The behaviour of Mark Hughes, patrolling the touch-line, showed that the boss was not a happy man.
Indeed, that horrible lunge made by Andy Wilkinson, on Moussa Dembele, was deserved of a red card.
The site of Dembele being carried away on a stretcher just about summed up our evening, a long trip, an empty stadium and empty hearts, now devoid of any hope of Carling Cup glory.
After the match, in the obligatory post-match interview, Mark Hughes had every right to be vociferous when it came to discussing the challenge made by Wilkinson in stoppage-time, remarking,
“If Mousa has avoided serious injury then he is a very lucky boy considering the tackle.”
“His career could have been put at risk. I just don`t know what the Stoke player was thinking about at that stage of the game.”
“There is supposed to be a certain code of conduct in such circumstances.”
“With the result of the match assured, you should look after the wellbeing of fellow pros and protect them.”
“Instead we saw an absolutely ridiculous challenge, utterly unnecessary and possibly placing Mousa`s entire career at risk.”
“Mousa will leave the stadium on crutches and with his left leg in plaster. It`ll be at least 24 hours before we know the full extent of the damage. But Fulham can`t afford to lose him for any length of time.”
“Zamora is missing for five months with a broken leg already.”
Any serious injury leaves our club struggling to field a regular strike pairing. However, the Stoke management team were gracious enough to admit that the tackle was rash although stopping short of condemning their own man, when Tony Pulis` right hand man, Dave Kemp, muttered,
“It was an unnecessary, rash challenge. But there was no malice in it, just over-enthusiasm.”
I`m beginning to think Arsene Wenger was right, there is something nasty about Stoke and the way they go about things!
Vital Fulham on:
Vital Fulham on:
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