Not Probert but Webb

10 March 2010 10:02
Lee Probert was scheduled to referee tonight's game at Turf Moor against Stoke City but he's now been replaced by Rotherham referee Howard Webb. This is Webb's fourth Burnley game of the season and there has certainly been one disappointing show and one horrendous performance from him, the latter coming at Everton in the last game of 2009.That game at Everton saw Webb wave yellow cards around like confetti, but with the exception of Steven Pienaar they all went our way. The cards given to Andre Bikey and Tyrone Mears were ridiculous and it led to Mears missing the next game through suspension.There could, however, be no complaints at his decision to send off Stephen Jordan who was the first player to see Webb's red card this season. He wasn't the only one for too long though with Webb adding three more red cards in his next two games.He dismissed Blackburn's El Hadji Diouf as they lost 3-1 at Aston Villa in the FA Cup in his next game and then followed that up with the dismissals of Richard Stearman (Wolves) and Hendry Thomas (Wigan) in separate incidents as Wigan won 2-0 at Molineux.His yellow card count has now reached three figures with 103 in 28 games. Seventeen of those have come in four Champions League games leaving 86 in 24 domestic games. In the last couple of months home players have been far more likely to get yellow cards from him but that still hasn't balanced up what was previously a massive number of away players. The totals are now 37 home players yellow carded and 49 away players.That recent change is highlighted in his last domestic game which was Everton's 3-1 win against Manchester United at Goodison Park. There were six yellow cards in that game. The recipients were Mikel Arteta, Leon Osman, Steven Pienaar, Jack Rodwell and Louis Saha (all Everton) and Manchester United's Darren Fletcher.The assistant referees tonight are John Flynn (Wiltshire) and Rob Lewis (Shropshire). The fourth official is Chris Foy who refereed our game against Arsenal at the Emirates last Saturday. Previous Burnley games:SeasonOppsVResYRBurnley players cardeda2002/03Millwallh2-220Gnohere2003/04Cardiffh1-120West2003/04Millwalla0-141Grant Wood Weller(R)2004/05Blackburna1-230Cahill Grant2006/07Leicestera1-040Hyde Sinclair2007/08Stokea1-150Harley Lafferty2009/10Aston Villah1-130.2009/10Evertona0-261Jordan(Y/R) Bikey Elliott Duff Mears2009/10West Hamh2-130McDonald Fox

Source: FOOTYMAD