What’s the point? And what is a point? Two questions. Both of which can’t be answered. All we’ll talk about is VAR and it’s inconsistency. How it’s introduction is causing more controversy. This was a game that should have ended nil nil. We should have earned a point. How much will that point hurt us? How much will the additional 2 points benefit Newcastle?
This was a gritty, physical game. Have-that, on another day, with another referee could have got a straight-red. It was not worthy of one but still. Jump in like that and you take your chances. But then Bruno runs past Jorginho and elbows him intentionally in the head. Clear as day light. The ref has no ability to see this but VAR can easily review this and bring it to Atwell’s attention. This is what VAR is supposed to be there for, right? Bruno, who acted liked a complete twat the entire game. He was more Anthony than Odegaard today. Bruno was petulant and violent. A performance Anthony would be proud of. And this elbow was so clearly intentional and unnecessary but clear as daylight. And yet VAR chose not to do anything?
It’s not the technology it’s the people using it. Maybe we need AI in VAR. Because we need something to correct for the unaccountable mistakes that continue to be made. Referees at at least an excuse that they have to make split second decisions while running up and down a field with the crowd screaming at them – along with the players and managers. The VAR assistants are sat in a nice snug office somewhere in middle England. They have the technology, the time and the resources to make the correct decisions. Yet time and again they fail.
As the quality, speed and standard of football continues to evolve and improve the standard of refereeing continues to go in the opposite direction. Of course, the same technology provides more scrutiny of their decisions. So when will this change? What will it take for a complete review and analysis of the standard of our refs? And how do we improve the decisions we all have to suffer under. Because, as we stand, it’s underming the credibility of the games, the results and detracting from the enjoyment of the game. And, it’s not accountable. You know it’s not accountable because it just continues merrily along the same path with the same people offering the same platitudes. In any other business the shareholders or owners would have changed their business model or gone out of business. But here the FA allow the PGMOL to continue to drive the car full of players and fans right off the cliff.
And that was just the Bruno elbow. As for the goal itself. That’s a hattrick of decisions that went against us. I don’t see how the first one is even under debate. The ball was out. End of story. We saw this excact same thing impact Manchester United at home. The ball was out and the goal was cancelled out. So how was this not disallowed. I don’t care what anyone says, we could see it clearly with our own eyes.
Then Gabriel was clearly pushed in the back by JoeLinton. Every goal is checked right? We could all see the hands on his back pushing Gabriel. Was Gabriel already going down? Who knows. Who cares. He was pushed. And then Gordon was clearly in an offside position ahead of Raya. How can they claim any of these decisions were not clear? To everyone watching they were clear. Were they just scared of making the right call? You can’t blame Atwell. But you have to blame the VAR officials.
Of course, this all obscures the fact that Raya completely flapped on the cross. He should have punched or palmed that away. How does he miss this? Though his distribution was better today that’s yet another mistake. And this one cost us two points. But there’s no way Aaron is going to replace him. Not unless Raya has both arms and legs amputated. And even then, he’d be pushed out there with a wheelchair.
I’ll try to look beyond the incompetence of VAR (amd Raya) and focus on the other elements of this game.
We matched them physically and were clearly not outplayed. It was an even match generally with neither side actually testing either keeper. Our defense was rock solid. Having Tomi at left back helped nullify their little Peruvian. Gabriel was physically up to the task (aside from when getting pushed in the back) and Saliba was even more impressive than normal. And White was as reliable as ever.
In front of him Rice was outstanding. He was the best player on the park. There are times when I wonder whether Rice will realize he’s the best player on this team. Same as when he was at West Ham. Though we are clearly better than them, at some point he’s got to wonder whether he should be on Real Madrid. This boy is remarkable. His ability to recover, his ability to truly run box-to-box, is superior to anything we’ve had since the glory days of the real Vieira. Both Rice and Saliba are of a different class. We will need to achieve great heights to retain both of them. That’s not a worry for now but for a couple of years from now.
Without Odegaard we lacked creativity. Jorginho was able to provide cover for the defense and link the back-line, Rice made some lung-busting runs but there was no-one to unlock Saka. Martinelli worked hard and most of our threat came down our left but there were very few chances. As such Eddie, who worked hard closing them down and generally put in a very decent shift, saw no really opportunities today. Saka was as uninvolved as I can remember.
Unlike prior appearances at St. James Park, this team turned up. They fought for the right to play, possessed the ball for long periods but just lacked that slice of luck. We won numerous corners and stood-toe-to-toe with them. As the game worn on I figured we’d wear them down and nick a goal. Instead VAR decided to award them one.
Then we started to rotate the team and bring on more of a threat. Except that included my friend Vieira who would not threaten a defenseless mouse. He’s not exactly the player we need when we’re chasing a game. Zinny helped provide additional momentum and Have-that moved more centrally but we still could not – aside from one Rice header – really threaten their goal.
This is a game that will live in infamy because of VAR. But we also have to look at ourselves. Without key players such as Odegaard and with Saka off his usual standards we really only had Martinelli to cause havoc. Trossard was unable to have an impact – though he has in the past. And Nelson remained on the bench.
As we know this is a long season. One loss – as distasteful as it was – won’t determine the outcome. Of course, it removes the margin for future errors. There is a lot right about this team. But it’s still a few pieces short of being able to win the league. This match though will help fuel the sense of injustice. When we go to Anfield and City we need to bottle this feeling and take it with us.
In the meantime, all we need to know about this game is VAR 1 Arsenal 0.
-LB7