Glenn Hoddle couldn’t understand why Caglar Soyuncu was booked for his handball during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Leicester City on Sunday, as he told Premier League Productions.
In the second half, Arsenal were awarded a spot-kick after a lengthy VAR call punished Soyuncu for handling the ball in the penalty area.
After on-field referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot, he then decided to book the Foxes defender, who had his teammate behind him when he handled the ball.
It was the right call all round by the officials, but it wasn’t intentional by Soyuncu and he did have a teammate behind him during his course of action.
But it left ex-England man, Hoddle, stumped because he didn’t think the booking was deserved.
“For me, I am just going to make a statement here,” said Hoddle. “That’s handball.
“But what I don’t understand how that could be a booking? That’s not an intentional (handball). The rules are the rules. It has to be a deliberate handball and that’s not.
“But I can’t understand why he got booked as well. I really don’t.”
The most impressive part of Arsenal’s game was the clean sheet they kept against an in-form Leicester side.
Whilst things have gone wrong in previous months for Brendan Rodgers and his players, they were on top form heading to the Emirates yesterday.
There only problem is that Champions League-chasing Arsenal were and are still in much better form.
From how they defend as a team, the partnerships they are building up, the manner in which they win the ball back, the creativity in their side and the speed in which they move the ball.
That Arsenal side that lost its opening three matches, couldn’t score or earn a point, is looking like a different animal now.
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