Richard Keys outraged by ‘assault’ in West Ham United draw with Southampton
Richard Keys believes West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek was assaulted at a corner against Southampton and should have won a penalty.
The Czech midfielder was wrestled to the ground by Saints goalscorer Romain Perraud at St Mary’s, with David Moyes declaring it a “judo move” after the game, via BBC Sport, while beIN Sports anchor Keys has gone even further.
It was a frustrating 1-1 draw on the south coast which the Hammers came out of feeling particularly hard done by, as the penalty decision went begging and Perraud put the home side ahead despite Kyle Walker-Peters taking a foul throw in the build up, before referee Peter Bankes blocked Jarrod Bowen from making a challenge.
Writing on his blog on Monday (17 October) about the penalty decision Keys said: “There was an assault in the West Ham game! Perraud is all over Soucek at an early corner. It’s a pen.
“Why didn’t VAR see it? David Moyes was right – get yourselves to Specsavers.
“I don’t mind the Saints goal being given, but Peter Bankes got himself into a really bad position in the build-up. He should know better.”
Spot on
Keys likes to get outraged about what he sees in the Premier League every week but it seems that increasingly there is plenty of opportunity for him to do so.
When Maxwel Cornet’s late equaliser at Stamford Bridge was controversially ruled out by a VAR intervention on 3 September it seemed that Moyes had witnessed the worst decision he was likely to see this season.
But on a day where the Hammers were well on top yet only came away with a point, a couple of developments have run it very close.
Even without the officiating controversy he would have felt pretty unhappy to come away without the win, considering how close big money signings Gianluca Scamacca and Lucas Paqueta went during the game.
But for the penalty not to be awarded, and the double injustice of the Walker-Peters throw and then the referee obstruction for the home goal, it becomes a major psychological blow.
The luck has to change soon, as it is hard enough to overcome a slow start to the season form-wise without these decisions going against the Irons.
They are now up to 12th and heading in the right direction, but fans will know they should be much higher, and likely would have been without some highly questionable decision-making from those in charge.