sport news CHRIS SUTTON: Refs must show some balls and stand by their decisions trends now
View
comments
You can only wonder what Howard Webb, incoming boss of the PGMOL, was thinking while watching Match of the Day.
Officials can make mistakes, but for a single Saturday to see two contenders for the worst decisions since VAR arrived in the Premier League was not a good look.
One of Webb’s immediate changes should be to drive home to the referees that they do not have to blindly follow Stockley Park’s advice when sent to their pitch-side monitors.
West Ham's goal against Chelsea was chalked off after the referee took Stockley Park's advice
As for Newcastle, they were likewise robbed after the on-field decision was to award their goal
You aren’t obliged to go with your VAR pal’s recommendation — show some balls and be strong enough to stand by your original decision.
Michael Oliver did that at Nottingham Forest against Bournemouth. He awarded Forest a penalty in real time for a handball by Lloyd Kelly. VAR Graham Scott disagreed and sent him to his monitor.
Oliver disregarded the advice. Rightly so, too. That was good to see and proof of why Oliver is probably the Premier League’s best referee right now.
As for the howlers, let’s start with West Ham at Chelsea. Maxwel Cornet’s goal was originally awarded. Referee Andy Madley didn’t see anything wrong in real time. But VAR Jarred Gillett looked closely at Jarrod Bowen dragging his foot over Edouard Mendy in the build-up.
Was that enough to disallow it? Absolutely not. And yet, Gillett sent Madley to his pitch-side monitor, Mendy’s play-acting perhaps adding to the confusion. The referee followed Stockley Park’s advice.
Andy Madley deemed Jarrod Bowen had fouled Edouard Mendy after going to the monitor
Michael Oliver gave the perfect performance when told to go to his monitor and review a penalty he had given to Nottingham Forest for handball in their 3-2 defeat by Bournemouth
It was the wrong decision. You know it, I know it. I’d love to try to play devil’s advocate and tell you why it was a foul, but I can’t. I hope David Moyes isn’t punished for his post-match comments, because that would be a double kick in the teeth for West Ham.
