Cattermole Omitted Because Poyet Couldn't Trust Ref
Matthew Lewis
Gus Poyet has explained his decision to 'rest' Lee Cattermole at Arsenal, and he hasn't pulled many punches in doing so.
Lee Cattermole was left out
of the squad to face Arsenal because Gus Poyet couldn't feel he could
trust referee Andre Marriner to treat him fairly.
Speaking to reporters following
the 4-1 defeat at the Emirates, the Uruguayan was remarkably open and
frank over the matter, and it was tough to know who really came out of
it worse between his player and the Birmingham-born official. Poyet
said:
Unfortunately for me, it was the only decision I could control.I don't want to say something to get me fined, but for me the referee was one who normally sends Lee Cattermole off. Add to that the fact we were away to Arsenal - I am sure if we were to go two or three goals down, Lee is not the sort of player to have in the middle.If there is one player starting next week, it is Lee Cattermole. The rest at the moment are substitutes.
I think this mini-rant from
Poyet bellies an element of mistrust with Cattermole - and I think it's
one we all share - but it's more likely that this is the fallout from
the player's red card at Hull earlier in the season.
Marriner sent off Cattermole
that day for essentially being Lee Cattermole. It was as soft as they
come and for a far nicer challenge than one for which the Tigers' Robbie
Brady was later cautioned. Poyet was very vocally annoyed by it after
the game, and with good reason. There was more than a hint of
reputation's ruling the ref that day.
The midfielder has also been given his marching orders once before by Marriner - in 2010 in a 1-1 draw with Wigan, on that occasion for two yellow cards.
I do kind of see Poyet's point
here. You don't have to consider Marriner a bad referee to note that he
is a card-happy one, and given what happened at the KC Arena it seems
one marginally mistimed challenge would have been enough to put
Cattermole out of the cup final, which would have been a disaster given
Liam Bridcutt's unavailability.
But it is a little worrying
that a manager doesn't feel like he can trust a particular referee to
give his players a fair hearing. Whether or not Poyet should have risked
a fine by voicing those concerns is another matter entirely, of course.
http://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2014/2/24/5441192/cattermole-marriner-poyet-sunderland-arsenal
http://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2014/2/24/5441192/cattermole-marriner-poyet-sunderland-arsenal
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