Arsenal boss: ‘Corrupt refs need to be stopped with VAR’

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has backed the recent use of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) following it’s trial in the friendly between Italy and Spain.

The technology was used in the international friendly, and was used to overturn two offside decisions which had been wrongly officiated.

After watching the game, the Arsenal boss couldn’t believe that the decision had not been made sooner, describing the failure as ‘stupid’.

Wenger said: “I watched the game against Spain. I moved up after the game and thought, ‘we are really stupid, why didn’t that happen 15 years ago?’.

“The football world is regressive and scared to move forward.

“I said always the first thing is to deal with the offsides. It shows first of all you would go to a complete different conclusion, as France would have won the game.

“It will create more justice and the second coincidence was both in favour of one team.

“Cut out all the interference to corrupt referees, which exists in the world. This video will be a good plan to fight against that.”

There has been a huge number of decisions go the wrong way over the years, many of those affecting the results of those matches heavily, and we finally look like that will end.

Offside decisions are not the only problem that dampens the game however, and it could go a long way to stamping out diving and play-acting which gives our beautiful game a bad name.

What’s the biggest decision you can remember that went against us? Is Wenger right to mention about corruption in football?

7 Comments

  1. Video refs have been
    in rugby for years.
    But rugby is a rich country
    sport and can afford it.
    Football on the other hand is played by all the poor countries
    as wel so for most the cost has been nigh impossible.
    Football has also prided itself on being an almost non stop sport
    and stoppages for reviews might change the flow of the game.
    I have always believed every goal, every penalty
    and every red card should be up for review.
    Also teams would have an additional 1-2 challenges per half.
    Each review could be a drinks break and a tactical message opportunity too.
    and an add break for the sponsors 🙁 Or a slash break for the fan at home 🙂
    Thumbs up from me for the Video Ref 🙂

    1. The thing with red cards, penalties and goals is that contact in football is such a grey area and the main referee needs to be consistent

      1. In rugby for example they
        work within certain guidelines.
        For penalties and red cards
        it would have to be nailed on or not at all.
        The examples in the recent France v Spain
        game shows just how much difference a video ref can make.
        Grey areas woulds have guidelines to ensure consistent rulings.
        Penalties and red cards would have to be nailed on.
        The guide lines will be worked out over time
        with coaches and player input.
        Each ruling would be scientifically trialed and
        reviewed thoroughly before being introduced.

  2. The football world is regressive and scared to move forward … Spoken from deep experience with arsenal football club … Can’t make this guy up if you tried

    1. Trust Wenger to have an opinion on something that doesn’t have to do with eradicating the dry rot at Arsenal FC

  3. “What’s the biggest decision you can remember that went against us?”

    Dunno if it is the biggest but one that annoys me still was RvP getting sent off against Barca for kicking the ball after the whistle had blown…

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