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Players baffled, managers fume with officials accused of ‘changing the rules’ on bad day for VAR

Players have been left baffled, while managers fume with officials accused of ‘changing the rules’ on what was another bad day for VAR.

After claiming Brentford’s equaliser at Emirates Stadium was offside, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta accused officials of “changing rules”.

Leandro Trossard’s first goal for the Gunners in the second period gave them the lead, but Ivan Toney wasn’t amused when he nodded in Christian Norgaard’s cross from close range.

“I just looked back and it is offside, yes,” said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.

Toney’s celebrations were delayed due to a long check by the video assistant referees (VAR).

Norgaard seemed to be offside during the build-up to the 74th minute goal. However, there was evidence that Ethan Pinnock may have blocked Gabriel Magalhaes while in an offside position before that.

Arteta was left frustrated when the decision to award an equaliser was made.

“The action when you get blocked when you are offside – you cannot block if you are offside,” he added.

“You have to apply certain principles in defending and you do that by sticking to the rules. Suddenly you change the rules and then you have to change your principles.

“So tell us before, so then you don’t hide the line that high, because you’re always going to have an advantage if you get blocked.”

On the controversial strike, Brentford boss Thomas Frank said: “I agree that when they kicked the ball, Ethan (Pinnock) is in an offside position.

“Then, as far as I know the football laws, the next question is did he influence the cross? They decided it was not enough and I agree.”

The point sees Arsenal sitting six points clear of Man City in the Premier League, who play Aston Villa on Sunday and then visit the Emirates on Wednesday.

Danny Murphy analysed the Brentford goal on Match of the Day on Saturday and was highly critical of those in charge of the video technology.

“Arsenal weren’t at their best but I can understand why they are angry at the incompetence of the VAR officials,” said Murphy. “It was a horrendous decision.

“The first one is Pinnock blocking Gabriel and he is an offside position. He’s stopping Gabriel getting to the ball where Toney is at the back.

“Now if they think that he couldn’t have got there and it was just a block and they weren’t sure on the offside, maybe you could understand that. But even if he’s not blocking him, he is offside.

“They spent three minutes looking at that. The fact they are taking so long on that and panicking a bit, they have then clearly missed the worst offence of all which is the header down, again from Pinnock. Norgaard is obviously in an offside position, but they missed it.

“I am amazed it happened. We have been doing VAR for a long time now. I am also amazed because that should be the first thing they check because it is the last thing that happens directly before the goal.”

On Saturday, there was more controversy with VAR. Chelsea were denied a penalty against West Ham despite Tomas Soucek blocking Conor Gallagher with his arm.

Although the incident was investigated, no further action was taken.

Murphy said on Match of the Day: “It deprived Chelsea of a win. It was unfathomable. He falls over and saves it with his hands. It is so blatant. It is a lack of understanding of football.

“It is getting to a point where it is difficult to comprehend how inefficient VAR is.”

Brighton had a goal incorrectly disallowed for offside due to a human error made by the VAR operator during their draw at Crystal Palace.

Pervis Estupinan put the Seagulls ahead in the first half, only for VAR John Brooks to intervene, ruling the Ecuadorian defender offside after he received Pascal Gross’ pass.

The offside line was drawn incorrectly from James Tomkins, rather than Marc Guehi (a Palace defender), who was standing right behind him.

If Guehi had drawn the line, Brighton’s left back would have been onside, and the goal would have been scored.

Gary Lineker tweeted: “The VAR process is seriously flawed. Needs a rethink. Mistakes and ludicrous delays for obvious decisions are sucking the life out of the game.”

Alan Shearer added: “It has been an awful day for VAR. You couldn’t make this up. They put the line in the wrong place.

“I don’t know what else to say apart from horrendous day for VAR. A terrible, terrible day for the officials and VAR”

Graham Potter credited Tomas Soucek for his ‘good save’ as Chelsea are held by West Ham.

“It was a good save – you need your goalkeeper to help get you the points,” Potter said.

“It hasn’t been given so there is nothing for me to say. If it was given it wouldn’t have been overturned but it hasn’t been given.

“It looked a handball to me. I didn’t know Tomas [Soucek] could get down that quickly to make a save like that. It’s a good stop from him. It’s not for me to say about VAR. They are human beings. When there is a different human being in the room so every single decision and action means you won’t get the same one again. It’s very hard to get consistency. Some go for you, some don’t. You have to accept that.”

Here’s what fans had to say with players baffled, and managers fume with officials accused of ‘changing the rules’ on a bad day for VAR…

@FansAgainstVAR_: Its shite even if it works

@WilsonFC2012: VAR isn’t the problem, the officials running it are. We need technology in the game to help referees, but the fact that officials still can’t make the correct decision after looking at several replays is actually laughable.

@mevans_11: Every time someone badmouths VAR, remember it is not a computer, it’s human error. “I’m finding it difficult to comprehend now inefficient referees are” is how it should read. Not a good weekend for the people in black 🫣

@Abberadon: Inefficient is one thing, but inefficient and getting the calls wrong is basically unforgivable. The whole thing needs reviewing.

@MartinBooth_: Well said. In fairness, match-going fans have been saying this for nearly three years now. It does not work, and it is never going to work. Scrap it now. #FuckVAR

@JeyRealyReal: The concept of video reviewing for goals is necessary and it’s in every sport…it’s the humans that are the issue (every sport doesn’t have that issue)

@cactuskash: VAR isn’t a sentient being. It’s the incompetent officials that run it. Howard Webb has a massive job on his hands, after years of Mike Reilly mis management.

@CameronJWalker: Strangely find myself agreeing with Danny Murphy here. It’s one thing to miss the Soucek handball in full speed yesterday, it would be bad but it happens. To have missed it, watched it back over and over and still deciding it isn’t handball is unfathomable.

@Yemzine: Keep blaming a technology that works perfectly everywhere else apart from England. When will someone be bold enough to actually call out the incompetence or corruption of the people behind the technology??

 

@albrookshawAFC: We need to stop calling it ‘VAR’ like it’s some computer that is at fault. It is the same incompetent referees we get on the pitch. They’re just sat in front of a TV. There’s only one issue here – @pgmol isn’t fit for purpose and hasn’t been for years…

@Puptonogood: Video technology has been used successfully in sport for years, alas football believes it needs to reinvent the wheel and thus remains in the dark ages.

@AndrewTait67: If it doesn’t remove human error but takes the joy out of the game then what is the point?We thought it would be like hawk eye in tennis but turned out to be a huge mistake that authorities in football will never admit to. No good holding their hands up to individual incidents.

@RH_AVFC: They just need to count their losses and get rid of it.

@_Sodzilla_: VAR was never going to work when it’s still the same useless refs making the calls

@IanDuffy: We used to get annoyed with officials missing decisions on the pitch now we have the added bonus of those same officials not being able to make the decisions with technology at their fingertips. All VAR has achieved is further proof refereeing standards in the PL are really poor

@Ricky9Forbes: He is right but how gave the refs in England went from calling everything to calling nothing. Haha. Its not the technology that is the problem it is the English refs egos that are out of control: they over complicate everything. Watch the difference in the Champions league.

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