Wenger rues Arsenal’s ‘panic’ after penalty dispute
LONDON: Arsene Wenger believes a “scandalous” penalty was the main reason why his Arsenal side ended up losing 2-1 at Watford on Saturday.
The result lifted Marco Silva’s Hornets into fourth place in the Premier League on a day when Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea also all dropped points.
Arsenal led at half-time through a rare goal from Per Mertesacker, the Germany defender, but the game changed in the second half when Mesut Ozil failed to convert a simple chance to double the lead.
Within a minute Hector Bellerin was adjudged to have impeded Richarlison at the other end for a penalty that the Arsenal manager was convinced was the result of a dive to deceive referee Neil Swarbrick.
Measures are in place this season for the authorities to punish simulation retrospectively and it will be interesting to see if action is taken against the Brazilian.
“It’s a scandalous decision but what can we do? Nothing,” Wenger complained. “I believe that we had many many danger situations where we could have scored but didn’t.
“We were unlucky with the penalty it was a bit ridiculous. Then we panicked. And we stand there with defeat.
“We dropped the level a bit in the second half. We lost our fluency a little. We had the chances to score two and three.”
Richarlison could be handed a two-match ban if found guilty of diving, a decision that would be made by a three-man panel consisting of a former match official, a former manager and an ex-player, and would have to be unanimous.
Former Premier League referee Graham Poll certainly felt there was a case to answer.
“It is as clear an example of diving as you can see,” he said. “I wouldn’t blame Swarbrick. I would blame Richarlison for diving and deceiving.”
The penalty was converted by Troy Deeney, a Watford substitute, and set the platform for midfielder Tom Cleverley to win the game deep into added time.
Deeney was convinced Swarbrick had got the controversial penalty call correct.
“I know Hector, he’s a good lad but that’s a penalty and the other way round he’d be screaming for a penalty,” he said.
For Deeney, however, the reason for Arsenal’s downfall is much more closer to home.
“I’ve heard Wenger’s already blaming that (the penalty) as the reason they lost,” Deeney said on BT Sport . “Well, I’m not one to tell Mr. Wenger about himself, but the reason they lost wasn’t due to one penalty.
“Having a bit of cojones, I think the word is. Whenever I play against Arsenal — and this is just a personal thing — I go up and think “let me whack the first one, then we will see who wants it.’”
Deeney admitted in his postmatch interview that manager Marco Silva had given the players a ‘roasting’ at half-time and reminded each and every one of them just how far they have come already this season. Agencies