VAR deserves all the ridicule after Virgil van Dijk and Tariq Lamptey incidents

The idea of VAR was to take away the controversy of poor officiating, and if it is not doing that, then what is the point of it?
Michy Batshuayi crumples after the slightest of touches from Tariq Lamptey during Brighton's 1-1 draw with Crystal PalaceMichy Batshuayi crumples after the slightest of touches from Tariq Lamptey during Brighton's 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace
Michy Batshuayi crumples after the slightest of touches from Tariq Lamptey during Brighton's 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace

In the latest column from Brighton & Hove Albion podcast Football, the Albion and Me, host Richard Newman analyses the signing of Danny Welbeck and the strange use of VAR.

VAR or no VAR? It’s a question I ask on every episode of our podcast, and the majority of guests so far have no desire for it to stick around. I have always been of the opinion that it is right to have the system in place, but it seems no one has cracked the best way to use it yet.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Albion have already been unlucky with VAR a few times this season. Overturning a penalty decision given for a foul on Aaron Connolly in the defeat to Manchester United seemed harsh, but the awarding of a penalty for a supposed foul by Tariq Lamptey on Michy Batshuayi in the 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on Sunday was met with widespread ridicule.

It almost led to what would have been an unfair defeat for Albion, saved by Alexis Mac Allister’s late equaliser, but much of that was also down to Brighton’s lack of clinical edge in the attacking third – more on that later.

In September, former Seagulls defender Matt Upson told the podcast that if it was up to him, he would remove VAR completely, saying he enjoyed the way refereeing worked before: “eventually mistakes will level out. VAR is not fool proof, it’s still down to human judgement”.

There is hope that the bizarre handball rule, which led to plenty of penalties at the start of the season, has now been rectified.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But if the idea of VAR was to take away the controversy of poor officiating, and it is not doing that, what is the point of it? It is too early to scrap the system completely, but football’s lawmakers IFAB and FIFA need to look at how it is being implemented.

Should it be limited to just serious foul play and offsides? Even the latter is now more controversial than previously, with decisions down to the millimetre and constant tweaking.

As for the former, there is plenty of discussion around whether Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford should have been sent off for what could end up being a season-ending injury for Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk – only to be let off as the Dutch defender was offside.

Issues are now becoming even more amplified than before, and surely it cannot be good for the game.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The question has to be whether VAR is generally more reliable than when we did not have it. It’s hard to argue a solid case for that, without finding easy ways to make a counter argument.

Welbeck just the answer Albion needed

In the end, you have to say it has been a pretty decent summer and autumn of transfers for Brighton. The addition of Danny Welbeck on a free transfer is exactly the sort of striker Graham Potter’s side need.

Plenty will point to the former Manchester United and Arsenal forward’s injury record, but we are already starting to see the benefits of Adam Lallana, who has the same arguments levelled at him and is gradually returning to full match fitness.

Welbeck is a class act – a pacey striker with physicality who likes to get in behind the defence. Calling him an ‘ex-England international’ is not fair yet for a player who is only soon going to reach his 30s.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

If he can keep himself regularly fit, Welbeck will be a perfect alternative to Neal Maupay and Aaron Connolly and Albion fans should count themselves lucky to have him.

Football, the Albion and Me is a podcast which interviews Brighton & Hove Albion favourites from across the decades. All designed to be largely non-time specific, guests, which have included Ashley Barnes, Nathan Jones, Brian Horton, Peter Ward and Terry Connor, discuss key moments from their football career and name a 5-a-side team made up of the best players they’ve played with.

Listen and subscribe via all podcast providers by searching ‘Football, the Albion and Me’, or follow the link.

Follow Football, the Albion and Me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.