’s utilizing many modern techniques his pitch-side fury is often very, erm, ‘traditional’ :o) Again though, unless it’s bang out of order I’m not sure that need be curtailed either. They’re grown men. He wears his heart on his sleeve, and shouting from the sideline is part and parcel of the role of a ref (they’ll have been through worse at Sunday league! :o) )
    ..we are of course though all entitled to our own opinion :o)

  9. me says:

    how is it diaby could be guilty of 7 fouls – well 7 he was penalised for, and approx 4 or 5 more, and not see at least a yellow card
    bias, or incompetence
    you choose

  10. Lew says:

    How the hell did Anelka not get sent off for giving away the second penalty. The ref bottled it and gave Bolton a sympathy decision. Call that Arsenal bias?

  11. Stuey says:

    I agree with the post but “Played off the park” is perhaps an overstatement. The first half undoubtedly belonged to Arsenal and the best team won but it takes two teams to make a great game of footy and the Trotters did play their part.
    Big Sam is a right moaner though isn’t he.

  12. Jim says:

    No manager likes admitting defeat purley down to the teams performance, all of them try to find some kind of added excuse to make the defeat look less harsh…but Big Sam blaming the ref for the sending off is a joke
    Ben Haim 1st yellow was after a string of poor challenges which Foy had very kindly not booked him for, I rember one of the first ones should have been a yellow as it was right on the edge of the bolton box resulting in the Bap’s deflected free kick, unless im mistaken…
    Anelka should have been sent off…it was even worse then the ‘last man’ rule as it was an open goal!!!