Slaven Bilic delivers verdict on Kieran Gibbs red card after heavy defeat v Everton
Slaven Bilic has claimed that West Brom defender Kieran Gibbs can have no complaints over his red card in the 5-2 defeat against Everton on Saturday.
The experienced Baggies full-back was given his marching orders in the first-half, after raising his hand in the face of James Rodriguez.
The Colombian did make a meal of it, but Bilic admitted that his players need to learn to not react to these sort of altercations in games.
Bilic claimed that Gibbs gave the referee no option but to pull out the red card, suggesting Gibbs should have gone down rather than react.
“James Rodriguez clipped him and he stayed on his feet and he then reacted based on that,” he said via the Liverpool Echo.
“He didn’t give the referee any other option than to give him a red card. But if he is being clever, savvy, and if he can go down when Rodriguez’s clips him then, I don’t think he reacts.
“It would most definitely be a yellow card for Rodriguez and definitely, definitely not a red for Gibbs.
“He didn’t go down and reacted with his hand. If you do this, especially with a player who is waiting for that, then it is a straight red and we can’t complain.”
Bilic is spot on, and Gibbs can only have himself to blame for this one.
The defender has spent the majority of his career in the Premier League with Arsenal, and he should know better than to raise his hand in the face of an opponent.
Rodriguez wasn’t hurt and knew exactly what he was doing when he went down, and Gibbs shouldn’t have given him the opportunity to do just that.
The 30-year-old will now be out for three games and has left the Baggies in a position where they will be forced to make changes.
In other West Brom news, Match of the Day pundit slams Mike Dean for decision in Baggies defeat against Toffees
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