Arjun Menon
Nottingham Forest’s Frustration
Sean Dyche expressed his frustration after Manchester United scored from a corner that should not have been awarded. This marks the second consecutive week Nottingham Forest conceded an opening goal from a questionable corner call. The VAR cannot review corners, leaving Dyche exasperated.
Casemiro‘s goal came after Nicolo Savona claimed the ball stayed in play, but the assistant referee flagged for a corner. A similar incident occurred last week when Bournemouth‘s Marcus Tavernier scored directly from a corner that should have been a goal kick.
“Two in two weeks is farcical,” Dyche remarked. “There has to be someone who overrides this decision, because it’s gone and they’ve put it straight in the goal.”
VAR’s Current Limitations
During Dyche’s tenure at Everton, he acknowledged that VAR “can’t be refereeing every moment.” However, the recent incidents have reignited the debate about VAR‘s scope.
The International Football Association Board (Ifab) discussed expanding VAR‘s remit to include corners. The Italian FA proposed this change, arguing that corner decisions are typically factual rather than subjective. However, the proposal was rejected due to concerns about additional delays and the fundamental rule that referees cannot change restart decisions once play has resumed.
Potential Changes and Controversies
The Ifab panels recommended reviewing second yellow cards, a less frequent event. However, even this suggestion has sparked controversy. Mark Bullingham, chief executive of the Football Association, opposed expanding VAR‘s powers, stating, “We don’t think there’s any need to extend the use of VAR.”
Alan Shearer, a Match of the Day pundit, sympathized with Dyche but agreed that VAR should not review corners. “I agree with Sean and understand his frustration and his anger,” Shearer said. “I wouldn’t like to get VAR involved as it is stopping and starting as it is.”
Broader Implications
Critics argue that not reviewing fundamental errors contradicts VAR‘s purpose. However, expanding VAR‘s scope could lead to further delays and potential reviews of every free-kick and throw-in.
Even if VAR reviewed corners, there’s no guarantee Casemiro‘s goal would have been disallowed. The camera angle might not have provided definitive proof of an error, as seen in Arsenal‘s case against Newcastle two years ago.
Other VAR Controversies
Bournemouth‘s defense has been stretched thin this season, with key players sold over the summer. Additionally, Marcos Senesi has escaped two red cards this season, both of which were reviewed by the Premier League‘s Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel. The panel unanimously voted that Senesi should have been sent off for handling the ball against Liverpool and later ruled that he should have been red-carded for bringing down Crystal Palace‘s Ismaila Sarr.
In another incident, West Ham United and Newcastle United fans had to wait over three minutes for a penalty to be overturned. This is the second time in recent weeks that Newcastle has benefited from a VAR review, following a similar incident against Arsenal.
Despite the delays, West Ham managed to score a goal during the added time, highlighting the complexities of VAR decisions.