Does Premier League have a problem using VAR after day of controversy? Last updated on
3 September 2022 3 September 2022 .From the section Premier League comments
889 David Moyes says VAR decision was ‘scandalous’ It was a day of managers disagreeing over the correct use of the video assistant referee as several Premier League games threw up controversial decisions on Saturday.
West Ham were denied a 90th-minute equaliser when Maxwel Cornet’s effort was ruled out after Jarrod Bowen was judged to have fouled Edouard Mendy in the build-up – a decision David Moyes called “scandalous”.
Elsewhere, Newcastle saw what Eddie Howe called a “perfectly good goal” chalked off and Leeds boss Jesse Marsch was sent off for his reaction to two penalty decisions that did not go his side’s way in a defeat by Brentford.
“Players and managers have been let down today, it’s been a terrible day – they have been let down by decisions like that,” said Alan Shearer on Match of the Day.
Former top-flight manager Tony Pulis said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “It’s not VAR – let me get this correct.VAR just records the TV footage, it’s the people who are running VAR.
“It’s those human beings who are making the decisions.It’s the referees stuck in that office, wherever they are, making the decisions.”
There was one instance, however, of a referee being told to consult the pitchside monitor and sticking with their on-field decision.
That came at Nottingham Forest, where Michael Oliver awarded a penalty for handball and – five minutes later – it was scored by Brennan Johnson.
“Well done Michael Oliver, at last a referee has had the guts to say ‘I am sticking with my decision’,” said Shearer.”Don’t be surprised to see more of that in the coming weeks because he is the first to do it.”
Who pushed who at St James’? Newcastle and Crystal Palace drew 0-0 at St James’ Park but only after the hosts had a goal disallowed.
Tyrick Mitchell turned the ball into his own net and referee Michael Salisbury ruled it out for a foul by Joe Willock on goalkeeper Vicente Guaita, though Newcastle felt the midfielder was himself pushed by Mitchell.
“I didn’t think it should have been disallowed, personally, I thought it was a foul or a push on Joe Willock in the build-up to the ball coming in,” said Howe.
“Joe’s momentum is fixed at that point from his opponent, it then carries him into the goalkeeper.But without that push, there’s no way that Joe would have gone in with that force.
“If anything, it’s a penalty if it’s not a goal, so I was very surprised with the outcome.”
Palace boss Patrick Vieira disagreed: “It was a clear foul and if it wasn’t the keeper gets the ball in his hands.
The referee makes the right decision.”
Shearer said: “It is shocking, abysmal, disgraceful – Willock is going to head that ball, so Mitchell shoves him – Michael Salisbury gets it right, it is Lee Mason [VAR official] who somehow bizarrely tells him ‘you have made a howler’.”
Shearer said that the referee was then not shown the best angle of the incident.
“Lee Mason is the one to blame because it is an inexperienced referee,” added Shearer.”At this level you have got to get that decision right, he has had no help from VAR.
Far too many errors, VAR is not the problem, it is the people who are running it.”
A tale of two penalty calls I don’t know what else to do – Jesse Marsch on VAR ‘frustration’ It was a tale of two penalties in Brentford’s 5-2 win over Leeds – one given, and one not.
Ivan Toney opened the scoring with a penalty, awarded after a foul by Luis Sinisterra – who was deemed by VAR to have got the ball but taken the player first – but Leeds were denied a spot-kick of their own when Crysencio Summerville was brought down by Aaron Hickey.
“I’ve got to figure out how to have discussions with the league or with referees to help understand how some decisions get made,” said Leeds boss Marsch, who was frustrated the officials did not review the challenge on Summerville.
“I was speaking with the fourth official, trying to be as respectful as I possibly could, even when a penalty was given that I probably didn’t think was a penalty.
“And then you don’t see it reciprocated, the respect.That’s what I would call it.That lack of VAR visit, in the end to me, is a lack of respect.”
“I understand his frustration,” said Danny Murphy on Match of the Day.”It was an awful decision, enhanced by the fact Brentford had got one – you are expecting VAR to tell him to go and look and they don’t.”
Brentford boss Thomas Frank, meanwhile, had a different view: “I trust VAR and the refs to take a decision on that one.I saw our own one back after the game and it’s a clear penalty.”
An ‘absolute shocker’ at the Bridge? Thomas Tuchel agrees with ‘lucky’ VAR call It was a dramatic finish at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea fought back to win 2-1 against West Ham, though the Hammers were denied a late leveller.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel said he thought there was a foul on his goalkeeper before Michail Antonio put West Ham ahead but agreed with the decision to disallow Cornet’s late strike for the visitors.
“We were lucky today to get the VAR decision in our favour, which was for me the correct decision,” he told Match of the Day.
Cornet pounced after Mendy parried the ball his way, but after being told to look at the monitor, referee Andrew Madley decided there was a foul on the goalkeeper by Bowen.
“The goalkeeper comes to take it, and actually fumbles it out of his hands five or six yards, so he could never recover it,” said Moyes, who added he was “embarrassed” for VAR official Jarred Gillett.”Then he acted as if he had a shoulder injury.I’m amazed that VAR sent the referee to see it.
“It was a ridiculously bad decision.I’d question VAR as much as the referee, but the referee should have stuck to his own guns – there is no excuse for that not to be a goal, none whatsoever.
The sad thing is this is the level of the weak refereeing at the moment.
“Jarrod said he never touched the goalkeeper at all.And if you look at it, he jumps him.There might have been a trailing foot if there was anything at all.”
Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton said on Final Score: “I am with David Moyes on that, the goal should have stood, it wasn’t a foul on Edouard Mendy.This is what infuriates fans up and down the country when they see decisions like that.An absolute shocker.”
Ex-Brighton striker Glenn Murray added on 5 Live: “Those are the decisions that make managers go grey.
I feel as though Edouard Mendy has bought that from the referee.”
And Murphy agreed: “I don’t think I have any words that I can say out loud.It was a ridiculous decision – I can’t find any logic in it.”
Shearer said it was “never, ever a foul” and not why VAR was implemented.
“Minimum interference, maximum benefit was what we were told when VAR was brought in,” he said.”It is a terrible, disgraceful decision – beyond terrible.”
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889 comments Show Latest Oldest Highest Rated Most Replied
C Comment posted by cumulus, today at 00:53 cumulus 00:53 51 games in the Euros can you name the controversies? One average Saturday in the Premier League and we get this.
A loved and multi-billion sport/industry being destroyed by an incompetent clique that will not explain themselves.
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5 K Reply posted by Kerplunk, today at 00:55 Kerplunk 00:55 to cumulus ” 51 games in the Euros can you name the controversies? One average Saturday in the Premier League and we get this.A loved and multi-billion sport/industry being destroyed by an incompetent clique that will not explain themselves.” Kerplunk replied: Corruption.
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O Comment posted by Oliver, today at 00:28 Oliver 00:28 Doesn’t help that managers like Tuchel don’t call it out.
He’s only happy when decisions go his way.That is only going to encourage it.How can he watch that back and have that opinion?
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19 J Reply posted by Jim Eberlin, today at 00:42 Jim Eberlin 00:42 to Oliver ” Doesn’t help that managers like Tuchel don’t call it out.He’s only happy when decisions go his way.That is only going to encourage it.How can he watch that back and have that opinion? ” Jim Eberlin replied: I agree, they rarely do when the decision goes their way though….and they’d get fined.
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D Comment posted by David , today at 00:39 David 00:39 Nothing wrong with VAR, it worked near perfectly at the last world cup, it is the rubbish referees at Stockley Park The rules for the system are quite simple, if it is not a clear and obvious error by the ref on the pitch then his decision stands, if it takes more than 30 secs to judge the video then it is not C & O
Why do our refs association have take something simple and make it so complicated
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12 N Reply posted by Nelly, today at 01:14 Nelly 01:14 to David ” Nothing wrong with VAR, it worked near perfectly at the last world cup, it is the rubbish referees at Stockley Park The rules for the system are quite simple, if it is not a clear and obvious error by the ref on the pitch then his decision stands, if it takes more than 30 secs to judge the video then it is not C & OWhy do our refs association have take something simple and make it so complicated ” Nelly replied: Did it? I seem to recall that in the final itself a disgraceful decision to give a penalty when the player clearly did not intend to handle the ball, and his hand was against his body, turned the whole game on its head.If that’s your idea of ‘perfect’ then God help us…
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J Comment posted by JBT , today at 00:31 JBT 00:31 Even worst when the FA does nothing about these incidents and keep going on as if nothing happened.
The referees should be held accountable.
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6 R Reply posted by Richard, today at 00:49 Richard 00:49 to JBT ” Even worst when the FA does nothing about these incidents and keep going on as if nothing happened.The referees should be held accountable.” Richard replied: Managers have to do an interview after a match to explain their decisions.Why don’t officials?
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N Comment posted by Niram, today at 00:42 Niram 00:42 If you can spend £2 billion on the best players in the world maybe you can hire some better officials?
The level of refereeing is shocking.
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6 F Reply posted by Fan Of Whoever Plays Man Utd, today at 01:32 Fan Of Whoever Plays Man Utd 01:32 to Niram ” If you can spend £2 billion on the best players in the world maybe you can hire some better officials?The level of refereeing is shocking.” Fan Of Whoever Plays Man Utd replied: The standard of refereeing is incredibly bad and getting worse.
There needs to be a ‘Referee University’ set up to teach these officials how to referee correctly.
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Q Comment posted by Quranhorn, today at 00:56 Quranhorn 00:56 So, list all the day’s VAR screw ups but ignore the linesman AND ref screwnig Villa out of a win against man city by preventing VAR being able to show Coutinho was clearly onside?
Not particularly balanced…but I suppose it detracts from VAR being a peoblem story as opposed to the true issue – the officials are incompetant and biased…
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19 F Reply posted by Fletch, today at 01:18 Fletch 01:18 to Quranhorn ” So, list all the day’s VAR screw ups but ignore the linesman AND ref screwnig Villa out of a win against man city by preventing VAR being able to show Coutinho was clearly onside?Not particularly balanced…but I suppose it detracts from VAR being a peoblem story as opposed to the true issue – the officials are incompetant and biased…” Fletch replied: Weird cos the things that VAR are allowed to intervene in, one is goals.I read that as in they don’t have to be referred to they can pipe up and tell the ref? Still human error has managed to f@#k VAR
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M Comment posted by Mark Ashmore, today at 00:54 Mark Ashmore 00:54 Lee Mason haha
When he retired and went to do VAR we all knew he would be useless – he was a poor referee when on the pitch and now even worse and unaccountable
VAR works, its the muppets using it that are the problem
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5 T Reply posted by The Spin Doctor, today at 03:52 The Spin Doctor 03:52 to Mark Ashmore ” Lee Mason hahaWhen he retired and went to do VAR we all knew he would be useless – he was a poor referee when on the pitch and now even worse and unaccountableVAR works, its the muppets using it that are the problem ” The Spin Doctor replied: Exactly! Keep VAR but replace those who currently run it.
Have a panel of VAR officials who review the on field decision and then have to explain their verdict fully to the watching audience, like in US sports.
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C Comment posted by Chris, today at 00:29 Chris 00:29 Sack Lee Mason
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3 T Reply posted by The Spin Doctor, today at 03:00 The Spin Doctor 03:00 to Chris ” Sack Lee Mason ” The Spin Doctor replied: Wouldn’t solve anything, just as pulling up only one weed wouldn’t result in a weed free lawn.
Need to sack them all or at the very least re-train them all.
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D Comment posted by dragonfly1, today at 00:38 dragonfly1 00:38 Biggest problem in the Premier League is the officials.
None of them are good enough.
Even with VAR they constantly get decisions wrong.
Don’t think VAR is the problem, it’s the so called officials that are unable to understand basic rules that’s ruining the game.
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3 F Reply posted by Fan Of Whoever Plays Man Utd, today at 01:35 Fan Of Whoever Plays Man Utd 01:35 to dragonfly1 ” Biggest problem in the Premier League is the officials.None of them are good enough.Even with VAR they constantly get decisions wrong.Don’t think VAR is the problem, it’s the so called officials that are unable to understand basic rules that’s ruining the game.” Fan Of Whoever Plays Man Utd replied: As they say, it is not the machine that’s usually the problem, it is the operator.
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B Comment posted by book all tactical fouls, today at 00:30 book all tactical fouls 00:30 if var looks at all the images for 60 seconds and cannot reach a conclusion then there is no clear and obvious error.
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2 J Reply posted by JanusB, today at 00:36 JanusB 00:36 to book all tactical fouls ” if var looks at all the images for 60 seconds and cannot reach a conclusion then there is no clear and obvious error.
” JanusB replied: Make that 30 or even 20 and I agree.Baffles me how the TV commentators can get to the correct decision before the referee has even started to head to the screen.There’s also no need for them to go to the screen for the really obvious ones e.g.no contact or goal scored with an arm
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D Comment posted by Dante, today at 00:54 Dante 00:54 Why isn’t Villa mentioned in this article? The offside given there was insane, as was the referee’s decision to blow his whistle right away rather than continue with the passage of play.
Fans need to realise that these things ruin football as a whole and, whether it helps your team or not, you should complain about it.
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2 B Reply posted by book all tactical fouls, today at 00:57 book all tactical fouls 00:57 to Dante ” Why isn’t Villa mentioned in this article? The offside given there was insane, as was the referee’s decision to blow his whistle right away rather than continue with the passage of play.Fans need to realise that these things ruin football as a whole and, whether it helps your team or not, you should complain about it.” book all tactical fouls replied: exactly.
when players are miles offsides the flag stays down…
smh
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K Comment posted by Kerplunk, today at 00:55 Kerplunk 00:55 For me, it’s beyond human error.I’m not having that someone can get it so wrong, sat in front of a screen with the ability to take their time and watch it back in slo mo from all angles.
I think it’s more of a question of integrity of the referees.
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1 L Reply posted by Lets Agree To Disagree, today at 01:51 Lets Agree To Disagree 01:51 to Kerplunk ” For me, it’s beyond human error.I’m not having that someone can get it so wrong, sat in front of a screen with the ability to take their time and watch it back in slo mo from all angles.I think it’s more of a question of integrity of the referees.” Lets Agree To Disagree replied: Bad officiating is ruining the game, something needs to be done immediately for the long term integrity of the game, otherwise football might as well become a scripted sports business like the WWE.
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J Comment posted by James60, today at 00:47 James60 00:47 Hence why the English Refs never went to the 2018 World Cup ..And we still are way behind the rest of Europe with these VAR issues ..
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3 N Reply posted by Nelly, today at 01:21 Nelly 01:21 to James60 ” Hence why the English Refs never went to the 2018 World Cup ..And we still are way behind the rest of Europe with these VAR issues ..
” Nelly replied: We are not.
Europe has exactly the same issues.
VAR teams and refs are human wherever you go.Thus they all make human errors.Some countries have identified clear trends with using VAR, favouring home teams, favouring teams that are ‘big’ over ‘lesser’ sides etc.All this was revealed by a study for UEFA.
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W Comment posted by WildReiver, today at 00:34 WildReiver 00:34 Has Lee Mason been suspended for what appears to be incompletence in misleading a rookie ref to make the worst decision of many similar today?
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3 R Reply posted by Richard, today at 00:48 Richard 00:48 to WildReiver ” Has Lee Mason been suspended for what appears to be incompletence in misleading a rookie ref to make the worst decision of many similar today? ” Richard replied: No but Nuno was suspended three years ago and fined when as wolves manager he said Mason wasn’t good enough to be a premier league referee.
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M Comment posted by Michael from Canada, today at 00:41 Michael from Canada 00:41 My team got a bad call today.Sort of made up for the bad call against last week.
Both calls were dead wrong.Tony Pulis said it isnt VAR, its the refs watching it.
Spot on
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1 F Reply posted by Fletch, today at 01:24 Fletch 01:24 to Michael from Canada ” My team got a bad call today.Sort of made up for the bad call against last week.Both calls were dead wrong.Tony Pulis said it isnt VAR, its the refs watching it.
Spot on ” Fletch replied: Then take decisions away from the refs.Start with timekeeping, have a clock that stops when the ball us out of play, it would also stop players time-wasting maybe even faking injury.
Then linos, the band vibrates when a lino raises their flag for offside just have a machine notify the ref.Goalline tech can be used for throws and corners….
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B Comment posted by Bernard_F1, today at 00:45 Bernard_F1 00:45 It’s so blatant currently that it’s almost as if refereeing controversy has been written into the Premier League mission statement.
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1 L Reply posted by Lets Agree To Disagree, today at 01:55 Lets Agree To Disagree 01:55 to Bernard_F1 ” It’s so blatant currently that it’s almost as if refereeing controversy has been written into the Premier League mission statement.
” Lets Agree To Disagree replied: Controversy is good for business and publicity but sadly not for the integrity of sports.
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B Comment posted by Ben Hardman, today at 01:02 Ben Hardman 01:02 Anyone else find it mad that other sports seem to have such a good use of VAR because communication is good- EG rugby…yet football seems unwilling to go down the route of letting fans hear what refs have to say? Bambuzals me
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1 G Reply posted by Graham, today at 01:16 Graham 01:16 to Ben Hardman ” Anyone else find it mad that other sports seem to have such a good use of VAR because communication is good- EG rugby…yet football seems unwilling to go down the route of letting fans hear what refs have to say? Bambuzals me ” Graham replied: It’s because of the extremely low quality of refereeeing in England.At the last world cup not a single English referee was chosen, that says everything about the awful standards of English refereeing.
It’s so bad, people watching could be forgiven, for thinking the whole process is bent.
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D Comment posted by Dante, today at 00:47 Dante 00:47 Sometimes it seems like the officials don’t even follow the same rule book.Yet season after season they get away with this inconsistency & are never held accountable.
And what happened to giving the attackers the benefit of the doubt? Marginal offsides are not supposed to be given this season, yet perfectly good goals have been ruled out for kneecaps, arms etc.
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2 B Reply posted by book all tactical fouls, today at 01:08 book all tactical fouls 01:08 to Dante ” Sometimes it seems like the officials don’t even follow the same rule book.Yet season after season they get away with this inconsistency & are never held accountable.
And what happened to giving the attackers the benefit of the doubt? Marginal offsides are not supposed to be given this season, yet perfectly good goals have been ruled out for kneecaps, arms etc.” book all tactical fouls replied: selective application is annoying.touch this keeper, foul.touch that keeper, play on.etc etc
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J Comment posted by joey707, today at 00:57 joey707 00:57 One of the worst referees the P.L.has seen (Mike Dean) retires and then becomes a VAR official!
That just about sums up the state of our VAR officials.
As for the referees, well it will take many years to get this lot in order.
Are there any English refs going to the World Cup? I hope not
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1 E Reply posted by elhaddadi, today at 01:03 elhaddadi 01:03 to joey707 ” One of the worst referees the P.L.has seen (Mike Dean) retires and then becomes a VAR official!That just about sums up the state of our VAR officials.As for the referees, well it will take many years to get this lot in order.Are there any English refs going to the World Cup? I hope not ” elhaddadi replied: Oliver and Taylor are going
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G Comment posted by Graham, today at 01:25 Graham 01:25 The number of comments here from ordinary fans, accusing English referees of incompetence, bias, a lack of integrity and the possibility of them receiving money in exchange for decisions, leads one to conclude that the FA must look into all the possibilities of this.
The credibility of the whole refereeing system both on and off field, is at stake.
No one wants to watch a sport that’s bent.
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0 B Reply posted by bluenose, today at 04:25 bluenose 04:25 to Graham ” The number of comments here from ordinary fans, accusing English referees of incompetence, bias, a lack of integrity and the possibility of them receiving money in exchange for decisions, leads one to conclude that the FA must look into all the possibilities of this.The credibility of the whole refereeing system both on and off field, is at stake.No one wants to watch a sport that’s bent.
” bluenose replied: All fans are biased towards there own team, this dont mean there wrong just you will hardly get a balanced view.
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