Haidara hospitalised as United stumble! Wigan 2-1 Newcastle

Haidara in hospital
Haidara in hospital
It was a day to forget for Newcastle United once more at the DW Stadium, but this defeat should leave a bitter taste in the mouths of United fans.

Granted we weren’t at our best and you could see we were tired after our Europa League exploits. You could also see we were missing some influential players, namely Yohan Cabaye, but defeat was still hard to take even after considering all of that.

What sticks in my throat more than anything is the ineptitude of the referee. I’m still struggling to get my head around it in truth and serious questions need asking about giving officials the help they clearly need when you look at the performances of Mark Halsey and Co in this one. Not only did they miss a knee-high, studs up challenge that has curtailed Massadio Haidara’s season and left the young left-back hospitalised, they also missed a clear handball from Maynor Figueroa which led to Arouna Kone’s late winner.

United started off brightly and took control of the game without really threatening the Wigan goal. However the home side came back into the game quickly and had the first chance of the game courtesy of a freekick which Jordi Gomez blazed over the bar.

Much has been made of our impotency from corners, but it was a chance crafted from a Sylvain Marveaux corner which nearly handed United the lead although Joel Robles was on hand to deal with Steven Taylor’s headed effort and managed to control the ball at the second attempt.

Mathieu Debuchy became the latest name to join what is an ever-increasing injury list when he pulled up with a muscle problem on 14 minutes which forced a reshuffle in defence with Davide Santon moved over to right-back and Massadio Haidara brought on at left-back.

That switch seemed to cause confusion in the away defence which Wigan capitalised on when Callum McManaman crossed into the box for Jean Beausejour who fired underneath Rob Elliot at the back post to give the home side the lead on 18 minutes. Both Santon and Haidara could have done better in truth.

I’m sure Haidara would have atoned for his error and continued to impress like he has done when called upon but just nine minutes after replacing Debuchy his game, and season, was over courtesy of a horror challenge by McManaman. Knee-high, studs up, and missed by the referee who has since apologised for missing the “tackle” according to Alan Pardew. In fairness, it’s not Pardew he should be apologising to…

Another shuffle was required as James Perch came on for Haidara. The former Nottingham Forest man slotted into midfield next to Cheik Tiote with Jonas Gutierrez moved to left-back. Not ideal but there wasn’t a lot more we could do having had two of our three subs used up in the opening 23 minutes of the game.

Shaun Maloney forced a decent save from Rob Elliot ten minutes before the interval after creating space on the edge of the box but that was the final effort at goal of a first half that was poor and ended up being overshadowed by that tackle by McManaman.

United had the first opening of the second period although Papiss Cisse ballooned James Perch’s dinked through ball over the bar. Cisse again fired over moments later when there were four men in the middle and squaring the ball seemed to be the better option.

Newcastle were playing better in the second half but Wigan could have gone two goals up had James McArthur’s 68th minute effort not been deflected wide. Just five minutes later though and United were level after good work from Jonas Gutierrez who fed the ball to Sylvain Marveaux who in turn played in Papiss Cisse. The Senegal striker released Davide Santon with a fine first time pass and the Italian stormed in on goal firing past Robles to score his first goal for United.

It looked as though the points would be shared but yet more poor decisions from the officials put an end to that theory. A late corner saw Maynor Figueroa handball at the near post before Franco Di Santo and Paul Scharner saw efforts at goal blocked. A failure to clear the ball then saw Arouna Kone add the decisive touch as he fired the ball into the roof of the net. Poor defending undoubtedly, but the game should have been stopped way before that with Figueroa’s handball.

Insult to injury
Insult to injury

We lost, I’ve slept on it and I’m still fuming. I don’t want to blame the referee entirely but he had a huge part to play in things. Yes the first goal was poor defending but seeing tackles like that go unpunished and seeing a colleague stretchered off in such a bad state is going to have an effect. Likewise the second goal was ultimately poor defending but it shouldn’t have mattered as the handball was fairly clear even at full speeds.

We were poor, don’t get me wrong, but I do expect a certain amount of officiating from our officials. Mark Halsey failed in his duty yesterday on a number of levels. He failed to enforce the rules of the game and failed to protect players on the pitch. Next time they start begging for respect you have to wonder just why they actually deserve it.

Onwards and upwards…

Wigan: Joel Robles; Emmerson Boyce, Antolin Alcaraz, Paul Scharner, Maynor Figueroa; Shaun Maloney, James McCarthy, Jordi Gomez, Jean Beausejour; Callum McManaman, Arouna Koné

Subs: Ali Al-Habsi, Ronnie Stam, Gary Caldwell, Angelo Henriquez, James McArthur, Roman Golobart, Franco Di Santo

Newcastle: Rob Elliot; Mathieu Debuchy, Steven Taylor, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Davide Santon; Cheik Tiote, Jonas Gutierrez; Sylvain Marveaux, Moussa Sissoko, Yoan Gouffran; Papiss Cisse

Subs: Steve Harper, Massadio Haidara, James Perch, Vurnon Anita, Dan Gosling, Gabriel Obertan, Shola Ameobi

Attendance: 22,297

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

213 thoughts on “Haidara hospitalised as United stumble! Wigan 2-1 Newcastle

  1. Kimtoon, I would have no problem welcoming Simmo back into the fold, he had a splendid game a few weeks back when called upon. We just have to hope that Tulisa having him in a half nelson for two weeks hasn’t affected him too badly. 🙄

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  2. Dave Whelen had his own football career ended prematurely due to a knee injury with a similar tackle and he still has the stud marks on his legs to this day. It was on the news before they beat Everton in the cup. Now he claims that the Wigan lad’s tackle was fine and out of character, despite him doing it to Gai Assulin of Man City previously.

    Whelen can slabber on my balls, the old ****.

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  3. Munich – Everyone is keen to get an update on the lad. I hope the club understands that and is going to let us know as soon as they hear anything.

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  4. FSOTC@149, you may be onto something there. Normally something like this picks up it’s own momentum and carries on rolling. Maybe the club are taking stock and waiting for the FA to react, whilst looking at how to approach things, we know how much the two owners think of each other. 👿

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  5. B&B, you’re dead right there. They probably need to wait for the swelling etc to go down before making a statement. We’re also so disappointed and feeling sorry for the lad, because he has came to the toon on the quiet, and aquitted himself brilliantly for a 20 year old.
    I really hope that he isn’t too seriously injured.

    This isn’t the first time the Wigan bloke has done this, he has a previous record which should be held against him.

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  6. I can’t say whether or not it was intentional. At best it was wreckless. Wreckless is shameful enough for me. Intentional or wreckless there’s a gnat’s ***** between the two. It’s hard to argue with the suggestion that the lad should be banned for as long as Haidara’s out.

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  7. MM-That’s the thing, I think we’re waiting to see what the damage is. If it’s serious ligament damage well, my heart goes out to the lad, because chances are he may not even be the same player, there will undoubtedly be complications further down the line as well.

    I have no doubt Simmo will do his job when called upon, but really am gutted for Haidara who was proving to be a steal IMO.

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  8. Thing is it was dreadfull when it happened to Benny but now with Haidara too ,it beggers belief ,both good prospects cut down so soon into they’re careers ,it’s very sad. 🙁

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  9. “Wreckless” 😯 I mean “reckless” 😳 My spelling’s getting worse. I must rely too much on spellcheck these days.

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  10. Looked a definite wred card for me, even when I saw it from my lounge wroom (and I even wraised the wroof for the handball in wreal time). Wreckless challenge. The wreferee couldn’t possibly have been unsighted for the whole challenge, and even if he was, it is no excuse. Is it to be the wreferee’s defence – sorry I was blinking then and missed that. That is an excuse for a bad decision not a wreason.

    When officials are so adept at seeing a micro sliver of daylight for offside calls, you’d expect them to clearly see a player launch themselves at a fellow human being.

    I thought Aussie wrefs were bad, clearly we don’t have a monopoly on badness. Wreally pissed off.

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  11. Just been reading Wigan fans views on www,wiganer.net. what a bunch of weazels ,not one fan condeming the lad . Most telling any mag posting (,none abusive I might add) ,to get over yourselfs and do one . Charming, clearly as classless as the owner and player and manager it would seem. 🙄

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  12. Bb dont get me started on shola mate, i was fuming when i found out he left campbell out. It was intentional alright mcmanaman bounced of haidara like a trampoline, if your going in 2 footed with studs up like that you want to do some damage, i know coz i did it myself after having my shirt tugged all game and the ref doing nothing i took action in to my own hands out of frustration, Not proud of it but when you tackle like that in the heat of the moment you know some 1 will get hurt. Not that he had anything to be angry about, perhaps hes just a moron. 😐

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  13. He’s hyped up, just in the team trying to make an impression. which he did.

    However, no apology, no remorse, previous, & backed up by his manager.

    Not a clue. It’s a kids career he’s wrecked there. Hopes dreams, all gone. Maybe he’ll come back from that some do. Hope the injury is not so bad so he still has a chance.

    Friends today who aren’t into the beautiful game have been asking me why I bother with it when such injustice decides games rather than the play. To be honest I’m not sure I have an answer.

    Sickens the whole experience.

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  14. I thought the tackle was horrendous as soon as I saw it. It has to be punished. You can’t go in that high cleats up. I was disappointed there was no red. What was the linesman doing? They never seem to catch these things. The game was disappointing as well. We just don’t have enough attack. Either we can’t get the ball to Cisse or when we do he’s offside. Sissoko has been less effective lately as well. Team’s are cottoning on to him quickly. We don’t take advantage of his power and pace often enough. Again I have to ask what is our attacking plan? It can’t just be lump it up to Cisse and hope for the best. Very frustrating with this many talented players now. We definitely deserved a draw or a win. Might as well not have had a ref. He was quite poor despite what the commentators said. We still need points from our remaining games. Don’t take the foot off the gas too early lads!

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  15. FSOTC
    “Why not ban a player for the time it will take for the victim to recover?”
    I thought the exact same thing yesterday, the FA would never approve it though, imagine if Rooney or Walker or VP injured someone, they couldn’t ban them 🙄 . Also what happens if you don’t injure someone but there was malice like thingy punching someone or pushing someone over off the ball?

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  16. Idea I’ve long liked but it could only apply where a serious injury occurred. Then you have to prove intent. then you are preventing someone from pursuing their livelihood. Won’t happen too many lawers..

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  17. The damage to Haidara’s leg is so severe that he cannot straighten it and swelling around the knee means an initial scan has not yet determined the full extent of the injury. Telegraph Sport understands that there are no bones broken, but it is thought there is extensive ligament damage which is likely to sideline the left-back for several months.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/9938902/Newcastle-United-may-sue-Wigan-Athletic-for-Callum-McManamans-horror-tackle-on-Massadio-Haidara.html

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  18. Interesting article at http://www.nufc.com/ regarding Dave Whelan’s defence of the tackle and his past comments on such incidents.

    Here is the interesting bit from that website :

    Here’s a reminder of what bumbling fool and SkySports News favourite blatherer, Whelan dribbled out earlier:

    “The ball was there and McManaman went in for the ball and got the ball, as clean as a whistle, then followed through and they collided. He hasn’t gone over the ball. That’s an accident.

    “When I broke my leg in the (1960 FA) cup final it was exactly the same type of tackle. We both went for the ball. It brought back memories. It ruined my career.

    “I am not going to criticise Norman Deeley – these things happen in football. He came over the ball, but he didn’t do it with the aim of breaking my leg.”

    That’ll be the same Dave Whelan who told the Lancashire Telegraph in May 2010 that:

    “Norman Deeley came right over the ball. Today he would have been sent off and banned for a long time. He came six inches over the ball, he came for me not the ball.”

    Make your mind up you silly old ******.

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  19. Poor show by all the officials – would imagine the linesman should have seen both the tackle and handball if Halsey was unsighted
    However, I wouldn’t like to see officials held open to lawsuits for wrong decisions – would be a free for all and I doubt anyone would take a job as an official – either that or the FA wouldn’t be able to afford the insurance premiums which I’m sure would amount to millions per club – the obvious answer is that the 4th official actually does something useful and reviews video evidence instantly for major decisions that have gone unnoticed etc – wtf use is he holding up extra time board and telling managers to get back in thier touch line box
    Doubt the FA will bother, they seem to live keeping football back in the dark ages despite the fact that with today’s technology, decisions would be made almost instantly and wouldn’t interrupt the flow of game

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  20. Paulos@172 ,Says it all really mate doesn’t it .Just trying to make the facts suit his clubs agenda really, pathetic. 🙄

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  21. Wigan fans are all saying we are just sore cause we lost ,they fail to see that we ain’t moaning about the loss but the injury to a talented player something they sadly lack. If Callum Macmanaman is seen as a hot talent when he sticks the studs in ( not the first time either ) then I really don’t know what to think.but I suppose that’s what you get in a Rugby town eh.

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  22. Kim – I’m a big rugby fan too and used to get to most of the Newcastle Falcons games and afew International games too before switching jobs, wed, kid n pup (god the good old days 😥 ).
    I can assure you that a tackle like that would not have gone unpunished on a rugby field either.

    B&B/Dave and all who spoke about Rugby refs earlier – the reason you don’t remember the refs is that they have the back up of video refereeing as well as linesmen, so they are never at the centre of game changing decisions. Also, rugby players have far more respect for officials and never surround the ref and rarely even question a decision. Probably because they have the confidence that their decision making is accurate based on the level of support they have.
    As aggressive and emotionally charged as the sport is, you’d still get a 6’5ft, 20st player who’s just been stamped on apologizing to a 5’8ft, 12st referee and call him sir.
    As spectators as well you’d have opposing fans sat side by side having a pint. None of this missile throwing craic.
    Not trying to convert anyone here by the way 😉 😆

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  23. dan says March 18, 2013 5:16pm

    “Completely agree with dave(whelan) here. If you watch the challenge again closely you can see that mcmanaman makes contact with the ball, the follow through is unfortunate. Padrew and his newcastle team are the ones who should be punished the way they over-reacted”

    🙄 😳 🙄 … methinks “dan” shouldn’t be allowed out on his own

    3HW…That’s great news, well done Tayls 😀

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  24. Owen to retire at the end of the season…thought he’d retired the day he signed for us? 👿

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  25. 3HW – whilst I’m really pleased for Saylor, I have to be honest and say – with Colo out, and Saylor playing so well for us at the moment – I’d rather he was rested. But that’s a selfish fans view on it.

    It also bugs me a bit that the players from the top 4-5 clubs seem to pick and choose which international matches they are fit for and which ones they seem to have little knocks for. Not bad enough to keep them out of club games though.
    If we qualify for the World Cup I wonder if the likes of Saylor and Caulker will be in that squad or will it be the likes of Ferdinand and Terry who couldn’t be arsed to muddy their boots in the qualifiers.

    Other news: Michael Owen to retire at the end of the season. Superb player in his prime.

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  26. Owen can devote more time to his nags now then 😉 Truth is he should of retired 2 seasons ago . Good luck to him all the same.

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  27. Like him or not….what a career Michael Owen had. Hat-trick against Germany, named Eruopean footballer, first Englishman since Keegan, fair play to him fr what he achieved to be honest. Even though I still don’t like him from his time here….

    Well done Tayls well deserved! Should have told them to bollocks though…. 😆

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  28. Moreno – agreed, my issue with him was I never got the impression his heart was in it when with us, but as a goal scorer – cant knock his record like. He’ll always be a ex Liverpool and England player for me to be honest with ya, but good luck to the lad.

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  29. Great news for Taylor! Deserved a call-up by now seeing as Caulker or Smalling had been called up before him for some reason. ❓ 😕 ❓

    On the Haidara thing – what a bell**d that Whelan is! Absolutely astonishing that anyone can actually stand by what he is saying. Martinez aswell has gone down in my book for his comments. Only one in all this who seemed concerned or upset is McManaman himself when he was taken off the field, but who knows? Maybe they have another cattermole or henry in the making?
    Just imagine if someone like Barton had made that slaughter tackle?!? Then everyone would be in an uproar and demand him banned for life or something.

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  30. IT was a bad tackle but those things happen in games sometimes. The ref got it wrong and I am sure hindsight he would have issued a card.

    Martinez has to defend his players, any manager would do the same. Certainly the defeat is exacerbating it but we need to move on and stop dwelling on it. We did not lose the game because of that tackle so it was not going to change the outcome.

    I hope Haidara recovers soon.

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  31. APP – aye mate, the more I look at McMannamans reaction when he’s subs I get the impressions he’s upset at being subbed on his home debut rather than what happened to Haidara to be honest.

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  32. Sharpy – havent thought about it that way, but it would take a right primadonna c*** to be upset at being subbed on his home debut? 😯 🙂

    Michael – It wouldnt have changed the game if he had gotten sent off? And Martinez doesnt have to defend his player? Where is that coming from? Would be really refreshing for the players and managers in football to wake up from their screwed up world where everything is everyone else’s fault and that they are the center of the universe. Would’ve been refreshing to hear Martinez condemning the challange and for McManaman to the condemning like a man and move on!

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  33. Micheal @192 you say we did not lose the game because of that tackle . I beg to differ mate. Truth is if seen ,they would of been reduce to 10 men and at a disadvantage ,we most likely would have gone on to at least draw but you simply cannot say the tackle incident had no bareing on the game ,it clearly upset our players and staff and what with Debbie going off too completely upset our rhythm . Yes we can’t dwell on it but the siyuation is not helped by Whelan coming out with utter ripe on SSN by the hour yesterday. All it does is inflames the already fractious feelings between fans .

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  34. Congrats to Stevie, it was a big slap in the face from Roy when those clowns and Rio were picked ahead of him anyway IMO, he has been in top form recently alongside someone-or possibly two players he can hardly communicate with! I take my hat off to the lad.

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  35. To go in that high with studs showing is dangerous play whatever the intent. Perch did it later in the game to Kone BUT pulled his foot back. You could see it quite clearly. Big difference. Really feel for the young kid, may never be the same again. Tragic.

    What’s just as bad is if Wigan beat Millwall they’ll be in Europe next season. Really hope the fukers go down!

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  36. Georgio , Wigan in Europe ,now there is a scary thought ,every foreign team will be running for cover after watching that tackle.

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  37. Kim – Whelan’s and Martinez comments are ridiculous and disgraceful. They both know about the kids previous. Must be something in the Mersey water.

    What’s really bothering me though is our poor play. Marv like a fairy, Sissoko caught on the ball every time, Tiote trying to be a playmaker, Santon posing as a defender, Gouffran becoming a new Jonas and Cisse’s wild finishing. That’s just a start . . .

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  38. @Kimtoon: “it clearly upset our players and staff and what with Debbie going off too completely upset our rhythm”

    Stop making excuses! That is not a legitimate excuse for losing the game. We lost because we were poor even before that tackle.

    These things happen in football sometimes and we have also benefited from wrong decisions in our favor. It was a bad tackle the ref got it wrong but that is not what lost us the game.

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  39. Not sure I like Tayls being called up for England. Nothing good ever came from that for us and we really need him for the run in.

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  40. Georgio-True, and here’s hoping he’s just a sub, but to be fair he has earned it. I agree with Moreno though, he should tell them to shove it 😆

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  41. Have to laugh at Blackburn as well 😆 How wise their fans were, insisting all the blame lay with Kean 🙄

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  42. Newkie – those Indian owners are destroying that club like, I’ve heard that there isn’t a great que of managers lined up wanting to work with them either.
    Maybe I’ll get jumped on for saying this, but Ashley may not be great but better the devil you know I say.
    I wouldn’t mind us poaching Martin Olsson, Grant Hanley and Jordan Rhodes from Bburn either like.

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  43. Blackburn are going along great compared to Wolves, I’m nae “Mad Mick Mac” fan but I doubt they’d be in the **** they are now if he’d still been in charge.

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  44. Micheal You also quote me out of context ,I was not makeing excuses for losing . The fact is had the lad walked we would of played 10 men for a large part of the game ,they would of also been rocked at losing their ‘rising star ‘. As I said @209 I ask you again do you think we could not have drawn or beat 10 men 😕 . Oh and actually we lost that game due to a handball in the box in the build up to their winner if we want to really split hairs like. Had that been chalked off as it should of been we had the draw . 😉

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  45. @Kimtoon it is silly really to point out little mistakes that always happen in football games. We have in the past taken all three points when refs have made errors in our favor. Errors are a part of the game there is no game that goes without an error made by the ref.

    Kimtoon: We were poor. Do we really need to have one of their players sent off in order for us to do well? Do we need an extra man to beat Wigan? With the players we have, the bounce we have from the Jan signings do we still need superior numbers to beat Wigan?

    Wigan did not need to have superior numbers to beat us.

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  46. Micheal ,you miss the point and fail to answer my question , why am I surprised . Do you think he should of seen red and do you think we we could of got the draw or win if the game had been officiated properly ,it’s not a hard question really is it? 🙄
    I also don’t think I am being ‘silly ‘as you put it .It seems to me you always get personal or patronising when put on the spot ,I try not to be spitefull to you so please extend me the same curtesy.

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  47. So when we play poorly and the ref makes a mistake or three in our favour resulting in a victory, Michael12 is there to say we deserved the win. Funny, don’t seem to recall those comments.

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