The goal scored by West Ham at Arsenal (0-2) on Thursday evening caused a lot of talk, because no one can say if the ball had come out on Jarrod Bowen’s delivery.
Clearly, this Premier League season is rich in controversies regarding VAR, with matches concerning title candidates. After Tottenham-Liverpool or Newcastle-Arsenal, it was during the meeting between Arsenal and West Ham on Thursday evening that the visitors scored a contentious goal.
Tomas Soucek opened the scoring in the 13th minute, following a delivery from Jarrod Bowen. And looking at the images, it is difficult to know whether or not the ball was out on the English striker’s assist. In the images from the camera placed along the goal line, we cannot see the ball enough to judge. And we must remember the principle of VAR: if the video does not allow us to have absolute certainty about an action, then it is the referee’s initial decision which is upheld. In the event, the goal was awarded. So the VAR, despite a very big doubt, did not rule out Michael Oliver.
This is ridiculous, how is that the only possible angle they could get in the VAR room for this situation? pic.twitter.com/vH1nyJNql9
— Has the Referee or VAR made a poor decision? (@PoorEPLreferees) December 28, 2023
Arsenal should still have won
Unsurprisingly, Mikel Arteta was quite annoyed by this situation after the match.“I didn’t see the action, the only thing they (the referees) said was that the image was inconclusive, confided the Spanish coach at a press conference. It’s just a shame that the technology we have isn’t so clear that we can tell if the ball is out. It’s done, it’s over and there’s nothing we can do about it now. »
