George Campbell right to be punished after ‘reckless’ West Brom incident, law examined
West Brom were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night after losing on penalties to Derby County.
Aune Heggebo’s second-half goal had looked to continue the feel-good factor at The Hawthorns, but it would not last for long.
Joe Ward’s stunning last-gasp free kick would see the game go straight to penalties, with Derby emerging victorious after several West Brom misfires from the spot.
Ryan Mason’s side will hope to get back to winning ways on Saturday (16 August), when they travel to Championship newbies Wrexham.
George Campbell was in the spotlight in his full debut, but maybe not for the right reasons.
This article contains exclusive comments from ex-PGMOL chief Keith Hackett for West Brom News.
Campbell challenge was ‘reckless’
West Brom fans had plenty to complain about following their exit from the Carabao Cup.
The referee, Thomas Kirk, looked to stamp his authority on the game, and the Baggies often found themselves on the wrong side of it.
One moment in particular stirred up a great deal of debate. Campbell, who arrived from MLS side CF Montreal earlier this summer, was booked after appearing to win the ball cleanly.
- Campbell signed in July in a deal worth around £1.5m.
The challenge looked to be strong, and it was, but replays showed the defender’s leading leg had only made contact with the ball, with the trailing leg upending the Derby goal-scorer, Ward.
Nevertheless, Kirk took a dim view of the tackle and immediately issued a yellow card to Campbell.
Despite West Brom protests, former Premier League referee Keith Hackett agreed with the decision.
Speaking exclusively to West Brom News, he said: “The referee has judged this one correctly by issuing a yellow card for a reckless challenge. It fails to fulfil the law with regard to serious foul play.
“The law states that reckless is when a player acts with disregard to the danger to, or consequences for, an opponent and must be cautioned.”
Campbell impresses at West Brom despite yellow
Campbell would have been frustrated to receive a booking on his debut, but the defender’s performance was an impressive one regardless.
The 24-year-old was strong in the tackle and dominant in the air, often using his head to clear away incoming crosses.
| George Campbell | vs Derby County (H) |
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Accurate passes | 65 |
| Clearances | 5 |
| Aerial duels won | 4 |
And on the ball, Campbell looked to be comfortable, completing more than 90 per cent of his passes on the night.
The defender is unlikely to keep his place ahead of the weekend, but has gone some way to convincing Baggies fans and Mason of his ability.
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