Players from Blackburn Rovers, QPR, Fulham, Aston Villa, and a referee make up our list of villains from an action-packed weekend.
Gael Givet
The Blackburn Rovers defender received a straight red card for his awful tackle on Arsenal’s Robin van Persie. There aren’t many ways to stop the Dutchman at present, and a well-aimed hack was as close as Rovers got to him all afternoon. Unfortunately for Givet he was given his marching orders straight away, and his dismissal was one reason why the Lancashire side collapsed so badly in the second half. To be fair to the Frenchman he apologised to Arsene Wenger, but he should try his teammates too.
Djibril Cisse
Two games into his return and Djibril Cisse is facing a suspension for violent comeback. After the high of his debut goal for QPR in midweek, his red card is a tough way to come crashing back down to earth. He raised his hands to Wolves’ Roger Johnson and tried to grab him by the throat, and while his history of broken legs is a fair enough reason for a moment of angst after a rough tackle, he should have a better grasp of self-control. 10-men QPR succumbed to Wolves 2-1 in the second half, to compile his misery.
Chris Baird
The Fulham defender had a first half to forget at a snowy Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening. He was tormented by City winger Adam Johnson and was at the heart of his side conceding two goals. The first was a foul on Johnson, which drew accusations of a dive from the City winger, and his second mishap was to deflect Johnson’s shot into his own net. Both were unfortunate, and City were never going to let slip a 2-0 lead, and went onto score a third through Edin Dzeko in the second half.
Stephen Warnock
While there was likely no malice in the Aston Villa defenders’ challenge on Ryan Taylor, Warnock will not be a popular figure on Tyneside at present. His tackle left Taylor in a crumpled heap and needing to be stretchered off. The crumb of comfort for Newcastle was that Demba Ba went onto put the side 1-0 up from the same move, but losing Taylor for any amount of time would be a tough blow. He has been one of the side’s most consistent players, and a proven matchwinner capable in midfield or defence. The extent of his injury should become clear later today.
Martin Atkinson
This weekend is hardly the first time Martin Atkinson has been embroiled in controversy, and it really won’t be the last. But when a referee makes a decision and the captains of both sides are both shaking their heads in shock you know something is wrong. This time it was Robert Huth who was Atkinson’s fall guy, sent off for a slide tackle made with no malice, in slippery conditions. Stoke manager Tony Pulis was beside himself with rage at the decision. Atkinson was the man who sent off Jack Rodwell ridiculously in the Merseyside derby earlier this season, and needs to stop making the decisions of a jobsworth.
image: © Ronnie Macdonald
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