“Shambolic” – Charlton Athletic ace Lyle Taylor blasts lack of protection from referees
Lyle Taylor has accused match officials of missing or ignoring the steady stream of fouls on him.
Charlton manager Lee Bowyer reckons opposition are getting away with rough treatment on Taylor, Karlan Grant and Tariqe Fosu.
Fosu is serving a three-match ban after his red card for a headbutt in the 2-1 win at Southend. He was kicked while on the floor as he tried to run down the clock by the corner flag.
Michael Kightly and goalkeeper Mark Oxley saw red for Southend – the latter for throwing a punch at George Lapslie.
“In all honesty, the lack of protection and the lack of awareness from referees is just shambolic at times,” said Taylor. “There are so many moments when I’m getting fouled and I get absolutely nothing.
“I don’t know what has to happen for me to get free-kicks because I have been wrestled to the ground in a headlock and it’s been given as a foul by me.
“I don’t know what the yardstick is. Do I need to be assaulted? It would be nice for the referees or the PGMOL to tell me so I can kindly ask defenders to assault me a little more so I do get free-kicks.
“Saturday [against Southend] was a disgrace. He [Fosu] was stamped on and then kicked. Sure he shouldn’t react and probably has been dealt worse and not reacted. But someone has stamped on him and not get sent off and a team-mate has kicked him and has got sent off.
“Where is it going to end up? One of their players has tried to punch one of our players. If we are saying that is only as bad as what Tariqe did, then I don’t think that is right.
“Referees need to seriously look at themselves because some of the treatment we get is farcical.
“But as soon as our defenders go anywhere near their players or jump in the air then the referee blows his whistle.
“I’ve had my shirt pulled and ripped off, got elbowed in the face – and get absolutely nothing.
“I get that it is a physical game and is not non-contact but there has to be a line, there has to be a limit.”
