Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher has expressed his belief that Robert Jones made an error in judgment when awarding a penalty against Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves) in their match against Sheffield United on Saturday.
Wolves suffered a 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United, with the Blades securing their first win of the season in a contentious manner. Referee Robert Jones awarded a penalty to United in the dying moments of the game, deeming that Fabio Silva had fouled George Baldock. This incident closely resembled a situation in a previous game where Hwang Hee-chan was penalized for a similar incident against Newcastle United.
Dermot Gallagher, analyzing the situation on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch show, noted that Jones made the mistake of making a hasty decision without giving himself time to consider the situation thoroughly. Gallagher commented, “I think the referee gave it too quickly. The best players in the world create time on the ball. The best referees in the world create a little bit of thinking time. Unfortunately for Rob Jones, whether he wanted to get in quick because he just wanted to make a decision I don’t know, there was no need to rush. If he’d have waited two seconds and seen how it unfolded, he’d have probably made a different decision.”
Gallagher also pointed out that once a penalty is given due to physical contact, even if it is minimal, it is unlikely that VAR will overturn it. However, in this case, Gallagher believes it would have been best if the situation had been left alone.
Jones’ quick decision-making came under scrutiny, as it appeared he was eager to award the penalty. In some situations, referees take a few seconds to give themselves the opportunity to evaluate what they have witnessed. In this instance, Jones did not wait, and his swift judgment may have been influenced by crowd pressure. Gallagher noted that Jones had an unobstructed view of the incident from a close distance, and had he waited, he might have made a different call. Additionally, Baldock quickly got back on his feet after the incident.
Overall, the decision to award the penalty was controversial, and Gallagher’s analysis suggests that a more considered approach by the referee might have led to a different outcome.