Informal verdict – The Liverpool Supporters’ Association is questioning VAR’s trip to the United Arab Emirates to demand a change following a controversial dispute between Tottenham and PGMOL.
Liverpool supporters’ union “Spirit of Shankly” questioned VAR’s trip to the United Arab Emirates, which took place before the controversial game against Tottenham.
WHAT HAPPENED? The Reds saw Luis Diaz’s goal against Spurs disallowed after Stockley Park players made a baffling ‘check complete’, while Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota were sent off in a dramatic 2-1 defeat in north London.
INSTITUTE
‘Official distorted’ – Liverpool Supporters’ Association questions VAR trip to UAE to demand changes after controversial clash with Tottenham and PGMOL.
Chris Burton
October 1
Liverpool
Premier League
Fan stories
Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool
Tottenham Hotspur
L. Diaz
Liverpool supporters’ union “Spirit of Shankly” questioned VAR’s trip to the United Arab Emirates, which took place before the controversial game against Tottenham.
Article continues below
Diaz’s goal was disallowed in North London
The judges got the big decision wrong
Questions about the current system
WHAT HAPPENED? The Reds saw Luis Diaz’s goal against Spurs disallowed after a confused ‘check complete’ call by Stockley Park players, while Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota were sent off in a dramatic 2-1 defeat in north London.
Simon Hooper VAR Tottenham Liverpool 2023-24
WHAT THEY SAID
PGMOL later apologized – conceding that Diaz’s effort should have stood – but that is of little consolation to Liverpool and their disgruntled fan base. Shankly’s Spirit said in a statement titled “You are unfit to referee”: “A terra polish that has struck football in one form or another since a special time. Referees make mistakes, we all do, but we have VAR to limit them on the football pitch. Deploying technology as a backup to eliminate momentary human error, but such decisions will be made at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.
“Shortly after the full-time PGMOL issued a statement: ‘There was a serious human error,” it said. “A clear and obvious factual error… The PGMOL is conducting a full assessment of the circumstances that led to the error. ‘”VAR officials are a team, why didn’t one of them notice the mistake and cancel the decision? Where is the consistency? Where were the lines – the lines we see “drawn” with every contested goal? Where was the communication? VAR believed the goal was scored in the field, so for them it confirmed “check completed”. But it was the other way around and the referee assumed that his initial decision not to score was correct.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
They added: “VAR and PGMOL are clearly
not fit for purpose. Research is needed, but
about what? It’s not about the individuals,
it’s about the process. And it’s not the first
time an apology has been made this season –
Wolves didn’t get a penalty at Manchester
United – the season isn’t even two months
old. All faith in the process is gone. So where
are we going? VAR practice must be clear,
protocols established – offside, cards, time
loss, pictures and replays standardized so
participants know what to do. A semi-
automatic penalty system, which was used
in the Champions League and the last World
Cup, is required but was vetoed by Premier
League clubs at the start of the season to
eliminate “human error” and override
subjective decisions. Because decisions like
these can have huge consequences.
“The PGMOL should not be able to control
itself, an independent panel must be set up
and yesterday’s vote published to stop
allegations of corrupt officials, which are
otherwise increasing. Both of the VAR
officials involved in Tottenham did the
match in the UAE. Thursday with other
referees from the Premier League Who
these rides approved and paid for? Was his
judgment distorted by post-travel fatigue?
Supporters who have shelled out a lot of
money to watch their team need to accept it,
accept the incompetence and move on. But
it’s not just about Saturday’s events, it’s
about the integrity of the game. We are
promised “appreciation” but this is the
change we need. Fans of all clubs must
unite, reject tribalism because narrow views
will get us nowhere and lobby for this
change. Now.”
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? PGMOL has had to
regularly apologize of late and has admitted
that wrong decisions are made in big,
potentially game-changing moments. The
calls for change are now getting stronger
and it’s not just Liverpool supporters who
are finding it difficult to complain and ask
serious questions about the current
technological processes in Premier League football.
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