Francis Coquelin lucky not to be sent off for Arsenal, says Dermot Gallagher
Monday 17 August 2015 16:53, UK
Former referee Dermot Gallagher says "70% of referees" would have sent off Francis Coquelin during Arsenal's 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace.
Speaking on Sky Sports Now, Gallagher told presenter Tom White that Coquelin was lucky to stay on the pitch after referee Lee Mason opted not to give the Arsenal midfielder a second yellow card following two incidents either side of half-time in Sunday's Premier League clash at Selhurst Park.
Gallagher also ran the rule over West Ham goalkeeper Adrian's red card against Leicester, the Hammers' penalty appeal in the same game, Fernandinho's elbow on Diego Costa in Manchester City's 3-0 win over Chelsea and Charlie Austin's controversial goal for QPR against Cardiff in the Saturday evening Sky Bet Championship clash.
No second yellow: Francis Coquelin (Arsenal) vs Crystal Palace
SCENARIO: Francis Coquelin was yellow carded for a first-half challenge on Yannick Bolasie, but controversially escaped a second yellow for tripping Wilfried Zaha at the end of the half as Palace broke up the field. After a foul from behind on James McArthur early in the second half, Lee Mason warned Arsenal captain Per Mertesacker about Coquelin's conduct and the player was quickly substituted by Arsene Wenger.
REFEREE'S DECISION: Lee Mason elects not to issue a second yellow for either of Coquelin's subsequent fouls.
DERMOT SAID: "On the first tackle, you can't tell me there is any doubt this is a yellow card. Every referee will give a yellow card for that. Everybody accepted that. The problem came a little bit later in the game.
"(The second tackle) is just an orthodox yellow card. He (Zaha) has pushed the ball into space and he (Coquelin) has tripped him. This is the one everybody is arguing about. My opinion is he was very, very lucky to stay on. 70 per cent of referees would yellow card him for that and subsequently send him off. Lee saw it differently.
"On the third incident, I felt a little bit sorry for him. This is only a foul. I can't see at any point that would be a yellow card. What I think the referee did well here is he called Mertesacker to him. Everybody was baying for a red card. He dealt with this well and said to Mertesacker 'next time, he is going'. With the totting-up procedure, he would have gone if he committed one more foul and the Arsenal technical staff realised that and took him off."
Red Card: Adrian (West Ham) vs Leicester
SCENARIO: With West Ham pushing for an equaliser, goalkeeper Adrian was sent forward for a corner. The ball was headed clear by Leicester and as Adrian attempted to keep the ball in the box, he caught Jamie Vardy in the midsection with a high boot.
REFEREE'S DECISION: Adrian was given a straight red card by referee Anthony Taylor for serious foul play.
DERMOT SAID: "I think when you see the tackle, it is high and it is in his midriff. I listened to a pundit say on Saturday night that there is a clampdown on high boots this season but that tackle would have been a red card last year and it would be a red card next week. It is just a bad tackle. I am not saying he has meant to be nasty but it is a bad tackle and he is going to get a red card for that every day of the week. He is nowhere near the ball. Vardy has headed the ball and he has caught him straight in the midriff."
No penalty given: Diafra Sakho (West Ham) vs Leicester
SCENARIO: West Ham striker Diafra Sakho flicked a long ball past Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who was coming out to challenge him. Schmeichel impeded Sakho's progress, bringing him down in the box.
REFEREE'S DECISION: Anthony Taylor decided against awarding a penalty and the game carried on.
DERMOT SAYS: "I had two views of this one. I was watching the game live and my first view was 'goal kick, he has run into him'. It never crossed my mind it was a foul in any shape or form. A little bit later, we had the replay come down the line and I saw the ball had gone by Schmeichel and then he had put his hand out. At that point, I realised it was a penalty. It would have been a penalty only - not a red card - because the Leicester defender (Robert Huth) was favourite to get to the ball ahead of Sakho. But that decision for a penalty was based on what I saw afterwards and not what I saw first time."
Yellow Card: Fernandinho (Manchester City) vs Chelsea
SCENARIO: Manchester City midfielder Fernandinho catches Chelsea striker Diego Costa with his elbow as the pair contest a high ball in midfield.
REFEREE'S DECISION: Fernandinho is booked by Martin Atkinson but escapes a red card.
DERMOT SAYS: "It is not violent conduct. Violent conduct is throwing your elbow out. It is punching somebody. Fernandinho has used his arm to go up as leverage. He catches him - there is no doubt about that. It is reckless. He hasn't gone up to elbow him and he hasn't thrown an elbow into his face. I think Martin Atkinson got it absolutely correct."
Goal: Charlie Austin (QPR) vs Cardiff
SCENARIO: Charlie Austin scored a controversial goal in the second half of QPR's 2-2 draw with Cardiff. Ben Gladwin flicked on Matt Phillips' corner into the box and after QPR defender Clint Hill appeared to use his arm to nudge the ball towards Austin, the striker was able to bundle home from close range.
REFEREE'S DECISION: The goal was awarded and Cardiff needed a last-minute equaliser from Scott Malone to snatch a draw.
DERMOT SAYS: "In real time, we have no idea it is handball. When you see the second angle, it is quite clear Hill has knocked it on with his hand and Charlie Austin has scored. It has gone off Austin's hand as well but that is not deliberate. Hill has moved his arm towards the ball and it is handball. He is in such a crowded penalty area and the referee is behind him. He has used his body to shield it and it is one the referee just can’t see unfortunately."
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