Mike Dean has allegedly admitted that he made a mistake during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw away to West Bromwich Albion last weekend, but what good is it now?
In the 89th minute of Arsenal’s New Year’s Eve clash at the Hawthorns, Dean awarded a penalty to West Brom for a handball.
Kieran Gibbs kicked the ball up at Calum Chambers, who was only a couple of feet away and couldn’t do anything with his arms. Jay Rodriguez converted the penalty and put the home side level.
The spot-kick should never have been given – and now Dean’s reportedly admitted it.
Too late. pic.twitter.com/56IlvxJoOe
— Sam (@samuelJayC) January 8, 2018
According to the Premier League’s referees boss Mike Riley, the 49-year-old texted his officiating pals after the incident and admitted he’d gotten it wrong.
“You award the penalty because what you have seen on the pitch is the arm coming towards the ball,” said Riley, reports the Express. “What is handball can look to you on the field of play if you get one look at it. But immediately there is evidence from another camera angle which shows actually the opposite happened. That is the safety net of the VAR.
“I think Chambers would have been over-turned. The question you ask is, is it an act of deliberate handball? And the reverse angle shows him trying to bring his arm out of the way of the ball, rather than the reverse.
“I know Mike would have over-turned it. He messages people, and he’s a very honest guy, and he goes, ‘I got it wrong’. He knows he did.”
What good is it now? Arsenal dropped another two points in their hunt for a top four finish. After the 2-2 Chelsea draw, that leaves us sixth, two points behind Tottenham in fifth. Those two points could end up being crucial come May.
Therefore, unless Dean and Riley decide that the referee’s mistake should result in replaying the match, what’s the point in coming clean?
Not that Arsenal fans should really be demanding a replay, that is, considering the state we’re in at the moment.
All it does is make Arsenal fans more angry and ease Dean’s guilt a bit after his poor officiating massively impacted another game.