VAR controversies prompt calls for action in Premier League
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A screen displays the 'No Goal' decision following a VAR review during the English Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.
PHOTO: AFP
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LONDON – VAR was supposed to help cut out egregious and costly refereeing mistakes, but the technology has come under fire from English Premier League managers who have lost faith in the system.
Feelings are running high after incidents overshadowed the action on the pitch, with England manager Gareth Southgate even saying he was bored following endless VAR stoppages
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta launched a blistering attack on the decision to let Newcastle’s goal stand after his team’s 1-0 loss last weekend,
Anthony Gordon’s second-half goal was checked for three separate VAR offences but survived them all to earn Newcastle the three points.
“We didn’t deserve to lose,” Arteta said. “We lost the match because of the clear and obvious decisions. It’s embarrassing. A disgrace.”
The club came out strongly in support of their manager in a statement the following day.
The angry fallout after the game at St James’ Park echoed another VAR controversy in the high-stakes fixture between Tottenham and Liverpool in late September.
Officials wrongly disallowed a goal from Luis Diaz after a misunderstanding over the on-field decision and Spurs went on to win 2-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Referees body Professional Game Match Officials Ltd (PGMOL) released the audio of the decision that led to the disallowed Diaz goal.
In the recording, video assistant referee (VAR) Darren England says the check is “perfect” before swearing when he realises a mistake has been made.
PGMOL then admitted a “significant human error” and Liverpool issued a statement in which they said “sporting integrity” had been undermined, and manager Jurgen Klopp even called for the game to be replayed.
Arteta stuck to his guns before Arsenal’s Champions League match against Sevilla this week, suggesting it was the duty of managers to discuss the issues around the use of VAR.
“Errors are part of evolution,” he said. “The trajectory is never going to be (always upwards), there are always going to be bumps in the road...
“But we have to talk loudly. If you have a problem and you put it in your drawer, the problem is in the drawer and it’s going to stink at some point.”
League Managers Association chief Richard Bevan says coaches want to see changes, adding: “The managers are calling for a review (and simplification) of the interpretation of the term ‘clear and obvious’ in VAR decision-making, as this is a cause of much confusion at present.”
Henry Winter, chief football writer for The Times, urged the Premier League to listen to the managers.
“Anyone who attends a game or watches on television knows that VAR has never been more contentious,” he said.
“Some grown-up debate is required. Love it or loathe it, VAR is here to stay. We live in a technological age and other sports have embraced it successfully, so it’s about English football getting it right.” AFP, REUTERS
