'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Game changing goals are ones like Hazard’s converted penalty, or the foul by Charlie Adam on Mulumbu in the 0-0 draw at Stoke. The difference between the penalties they have been given, the one against and the one not given, is the magnitude and the impact. The penalty for them means nothing, bar a notch on Morrison’s goal scoring chart. Hazard’s converted spot kick denied them two points, and the officials not spotting the foul against Stoke lost them 2 points as well. I doubt that they will need those points for escaping relegation this season, as the bottom of the Premier League is so dire, it would take a different level of turgidness in order to seep through to the bottom of that pile! However, come the end of the season, those points could mean the difference between Europa League spot or just another season for them. The points gained or not may mean the difference between Champions League and Europa League qualification for Liverpool, (Or even Man Utd on current form) and relegation or survival for Sunderland.
Perhaps if they are losing 2-1 to Chelsea in the return fixture, and have an equally dubious penalty awarded in order to snatch a point, then you could suggest that Chelsea got their just deserts, and West Brom got a measure of revenge. But in when you look at a team’s momentum, and their points tally, all you have done is deny both teams a point and a win. It will have also disrupted their goal difference. (Albeit by a slim margin, but a slim goal differences can be all it takes – just ask Arsenal and Liverpool fans!)
The home team has won 63% of all penalties in the last 10 years, and Chelsea have a difference of +16 when it comes to penalties awarded at home. The Blues have received 67 penalties in the last 10 years! The stats are starting to mount up against West Brom. Last season alone, Chelsea had 11 penalties, coming in a close second with 7 were…West Brom, strangely enough.
Chelsea have had a total of 36 penalties in the last 4 seasons alone. That means an average of 9 a season – that means their average rate of penalties given works out at one every 4 games! In the same period of the Premier League, West Brom have been awarded 15 penalties.
You simply cannot say that things even out over a season. They don’t. Even if you suggest it is down to luck, like the flipping of a coin, you cannot guarantee that one time you flip a tail the next time it will be heads. Even flipping it 100 times, will not give you 50 heads and 50 tails. It just does not work that way. Although maybe if the same ref were to do the reverse fixture – that may play a part in it. Even more so if that referee has been known to award more penalties. Last season Andre Marriner gave out 7 penalties – joint 2nd highest of all the refs. However when the discrepancy between top and bottom are 8 penalties (1 given by Anthony Taylor, 9 given by Jonathon Moss) It begs the question of why the gap?
West Brom have received an apology from the head of the referees Mike Riley. The apology is just ludicrous. The party line for a poor performance by a referee, is for them to miss a round or two of Premier League games. Kevin Friend, for his dismissal of Wes Brown was not be seen in the next two rounds of Premier League games. However Andre Marriner was there in charge of Fulham vs Swansea. Will Mike Riley send his apologies to Sunderland? Given an apology was issued to West Brom, yet Andre Marriner is not missing any rounds of Premier League games, I feel Sunderland ought to be receiving an apology and a basket of fruit from Mike Riley at the very least.
