It’s fair to say that Heung-Min Son wasn’t the most popular man amongst the Gunners yesterday. During the first half of the first North London derby after Arsene Wenger, Tottenham weathered the early storm before coming back to take a 2-1, although the penalty which Son won to make it 2-1 was an extremely questionable decision.
Now Tottenham have a penalty…#ARSTOT 1-1 (33)
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) 2 December 2018
Rob Holding can still shoulder some blame for giving away the penalty, but the Gunners will spare the defender his blushes as they’ve all looked to target both Son and Mike Dean. The decision to point to the spot was Dean’s second big call of the match after previously giving Arsenal a penalty of their own for a handball by Jan Vertonghen, but the second decision was a much less obvious one.
When viewing the replays of the tackle on Son, whilst Holding unnecessarily goes to ground to win the ball, he does get a flick on it. However, the Lilywhites’ Korean livewire was not going to miss the opportunity to win his side a crucial spot-kick and he did what any smart attacker would do, dropping to the floor and hoping that Mike Dean would do what he does best, pointing to the spot in spectacular fashion.
You can read what the fuming Gunners had to say on the penalty decision here:
https://twitter.com/tobybaconn/status/1069239803097620484
Mike Dean the 12th man
— Salt and Pepper (@AintWizi_) December 2, 2018
WHAT THE HELL GHATS NOT A PENALTY
— R (@HarisonRamon) December 2, 2018
First goal was offside and no way was that a pen
— . (@NickT7_) December 2, 2018
Mike Dean I'm coming for you
— Laca lemar10 (@laca_lemar10) December 2, 2018
flawed officiating.
— Pardon Nyamudeza (@pardonnyamudeza) December 2, 2018
https://twitter.com/eduplacy14/status/1069244500898443265
Not even close to a penalty
— jamac yare💭 (@jamacyare16) December 2, 2018
That was not a penalty. Dean got it wrong
— Amit Das (@Itsamitdas4) December 2, 2018
Arsenal fans everywhere were fuming with Mike Dean and whilst they eventually got the right result, the penalty decision still doesn’t sit right amongst them.
