There was not one pundit or Arsenal fan that was not certain that there was an obvious offside when Brentford scored their equaliser against the Gunners yesterday, and it was so blatant that it incensed even the ex-referee Keith Hacket, who wrote in his Sunday column that Lee Mason should be sacked! “Lee would be towards the bottom in the list of best performers. He has seemingly passed the point of requiring operational assistance, he doesn’t have a place any more.’
‘He has had long enough now, knowing what is required of the VAR.
‘It’s a tough environment, refereeing, but if you’re a footballer and you don’t perform, you are out of the side. The same needs to happen with those in charge of officiating the game if they don’t match up.’
And Ian Wright was even more angry, stating: ‘What are the consequences for Arsenal, man? Trying to put a title run together, man, what are the consequences? Best league in the world they say, that’s what we say, “oh, best league in the world”‘.
‘Them mistakes,’ he added. ‘What’s going to happen from PGMOL, someone’s going to get what? We’re going to get an apology, they’re going to get a suspension… a break disguised as a suspension.
‘You can’t blame the technology. In two cases they drew the lines in the wrong place! The wrong r******* place!’
Well, Wrighty was right about the apology, but it remaiins to be seen whether Lee Mason will still have after PGMOL released this statement. The announcement read: “PGMOL can confirm its Chief Refereeing Officer Howard Webb has contacted both Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion to acknowledge and explain the significant errors in the VAR process in their respective Premier League fixtures on Saturday.
“Both incidents, which were due to human error and related to the analysis of offside situations, are being thoroughly reviewed by PGMOL.”
All very nice words to placate the fans, but what happens if Arsenal lose out on the Premier League by one point?
What use is “an apology” then?
But I do have one thing to add, and it seems ridiculous that this even went to Lee Mason in the first place. Why didn’t the linesman see it and raise his flag. That is his job! His ONLY job!
And then: Why didn’t the referee question the linesman? Or even Mason’s decision? The buck is simply being passed from one idiot to another….
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This is the strangest thing – Brentford had one go against them that was just as blatant. Of all the times something goes against us, why pick on this one?
Are you referring to the early goal they had disallowed for a foul by Toney on Saliba (I think)? Strange that it was not replayed. I thought it didn’t look much of a foul, but it was never gone over in detail, and surprisingly Brentford team (or Tomas Frank) didn’t even protest at the time, so there must have been something in it.
Yup that’s it. I can only imagine it’s because it happened early on, whereas the goal that should have been disallowed happened late in the match. They replayed it on TV during the match, and just said it didn’t look a foul, but VAR didn’t look at it apparently. I think the VAR ref just wasn’t paying attention at all during the match.
Still I’m surprised at the amount of media discussion on the one that went against us, with no mention of the one that went for us (including from Brentford, as you say)
I was watching on a Chinese stream so wasn’t aware of any comments regarding any of the match action.😁
It was a human error.What was the linesman doing ?Shdnt he have flagged for os?
Jf Arsenal fail to win the epl by one point ,what then?
Then gunners can only hope Mc will be stripped of the crown .A long shot
Because it was a decision up to the interpretation of the ref and they regularly gives these 50-50 decisions to the defenders as it is the low risk decision. Our error was like going to work in your birthday suit cause you forgot to wear clothes. Inexcusable and no defence.
That’s because it was a foul by Toney, who pulled Salibas shirt.
Mishandling of Arsenal’s games by referees and VAR as well as after-match admission if errors have become so perennial that fans in and outside Gunners’ camp are beginning to suspect conspiracy and wonder when human error in football officiating will end. The three-minute error-full decision confirms that the human error was an afterthought that should not stand by whatever means. We need transparency and consistency to build faith in EPL. The charade is unbelievable.
Yes, I’m wondering that – especially now I’m hearing that it’s the same officials getting Arsenal decisions wrong, in favour of our opposition.
Some of them happen to be from Manchester.
It’s like having a WC final between Brasil and Argentina and they decide the ref is… Neymar.
This is the 4th time arsenal have lost points because of VAR:
V Utd – That non foul on Erikson and the 1st time Lee Mason reared his ugly VAR head. The PGMOL even discussed this in meetings held during the world cup as this decision by VAR was incorrect, as the on field referee did not make a clear and obviouse error. Mason still he intervened and a draw or even a win. let’s say for argument sake cost us a 1pt as a result.
V Southampton – we should have been 2 up as (and not for the first an only time in this match) Jesus was man handled and thrown to the ground in the box on his way to goal. VAR didn’t even review this incident to my knowledge. Southampton would go on to equalise and stick 11 men behind the ball for the remainder of the game. Which should have seen a red card to Caleta-Car for repeatly fouling Jesus and a pen given, 2pts lost here.
V Newcastle – Eddie Nkethia was booked earlier in the game softly for pulling and opponents shirt. So why was is okay for Dan Burn to more or less remove Gabriel’s top in the closing stages of the game. It was a foul which had all but been confirmed that it was via Eddie’s soft booking. This should have been a pen and assuming that was converted another 2pts lost to poor VAR officiating
V Brentford – we all know what happened but the 2nd time Lee Mason has fucked up costing us another 2pts
Then you see Grelish for City get a soft call again for City like they did at the start of the season when Villa had a goal wrongly chalked off at Villa Park. I think unfortunately the referees will have the biggest say on the title race not the quality of the teams
I know that my comment is not going to be very popular.the use of VAR is still in its infancy,we always knew that there’d be teething problems/human errors.the good thing is that most if not all mistakes were due to human errors,misuse/misinterpretation of the technology meaning that with more training it can be eradicated.i could be mistaken but progress has been made with VAR even if it has been slow and now we have PMGOL explaining their decisions and putting their hands up when they get it wrong.like players,referees are human and susceptible of making mistakes but if it is always the same ones making mistakes then something needs to be done.people complain how difficult it is to find good refs,abusing, vilifying them will not encourage the new generation to get involve.lastly,I agree we dropped points due to VAR but I think it distracts us from the real issue.the team’s performances of late which have been below par our usual levels.we shouldn’t depend on /leave it to VAR to win or not lose games for us,simple as.
Well, you can’t ask any team to silently accept points taken away from them, when the consequences can be huge.
We need also to win several games, where we perform less than 100%, just like all champions before this season.
And these are not the only 2 points, we have been robbed of.
They should be held accountable same as managers and players. Suspension was mentioned, why not fired and permanently replaced?
Why not look at instant replay technology from other leagues and sports around the world and implement the best procedures?
Incompetence plain and simple, and others suffer for it.
+1
Did they say if he’s suspended without pay? Otherwise suspension sounds like a paid holiday.
As Arseblog pointed out this morning, there was an assistant in the VAR room at Stockley Park with Mason, which should have made it almost impossible to “forget” to draw the offside lines. They had just one job, and they both cocked up.
I’m reading that VAR ref John Brooks who was to be on our game against City on Wednesday has been taken off due to his gaff in the BHA v Palace game.
One point should be made Admin Pat, we didn’t definitely lose two points as Brentford may have equalized regardless, they had enough goal chances when they attacked, but didn’t bother much at all after getting the one they were given by PGMOL.
Do you know who is present in the VAR room?
Among refs,is there a “technology” expert?
There’s the main VAR ref plus one assistant and an equipment (Hawkeye) operator. Three in all to each unit.
Thanks for the info.i was just wondering if the Hawkeye operator has his say on drawing the lines or other technical matters.
Couldn’t say. I’m sure if you go into it on Google or YouTube or somewhere you’ll find out more. At the World Cup they showed the VAR units pre match and they looked full.
Will do.
It’s now a tendency for refs to do wrong deliberately while knowing they will only need to apologise later; we don’t know who they do this for, it will be seen later.
Only a matter of time before AI solution for VAR will be available, this will then remove human error, and lines will always be drawn automatically, no human error any more.
We were robbed, but we must admit that our performance in the last two games weren’t good. After defeating Spurs and Man United like a title contender, we were bereft of ideas in the Everton and Brentford games
If we were going to win EPL, we should’ve scored at least two goals against a mid-table team at home
As for the consequence or punishment, I agree with Ian Wright and the fans here. EPL must maintain its quality by replacing the ones who made the wrong decisions in those games
Hopefully the officials will redeem their mistakes in one of our upcoming games
It’s getting beyond a joke now , i know it’s not just been us but if there was a table on who lost the most from there error’s i’d say we’d be top.
We probably have had a few go our way but if they can’t even use what there given , what hope is there for VAR.
I was all for it as in the past we have always had dodgy call’s go against us but it seems now that it doesn’t matter and that’s just how’s it’s going to be.
I’d always thought since Wenger came in and him being French that’s when the 50/50 calls started to favour the other teams.
Might be wrong on that but over the year’s we have not got the rub of the green in the overall picture.
We will get nothing on Wednesday. Anthony Taylor will be the Referee and he is from Wythenshawe, MANCHESTER!!!
It’s like an English referee doing a World Cup Final between England and Brazil….insane. City haven’t only paid to beat FFP, they’ve got the referee selection process in their pocket too.
The same thought occurred to me when I was responding to someone earlier re Juventus.
If match fixing can happen in Italy, why not here?
Conspiracy theory, I know, but… if the glove fits.
There’s too many coincidences here. The same people making “mistakes” that Arsenal lose out from. Perhaps their bank accounts should be open to scrutiny by the PL.
I can accept the error on martenelli goal vs manu as it was up to the interpretation of the ref, the wrong line drawn for brighton is really bad error. but FORGETTING TO DRAW THE LINE is inexcusable and merits the sack. It’s your freaking job to draw the line and check for offside. That’s like taking the ball in your hand and putting it in the net.
This article is 100%. If the the season ends with Man City a point ahead of us there should be a massive celebration at the Emirates to celebrate winning the league, because of the THEFT of 2 points.
Do we honestly want another 5 years of this nonsense?
VAR is totally destroying our title push.
Jen I have just sent my anti VAR article to Ad PAT. ARE YOU GOING TO DO ONE TOO?
I have also sent in my pro VAR article, so it will be interesting to see what actual FACTS and FIGURES are in both articles.
Hope both appear on same day KEN and that any Gooner votes will wait til all Gooners have had chance to post their own comments.