VAR Controversy Heats Up: Unraveling Nottingham Forest's Dramatic Draw Against Brentford
Controversial decisions marred Nottingham Forest's draw with Brentford as handball appeals were denied, a second yellow card was issued, a penalty was not given despite a foul, and VAR incorrectly believed Diaz had scored against Spurs
The 1-1 draw between Nottingham Forest and Brentford on Sunday once again raised concerns about VAR, as it had the previous day during Tottenham's controversial 2-1 victory over Liverpool. PGMOL had to issue an apology to Liverpool after wrongly disallowing Luis Diaz's goal for offside in Saturday's match, and similar VAR incidents occurred at the City Ground 24 hours later.
Nicolas Dominguez equalized Christian Norgaard's goal, securing a point for Forest despite Moussa Niakhate's dismissal due to a second yellow card following a VAR review. However, the outcome left Forest manager Steve Cooper and Brentford's Thomas Frank dissatisfied with VAR's rulings, further magnifying the scrutiny on officials during a tumultuous Premier League weekend.
Brentford's handball penalty appeals rejected
THE INCIDENT: During first-half stoppage time, there was a scenario where Forest's Dominguez and Brentford's Vitaly Janelt went up for a header inside the Forest box. It seemed that Dominguez handled the ball with his arm raised above his head.
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Nicolas Dominguez raises his arm towards the ball
The ball then drops towards Forest centre-back Willy Boly and bounces into his hand after Kristoffer Ajer's attempt to control it.
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The ball then strikes Willy Boly on the hand
The referee Paul Tierney dismisses Brentford's penalty appeals and VAR does not intervene. The first appeal is ignored because the player Dominguez's hand was considered to be too near Janelt for VAR Michael Oliver to grant a penalty.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank stated that while some managers would confidently assert the occurrence of two penalties, he personally acknowledges the potential for both scenarios - penalties given or not given. In contrast, Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper claimed that if certain favorable incidents had transpired, it would be a long-awaited occurrence. However, he admitted to not witnessing the incidents and therefore lacking knowledge on the concept of handball, even if he had seen them.
Regarding the Dominguez incident, pundit Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink expresses his opinion, stating that jumping in such a manner is incorrect. If the ball makes contact with the player's arm, a penalty should be awarded. Although the player attempts to avoid contact by retracting his arm at the last moment, it is inevitable for it to be in close proximity as a result of his incorrect jump. According to Hasselbaink, this type of jump is not natural.
Naturally, players come into close proximity with each other, particularly when heading the ball. It is important to avoid jumping in this manner, as it can lead to trouble if the ball strikes the arm. Such a jump is considered unnatural.
Michael Dawson, a pundit, expressed his opinion on the Dominguez incident stating that if it is evident that Dominguez made contact with the ball using his arm, Forest has managed to escape a potential penalty. According to Dawson, Dominguez did not have his eyes on the ball and his arms were raised above his head. If this is the case, VAR has made an incorrect decision.
Alan Smith, a co-commentator, shared his thoughts on the Boly incident. Smith mentioned that handball situations can be unpredictable and he believes that Willy Boly was unable to avoid contact with his arm. From Smith's perspective, the referee's decision was correct.
Niakhate gets second yellow for Wissa foul
THE INCIDENT: Having already been booked in the first half, Niakhate fouls Yoane Wissa from behind as the Brentford striker runs forward on the break.
THE VAR DECISION: After reviewing the footage, the referee grants the free-kick and proceeds to show Niakhate the second yellow card. The replays clearly display Niakhate's studs making contact with the back of Wissa's calf.
Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper expressed his desire for referees to perform at a high level while acknowledging the challenges they currently face. He emphasized the need for a clear and concise performance from referees, but unfortunately, the match raised additional questions instead. Cooper disagreed with the decision to give a second yellow card, and expressed frustration regarding Moussa's unnecessary lunge that led to the first yellow card.
The second decision requires a combination of common sense and knowledge of the game to make the correct choice. I am confident that if the referee hadn't shown a yellow card, you wouldn't have brought it up. Of course, it was unintentional."
Co-commentator Alan Smith expresses, "Oh dear. He lands directly on the calf. It's a sincere effort to win the ball, but when you are positioned incorrectly like that..."
Wissa felled by Turner but no penalty given
THE INCIDENT: Wissa applies pressure to Matt Turner in the penalty area, successfully dispossessing him before being fouled by the Forest goalkeeper, who fails to clear the ball in time.
THE VAR DECISION: The incident is checked by VAR but they do not deem it a penalty and play continues.
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Turner's late clearance saw him make contact with Wissa
Brentford manager Thomas Frank expressed his frustration with VAR, stating that it was a clear penalty and a mistake on their part. He acknowledged that his team's honesty might have played a role and suggested they should be more tactful. However, he emphasized that he appreciates having honest players on his team.
Pundit Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink agreed with Frank's assessment, highlighting that the goalkeeper misjudged the situation and made contact with the striker. He expressed his confusion as to why the incident was not considered a penalty, stating that it is undoubtedly a penalty and leaves no room for debate.
We pundit Michael Dawson: "Anywhere else on the pitch, that is a free-kick. I would agree that Brentford got the wrong end of the decision."
VAR thought Diaz goal against Spurs had been awarded
Luis Diaz's goal for Liverpool against Tottenham on Saturday was wrongly disallowed for offside due to a mistaken belief by the VAR that the on-field decision was to award the goal.
Immediately after Tottenham's 2-1 victory, the PGMOL accepted responsibility for the error, acknowledging that a significant human mistake had been made. They stated that this was a clear and obvious factual error, emphasizing that VAR intervention should have resulted in the goal being rightfully awarded.
Initially, it was thought that VAR Darren England had neglected to verify if a Tottenham defender had kept Diaz onside by utilizing the on-screen lines. However, surprisingly, it has now come to light that the VAR erroneously assumed that the on-field decision was that a goal had been granted, when in reality, it had not been awarded.
This resulted in England, despite realising that Diaz was onside, relaying a message of 'check complete' and the goal being ruled out.
