They’re spitting fire from West Ham: "We were robbed"

West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen did not hide his disappointment after the defeat to Arsenal, directly calling out the referees for a decision that could cost the Hammers their league survival. Although Callum Wilson scored the equalizer in stoppage time and brought great joy to the London Stadium, VAR referee Darren England and referee Chris Kavanagh decided after a long deliberation that the goal did not count.

The reason for this decision was Pablo’s alleged foul on goalkeeper David Ray. The referees judged that the West Ham player’s arm was over the neck of the Arsenal goalkeeper, with a suspected pull on the arm when the Spaniard tried to catch the ball. Bowen pointed out that the length of the check itself speaks volumes about how far-fetched the decision was.

“We were on the wrong side of that decision and of course we feel aggrieved. Football is a sport that brings enjoyment and great moments. We had our big moment, we thought we were back in the game, and then they watch the video for five minutes trying to find anything to cancel the goal,” Bowen told Sky Sports.

The captain of the home team specifically referred to the protection enjoyed by the net guards, comparing the criteria with those that apply to other players on the field.

“Goalkeepers are more protected than other players. There is always holding and wrestling in the penalty area. Do you want to watch it every time and play a penalty? I understand that you are not allowed to pick up the goalkeeper, but he came out to catch the ball and must expect contact. This is a corner, this is a physical sport, this is the Premier League. There must be contact and duels. I think we were robbed,” the Hammers captain was clear.

Bowen also drew a parallel with the previous round, pointing to a chronic lack of consistency in the use of technology.

“Last week against Brentford, Soucek was pulled to the ground and we didn’t get a penalty. I’m talking about the level of consistency. VAR is here to stay, we know that, but the decisions are controversial. People will say I sound bitter, but I’m just being honest. If you watch something long enough, you’ll find a reason to call something against it, and that’s exactly what happened,” Bowen concluded.

After this defeat, West Ham remains in the relegation zone, and the situation is increasingly critical because their direct competitor Tottenham is running away from them by one point with a game less. The Hammers now face fateful clashes against Newcastle and Leeds, in which they no longer have the right to a setback if they want to preserve their first league status.

(Vijesti.ba)