(Credit: Imago)

Joe Rodon 'very unlucky' as footage of Leeds United controversy v Swansea emerges

Refereeing Consultant AUTHORITY Former FIFA Referee; Head of PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited). FOCUS Laws of the Game, VAR implementation, officiating performance, and PGMOL policy. THE AUDIT Keith utilises Statscore’s Officiating Telemetry, including Deep-Data Metrics like Incident Accuracy Rates, VAR Intervention Latency, and Official Positional Efficiency. He provides technical refereeing analysis to reveal the regulatory reality behind match-defining decisions.

Published on:

29 Mar 2025, 1:40 pm

Ben Toner escaped the spotlight despite controversy as Leeds United crashed to a 2-2 draw against Swansea City on Saturday.

The Swans were awarded a penalty in the first half as Joe Rodon shackled Lewis O'Brien, but Illan Meslier saved Josh Tymon's spot kick at Elland Road.

The Frenchman then threw it all away and was to blame for the two conceded goals after Brenden Aaronson and Wilfried Gnonto had put Leeds ahead twice.

Illan Meslier was at fault for Leeds United again v Swansea (Credit: Imago)

Toner gets it all wrong at Elland Road

Speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News, Keith Hackett insisted that O'Brien successfully managed to deceive the officials at Elland Road.

The ex-FIFA referee and PGMOL chief admits that the midfielder should have been booked, rather than earning his side a penalty.

"Rodon was very unlucky to be penalised," Hackett said.

"Football is a contact sport, and the player clearly went to ground and deceived the referee.

"Rather than a penalty kick, the player should have been yellow-carded for a dive."

Joe Rodon was left raging after the Leeds United draw v Swansea (Credit: Imago)

Rodon raging at Leeds United again

The Welshman left screaming at Meslier is a familiar sight at Leeds this season, with the keeper at fault for dropping points in over five games.

He was his hero for a split second in the first half after saving the penalty kick, but that has all been forgotten now after the draw sees the Whites remain second in the Championship.

Championship	Played	GD	Points
1. Sheffield United	39	+27	83
2. Leeds United	39	+51	81
3. Burnley	39	+42	81

The race for promotion

Daniel Farke has bravely stated that his side will 100 per cent in the Premier League next season, but he needs to make serious changes for that to happen, it seems.

Meslier has used up his seven lives now at Elland Road, and Rodon will be relieved to potentially see his international teammate, Karl Darlow, behind him.

Toner will review the footage of the incident for the penalty and likely learn not to blow his whistle as quickly in the future, but the referee was not to blame for the collapse by Leeds on Saturday.

Keith Hackett

Lewis O'Brien

Joe Rodon