Why have West Brom been awarded so few penalties in recent seasons?
West Bromwich Albion were awarded just two penalties over the last two seasons, the lowest out of 17 teams who featured in both of the two most recent Premier League campaigns.
Albion’s last penalty came during last season’s home match against Arsenal after referee Mike Dean controversially decided Calum Chambers had handled Kieron Gibbs’ cross into the box.
Prior to this, the Baggies went 54 games without receiving a spot kick, with their last penalty coming in September 2016 when referee Mark Clattenburg ruled West Ham wing-back Arthur Masuaku had handled Matt Phillips’ free-kick at the back post.
The Baggies were, however, denied a clear penalty at the Emirates Stadium in September 2017 when striker Jay Rodriguez was brought down by Arsenal Defender Shkodran Mustafi, but referee Bobby Madley failed to point to the spot much to the anger of Albion’s players, supporters, and management staff.
Speaking to Monday Night Football pundit Jamie Carragher after the game, then-manager Tony Pulis bemoaned Albion’s poor treatment from referees, highlighting the fact that his team had not received a penalty for over a year.
The tackle in the box on Jay, it’s a stonewall penalty. This club hasn’t had a penalty for over a year now. I’m just glad everyone’s seen it tonight.
Despite harsh treatment from officials, the reason for the club’s lack of penalties over the last two seasons should be attributed to Pulis’ own negative footballing philosophy.
Under his stewardship, West Bromwich Albion were renowned for their lack of efforts on targets, lack of possession, and lack of touches in their opponents’ box, with the likelihood of winning a penalty therefore reduced, as Albion struggled to find themselves in the opposition’s final third, spending most games camped in their own half while the opposition dominated proceedings.
Even when the Baggies ventured into the opponents’ territory, the Welshmen seemed insistent on bellowing at his wingers to fling the ball into the box; a tactic which doesn’t entice defenders to commit dangerous tackles in the penalty area.
When the Stripes played more adventurously, however, there was a marked improvement in the number of penalties they received.
During the 2012/2013 season, Albion drew plaudits for their fast passing through the middle of the park with manager Steve Clarke instructing his team to exploit the space in behind the opposition’s defence with pinpoint through balls for strikers Romelu Lukaku and Shane Long to latch onto.
This change in footballing philosophy witnessed the club receiving 7 penalties that season – the highest the club has ever received whilst playing in the Premier League.
Most notable was the two penalties Albion received in the opening-day fixture against Liverpool at the Hawthorns, where Shane Long’s persistence drew fouls from both Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel inside the box, and the Baggies were also awarded penalties in games against Sunderland; West Ham; Swansea; and Arsenal over the course of that season.
The increase in penalties awarded to Albion during Clarke’s first season just goes to show if there is a commitment to play attacking football and enough footballing guile used to provoke challenges inside the penalty area, then Albion will receive more penalties than they have over the last two seasons.
So, while many Albion fans may believe the reasons for our lack of penalties lies within a lack of favourable treatment from the country’s top officials, we suggests that fans should focus less on blaming referees and more on our limp attacking performances over the last two seasons.