Alan Shearer and Ian Wright slam referee for poor decision-making in West Ham-Liverpool match
Liverpool fans were left seething after another contentious refereeing decision in their recent 2-2 draw with West Ham United. This time, it was Anthony Taylor’s turn to be in the spotlight, and it wasn’t for the right reasons, as is always the case with him.
The incident that caused all the commotion involved Cody Gakpo, who found himself at the centre of a potential goalscoring opportunity. It all started when West Ham’s goalkeeper, Alphonse Areola, threw the ball down, seemingly ready to distribute it to his teammates. But hold on a minute! Just moments earlier, Areola had gone down in the box, and despite no free-kick being awarded, play continued as if nothing had happened.
Gakpo, ever the opportunist, pounced on the loose ball, with only the goalkeeper to beat. But just as he was about to make his move, Anthony Taylor blew his whistle out of nowhere, bringing the play to an abrupt halt. Confusion reigned as Taylor signalled for a pause in play, claiming that Areola needed medical attention. But wait a minute – the goalkeeper hadn’t asked for any help! It was a baffling decision that left Liverpool fans scratching their heads and cursing their luck once again.
Alan Shearer and Ian Wright were quick to condemn Taylor’s handling of the situation. Wright didn’t mince his words, describing it as an “absolute nightmare” and pointing out Taylor’s inconsistency in signalling for play to continue before suddenly halting it. Here is what the pair had to say via ECHO:
“The referee has had an absolute nightmare. The referee is running off and saying play on.”
“He stops and he actually tells the ‘keeper to get up. He says ‘come on, let’s get on with it.’ He says that a couple of times. He [Areola] finally gets up and then he [Taylor] runs off.”
“He says play. Now, he’s turned his back to him, I think Gakpo should have ran and finished that. Now he’s blown the whistle – I don’t know what’s going on. He’s going there…I don’t know what’s happening there now.”
“He hasn’t blown the whistle which is an error. The referee calls the doctors and the physios on! They’re not even ready, they don’t even think he’s injured. He’s not injured, he’s [Taylor] has tried to rectify the mistake that he’s made. It was a very messy situation caused by the referee.”
The new normal for Liverpool!
But this isn’t the first time Liverpool have felt hard done by this season. It seems like every other week, there’s a new controversy involving refereeing decisions that go against them. Whether it’s penalties not given, goals disallowed for offside, or red cards that should never have been shown, it’s been one frustration after another for Jurgen Klopp and his men.
And it’s not just Liverpool fans who are feeling aggrieved. Football pundits and analysts alike have been quick to point out the inconsistencies in refereeing decisions this season, with many arguing that it’s taking the game away from the players and putting too much power in the hands of the officials.
But amidst all the frustration and anger, there’s also a sense of resignation. After all, this isn’t the first time Liverpool have had to deal with controversial refereeing decisions, and it probably won’t be the last. It’s just part and parcel of the game, they say. But that doesn’t make it any less infuriating, especially when it costs them crucial points in the title race which is now truly dead.
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So where does that leave Liverpool now? Well, they’ll just have to pick themselves up and dust themselves off, as they always do. The title is no more for the Reds. They can’t afford to dwell on what might have been – they have to focus on what’s ahead and keep fighting until the very end.
But one thing’s for sure – they’ll be keeping a close eye on the referees from now on, making sure they don’t get any more decisions wrong that could cost them dearly. After all, they’ve had enough of being on the wrong end of controversial calls this season. It’s time for the officials to start getting it right for the sake of the game.
