Source: Team_Talk
Grant unhappy with referee display
West Ham manager Avram Grant hit out at referee Michael Oliver after his side surrendered a two-goal lead in the 2-2 draw at Birmingham.[LNB] Grant felt that Oliver should have awarded his side a late penalty after City substitute Jean Beausejour appeared to pull back Lars Jacobsen inside the penalty box, and labelled the decision "a farce".[LNB]Grant believed it was the latest in a line of decisions from officials to go against the bottom-placed Hammers, who had looked on course for their first away win of the season after scoring through Frederic Piquionne and Valon Behrami.[LNB]But the home side fought back and goals from Cameron Jerome and Liam Ridgewell rescued a point.[LNB]Grant said: "Harry Redknapp used the word farce about the decisions of a referee and I agree with him.[LNB]"The referee was five metres from the incident when the shirt of Lars was pulled and he did not give a penalty.[LNB]"I'm very disappointed because this is not the first time it has happened to us.[LNB]"Similar things have happened against Wolves, Stoke, Aston Villa, Bolton and Manchester United where decisions have gone against us.[LNB]"What we saw from 50 metres, the referee could see from five metres and he needs to give a penalty. This is a farce.[LNB]"Sometimes you don't see things but this was in front of his eyes. I don't understand why he didn't give a penalty."[LNB]Grant took solace from his side's performance and said: "You saw a team that deserves to be in the middle of the table.[LNB]"We conceded a couple of easy goals and it cost us but if we continue to play like this, and show the same attitude, the points will come.[LNB]"We carried on like we have been playing in the last two games and Ben Foster made two unbelievable saves from Carlton Cole and Victor Obinna."[LNB]City manager Alex McLeish believes Foster will be pushing for an England spot if he continues to maintain his current form.[LNB]He said: "It was a fantastic save from Cole and Ben has been totally on top of his game from the day he arrived.[LNB]"He is in the frame for England, and him and Joe Hart are playing out of their skin at the moment."[LNB]McLeish admitted: "In the first half there was no penetration from us, we were not a threat but when we went more direct in the second half we caused more problems.[LNB]"West Ham are not a bad side. They have good individuals and Avram is trying to get them playing as a team.[LNB]"For an hour they played well but, when we got at them, we were a different side."[LNB]Ridgewell has often weighed in with important goals for City and he produced another clinical finish to salvage a share of the spoils.[LNB]McLeish said: "Liam has had an eye for a goal going back to his youth team days and he's brought that into his time as a senior player.[LNB]"He takes a gamble in following the ball into the box and sometimes gets on the end of things."
