Sheffield United head coach Paul Heckingbottom was unhappy with the officiating and management of the game.
Tottenham Hotspur came from behind to beat Sheffield United 2-1 in the fifth round of the 2023-2024 English Premier League (EPL) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, on Saturday.
It was a dramatic game. Sheffield took the lead in the 28th minute through Gustavo Hamer following a long throw-in set-piece, but Tottenham poured forward after the break and sealed the victory in stoppage time with a header from Heurelisbon and a right-footed strike from Dejan Kulusevski.
Apart from that, the game was a dull affair. Sheffield stalled from the start, playing what is known as “bed soccer” to stall the clock. Wes Fotheringham was consistent with his slow goal kicking, and every player had the attitude of just getting a point. In the first half alone, Chris Basham and Cameron Archer were cautioned for delay of game.
Referee Peter Banks didn’t do a great job either, producing a yellow card or two for stalling, but not much else for Fotheringham, whose goal kick was the most time consuming. Despite all the time delays in the first half, only three minutes of extra time was awarded.
However, Heckingbottom insisted that it was Sheffield who were victimized by the referee. “The referee was terrible. It’s not about refereeing, it’s about managing the game. All the focus is on yellow cards, time delays and the new guidelines. When the focus is on time delays, they are telling us how to play,” he said, suggesting that bed soccer could be a tactic.
He also expressed frustration with the officiating. Referring to the incident in which Fotheringham injured Micky Vanderpengh in a hard collision, Heckingbottom said: “Vanderpengh was cautioned. Oliver McBurney (Sheffield) was sent off for telling the referee he was pulling on his jersey,” Heckingbottom said, emphasizing that Vanderpenne should have been sent off.온라인카지노
However, on this point, referee Banks made a good call. Fouls are based on the intent to cause harm, not the actual injury. Vander Penn collided with the goalkeeper in a late challenge and received a reasonable punishment of a caution.
McBurney’s two cautions were also well deserved. In the 11th minute of the second half, he received his first yellow card for a back tackle on Manor Solomon’s advance. In second-half stoppage time, he was shown a second yellow card for a strong tug on Brennan Johnson’s jersey on a free-kick, and then protested the call to the referee.