Chris Sutton makes Connor Goldson accusation, rages over ‘stupid’ incident in Rangers draw v Aberdeen
Chris Sutton has accused Connor Goldson of diving to win a penalty in Rangers’ 1-1 draw with Aberdeen at Pittodrie after his shirt was pulled by Stefan Gartenmann.
The former Celtic man has insisted that, even though there was a clear pull of the shirt as Goldson tried to get away from his marker, there was no need for him to throw himself to the floor.
He also claimed that Barry Robson should be annoyed with his defender for the stupidity he showed in pulling the shirt and allowing that decision to be made.
Sutton was speaking live on Sky Sports Football [26 November, 2:16pm] as he shared his view: “He does dive, but Barry Robson should be angry with Gartenmann for actually being stupid enough to pull his shirt. So, you know, that then is why Nick Walsh gets told to go to the monitor.
“He does pull his shirt. Is it enough for him to throw himself to the floor like that? I don’t think so. A penalty is awarded for stupidity, shirt-pulling, but Connor Goldson has dived.”
It’s soft, but it’s not a dive
While the decision could have gone either way and the awarding of a penalty can be considered soft given the level of the contact, the fact that there is such clear contact from the defender on Goldson gives him every right to go over. It’s not a dive.
People may not like it, Sutton not least among those, but the way football is nowadays, you have to go down to get the referee to make a decision. Pulling his shirt, and thus stopping him from making his run, is and always has been a foul.
You can see Sutton’s point, there is no need to go down like that under that sort of contact, but if he doesn’t then Rangers don’t get the penalty even though it is clearly a foul. That alone should justify the decision from the referee.
Ultimately, it’s stupid defending and gives Goldson the opportunity to buy the foul and bring his side back into the game by winning a penalty, Stupid defending, and a soft decision, but a penalty nonetheless.
In other Rangers news, a 2/10 star stunk out Pittodrie in player ratings v Aberdeen.