As the games count down to the 10 yellow card amnesty due on Easter Sunday, the eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross sneak barely heralded onto our Suspension Tightrope thanks to a yellow card in the FA Cup defeat to Liverpool at the weekend. He therefore joins Arsenal centre-back Laurent Koscielny on nine yellows for the season and their attempts to navigate the next three games without further indiscretion will be closely monitored around these parts.
Both players were in action in the Wednesday night end to Gameweek 29, Koscielny in the win over Everton and Shawcross for the point gained at Spurs, but both emerged unsullied to fight another day. Their next games home against Villa (Arsenal) and Man City (Stoke), with referees Dowd (average 4 yellow cards per game) and Webb (3 per game) in charge, will therefore be watched with greater interest.
Skipping the nervous wait for suspension in the Gameweek 29 schedule was Wolves defender Ronald Zubar, whose two needless yellow cards in the hosting of Manchester United certainly contributed to the mauling that ensued. Already 1-0 down through Jonny Evans’ first goal in United colours, Zubar brought down first Wayne Rooney and then Danny Welbeck less than 12 minutes later to make a difficult task virtually impossible for struggling manager Terry Connor. Zubar will now sit out the Gameweek 30 clash at Norwich while his manager attempts to rally the troops.
GAMEWEEK 30 BANS
- Ricardo Fuller (STO) – 1 Red for violent conduct (last of 3 matches)
- Lee Cattermole (SUN) – 1 Red for foul and abusive language and 10 Yellows (last of 4 matches)
- Nathan Dyer (SWA) – 1 Red for serious foul play (last of 3 matches)
- Ronald Zubar (WOL) – 1 Red for 2 Yellows (1 match)
