Another Penalty to Rangers; Why This Should Concern Celtic Fans
The Scottish Premiership witnessed yet another controversial moment this afternoon at Ibrox, as The Rangers were awarded a penalty against Dundee following a VAR decision that many are calling questionable at best.
This incident adds to a growing narrative around The Rangers’ matches, where seemingly every nudge or tug in the box is scrutinized and often results in a penalty for the Gers.
Why Should This Concern Celtic?
Fast-forward to December 30th, the day marked in every Celtic fan’s calendar – the derby day against the Ibrox club. If the pattern of penalties continues, Celtic could find themselves in a precarious situation. It appears we may be ‘sleepwalking’ into a scenario where The Rangers will seek to exploit this trend, and any decision in their favour will be justified under the guise of consistency. The penalty awarded today at Ibrox could be seen as a forewarning for Celtic, suggesting that referees might be overly eager to point to the spot.
In a season where the title race could run close, every decision carries weight. The pattern observed in The Rangers’ games is not just a matter of concern for the officials’ consistency, but also for the integrity of the competition. As Saturday’s match illustrated, if the same standard were applied across the board, we might as well brace ourselves for a penalty fest – five per team per game, anyone?
5th November 2023; Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland: Scottish Viaplay Cup Football Semi Final, Heart of Midlothian versus Rangers; Referee Nick Walsh points to the penalty spot after a VAR check
In this context, it’s almost admirable how The Rangers seem to have this uncanny knack for winning penalties. One might say they are incredibly ‘fortunate’, or perhaps there’s more to it than just luck. Their ability to find themselves on the right side of VAR decisions, especially in the penalty area, is nothing short of a marvel – or an art form, depending on your view.
As we inch closer to the December 30th showdown, it’s crucial for Celtic to remain vigilant and adapt to this evolving landscape of refereeing in Scottish football. The last thing they’d want is to be caught off guard by a ‘phantom penalty’ – a scenario that’s not in the realm of improbability.
The question remains: will the referees take a step back to reassess their approach, or will the trend of dubious penalties continue? Only time will tell.
