Sorry guys, Sunday's thriller still on my mind
I'm just disgusted with the refs. Again. We deserved to win that and would have won it if the refs and VAR did their job. They say Doku got the ball, I don't think he did but even if he did just touch it, so what? He still follows through and kicks Mac Allister in the ribs. Curtis Jones got a lot more of the ball against Spurs but was still sent off. Sometimes you just think what's the point? We should be about 5 or 6 points clear of everyone if it wasn't for awful decisions against direct rivals
As for the game itself, we were brilliant. I've seen Diaz get a lot of stick since the game but I think he was unreal, apart from the obvious missed chances ( just needs to get some tips from Darwin
). Big Virg, Mac Allister and Endo were brilliant, and a word for Quansah who was rock solid in such a massive game. I think we lost a bit when Nunez and Bradley came off, although Robertson took up the attacking FB role on the other side and created a few big chances. Gakpo was anonymous again, such a shame we couldn't have let Nunez finish the game. Kelleher was excellent again, it's amazing that we haven't really missed the best 'keeper in the world.
Top performance from a team decimated with injuries, you just don't see teams do that to City too often. Just a shame we didn't get what we deserved due to corrupt/incompetent officials. Again.
Also have to admit that the penalty call still angers me. First, I am getting fed up by our ex-legends (Carra, Macca, Owen... credit to Fowler for correctly calling it though) enforcing the perception of being neutral and completely missing the objectivity. Legends or not, they can do one!
"He got the ball first".. So did Curtis against Spurs.
"He didn't see him"... As Mane didn't against Ederson.
"Reasonable height".. Yeah, for heading the ball, but not kicking into someone's chest with studs
"No referee would call that pen, because of the timing and the magnitude of the game".. This Macca's line killed it. So refs should pick and choose when to act? It is OK for Chelsea to get awarded the winning penalty in 89th min against Crystal Palace, but not when it is between us, two titans
The only thing I wished for this game was top referee performance...
Honestly, this season has been shambolic and tainted by VAR controversies that, whoever wins it, questions will be asked how many bad decisions played part to the result.
We got robbed at Spurs, against Arsenal, now this.. I am just curious how many other top teams get this kind of a treatment. Now that is a research article I would read into.