Richard Keys goes berserk over ’embarrassing’ West Ham United incident v Burnley after what Howard Webb said
Richard Keys is furious with referee Sam Barrott for awarding Burnley a second-half penalty against West Ham at Turf Moor on Saturday afternoon.
Luca Koleosho was clipped in the box by Mohammed Kudus not long after the second half kicked off, with Jay Rodriguez scoring the spot kick.
It was only a slight knock by Kudus, which annoyed Keys because PGMOL chief Howard Webb called on VAR officials to clamp down more on “soft penalties” in Premier League games.
“Clearly Sam Barrot didn’t get Howard Webb’s memo about soft pens this week,” said Keys via his personal X account on Saturday (25 November).
“The one he’s just given at Turf Moor is so soft it’s not even a pen. Nowhere near a pen.
“It’s an embarrassing decision making up for one he didn’t give in the first 45.”
Soft, indeed
There’s no denying that there was contact.
However, not every bit of contact equals a foul – this is a contact sport, after all.
Kudus clipped Koleosho, potentially hitting the back of his boot or ankle when he fell to the ground.
But is that a penalty? No way.
As Keys said, Barrott was probably trying to make up for the penalty he didn’t give Burnley in the first half, which was arguably more of one than this one in the second half.
Referees shouldn’t be operating that way because two wrongs do not make a right.
Thankfully, the Irons won justice for themselves by bagging two late goals.
West Ham have been on the wrong end of some shockers in recent seasons with VAR in operation and on this occasion, the decision should surely have been reversed based on what Webb said about those in Stockley Park.
That is the definition of a soft penalty, therefore the PGMOL chief clearly doesn’t want to see those being given by his referees in the Premier League.
In other West Ham news, it’s time for Michail Antonio to accept his West Ham career is over.