There was a lot to be happy about from Chelsea’s tremendous 6-0 win and performance against Everton, but unfortunately much of the focus post-match was on the silliness surrounding the penalty that was awarded in the second half.
It was a slightly confusing sequence, with Cole Palmer getting fouled, the referee letting play go on, then Noni Madueke also going to ground (slipping on the ball) in the area and the referee blowing up and pointing to the spot. Both Madueke and Palmer stayed down initially, but then Noni popped up and had the ball under his arm, intending very much to take the penalty.
Nicolas Jackson arrived on the scene, and started making a scene about wanting to take it as well, by which time Palmer was back on his feet and was walking over to do what he’s been doing all season. While not officially named our first-choice penalty-taker, Palmer had been a perfect eight-for-eight from the spot — though he did recently give up the chance to take one after Raheem Sterling pulled rank seniority (and subsequently missed).
Thankfully, Conor Gallagher stepped in to sort things out in his capacity as captain. With order restored, Palmer made no mistake and on we played.
All three protagonists were milling about on the pitch contentedly enough after the final whistle, but the hot takes were overflowing on social media by then — Lampard, Drogba, Ballack would never, right? — with more coming from the pundits as well. Somewhat surprisingly, Mauricio Pochettino also decided not to play down this issue, and instead has turned it into a public teaching moment for his young charges.
“The players know, the staff know, the club know that the penalty taker is Cole Palmer. All that happened after is a shame. I am so, so upset about this situation.
“We were talking in the dressing room about the image that we send. [We] cannot send this type of image. It’s a shame. I want to apologise to the people and to our fans because that is unacceptable. The discipline is the most important thing for the team. That is a quality of the sport. Of course the players need to show that they have the hunger to score goals and everything but this type of situation, we are going to make a decision if that happens, we were talking in a very good way because we need to make the situation clear.
“But I am not going to accept again this type of behaviour. I am going to be very strong if something like this happens again. I was telling them and I promise this is not going to happen again. […] It’s not about punishment. It’s about to learn. They are young guys, they behave like this. I think it was very good the reaction of Gallagher like a captain.”
“[…] It’s not easy to build a team. It’s not easy. That is why we need to learn and be strong in our decision. When [we need to] make a decision for the next season, that is the type of thing we need to pay attention [to]. I think we all agree this type of behaviour cannot happen again and they are wrong.”
“It’s like we are in a school. It’s now to show that they are wrong and now they need to learn. If they don’t learn, yes, after we will take some decisions. But now it’s about to learn, it’s to use this type of experience to go on and move on.”
-Mauricio Pochettino; source: Football.London
For what it’s worth, Palmer himself wasn’t too bothered, and claimed that they were all “laughing and joking about it” already in the dressing room … before teacher Pochetttino came in of course.
“[There’s] nothing [to say]. All the players wanted to take it, which is understandable: the game’s 4-0. But I’m the penalty-taker, and I wanted to take it. So at the end, I took it.
“But I think everyone’s just trying to show and take responsibility. Maybe it was a bit over the top, the argument and stuff, but everyone just wants to win and help, so it’s nothing…
This article was originally published by a weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com . Read the Original article here. .