Asmir Begovic: 'Stoke need protection from overboard tactics'
Goalkeeper frustrated following 1-1 draw with Everton
Sunday 16 December 2012
Related articles
Asmir Begovic, the Stoke City goalkeeper who was booked for criticising referee Mark Halsey's handling of the 1-1 draw with Everton, has accused some teams of "going overboard" with their tactics against his side.
Everton's Marouane Fellaini faces a retrospective ban for a head-butt on Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday in what manager Tony Pulis claimed was the latest in a series of attacks on his players that have gone unpunished.
Stoke have a reputation for physicality, but Begovic – who received the game's only yellow card after repeatedly complaining about the Fellaini incident and others – says that does not justify the excessive force used by opponents.
"I was unhappy with what was going on with me, the holding, the shirt-pulling and everything else that wasn't really being dealt with," he said. "I made my point and I probably deserved a booking.
"Fellaini is a great player but I think it [the head-butt] was worthy of more punishment. It was frustrating in that there were a lot of missed or strange calls.
"People know they have to come here and compete with us, and sometimes they can go a bit overboard which is unfortunate. We like to compete but I don't think it's anything dirty to our game. We're a good strong side and that's all there is to it.".
David Moyes, Everton's manager, agreed Fellaini should have been sent off, prompting the Belgian to issue his apology. "There was a lot of pushing and pulling going on inside the Stoke penalty area and I didn't feel I was getting any protection from the officials," Fellaini said. "Nevertheless I know I shouldn't have done what I did. I lost my temper."
Fellaini now faces the prospect of a Football Association investigation and a lengthy ban. Shawcross' own goal put Everton ahead before Kenwyne Jones equalised to extend Stoke's unbeaten run to seven matches.
Latest in Sport
Sport blogs
iBet: A tight game between Northampton and Bradford
A tight game could be in prospect here. Northampton have been keeping things very tight of late and ...
by Gareth Purnell
18 May 2013 02:01 AM
On The Road at the Giro d’Italia: Feeling ill and racing in the rain must be pretty grim
I can’t ever watch games of football or rugby without wistfully wondering what it must be like to be...
by Martin Ayres
16 May 2013 05:10 PM
PSG and the French league must be more proactive in dealing with hooliganism
Since PSG’s exit to Barcelona in the Uefa Champions League quarter-final in April, PSG have been sur...
by Matthew Riding
15 May 2013 02:37 PM
-
Aleksandar Kolarov seals ugly end to season in the dock once again
-
The Last Word: As David Beckham bows out, spare a thought for the ordinary players facing a crueller end
-
Arsène Wenger: 'We need stability and to strengthen in the summer'
-
Sam Wallace: The second coming of Mourinho will be a reunion that can only end in tears
-
James Lawton: For all Arsenal's dreams and prettiness there must be nagging sense of futility
- 1 British business: We need to stay in the European Union - or risk losing up to £92bn a year
- 2 You thought Ryanair's attendants had it bad? Wait 'til you hear about their pilots
- 3 Sam Wallace: The second coming of Mourinho will be a reunion that can only end in tears
- 4 Civil partnerships amendment 'could wreck' gay marriage Bill, Government sources warn
- 5 It’s official: thanks to Stephen Hawking's Israel boycott, anti-Semitism is no more
Get your summer started with British Military Fitness
BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes
Visit York
Find out what The Independent's resident travel expert has to say about one of the most beautiful small cities in the world
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Day In a Page
The price of pacifism
Jason Isaacs: Groupies, theatre bores and James Bond
Sealand: 'Micronation' or illegal fortress?
Legend of James Hunt has set Hollywood hearts racing
Macklemore: 'I don't have moderation'



Comments