"New Graham Poll" The Plague Of The Premiership

Last updated : 10 April 2007 By Footy Mad - Editor

Since the World Cup in Germany and the infamous "three yellow cards and a red to match" incident, Poll has prefered to be a referee, rather than a superstar, leaving Howard Webb to take over as the Clown of the Premiership.

We have seen it regular, and a frustrated Glenn Roeder last night insisted Webb cost Newcastle a deserved win against Arsenal and told the hapless referee he will regret his failure to award United a last-gasp penalty at St James's Park.

Roeder saw Abou Diaby's obvious foul on Oguchi Onyewu but was amazed as Webb waved the game on, and the United boss suggested the South Yorkshire official had lacked the courage to make the correct decision.

Roeder: "Did I think we might have had a penalty? That's the understatement of the year.

"Shirts get changed at the end of the game, not during it. Howard Webb is a fine referee but I've seen him do that recently in a Championship game (between Leicester and Derby on Good Friday). It's a rugby tackle, you can't do it in football, it's not allowed. You just need bravery and courage to blow the whistle and point to the spot but unfortunately he pulled up short.

"He has already done it to us once this season. He apologised to me for that the next time I saw him, and he will be disappointed when he sees this one again. I do think he's a fine referee, though. Generally.

"We could have won the game in open play. I'm disappointed we've only taken a point, and I'm sure I will be even more disappointed when I view the 90 minutes again. We had chances to score. It wasn't for the sake of trying. But it was Arsenal."