Ex-Premier League referee: Reece James given ‘alarm call’ as ‘illegal’ footage analysed from Chelsea
Chelsea defender Reece James should take the penalty he gave away in England’s 1-0 loss to Hungary on Saturday (4 June) as an “alarm call”, according to Keith Hackett.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Fifa and Premier League referee claimed referees around the world are not as lenient on “illegal holding, pulling and grabbing” in the penalty area.
James, 22, gave away a penalty just two minutes after coming off the bench by bringing down Zsolt Nagy with a pull on his arm.
Dominik Szoboszlai converted from the spot to give Hungary the three points and get their Nations League campaign off to a winning start.
“It was a penalty,” Hackett said after analysing the footage with Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“What we see here, and England be aware, we don’t punish players for those types of offences, they get away with the illegal holding, pulling and grabbing. The illegal use of the hand and arm they get away with.
“They are not going to get away with it at the World Cup.
“He’s gone for the player, he’s not gone for the ball. He’s not even attempted to go for the ball.
“What we might call crash tackles, we can see the arm. It’s a foul. The referee got it right.
“They’re running out of time [before the World Cup], but fortunately they have played a Nations League game here with a referee [who punishes it]. It should be alarm call that holding offences at the World Cup will be punished.”
James earned his 11th England cap when he replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold at the Puskas arena.
The pair are among five right-backs in the current squad along with Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and James Justin.
In other news, an expert has been left outraged after a ‘dangerous’ Chelsea development and asked ‘what is he playing at?’.