Despite the nature of the 7-1 scoreline, the penalty decision from Sunday appears to be the main talking point.
Rangers dismantled Motherwell in convincing fashion after Steve Robinson’s men went down to 10 men on Sunday. It was as impressive a 90 minute as we’ve seen from a Steven Gerrard side this season.
Despite that, however, the penalty decision has been causing widespread debate. So much so that it’s becoming farcical.
Truth be told, there’s absolutely nothing to debate in this one. Carl McHugh was rightly sent off for what were two bookable offences. As much as Robinson will want to deny it, his captain should’ve known better.
For McHugh’s first booking, the one that rankles Robinson most, he came right through the back of Alfredo Morelos. It was cynical and was a case of a player trying to target an opposition star. Instead of going for the ball, McHugh tried to prove a point. Morelos knows how to go down elaborately, we all know that, but it was a booking.
The main point of discussion
The second, however, has been causing real debate among pundits in Scottish football. McHugh clearly throws his hands up in the air in an unnatural position to block a strike from Andy Halliday.
The likes of Michael Stewart and Richard Foster made their feelings on the matter clear on the BBC’s Sportsound podcast. Neither felt it was a penalty, with Stewart trying to bring up “bio-mechanics” as the reason for it.
What he’s failing to recognise, however, is that McHugh did his best to make himself look big. He blocked the shot by throwing his arms up and pretty much saving it. There’s nothing to debate and it’s becoming a farce.
Granted, some can argue that McHugh’s second yellow was harsh. Nobody knows whether he actually meant to block the ball with his hand, and Robinson could perhaps have a gripe with that.
The referee, however, clearly felt that he did. Therefore, McHugh walked after already being on a tight-rope throughout the game.
It’s not a decision that needs to continuously be debated as we head into the international break. Motherwell made their own bed on Sunday for McHugh’s stupidity and got punished for it.
