Comment by Lou Macari

I DON’T think Tony Pulis had much choice except to make late moves for Henri Camara and Stephen Kelly on deadline day.

That’s the transfer window for you. I’m sure Tony would have preferred to wait until needs must, but the artificial rules means you have to get players in now ... just in case.

And these two should provide adequate cover in their own way for the 14 Premier League games ahead.

I know a bit about Kelly after my involvement in the Irish set-up a couple of years ago and he always struck me as someone who likes to get forward and be involved in the game.

Henri Camara scores for Wigan against Sunderland

Camara gives Tony something a bit different in his attack, as well as cover in case one or two strikers are laid low by injury or suspension.

I’d love to see the back of this daft transfer window, but I fear it’s here to stay for a while yet.

I thought the Bosman ruling was ridiculous when that first came in – and we’re still stuck with it.

There was a time when you offered a new contract to a player because he was playing well, but now you offer one because you’re afraid of losing him for nothing when his contract runs out.

As for Stoke, they gave themselves a massive shot in the arm with that victory over Manchester City.

I was watching on TV and have to say the Stoke lads deserve every credit for pulling off a win with 10 men for the most part.

James Beattie’s second goal for the club will help give him the confidence he needs if he is to be the answer up front between now and the end of the season.

Stoke now go to Sunderland still looking for that first away win of the season – and this could be the moment.

I know people say the next game is always a big three points, but this one really is.

A first away win against another team down there will be huge psychologically, but back-to-back victories will also make a real impression on the league table.

You can be winning at home one week, but if you’re then losing away the next it’s like taking one step forward and one step back.

And think how successive wins will leave Stoke feeling as they then go into their next home game ... against struggling Portsmouth.

The win over Man City is further proof that Stoke really can pick up a bag full of points in their remaining seven matches at the Britannia Stadium.

I would stick my neck out and say that if they can remain unbeaten in those seven – which they certainly can – then they’ll stay up.

That is on the assumption they would win four and draw three, or even win five and draw two, while picking up that elusive first three points on the road.

Earlier in the season I was left scratching my head at West Bromwich Albion boss Tony Mowbray as he struggled to produce a team that resembled anything like him as a no-nonsense defender.

And the same might be said of Mark Hughes at Manchester City. How his team could do with more than one Mark Hughes out on the pitch to cope with the kind of rough and tumble his current crop clearly didn’t fancy at the Britannia. His team were totally lacking aggression and just didn’t seem up for the fight, something you would never claim of Hughes in his heyday at United and Barcelona.

He did produce a hard-working and aggressive outfit when Blackburn manager, but seems to be deserting his roots now he’s at City.

Referees lack consistency

I KNOW they have a tough job – and I think most of us realise that – but I still can’t stop shaking my head at some of the refereeing I’m seeing these days.

The game is suffering badly for as long as they keep getting really big decisions badly wrong.

Can someone explain to me why Frank Lampard was sent off at Anfield and Steven Gerrard was not?

Neither should have walked in my opinion, but these days you just don’t know what you’re going to get.

I felt extremely sorry for Lampard because he was guilty of not getting ball and man, but just getting ball, and yet he sees a red card waved in his face.

His studs may have been showing, but so what? There was clearly no other intent except to win the ball as cleanly as he so obviously did.

Yes, the decision is expected to be overturned today, but too late for that particular fixture.

I’m also getting worried that managers are no longer seeing things clearly either when I hear Joe Kinnear claiming the referee was correct to award his side a penalty in their 1-1 draw with Sunderland. Not a single fair-minded Newcastle fan would surely agree.

And at Old Trafford on Saturday, I have to say the first penalty shout which was given was not as clear-cut as the second penalty shout which wasn’t.