Late Penalty Decision Haunts West Ham in Defeat to Nottingham Forest

West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek expressed his frustration following a crucial defeat to Nottingham Forest, describing the Premier League as increasingly resembling basketball after a controversial late penalty decision.

The incident unfolded when the video assistant referee (VAR) intervened after Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola collided with Morgan Gibbs-White while attempting to intercept a cross. Soucek, who had already cleared the free-kick before any contact occurred, lamented the decision, suggesting that the current standards could lead to excessive penalties being awarded.

Gibbs-White’s penalty in the 89th minute sealed a 2-1 victory for Nottingham Forest, leaving West Ham seven points adrift of safety. Soucek remarked to Sky Sports, “For me, it is a joke. I just saw it again, and I think we can have 20 penalties per game if it is like that. I came to the Premier League because I thought it was the toughest league in the world, and we are all fighters and warriors. But this looks more like basketball when you can’t touch the player.”

Areola was equally puzzled in the dressing room, stating he was unsure who had committed the foul. After initially not awarding a penalty, on-field referee Tony Harrington announced to the crowd, “After review, the goalkeeper fouls Nottingham Forest number 10. My final decision is penalty kick.”

West Ham’s manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, whose team had a goal disallowed by VAR while leading 1-0, voiced his discontent with the penalty decision. He reflected, “I was a goalkeeper, and you cannot stop your movement. You go for the ball – it has a trajectory and a line. How many times do you see this happen and nothing is given? Not in my days and not today; it should not be given.”

Currently, West Ham is enduring a winless streak in their last ten league matches. Nevertheless, Nuno urged his players to maintain faith as they aim to secure their Premier League status over the remaining 17 fixtures.

The assessment of goalkeeper challenges often hinges on their contact with the ball. Incidental contact following a legitimate attempt to play the ball typically warrants leniency, while reckless challenges without any effort to play the ball are likely to result in penalties.

Since the beginning of the 2023-24 season, goalkeepers have received less leeway, evidenced by a missed penalty review for Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in the season. In that instance, goalkeeper Andre Onana crashed into Sasa Kalajdzic without making contact with the ball, yet received no review, resulting in the VAR team being sidelined from their next assignments. Subsequently, a similar incident involving Onana against Burnley led to a penalty being awarded after VAR intervention.

The fight against relegation for West Ham is not over, insists Nuno, as they continue to face a challenging season ahead.