VAR

LUCKY Scott Parker.
The Fulham boss missed this clash and had to watch it from his sofa at home where he was self-isolating after a member of his family tested positive for Covid-19.

Che Adams was unable to break the deadlock at a chilly Craven CottageCredit: AFP

Theo Walcott had a late winner chalked off by VARCredit: AFP

And while nobody wishes to be flippant about a global pandemic, you cannot help but feel he dodged a pretty bad fate here.
Sitting in the warm, eating the last of the turkey would have been certainly preferable to sitting in the freezing cold at Craven Cottage watching this.
The most wonderful time of the year it definitely was not as this clash epitomised Christmas for many.
A lot of endeavour, expense, excitement and expectation ultimately resulted in nothing and left you wondering whether it was worth all the fuss in the first place.

Fortunately for both clubs, this instantly forgettable clash did not come with a receipt or else those of us forced to witness it would have been exchanging it for a different one as soon as the shops reopen.
Craven Cottage is widely regarded as one of English football’s quaintest venues.
Though, rest assured, it was not so charming on Boxing Day as a biting wind and sleet swept in off the Thames through the gaps in the ground where the new £80million Riverside Stand is under construction.
The new development is due to be ready by the start of next season – although given the conditions here, you cannot help but feel its rooftop plunge pool is a tad optimistic.

Adams failed to finish off a huge chance in the first-halfCredit: Sky Sports

The striker was then offside for the ruled-out winnerCredit: Sky Sports
The magnificent new stand is not the only thing beginning to take shape at the Cottage.
Parker’s squad, having picked up just one point from their opening six matches, appear to have turned a corner – with their only defeat in their previous six matches coming at Manchester City.
This was the Cottagers’ fourth successive draw, while the Saints equalled a club record of seven consecutive top-flight away trips without a defeat.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men have claimed 30 Premier League away points in 2020, a tally bettered only by Manchester United.
The last time Fulham secured a Premier League victory on Boxing Day was a 2-1 win at Norwich in 2013 when Parker netted the clincher.
They wasted their best chance here in the 25th minute when Ademola Lookman decided not to shoot after Ruben Loftus-Cheek had whipped in a brilliant cross from the right, and instead pulled the ball back to Andre-Frank Zambo-Anguissa, who completely missed his kick.
Saints missed an even better opportunity seconds later when James Ward-Prowse’s stunning 25-yard free kick was kept out by a combination of Fulham keeper Alphonse Areola and woodwork, leaving Che Adams with the easiest of tasks to tap the bouncing loose ball into an empty net.
But the striker froze like a Bernard Matthews turkey and could only watch in horror as the ball – and a certain goal – spun away from him.

Fulham coach Matt Wells led from the touchline in Scott Parker’s absenceCredit: Getty – Pool

The draw maintained both teams’ strong unbeaten runsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The second-half was not much better either, with Ivan Cavaleiro heading Antonee Robinson’s cross over the bar in the 56th minute.
Areola then tipped Shane Long’s rising snap-shot over the bar.
This game was so poor, not even VAR could save it as Ryan Bertrand’s cross for the visitors was adjudged NOT to have hit Fulham full-back Orla Aina’s arm in the penalty area.
Long and Theo Walcott each had strikes ruled out for offside by video ref Jonathan Moss…
VAR humbug!

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FOOTBALL’S leading law-maker claims VAR has made football better – because players are no longer misbehaving.
Former leading referee David Elleray is now the technical director of the International FA Board.

Former Prem ref David Elleray insists VAR has made football better as players are no longer misbehavingCredit: Rex Features

Elleray drafted the recent Law changes including stricter handball regulations.
And while Elleray recognises the frustration of fans over stoppages while the technology cranks into gear, he is convinced that fewer rank bad calls, less diving and a reduction in harrassing officials are directly related to the advent of technology.
Elleray said: “As a result of VAR there are now fewer games decided by clear and obvious errors by the match officials.
“And there are fewer players getting away with violence on the field behind the referee’s back or indeed getting away with potential injury-threatening tackles which the referee hasn’t been able to judge correctly.

“It’s also clear that VAR has had an impact on the flow of the game. 
“Inevitably, if you are going to stop the game to look at a replay, that involves stopping the flow of the game.
“I think some of the other benefits are less well publicised.
“But there is evidence that there is a significant reduction in simulation in the penalty area.”

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He continued: “There’s also a general reduction in players mobbing and arguing with referees because they know very well that any contentious decision relating to a penalty or a goal is going to be checked or reviewed by the VAR.  So behaviour is better.”
One unintended consequence of the latest tweak to the Laws has been a proliferation of penalty offences where VAR is used.
Already this season, at the one-third mark of the Prem, there have been 54 penalties awarded, as opposed to 92 in the whole of last season.
Elleray added: “Whether there are more penalties because of VAR – I think that’s an interesting debate. 
“Somebody might need to do an analysis and say ‘how many of them were ‘stone-bonker’, if you like, penalties which were missed by the match officials – because we know the match officials can’t see everything.
“We haven’t analysed that data as such but it’s clear that football is fairer.

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THE Premier League have released a statement clarifying the offside debate surrounding Son Heung-min’s goal against Liverpool.
South Korean star Son’s controversial first-half equaliser looked to have earned Spurs a draw at Anfield following Mohamed Salah’s opener.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp claimed Son Heung-min was offside

Roberto Firmino ultimately powered home a 90th minute header to see the Reds leapfrog their visitors at the top of the table with a 2-1 win.
But much of the post-match analysis still focused on Son – who had appeared from the naked eye to be offside in the buildup to his goal.
Yet a VAR check determined the 28-year-old was marginally level before he received the ball and finished clinically past Liverpool stopper Alisson.
Many fans questioned why in this particular instance the 3D crosshair lines were not used as they have been for most tight calls this season.

And the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) have now released a statement to explain why that was the case.
It read: “In the 33rd minute of Liverpool vs. Spurs, Son Heung-min scored for Spurs, the goal was checked for a possible offside by VAR.
“The calibrated line was drawn from Liverpool defender Rhys Williams’ furthest point forward, his left foot, which showed that Son was behind him when the ball was played.
“As both player’s feet were the furthest point forward and planted on the ground, the 3D crosshair lines were not required.”

Despite the referees ruling the goal would stand, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp still insisted that Son was offside.
He said: “For me, it is offside [the Spurs goal], they watch it 20 times, but when I saw it, it is offside.
“There is nobody to blame, the best way to defend Tottenham is to keep the ball all the time.”

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CHELSEA legend Peter Cech wants a SECOND goal line to give keepers a chance after VAR ordered another spot-kick retake for encroachment.
West Ham stopper Lukasz Fabianski saved Leeds midfielder Mateusz Klich’s first penalty on Friday night only to be adjudged to have moved off his line before the ball was struck.

West Ham’s Lukasz Fabianski was ruled to have moved off his line too soon by VAR

Fabianski saved Mateusz Klich’s first penalty but couldn’t stop the secondCredit: Getty – Pool

Chelsea legend Petr Cech had his say on what should be done to give keepers a fair chanceCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The decision looked extremely marginal and Polish ace Klich took full advantage of his second chance to dispatch the ball past his countryman.
Retired former Blues No1 Cech – who was a shock inclusion as an emergency stand-in in Frank Lampard’s Premier League squad – had his say on the debate and offered his own solution.
Alongside a photo of Fabianski’s feet over the line on Instagram, Cech wrote: “How is any goalkeeper supposed to cover an area of 7m 32cm by 2m 44cm without any foot movement while a player shoots from 12 yards with an average speed of 70 mph, which takes the ball 0.35 seconds to cross the goal line is beyond my understanding…
“It’s easy to criticise without giving any solutions so here it is.

“CAN THE REFEREE JUST MAKE A SECOND LINE 4 FEET FROM THE GOAL LINE USING THE SPRAY AND THE PENALTY HAS TO BE SAVED IN BETWEEN? 🤷🏽‍♂️”
Klich’s effort put Leeds ahead after Patrick Bamford was fouled by Fabianski but VAR’s controversial intervention had no impact on the final result.
The Hammers fought back from going a goal down after six minutes to win 2-1 at Elland Road.
However, boss David Moyes was not completely satisfied and urged for a clarification of the rules.

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He said: “You might as well let the referees talk about it. We played really well tonight but until we get the rules sorted out I don’t think I’m gonna be too happy, but it doesn’t matter what I say.
“Maybe there will be more influential managers that can make a difference with what they say.
“It is probably better for you to discuss it because we are not discussing the football anymore, you’re discussing VAR decision all the time so you are better asking me about the football so that I can answer those the best I can.”
Fans on social media were similarly raging at the call – with many even pointing out that Bamford was clearly inside the box before the ball was struck for the second penalty.
One said: “Fabianski gets punished for being 1mm off his line. But Bamford is allowed meters in the box for the 2nd pen VAR OUT!
Another added: “If Fabianski is punished for coming off his line by an inch why isn’t this encroachment into the box pulled back? There’s no consistency. Destroying the game.”
A third fumed: “Fabianski has his heel on the line retake, Bamford on the pen spot when the retake is taken not even checked, no one can tell me VAR/ the muppets using it our doing there job.”
Chelsea’s technical exec Cech has released a Christmas single in aid of chairty in which he stars on the drums and Wycome boss Gareth Ainsworth lends his vocals.
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