I went on record this week saying I sympathised with Liverpool last Saturday.
Diaz was clearly onside. Technology introduced for these exact scenarios failed to reach the correct decision, simply because those in charge didn’t communicate. The explanation remains baffling.
It’s hard to comprehend that sport worth millions could be decided in 2023 by a couple of people failing to do their job properly.
It doesn’t seem complicated. You get paid a lot of money to watch football, and your only task is to draw a line and tell the ref ‘goal or no goal’.
A lot of people would love that to be their career.
Yet when LFC released a statement asking for the audio to be released to ‘find a solution’ I thought surely, they are not going to ask for the fixture to be replayed?
I’m equally uncomfortable with the notion they are collecting evidence to take to court say if the dropped points cost then a top 4 place.
Yet, there are not many other reasons why they want to listen to the recordings.
Especially when their own manager stresses it was human error – and no kind of agenda or conspiracy.
So, we get to his press conference and there is Jürgen Klopp suggesting that there should be a rematch.
In that moment days of sympathy were extinguished.
The support you had for days evaporated.
Those who stood in your corner, vanished.
Because how you respond to adversity paints a picture. Here is one of the biggest clubs in the world not wanting to fix VAR or make it better, they simply have a convenient loophole to get away with a game where they went down to 9 men, just as critical to their defeat than one isolated moment.
The classy thing to do is accept the numerous apologies and get on with life.
However hard it is to understand the incompetence, no matter the struggle to process how something could be so wrong, at some point you have to accept it and put it in the past.
That’s life, a lot of unfair things happen every day that you can’t alter.
Klopp says this incident was unprecedented. Yet he’s worked long enough in football to know that’s not true, every club will have a story how they have been robbed by a decision later admitted as being wrong.
Klopp would have been a manager when officials called the game by their eyes, zero computers to help them. A simpler time.
When linesmen or women couldn’t spot Roy Carroll clearly dropping the ball over the line when in goal for United. Sir Alex didn’t offer a replay.
I don’t remember anyone at FIFA demanding England get another crack at Germany when cameras proved Lampard’s shot at crossed the line.
Even goal line technology, mostly fitted in seamlessly, failed to give Sheffield United a goal against Villa. Chris Wilder was left having to accept that the device simply wasn’t working that day. Villa stayed up based on that.
Arteta had to accept Brentford’s equaliser at the Emirates only counting because they forgot to draw the lines at Stockley Park. That cost us momentum in the title race.
Everyone would be constantly demanding replays and it would be a mess.
We famously once offered to replay an FA Cup tie with Sheffield United but that was different.
Mr Wenger acknowledged the controversy that day was caused by our mistake and wanted to fix it.
Kanu, new to the country, didn’t know the unofficial rule of giving the ball back to the opponents if they kicked call out for an injury.
So, when Parlour essentially was throwing the ball back for the Blades to have possession, no one understood why Kanu chased the ball and crossed for a confused Overmars to tap in.
Spurs players won’t have the embarrassment our Gunners did that day and nor should they.
Spurs did nothing wrong, everything was out of their control.
The Prem has said zero official request has been made to replay the match and nothing in their rules make that a possibility.
Good!
Dan Smith
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No chance Klopp. Suck.It.Up.
Dan Smith has my respect and I ain’t no Gooner
Well said young man I agree with you entirely and i’m a Spurs season ticket holder since the 80’s.
As a Spurs fan I have tried to remain objective on the issue and everything said here is what I believe. Just because it’s a new kind of mistake doesn’t mean it’s actually any different to the mistakes that you mention. I also agree that the reaction from Klopp makes him look a fool and does completely eradicate any sympathy as you say. Great piece.
This error was stranger than fiction 😄 But it is what it is and they just have to accept and move on.
Honestly I have been left dumbfounded by some VAR decisions whereby they can overrule some decisions and at other times they can’t.
Well said. I am a long standing Spurs season ticket holder and you have echoed my feelings completely. It always seems to be “Poor old Liverpool”.
Great article. Klopp is a buffoon. They are always the victims in their eyes. Get over it and move on.
From a Spurs fan…. I believe this to be a Fantastic summary of what in essence, is an unfortunate mistake. great to see from a rival fanbase acting grown up and thinking logically, the floodgates would be opened and we will be playing replys until the cows come home. Once again, Great article
This error was something really strange and evident. They let it pass so quickly there was something happening behind. If this had happened to Arsenal we works be asking for the same. Brentford case is completely different. Now we live with tech and mentioning things that happened many years ago makes no sense
How is this going to affect the officials in future games at anfield? Liverpool will get the advantage of all 50/50 decissions. This is their clear motive i would suggest!
For him to feel so sour towards the incidence goes to show his intentions regarding the league tittle, he’s not willing to leave any stone unturned, any worry you have as to who will be our rival for the tittle it’s as we all know city first then LIVERPOOL second not spuds or united. A concern i raised in Dan’s previous article ridiculously sympathizing with them. oh dear! if only you knew what you’re in for.
I do not see this request, if made official, as unreasonable. To my mind not allowing for any form of restitution is what is autocratic if not oppressive.
What is wrong with simply giving them the goal that is now unanimously accepted they scored. I can’t fathom why people like to complicate things.
The goal they did score was subject to a free kick that was suspect to say the least. Can’t change time and go back. Suck it up admit defeat however unpalatable that is and move on. Typical scousers always the victim. Seen them get many dodgy decisions through out history and no replays then. Time to move on.
I suppose in the unlikely event of Spurs (being the beneficiaries of this error) offering to replay the game, and it was accepted by The Premier League, it would set a really dangerous precedent.
I don’t think so Ajax, even though Wenger offered to replay the Sheffield game (which was obviously accepted) it hasn’t set a precedent as similar incidents since then have not been offered to be replayed. It might morally jog a manager to offer it, but I seriously doubt it.
The very big difference between the two situations is that Wenger’s offer of a replay was because the error was our fault, and none like that have occured since, while Liverpool are attempting to get a VAR cock up (something that seems to be recurring regularly) replayed.,
Completely agree Dan, the decision of the ref or VAR is final. Back in the real world, when VAR didn’t exist, so many decisions were found to be incorrect on MOTD, it didn’t result in anyone calling for the game to be replayed or the result overturned, just discussion as to how to improve reffing. Unfortunately, that in itself possibly contributed to VAR being introduced, now the discussion should be about improving it not replaying games because of it.
I did not finish reading the post, because it demonstrate how Arsenal loves to fail, which is not the case with Liverpool. Do not Judge them and sound cocky because they do not like to fail and I wish Arsenal has that mentality.
lol. Alright then keep dwelling on the past all for the sake of not willing to demonstrate the love to fail.
I am an Arsenal fan
One title in three decades isn’t failing ?
Thank you for being factually correct and honest – from a Spurs fan.
Those of us who have watched the game for more than 50years will know how bad we feel when mistkes are made but we live with it! It only seems to makes news when Liverpool are involved, otherwise for the rest of us it would be ignored.
I am sure there are many games we could ask to be replayed due to mistakes – Champions League Final springs to mind!
Lots of predictable hot air. And a lack of a realistic BOTTOM LINE, which is that this game is NOT going to be replayed, as as ALL know.
So let now wrap up this non subject and write about something else. So many prefer hot air, though as a realist, I prefer the bottom line.
Yet you comment ?
Do you arbitrarily disallow posts you dont like then?
Is that what you see as your role on JA?
IF so, then why?
The article and majority of the comments are strange to me. The writer and commenters are the ones always complaining about VAR and when someone is actually doing something about it he is told to accept apology and move on? On top of being called all sorts of things.
Can I ask what is he doing about it ?
Who said I don’t like the comment ?
Made me laugh
Who is doing what about “it”?
No, the game should not be replayed, so what SHOULD happen?
To date, the normal letter of apology and the need to learn by the mistakes made – the VAR officials involved taken off games this weekend – the official transcript recording made public…. and life goes on.
I’m sure we’ve all listened to the absolute mayhem when listening to the recording and this is supposed to show “officials” who knows what they are doing (£850 a game for the privilege) appraising a straightforward incident of offside or not!!
How on earth can what be described as a rabble of incoherent voices (they had to put the text in) be described as professionals going about their well paid business requirements, in a way that will embolden fans in the future that they know what they are doing?
VAR, if used properly, by which I mean by trained, vigilant, organised and professional people who have played the game, has to be an asset to the game.
Why is it that the way VAR is being used in the PL causes so much controversy?
The system is corrupt, because we haven’t trained the people who use it, to perform to the standards VAR was set out to be used for.
If this was to happen to us against city this weekend, would we shrug our shoulders, say we’ve had the rub of the green in previous var rulings and tell MA to stop moaning?
I doubt it very much!!
We need a DEDICATED VAR TEAM, trained to perfection when using it, who work as a team every week and not influenced by the PGMOL in any way whatsoever – with a strict rule as to what VAR can be used for and their findings to be binding when making a decision.
Same thing that happened when Brentford equaliser counted because they forgot to draw lines
Exactly – so where was the lesson learnt and didn’t we bleat about it as well?
The only difference being that MA used common sense by not asking for a replay, while Klopp has.
Yeah so you agree the game can’t be replayed ?
I’ve already said that Dan, read my post!!
That’s coo then lol
Alternatively, Ken as I said froim its very start we could and SHOULD ABANDON the whole completely wrong headed introduction of VAR, from the endof THIS seaspon and go back to refs making the final decision.
Secondly, to make THAT work, in these days of fans , even you(sigh) routinely calling refs cheats, introduce such PROPER deterrents for ref backchatting and non acceptance of refs final decisions that players and managers/coaches would NEED to abide by that final a decision and simply get on with the game. No VAR delays, no more confusion. Simply, as it used to be long ago, accepting the refs decision as final.
I said that strongly from the start, even writing two articles about it but was shouted down by the overwhelming majority of fans who had not the foresight to see- as I did- the massive disaster it was always going to be.
I said then and repeat now, that we OUGHT to have waited til ALL VAR could be done by artificial intelligence- which simply means superior to human intelligence and then, and ONLY THEN, have brought it in. But stupidly, we did not.
Foresight is not given to the many, only the few.
Sigh!
See my comments below 😇Jon
As divisive and controversial VAR is it does get most of the close decisions right. To go back to referee and line judges making all the decisions just won’t work anymore. Line technology is here to stay and TV networks will still use it to check all the close decisions which in turn will infuriate fans if the decisions don’t go their way. I would like to see VAR improved not removed. It has certainly reduced diving in the box, one of my pet hates.
Agree.
The VAR need to improve their processes and use clear and unambiguous communication.
It would be illogical and irresponsible to get rid of VAR at this point
It is also disappointing to hear Klopp suggesting a replay would be appropriate in the circumstances.
I think Arsenal got screwed the most by the referees for the past 20 years. Not to mention the media. And we remained the only team that offered a replay to the opponent because of our own mistake. This is our club and its unique culture.
Impressed by this measured and thoughtful piece by Dan Smith. I don’t like VAR and it was very poor communication and a clear error by the match officials. I get why Liverpool is unhappy. Totally understandable and so would I be. But .. Spurs did nothing wrong. Ordering a replay would set a dangerous precedent and potentially create future chaos as teams demand replays whenever they get a bad call. All teams have been on the wrong end of bad calls, but the ongoing negative vitriol and frankly assault on the senses has been excessive and reflects poorly on a famous and respected team.
The people making decisions need to be held to account. Clubs should sue for lost revenue and it should come out of the FA or officials pockets.
Football is corrupt through negligence and inept officials. Maybe it is more corrupt than is realised. Last season when the VAR ‘forgot’ to draw the lines against Brentford is a case in point. The job description is to draw lines….so it cannot be ‘forgotten’. I suspect football, like boxing, is at the mercy of financial kick backs and result manipulation. Too much money and prestige is involved for that not to be the case. Even the World Cup was bought by bribery by Qatar. Even Juve and Barca were found guilty of bribing officials. It happens here for sure.
Not according to Dan and others within JA Sean.
They believe that our officials, while being useless, inept or even pathetic, are not individually corrupt OR by their useless, inept or even being pathetic have not corrupted the game “IT COULDN’T HAPPEN OVER HERE” they cry… even after Mike (I’m a celebrity) admitted to doing just that, in order to help his fellow friend and professional referee out during a match!!!
What’s the saying? You can lead a donkey…..
Mike (I’m a celebrity) Dean that is, who is now Sky’s official VAR pundit 😂😂😂😂It couldn’t happen anywhere else, it really couldn’t 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Exactly. The guy Dean was a gambler and a cheat. Where there are big bucks there is big corruption….crime.