Sky Sports pundits furious at penalty decision in West Ham United defeat v Tottenham Hotspur, Graeme Souness disagrees
Graeme Souness disagreed live on air with his Sky Sports colleagues about a controversial penalty appeal in West Ham United’s defeat to Tottenham.
Defender Thilo Kehrer handled the ball in the box during the first-half, but it wasn’t given as a penalty as it was deemed he was breaking his fall despite never actually going to ground.
And while talking at half-time live on Sky Sports (17:24) Robbie Keane and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink admitted they felt it was a penalty and that the rule should be changed, but Souness didn’t agree with them and said he was breaking his fall despite never falling.
“Well if they didn’t give the one last week for West Ham on Soucek, that should have been a penalty, I think this is a penalty,” Keane said.
“I know you’re saying that he’s falling down, but could he stay on his feet?
“He’s close, as I say, if they’re not giving last week’s penalty they definitely won’t be giving this one. I’d want to see these given. I think it needs to change, the law needs to change from next year.
“Rules are rules and there’s nothing you can do about it. But I think they need to have a look at it for next year.”
“The ball would have gone to Harry Kane, so it’s an opportunity,” Hasselbaink added.
“He’s falling but his arm is not close to his body is it? And he’s not ending up on the floor.”
But Souness defended the Hammers man, and claimed it was a legitimate reason to not give a penalty although Hasselbaink refused to accept that explanation.
“If you’re falling you’re going to put your arm out at whatever angle you’re falling at..
“But he’s not falling is he?” Hasselbaink replied.
“He is, but he’s just managed to keep his left knee up off the ground. He is falling. He’s in the process of falling,” Souness stated.
“But he’s not falling. He doesn’t fall,” Hasselbaink insisted.
“I think he’s on the way down,” Souness said again. “He is definitely on the way down and somehow [stays up].
“I think he’s on the way down, and he’s managed to stay up, just, but he is on the way down.”
Lucky
The Soucek one against Chelsea was subjective and could be argued either way, but this one is hard to defend.
Ultimately it hasn’t affected the result and we were well beaten, because our performance wasn’t good enough. But the inconsistency in VAR is startling.
If these decisions had gone against us in the position we’re currently in there is no doubt that we as a fanbase would be absolutely furious.
Overall the performance on the day simply wasn’t even nearly good enough and we got what we deserved, which was absolutely nothing.
We’re now in the relegation zone again and there has to be serious conversations held about the future of David Moyes, but also the performances of the players who are more than good enough to be nowhere near this battle we find ourselves in.
Everyone is expecting us to get out of it because of the squad, but until they start performing this isn’t going to change and we’re in real danger.