Nick Woltemade gives his view on controversial incident as Arsenal player lucky to avoid red card against Newcastle United
Newcastle United have every right to be fuming after losing 2-1 to Arsenal at home on Sunday.
It's not so much about whether Arsenal deserved their win or not, but more about whether the man who scored their winning goal should even have been on the pitch to score it in the first place.
Arsenal's Brazilian defender Gabriel was at the centre of everything on Sunday, and not in a good way. He embarrassingly threw himself to the floor after the slightest of touches when Nick Woltemade scored, he then took out his frustrations about that on the German by clocking him in the face.
Late in the game, Gabriel handled the ball in the box, preventing an Anthony Elanga cross from reaching its destination, but the penalty wasn't awarded, and then, six minutes into stoppage time, of course, it was the man himself who rose to nod home the winner.
Nick Woltemade's reaction to Gabriel's foul needed more of the Al Pacinos about it
While Arsenal players, particularly Gabriel, threw themselves to the floor at any opportunity to try and con the referee, Nick Woltemade opted to stay on his feet after being blatantly smacked in the chops. A decision that more than likely influenced VAR in their decision not to show Gabriel his marching orders.
Speaking after the game, Woltemade told Sky Sports that he perhaps should have gone down to emphasise the contact, but he's not that type of player.
“I felt his elbow in my face and I'm two metres [tall], so his arm has to be really high. I don't want to fall down, but I think maybe in this situation, I don't know, I just said it to the referee: ‘I felt something in my face and I think it's not right to feel something in your face’.
“But I'm not the type of player who will fall down for this, but it's hard because I guess sometimes maybe you have to do it.”
Last week, Nick Woltemade was criticised for going down too easily
This is the same player who was criticised last week for going to the ground when his shirt was blatantly pulled in the box. That was probably on his mind, so he stayed on his feet.
Referees and VAR need to understand that not every player is going to go down and roll around like they've been shot to try and sell a foul; officials should spot these things and act without the need for theatrics.
We admire Woltemade for his honesty, but next time, ham it up, mate.
