Watford v Leeds Exclusive: Ex-PGMOL chief fumes at penalty box controversy
Oliver Langford robbed Watford of a big opportunity to get back into the game as they were battered by Leeds United at Vicarage Road on Tuesday night, according to Keith Hackett.
Daniel Farke’s men went five points clear at the top of the Championship table with a routine 4-0 victory against the Hornets.
Dan James bagged a brace before a deflected strike by Manor Solomon and a superb second-half finish by Joel Piroe rounded off a brilliant win for the West Yorkshire club.
However, former Premier League referee Hackett reckons Watford were denied a big chance to get themselves back in the game in the first half when the score was 3-0.
Jayden Bogle makes most of challenge in Leeds win
In the 37th minute, Langford halted a promising Watford attack after Edo Kayembe was judged to have fouled Jayden Bogle in the Leeds penalty area.
Bogle – who joined Leeds from Sheffield United in the summer – could have had the ball under his possession after the home side’s pass into the box but the Leeds right-back went to ground after very faint contact from Kayembe.
After Bogle went down, Kayembe was presented with a very easy opportunity to square the ball into the six-yard box to a couple of his awaiting teammates.
Kayembe threw his arms up to signal to the referee that Bogle had dived, something with ex-PGMOL general manager Hackett was able to sympathise with after seeing the footage.
“Bogle has gone to ground far too easily and the Watford forward can feel aggrieved that the referee judged that he had fouled his opponent,” Hackett told MOT Leeds News.
“The referee got that one wrong.”
Leeds have to stop with the play-acting
Unfortunately, this is becoming quite the habit with Leeds.
Even though they are well on course for promotion to the Premier League, Farke’s men seem intent on simulating contact or trying to gain an advantage by conning the referee into thinking they’ve been fouled.
Hackett blasted Willy Gnonto in Leeds’ FA Cup loss to Millwall for going down too easily in the box to win a penalty at the weekend.
Last month, Leeds’ Joe Rothwell was booked for diving against Norwich in the penalty box and while he escaped punishment, Brenden Aaronson was accused of trying to con the referee into winning a spot kick in the same game.
For a team doing so well, there’s not much need for the antics and with VAR in the Premier League, it’ll come as a shock to these players if they don’t cut out the simulation now.