JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Fulham midfielder Andreas Pereira has predictably taken a pop at Craig Dawson after accusing the Hammers defender of falling ‘like a girl’ when West Ham were awarded a penalty during their 3-1 win over the Cottagers.
He is of course missing the point and appears to have forgotten that he was adjudged to have fouled Dawson to give away a penalty in Sunday’s clash following a rugby tackle which threw Daws to the ground, having been warned by the referee on two previous occasions.
It was a bad challenge, and it was followed by plenty of shenanigans from Fulham defenders refusing to listen as ref made it clear there was far too much holding of Hammers players going on in the penalty area.
The official spent a lot of time explaining the problem, but the Fulham defenders decided to pay him no heed whatsoever and, in the end, paid a heavy price.
For the ref was eventually left with no alternative but to award a penalty as his words were ignored and Bowen stepped up to score from the spot.
You can see both sides of it. I personally think it was a soft penalty. I think the ref could have handled the situation better. As for the other two goals we also got lucky both Scammaca and Antonio handled the ball. We were lucky and let no one hide away from the fact that without that luck we would not have won that game. Moyes continues to play 2 defensive midfielders which is absolutely preventing us moving the ball quickly. I know he’s not stupid but his stubbornness to change is holding performances back.
I thought Pereira was really stupid, I mean three times he grabbed Dawson. His team mates also daft as they didn’t swap places after second warning and the harassed the ref. Dawson kept his cool throughout.
Antonio did handle the ball but the rules state if it goes into second phase of play before actual goal scored its,allowed. Rules are barmy but you play to them. Scammaca’s goal was far more marginal as 3 minutes of VAR could not spot it so reasonable to allow.
Having seen VAR over two seasons I feel the system is no improvement over refs deciding.
It’s just as inconsistent and at Sundays game it created three lots of 3 minute delays. Momentum is lost and it seems at times its trying not to award goals and goals are what we come to see!
Tony Gales’ comment was “Pereira never once looked at the ball on three occasions of the corner-kick, only at where Dawson was”. Penalty!
I completely agree with Galey but if the ref handled the situation differently for example give Pereria a yellow card after the first instance then he wud not have repeated the offense again.