According to Andy Walker no-one would have complained if Alex Cochrane of Hearts had only been booked for denying Daizen Maeda a goalscoring opportunity at Tynecastle yesterday.
It seems that levelling up is so deeply grained in much of the Scottish media that the Laws of the Game have to be bypassed in order to serve up a balanced contest for Sky Sports subscribers.
Maeda’s pace and industry is an essential part of the way Celtic play, Cochrane was well aware of that.
With the ball played in behind him and his opponent racing in on goal the Hearts defended panicked into a clumsy foul on Maeda.
If Sky Sports want drama and scandal they should be asking why Nick Walsh and his assistant failed to recognise a clear goalscoring opportunity? It was a cut and dried decision, a clear and obvious error that VAR fortunately was able to correct.
Faced with 10 men for the second half Celtic turned on the style, scoring two trademark Postecoglou goals but that didn’t seem to fit the script for the SPFL’s broadcast partners.
It’s a clear cut red card. If Maeda doesn’t get brought down he’s clear through on goal & with Kyogo to square it to. You can hardly get a clearer obvious goalscoring opportunity pic.twitter.com/EqhjjwbeAK
— Good Guy Barry (@Goodguybarry) May 7, 2023
Clear red. Has the option of shooting or squaring for a certain goal if he’s not fouled.
— Tony Soprano (@SouthsidePaddy) May 7, 2023
Was it a foul ? Yes.
Was it an intentional foul ? Yes.
Was Maeda in on goal if he wasn’t fouled ? Yes.
Correction decision by the laws of the game ? Red card.
I don’t see what there is to complain about other than the ref not making that decision right away without VAR. ????— ?R4tser ??? ??? (@R4tser) May 7, 2023
My favourite part was listening to a distraught Andy Walker. Enjoy yer soup, Andy. ???
— Grotbags_Cauldron (@grotbags_c) May 7, 2023
There’s nothing accidental about it. The defender pulls his left arm and also catches his ankle.
— Donnie ????????????????????? (@donnies190584) May 7, 2023
In what universe is pulling down from the last defender to a man running into the penalty box not a red ???
— Mick R (@Michael08775715) May 7, 2023
Perfect analysis :”No one would’ve complained.” ???
— Jack Maguire (@JackDMagi) May 7, 2023
Maeda is past the defender and three Celtic players running in in front of the defenders. Red card
— Neil* (@GripperStebson) May 7, 2023
I bet Michael Stewart and Packy Bonnar feel a bit silly this morning when they look at Kyogo ready to pounce on the square ball that didn’t come because of the foul . Red card all day!
Notice how big fake Kris Boyd was ‘excused ‘ from his Sky sports duties at Tynecastle yesterday ? I would have thought Boyd would have been there hoping to see Celtic slip up to Hearts thus delaying the inevitable 2 in a row title celebration! I missed his dour ,sour ,squirming features ….Still every time Celtic have won and the game was shown live by the SS ,his huge bloated face was everywhere on screen ! He’s the BIGGEST thing on television …