Did Arsenal show a lack of sportsmanship against Watford?

Kicking the Ball Out of Play Has to Stop

It should be specified that kicking the ball out of play for players who blatantly are not injured should be eradicated from the game. Clearly designed to break up play and slow the pace down, what Watford did on this occasion was a prime example of it. It happens everywhere, not just in the Premier League.

Tufan had feigned injury, and it became even more egregious seeing Rose quite clearly shouting over to his teammate to stay down, accompanied with obvious hand motions instructing him to do so.

A part of the game that has been shrouded in controversy for some time, the referee is the man in charge and if they deem the incident not to be worthy of stopping play – head injuries prompt immediate stoppages – then players shouldn’t either.

Friend was right in front of the incident and could see that Sambi won the ball cleanly and that Tufan was not seriously hurt in any way: the player got up and walked off without even needing to leave the field of play.

It is a form of cheating.

However, the point remains that Lacazette should have thrown the ball back. If he didn’t then Tomiyasu should have passed it back.

If it would have happened the other way there would have been uproar. No two ways about it. As much as kicking the ball out of play for players blatantly faking injury is infuriating, it’s something everyone does. Heck, Lacazette does it.

And with all that said, perhaps the idea that Rose shouldn’t even have been on the pitch having committed four fouls without a booking lingered in the players’ minds. Perhaps too that Tufan was up and walking by the time Lacazette even took the throw in played its part. But Watford were in possession and kicked it out.

It should have been their ball, as much as it comes from deliberate attempts to break up play and slow the clock down.

The game is over now though, and do we care? No. It went Arsenal’s way. Nobody ever does bat an eyelid when it’s in your favour.