I was sitting right in the middle of the Birmingham fans last night who were giving Al unmerciful stick about being a cheat. I was almost in line with that challenge and quite honestly, whilst I accept that contact was minimal - can someone please explain to me what Al was supposed to do? The keeper should have walked for the intent alone - if Al hadn't jumped he would have been out for six months. Bennett came hurtling out, dived in feet first, got nowhere near the ball and yet Shearer is the cheat apparently.

The linesman said it was a foul - so Bennett should have been off. The ref agreed it was a foul - so he should have been off. It WAS a bloody foul - so he should have been off.

I know that none of this changes the fact that Birmingham were the better side on the night but that incident, coupled with the tackle on Bassedas and the fact that the bloke who won the corner for their first goal was yards offside in the build up, didn't make life any easier for us.

I wanted to say all of this last night to the most offensive, loud-mouthed, thick skulled Brummie I've ever met who was sitting to my left but he was an awfully big bugger so I saved it for you lot instead!

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

Answers

Wise Jacko! Very wise! Please feel free to vent your spleen here - by far the safer option! (;o)

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

I reckon you'll find few on here who would disagree with any of this.

Actually, a cock-the-knee in the pub suggested that the ref on gave a yellow because Bennett made no contact. So red cards are only for attempted murder then. Poor decisions throughout.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

I think the ref sort of took your line Jacko. From what I could work out he was booking Bennet for the intent and let Shearer off the dive as it possibly saved his legs. Any contact at all and it would have been a red.

The pattern was repeated all night, however, with our lot going to ground every time physical contact was made like a bunch of girly Italians and the Brummies stayed on their feet and made themselves scoring chances. Pathetic.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

Oi you. Yes, you there. You from the Potteries. What the hell are you on about? Shearer is a bully (flat-track) and a cheat. And you're right - your side didn't deserve to win. And that's twice in a row.

Only joking Pet. Best vent your spleen on here than have it vented by some loud-mouthed, thick skulled offensive git. Hang on, there's plenty of those round here as well.............. ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

than have it vented by some loud-mouthed, thick skulled offensive git. Hang on, there's plenty of those round here as well..............

excuse me Screacher......did I hear you calling me?

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

ITK - answer yer e-mails man!

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

"I wanted to say all of this last night to the most offensive, loud-mouthed, thick skulled Brummie".

You didn't need to take the risk Jacko - one or two on here have also now branded Alan Shearer a cheating, diving get.

Like you, I'm at a bit of a loss to understand exactly what he was expected to do to avoid the keeper and keep his limbs intact.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

He needs to take diving lessons. As yesterday he looked like he was diving ,He could have stayed on his feet and tried to get the ball,after jumping over Bennet,OR alternativly he could have dragged one of his legs against the keeper so it looked as if Bennet had come in contact with him.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

As a third alternative, he could have landed on Bennett's head with his studs, which would have been no more than the dirty git deserved!

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2000

Having had time to ponder, and allowing my brain to get into gear this time, I have to own up that AS didn't have much option. I still think he could have jumped over the keeper and stayed on his feet, though.

Sky got it perfectly, which is one reason why I made me gob go. It was a typical continental dive where it's the trailing foot that gets snagged on whatever. All he did was allow the toe of his trailing boot to stub the deck.

I was disappointed that he even tried it. Didn't think he was that sort of player.

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2000

Jacko, at the risk of incurring your wrath - it sure did LOOK like a dive, though I agree that if he hadn`t either jumped or dived over him he would have taken a hell of a clattering! (:o)

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2000

According to Shearer, he asked the ref why Bennett hadn't walked and was told the keeper hadn't been the last man. Go, as our American cousins put it, figure. I imagine Shearer then added "But it's all ifs and buts now", and did that thing with his lower lip.

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2000

That lower lip thing is Shearer worringly trying to aspire to 'Dalglish-like tight lips when talking to the media'. Learning the management games already!

-- Anonymous, December 01, 2000