Nicosia Gooner
02-02-2013, 11:27 PM
Tony Pulis criticised the behaviour of Arsenal's players and accused them of influencing the referee after Stoke City succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium.
Lukas Podolski scored the only goal of the game with a deflected free-kick, but it came shrouded in controversy.
The linesman initially flagged for offside against Theo Walcott, but after Arsenal's players ran over to protest, referee Chris Foy overruled him and awarded the goal.
It was the correct decision given that Walcott was inactive, but Stoke boss Pulis was nevertheless irate.
He said: "The disappointing thing for me was the number of Arsenal players that surrounded the linesman. I thought that was something you couldn't do.
"If he has given the right decision, he has given the right decision. You take it on the chin and get on with it.
Pulis felt Stoke deserved a point
"I haven't got a clue what offside is now. When the linesman gives it offside, the way that Arsenal players surround the linesman, and the referee then goes over, I thought if there were more than five players, you're not supposed to do that. The referee has reacted after that."
Lukas Podolski scored the only goal of the game with a deflected free-kick, but it came shrouded in controversy.
The linesman initially flagged for offside against Theo Walcott, but after Arsenal's players ran over to protest, referee Chris Foy overruled him and awarded the goal.
It was the correct decision given that Walcott was inactive, but Stoke boss Pulis was nevertheless irate.
He said: "The disappointing thing for me was the number of Arsenal players that surrounded the linesman. I thought that was something you couldn't do.
"If he has given the right decision, he has given the right decision. You take it on the chin and get on with it.
Pulis felt Stoke deserved a point
"I haven't got a clue what offside is now. When the linesman gives it offside, the way that Arsenal players surround the linesman, and the referee then goes over, I thought if there were more than five players, you're not supposed to do that. The referee has reacted after that."