Probably not when you look at the replay you can understand why Atkinson gave it.
You could argue that although Johnson won the ball, he took the man down afterwards and with Agbonlahor's pace - and with the Blues defender on the ground - he might well have reached the ball before it rolled out of play and then had a clear goalscoring opp.
Perhaps the ref we have on here Spankie is it? could comment, as a player I would have to say No way was it a pen, but apparently the rules have changed, something about momentum taking you into a player unsafely, first I have heard of it mind.
If thats true then its rediculous. The pitches today are in such good nick and watered so often, its almost impossible to stop your momentum. Fans love a fair, good rattling challenge. It'll be stand up tackles only before ya know it....
No pen, for me - defender got the ball first and that, for me, is the whole point of the game !!............although in today's daily mail Graham Poll says it was a pen as the ball was still in play when Agbonlahor went down - doesn't matter if you get the ball first !!!!!!!
So if a player slides, wins the ball but traps the players leg between his which stops him running it's not a foul?
Just because someone has got a touch on the ball doesn't mean it can't be a foul. How many times do we see a defender jumping and winning the ball but a foul being given against him because he's jumped over the striker. Or a foul being given against a striker because he's backed into a defender whilst still being in control of the ball.
IMO GA would have gone on to control the ball had the defender not taken him down and stopped him from doing so.
Having played football for various teams from the age of 8 onwards, (cubs, boys brigade, school, work, sunday league etc) and mainly playing at the back I would be just as distraught as Johnson was The idea to beat your opponant to the ball - which he did - and (hopefully) get enough on it to take it out of play or at least make your opponant have to retrieve it thus giving your team time to get back.
IMHO there was no foul - can see why the ref gave it from his position, but from behind the goal Johnson got a good tackle in.
Would agree with some who have said that despite the faintest of touches, Agbonlahor would've gone on to get the ball if he hadn't been taken out, so therefore it's a penalty.
It is a very fine line though and could quite easily agree with it being a great tackle and corner given.
Comments
You could argue that although Johnson won the ball, he took the man down afterwards and with Agbonlahor's pace - and with the Blues defender on the ground - he might well have reached the ball before it rolled out of play and then had a clear goalscoring opp.
He got a touch but like Valley11 I thought GA would have kept it in still and Johnson stopped him from doing that.
Kalou on the other hand is a cheat!
Just because someone has got a touch on the ball doesn't mean it can't be a foul. How many times do we see a defender jumping and winning the ball but a foul being given against him because he's jumped over the striker. Or a foul being given against a striker because he's backed into a defender whilst still being in control of the ball.
IMO GA would have gone on to control the ball had the defender not taken him down and stopped him from doing so.
IMHO there was no foul - can see why the ref gave it from his position, but from behind the goal Johnson got a good tackle in.
It is a very fine line though and could quite easily agree with it being a great tackle and corner given.