[Albion] Penalty or not so much?

[Bozza]

Mikel Arteta on the penalty: “It’s very disappointing.”

“I've never seen a decision like this in my career. I asked the boys, and they have never seen anything like it.”

 

[Munchkin]

As much as it pains me to agree with him…

Never a pen. Clear touch on the ball
From Saliba which I can only assume VAR missed.

 

[Bakero]

Pen for me. Touching the ball before hitting a player doesn't mean it's not a pen. If that's the rule for a foot, why not a head?

 

[Taybha]

Ref doesn't give it VAR wouldn't have overturned it so could of gone either way depending on the ref, I'd say slightly fortunate but Pedro knew exactly what he was doing so to sum up .

 

[Wrong-Direction]

If it was the other way round we'd be fuming

 

[Hugo Rune]

Soft penalty but there have been few recently. VAR would not have given it if the ref didn’t but the Arsenal player gave Pedro a good nut.

Seeing as it’s our first this season, it’s a matter of what goes around, comes around. It was our turn for a softy.

Edit. The ball has almost gone when the Arsenal defender lunges in. Not enough justification for him to fly in with his head IMHO.

This is AFTER Pedro has headed the ball….

The Arsenal player is very lucky to get a tiny touch and butts Pedro in a dangerous and out of control way.

More of a penalty than the one given against us at Villa.

 

[Cheggers]

Well Mick, you have now.

 

[brighton_tom]

Maybe soft.. But oh well. Do you think Arsenal have had a few soft penalties this year? Of course they bloody have!

 

[Eeyore]

I didn't see the touch Saliba got. I'm guessing Taylor didn't either. That brings it into head clash territory. I'm not sure how it works then. But I would argue it probably isn't a penalty.

On a more comical note, it's a political quandary for some who were lamenting Taylor's biased performance

Can we have a poll for the same situation but with Arsenal winning a penalty in our box ? Can we see what the Taylor thread would have looked like ?

 

[Bodian]

If it was the other way round we'd be fuming

We were. Just one game ago.

If the Villa one was a penalty - then this was, but more so. The slight touch is irrelevant, especially as it was ball to head, not head to ball.

 

[Weststander]

As much as it pains me to agree with him…

Never a pen. Clear touch on the ball
From Saliba which I can only assume VAR missed.

Getting the ball first is not a get out of jail card. It’s a foul regardless if the tackle is careless or reckless.

 

[HangletonGull]

Couldn’t give a flying monkeys, did it piss off Arteta? Yes so I’m happy

 

[darkwolf666]

Would we be having this conversation if the challenge was on the half way line?

 

[Ding Dong !]

who cares, need a bit of luck sometimes

 

[Bold Seagull]

The ball hitting Saliba after it’s left Pedro only confirms how late his challenge was. Once I saw his head make contact with Pedro’s - penalty because it’s a foul.

 

[brighton_tom]

Just watched again. Going for the ball yes but essentially head butts JP in the face. Can totally see why it’s given.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Would we be having this conversation if the challenge was on the half way line?

No because it would be a free kick not a penalty.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Just watched again. Going for the ball yes but essentially head butts JP in the face. Can totally see why it’s given.

If Pedro had headed the ball back instead of across and there was no touch from then Arsenal player, it would be stonewall. Saliba would have still committed the same foul. He was very late.

 

[brighton_tom]

Watch the Sky sports replay angles to see best. Not the above. He’s late and essentially head butts JP. It’s much less a clash of heads and more a late dangerous challenge via headbutt.

 

[Triggaaar]

Pen for me. Touching the ball before hitting a player doesn't mean it's not a pen. If that's the rule for a foot, why not a head?

This. He glances the ball, before going on to foul Pedro. Glancing the ball is not necessarily enough to make it no foul.