Officially Speaking – with Keith Hackett
REVIEW OF GAMES 14TH – 15TH FEBRUARY 2020
Friday 14 February
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Leicester City Result 0 – 0
Referee: Mike Dean
Assistants: Darren Cann, Mark Scholes
Fourth official: Robert Jones
VAR: Michael Oliver
Assistant VAR: Lee Betts
Once again the big talking-point was a Wolves goal ruled out for offside. It’s another example of how the VAR criteria of SERIOUS AND OBVIOUS error is been ignored.
I was heavily involved in the development and introduction of goal-line technology. I am aware of the speeds of the cameras etc and how the accurate decision is reached.
The technology that determines where the offside line is positioned does not produce an accuracy of decision that says a toe is offside.
PGMOL should stop using the line and we should go to the vision and expertise of the Assistant VAR instead.
Saturday 15 February
Southampton vs Burnley Result 1 – 2
Referee: Simon Hooper
Assistants: Simon Beck, Derek Eaton
Fourth official: Kevin Friend
VAR: Michael Oliver
Assistant VAR: Gary Beswick
Burnley took the lead in the 2nd minute of the game, scoring directly from a corner kick. A Southampton defender stepped aside to let the ball past and an error by the Southampton goalkeeper who caught it well behind the goal line.
Southampton equalised through a Danny Ings goal before Burnley took the lead for the second time with a stunning strike from substitute Vidra.
There was a VAR check for a handball late in the game. The decision was correct not to award a penalty kick.
Norwich City vs Liverpool Result 0 – 1
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Assistants: Simon Long, Sian Massey-Ellis
Fourth official: David Coote
VAR: Paul Tierney
Assistant VAR: Simon Bennett
Referee Attwell is growing in confidence and stature, his movement and sprinting speeds are terrific. Many of his decisions were made from close proximity to play and with accuracy.
Both goalkeepers made some very good saves over the course of the match.
One incident that did concern me was when Liverpool defender Van Dijk was hauled to the ground by a defender inside the penalty area. It was amazing that once again we witnessed a referee ignoring this clear offence.
The winner was scored by Sadio Mane and was a terrific strike.
Sunday 16 February
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur Result 2 – 3
Referee: Martin Atkinson
Assistants: Daniel Cook, Stuart Burt
Fourth official: Anthony Taylor
VAR: Jonathan Moss
Assistant VAR: Simon Long
Martin Atkinson demonstrated why he tops this seasons list of Premier league appointments as he delivered a mature performance.
Villa defender Engels brought down Spurs’ Bergwijn and Atkinson pointed to the penalty mark.
Son missed his first attempt which was saved by the goalkeeper and then hit the rebound into the goal.
Engels had a difficult afternoon and made a huge mistake right at the end of the game with the score two each. His error allowed Son to gain possession of the ball and to run and score the winning goal.
Sunday 16 February
Arsenal vs Newcastle United Result 4-0
Referee: Lee Mason
Assistants: Ian Hussin, Harry Lennard
Fourth official: Andy Madley
VAR: Kevin Friend
Assistant VAR: Stephen Child
The first half passed without incident both teams struggling in the final third, In fairness, Lee Mason tried to keep the game flowing, keeping his involvement to a minimum.
Arsenal took the lead in the 54th minute with a powerful header from Aubameyang, the Newcastle defence allowing the cross into the penalty area. Arsenal then went 2-0 up in the 57th minute.
Lee Mason has already been hit with the ball in the game and correctly re-started the game with a dropped ball. He does tend to get in the way of play.
Watching Arsenal, I still find it difficult to understand why they released Arsene Wenger. He always ensured that his teams played open and attractive football. The zip and pinging the ball to each other is a thing of the past.
In the closing stages of the game, Newcastle United managed to strike a post, but it was Arsenal that scored two goals to run out 4-0 winners.
Referee Mason managed to deliver a game without controversy. Well done to him and his team.
SPECIAL REPORT ON CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
West Bromwich Albion vs Nottingham Forest RESULT 2-2
Referee: Keith Stroud
VAR does not operate at Championship level
Jake Livermore was extremely fortunate to avoid a red card for a terrible tackle on Nottingham Forest defender Yuri Ribeiro.
The West Brom man hacked Ribeiro to the ground in the early stages of the Championship clash at The Hawthorns.
After making the poor tackle, Livermore berated Ribeiro as the defender lay in a heap. The play was stopped to allow Forest medical staff to treat the player. Amazingly though, not only did Livermore escape a red, he wasn’t even shown a yellow card by referee Keith Stroud.
Forest will have every right to feel aggrieved in the game with Livermore playing a key part in West Brom’s second goal – the midfielder firing the ball into Tobias Figueiredo, who turned it into his own net.
West Brom was fortunate to have the ball in that move as Livermore (yes him again!) managed to avoid being penalised, despite clearly tripping Sammy Ameobi over.
However, the aggrieved visitors dug in deep to grab a point – Matty Cash fired in a stunning strike in stoppage-time for Forest that saw the game finish 2-2.
Keith Hackett,
Honorary Patron, Far Post Header
Footnote:
The Livermore incident comes amid fears over the standards of refereeing in England, with former Premier League referee Keith Hackett claiming the English top-flight is ‘struggling.’
Hackett told talkSPORT on Friday: “We’ve not replaced the likes of [Howard] Webb, [Mark] Clattenburg, [Mark] Halsey, Paul Durkin and all those referees of the past. I’m not having a go at the FA, Premier League or Football League, it’s the Professional Game Match Officials Board that’s at fault.”
“The three bodies invest £20 million into English referees at the professional level every year. That’s a huge sum out of which we only have two elite referees in Europe and that’s [Michael] Oliver and [Anthony] Taylor.
I think Michael Oliver is a world-class referee and that we’re struggling.”
About Author
