So after speaking with Nick, we’ve decided to change up how these weekly articles will be done. As the officiating side of things will be staying the same, but I will also be talking about saints from my own perspective, like my opinion of the starting 11, tactics, results etc… as well as the officiating from our games.
This is part 2 of this weeks "Watch" and I will be looking at the various refereeing issues across the Premier League.
For the Saints VAR Watch you can find it using the link below.
https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/news/59771
But now moving on to this weeks action! As we’ve had an interesting week around VAR and such with all the FA Cup and a few prem games going on, with our midweek FA Cup game having a fair few talking points. With ours being a prime example, as I myself thought that the first penalty was arguable, but correct (although how it took them so long was ridiculous, and I’ve heard how there was a supposed handball just before but still haven’t seen any footage of it). But the second one they got, was certainly stupid from Calleta-Car, but still never enough for a penalty and really shouldn’t have been given.
Man City VS Newcastle (Simon Hooper)
This was a very important game for both teams this season, and was always going to be a very interesting one for how it ended up, and one that VAR or Hooper couldn’t afford to mess up in, which in my opinion they did not.
As both of City’s goals were perfectly valid with no real controversies, and other than that there wasn’t too many more talking points from this game. Although there was a little scrap towards the end of the game, with a Newcastle player unhappy with Grealish going down, and him and Haaland going full throttle with one another. But as no punches were thrown and nothing too serious happened, VAR was right not to get involved and to stick with Hooper’s decision of just a cautioning a piece.
So overall a good game from VAR and Hooper.
Arsenal VS Bournemouth (Chris Kavanagh)
This game did have a fair bit to discuss as it was a fairly busy one for Kavanagh and VAR.
As we started off this game with what I think is the second fastest prem goal of all time (just behind our legend that is Long), but there wasn’t any issues with that one. And it was the same for all the other 4 goals from this game, all being not
We then had a supposed penalty shout for Arsenal, for a handball against the Bournemouth captain, but VAR or Kavanagh didn’t award anything for this, and in my opinion, rightfully so. As it hits his shoulder/edge of the shirt, which under the LOTG is not a handball offence as a handball can be commuted for any part of the typical arm showing for the typical footballing shirt.
We then had another two penalty shouts for Arsenal within the course of just a few minutes of one another, both being turned down by both Kavanagh and VAR. The first of which was never a penalty as the Bournemouth defender had no time to react whatsoever and his hand was in a completely natural position.
The second one thought the defender again had no time to react, but his hands weren’t in as natural of a position as the previous incident from just beforehand. But they were still close to the body and seeing how it wasn’t a CLEAR and OBVIOUS mistake, I think VAR was right to not get involved in this incident.
But that wasn’t all the controversy from this game with Arsenal scoring a late winner, past the 6 minutes of stoppage time put up by the 4th official, doing so in the 7th minute. But this was right from Kavanagh as there was a few stoppages in the initial 6 minutes of injury time, including a Cherries lad going down injured for a fair while, so Kavanagh should add on that time on top of it, as it’s a MINIMUM of 6 minutes injury time when that board goes up, not a maximum of 6 minutes.
But still in my view a great game for Kavanagh and VAR, who in my view got all the major decisions spot on and did well to officiate this entertaining tie how it should’ve been.
Aston Villa VS Crystal Palace (Craig Pawson)
This was a game in which VAR did make a positive difference on. As Palace had an early goal by the crybaby, Zaha, originally given, but after a VAR review, correctly ruled out by VAR for an offside offence.
But that wasn’t all for the major officiating decisions with a Palace player being sent off for receiving multiple yellow cards within just a few minutes of one another. As the first was for reckless play and was if anything an "orange card” offence, which no one could complain about. But the second cautioning he received was a bit of a different one.
As the ref played advantage to the foul in which got the palace player the second cautioning, which is rare to see for a second yellow offence, which lead the Villa players having to kick out the ball as their injured player was still down. Which is when Pawson then dealt with the incident and sent off the Palace player for the second cautioning. As in my opinion it was the correct decision, but I do think that Pawson should’ve also dealt with the many Villa players surrounding him after he went over to sort out the incident.
As too many surrounded him and if your not going punish them then fine, but he should’ve certainly at least gotten them to all bugger off, as the fact that the Villa keeper ran all the way up to the halfway line to say his opinions, does show of the lack of control he had in that situation.
But still a fairly good game from Pawson and VAR who got all their major decision correct in my books.
Brighton VS West Ham (Stuart Attwell)
A game in which the result wasn’t too surprising, but the margins in which they occurred sure was! And one in which Attwell and VAR did have an input into.
As Brighton were awarded a penalty within just the opening 18 minutes for a clear foul on the Brighton forward, and Attwell rightfully awarded. But the other 3 goals that Brighton got were all pretty fair with no real controversies around any of them, so a good game off of Attwell and VAR.
But it was also a game in which the Brighton gaffer, De Zerbi, was not in the technical area for, serving a 1 game suspension for a sending off in the tunnel, after their result against Fulham last week.
But it’s nice to see managers getting dealt with and punished for the unnecessary dissent they give to the referees so consistently.
Chelsea VS Leeds (Michael Oliver)
Again another game with very little to discuss, with Chelsea’s goal being perfectly fine and valid. But there being no major VAR decisions to make or too much for Oliver to do.
So an easy and basic game for VAR and Oliver to officiate, in which they did well.
Wolves VS Spurs (Tim Robinson)
Probably the one result of the gameweek that didn’t go the way that Saints fans would’ve wanted it to. But that result had very little to do with VAR or Robinson, who had very little to do in this game. As Wolves’s goal has no controversy around it, and other than that there wasn’t anything else in this game.
So and easy yet good game from Robinson and VAR.
Nottingham Forrest VS Everton (John Brooks)
Yet another result from this gameweek which couldn’t have been much better for us saints lot! And one in which did have a bit for Brooks and VAR to look at decide on. As both of Forests’s goals were perfectly valid with no real controversies around ether of them, but the same can’t necessarily be said around Everton’s.
As Everton got a penalty fairly early in the game for a trip from the Forrest defender, which was one with minimal contact and one that the Everton player was always looking for, but in todays game was always going to be given and VAR was right to not get involved.
But Everton then wanted yet another penalty, but this one wasn’t given, and rightfully so, as the Everton forward is the one that causes the contact by kicking into the Forest defender, which is why VAR and Brooks were right o not award anything (irrelevant of all the excuses Dyche makes). But it wasn’t just the penalty that caused an issue, as once brook turned down the appeals a fair few Everton player came running straight at him all screaming at him, yet he just waved it away and did nothing.
And just before Everton got their second goal, they earnt themselves a free kick, which was for a clear foul, yet the Forest player who committed it wasn’t happy that Brooks didn’t give a foul (which was one in all fairness, but that still doesn’t excuse how he reacted) just beforehand. But yet again, Brooks had a player run at him and give blatant dissent towards Brook, but yet again the ref did nothing about it! But Forest may feel a bit hard done by with that foul being missed, just before the one that Everton scored from being given, but of course VAR can’t intervene for that and it’s just the typical human mistake, and Forest could’ve defended the free kick better anyway.
So overall a decent game from VAR who got all their major decisions correct, and a mixed one from Brooks, who should’ve dealt with the dissent, but didn’t make any major mistakes which made a direct affect on the result as the fee kick was miles away and Forest had all the opportunities to defend it.
Liverpool VS Man U (Andy Madley)
Well, out of all the results you could’ve asked for before we play Man U next weekend, I don’t think there are many better than this one! As I myself was watching this live on the TV and hoped that we could have another 9-0 after Liverpool hit 7 by the 87th minute.
But on the officiating side of things, their decisions certainly didn’t have much of an influence on the result, as all 7 of Liverpools goals were perfectly valid, and rightfully stood, with their being no other major incidents for VAR to get involved in.
But one thing that I saw whilst watching this game, was Fernandez being his usual pathetic self, with all his usual simulation and all that pathetic stuff. But that wasn’t it from him this game, as he also slapped the AR when running past! Yet got absolutely nothing for it as Madley simply bottled it and didn’t do anything about it whatsoever.
As you could tell from the AR’s face, after it happened, that he certainly wasn’t impressed, but nothing was done! Yet this can be so frustrating for many refs like myself, as loads of players and coaches watching will then think "oh so we can do that to the officials when we play then, as he just has and the officials didn’t do anything about it there”.
As really that embarrassment to the game, should’ve been sent off for it, so it would teach him and everyone watching that it’s not allowed and officials won’t stand for it, yet Madley just bottled it. And this wasn’t the only time he did it as there was also a few other things that Man U got away with because of how badly they were loosing, as well as the injury time being soo short, which only saved them from even more embarrassment.
So overall as much as I think Madley got all the games relevant major decisions right and VAR did it’s job well, I wasn’t too impressed with how much he let Man U get away with and how often he bottled it, taking the east over the correct decision. So a good game from VAR but less so from Madley.
Brentford VS Fulham (Anthony Taylor)
Rivalries are always hard ones to officiate, so it only made sense that one of the prems best referees, Taylor, was in the middle for this one, who in my books had a fairly good game as he did still have a fair bit to do, with there being a few key incidents that had the final say on.
As Brentford’s first and third goals along with Fulham’s second, were all perfectly valid, with no real controversies around them or anything major for VAR to intervened with.
But Fulham’s first goal did come from a free kick, which was a blatant a foul, but was very close to the edge of the box, and VAR correctly stood by Taylor’s o field decisions of it being outside the box, which was the correct call. But just after this incident Brentford were on a quick counter attack which was brought to a quick holt through a clear foul by a Fulham defender who’d already been cautioned during this game, but Taylor decided to not give a second yellow to.
But in my view Fulham we’re lucky to get away with that, as if he hadn’t already been cautioned then a yellow would’ve almost certainly been produced, and after seeing the replays, should’ve been, but obviously VAR couldn’t intervene for this seeing how it wasn’t a straight red card offence.
Brentford then did also get a penalty for their second goal, which was for a late kick from a Fulham defender and a clear penalty which was rightfully awarded by Taylor and backed by VAR.
So yet another perfect game from VAR, and a fairly decent game for Taylor who managed it well, but in my view should’ve given a second yellow to the Fulham defender, but thankfully it didn’t make any major impacts on the result. But still overall a decent display off of the officials.
Weekly conclusion + LOTG quiz
Interesting how we’ve now had back to back weekends of no major VAR or officiating mistakes in the prem, yet nobodies highlighting that?…
As you don’t see anything on the media talking about how good it’s all been and how little controversy or major mistakes it’s had over the last fortnight in the prem, yet I’m sure that when this run ends and there is a major VAR mess up, we’ll see that it’s all the media will go on about acting like it’s happening all the time!
But still, really good to see how good VAR and the officiating has been yet again this gameweek. As in my opinion, it’s yet again gotten all its major decisions right this gameweek and continues last weekends good standard of officiating. Although I do think that more needs to be done over the blatant dissent occurring too often in the league, with too many players getting away with both the physical and verbal dissent far too often, as it sets far to poor of an example for the grassroots and lower league game.
But still for the typical footballing fans, yet another really good week off of VAR and the officials.
But now it’s time for this gameweeks questions, which like usual, I’ll post the answers to just before the next post is done…
Although if anyone’s got any "out there” questions to ask, could always use some of them for future quiz questions.
Q1= You give a dropped ball to Team A and inform them to pass it back to the Team B keeper (due to play being halted previously for an injury). That team A player takes two touches and then passes the ball to the Team B keeper. The Team B keeper goes to kick the ball but falls over, completely missing the ball, which then rolls into the back on the Team B net. What do you give now?
Q2= Team A score a goal, but don’t see the AR put up their flag for an offside offence. But before Team A see the AR’s decision, go to celebrate with the goalscorer taking his short half off, so that it is covering the head, but not fully off. But just before he can take it fully off, a teammate grabs his shirt and pulls it back down and points to the AR. So what do you give now, if anything?
Q3= Team A are on the attack, with their player in the Team B box. The Team A player is just about to shoot, but just before he hits it, the Team B goalie shouts "RAHH” to try and distract the Team A striker, who misses his shot from inside the box. What do you give now?