Newcastle were stronger than puny Monty Magpie
This was less a game of two halves, more a game of one referee. Without wishing to distract from the inadequacies of Wolves performance today, this game was stifled by a referee who lost control within the first ten minutes. Wolves were barely able to string three passes together all game, and the ref did nothing to encourage the flow of play.
There were two goals, but the most extraordinary statistic was that the referee, Stuart Atwell (overseer of the infamous imaginary goal for Reading against Watford, amongst other blunders) stopped the game for no fewer than 41 fouls, handing out in the process 12 yellow cards in a not unusually ill-natured game (seven to Wolves, four for fouls on Joey Barton! ). Barton finally got his comeuppance as Atwell tried to redress the imbalance by booking three Toon players in the last three minutes – the last of whom was Barton. Characteristically of the game, when the ref blew for him to come over for a booking, Barton deliberately ignored the summons. Instead of asserting his authority, Atwell walked half the length of the pitch to save Barton’s legs. On one final referring point, the WorldWideWolfie nomination for stupidest card of the game was Doyle’s for…literally nothing. Running with the ball??
A draw was, given the balance of play, a good result for Wolves, but a far from pleasing one. That we went in ahead at half time was more a testament to Newcastle’s inadequacies in front of goal that any reflection of merit. It was good for a change to be the b******* who got a thoroughly undeserved goal (fantastic from an otherwise anonymous Ebanks-Blake), but it never looked likely to last. Andy Carroll added to his hatrick of last week for Newcastle with a decent header, and even after the much-needed (and, in my opinion, rather late) introduction of Zubar, Fletcher and Gueidoura, Wolves would have been very lucky to get another. Wolves had played by far their best half of football this season with Fletcher on the field so it was disappointing seeing him sitting on the bench when so many Wolves players were failing to make their mark on the occasion. This was particularly disappointing given that Newcastle looked extremely vulnerable defensively on the rare occasions we got anywhere near their goal. I couldn’t see well enough from where I was whether Jarvis deserved a penalty when he was felled in the box in the box, but I do know that (1) if the defender got the ball it should have been a corner, rather than the goal kick awarded; and (2) a win would have been a very lucky result. (EDIT: having watched the replay, it WAS a penalty so we should have won!)
I assume that an injury to Van Damme was the reason for his substitution as, after a shakey start, he seemed the only player able to take the ball from Newcastle. Poor old Foley looked a more likely candidate for substitution as he was consistently out-muscled by his opponents. It is, perhaps, unfair however to single out Foley on a day that no one really impressed – least of all the referee.
Hoping for much better next time on all counts.
This also means wolves will automatically pick up a disciplinary fine!! Hope the FA look at Atwell’s perforance and banish him to the lower leagues
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
good game today lads, thought we cuda won to be fair n a also thought youz were dirty at times, obviously goin hard on barton n carroll , but well dun, n gud look this season,,
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
@Goochy – agree it’s got to get him a bit of notice. Though sending him to the lower leagues seems very unfair on them.
@peternufc – we’ve been accused of bullying every game so far, but I don’t think there was anything too unfair in the play. Good luck with the rest of the season – you’ve surprised a lot of people so far!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
For some of them so called tackles on Barton,at least 3 were red cards.Wolves are the dirtiest team i have seen for a while.Your manager should be ashamed of himself.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
What utter garbage, the only reason that Wolves didn’t play was down to the ref and the fact that newcastle never stayed on their feet long enough, every time we looked at a newcatle player they went down, has for the bookings – the ref should have booked our lot for looking at their fan’s?
If newcastle had stayed on there feet long enough then we might have had a match,
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Ah, the kaleidoscope of wrong opionion at both ends of the spectrum!
@NCFCELITE: Disagree.
@johnwolf: Also disagree. Of course the ref stopped play too much (thought I mentioned that) but it was 21 fouls to Newcastle, 20 to Wolves so the game wasn’t just stopped for soft Northerners falling over. Newcastle handled the terrible game (marginally) better.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Good game yesterday spoilt by tw4twell! By the way lads, it is a mans game and believe it or not, a contact sport!!
!
Didn’t see joey Barton complaining yesterday!!
Your only a hardman if you can take as much as you Dish out
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Dear deluded wolves fans, although you are a ‘hard working’ team (quote Chris Hughton, who will not stopp to call you exactly what you are), the display of out and out thuggery I witnessed yesterday, will see you continually humped this season, and Mick McCarthy can clog it out with the likes of Millwall and other anti football merchants next season. Its all you deserve. kick and rush merchants who bully and kick anything that moves. the referee needs locked up because he did not have the bottle to bring out at least three reds. Muppet.
Like or Dislike:
0 
1
Dear Lynxie. Pot. Kettle. Black.
We never got a chance to show that we can play, but we will finish above you this year
Like or Dislike:
0 
0