Howard Webb conspiracy theory debunked
PGMOL insist Webb had no contact with VAR and match officials during William Saliba's sending off
On Saturday, April 17, 1971, the race for the 1970-1971 Division One title reached boiling point during Leeds United vs West Bromwich Albion.
Referee Ray Tinkler allowed West Brom’s Tony Brown to set up Jeff Astle, for a still controversial goal at Elland Road.
Tinkler refused an offside call from his linesman, despite the Baggies’ Colin Suggett clearly standing in an offside position.
When commentating on the BBC’s Match of the Day, broadcaster Barry Davies actually condoned Leeds fans being furious with the referee’s decision, harrumphing: “'Leeds will go mad. They have every right to,”
Bedlam broke out, as Leeds fans nearly rioted, but the goal stood, Leeds were beaten, and ultimately lost the title by a single point to a great Arsenal side.
My point is that there have always been officiating controversies in English football.
But we have to believe that they were simply errors, not anything darker, or more sinister.
A visibly furious Gabriel has words with referee Robert Jones, after the official upgraded William Saliba’s yellow card to a straight red, following VAR’s instruction to check the video monitor at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday evening. CREDIT:
………..
Hello,
I’m not sure how much joy I can muster this Sunday morning.
Not after such a frustrating defeat at Bournemouth on Saturday.
First things first.
Do I think PGMOL is corrupt? No. No, I don’t.
Do I think PGMOL is biased against Arsenal. No, I really have to say that I hope not.
Do I think there is an agenda against Arsenal. No. I really don’t think so.
While certain decisions that have gone against the Gunners this term have been very strange, and incredibly inconsistent, I genuinely hope there is no agenda against Mikel Arteta’s side.
Do I think there is a conspiracy against Arsenal. No.
I genuinely hope not. Even if, again, some of the decisions made against the team have been awful, I hope that’s exactly what it is, simply awful, inconsistent officiating.
Because if I said ‘yes’ to any of the above, we might as well all pack up and give up on our national game, because if sport isn’t authentic, and clean, and honest, it’s worth absolutely nothing.
What has clouded matters recently is the fact that billionaire moneybags Manchester City have 115 charges of financial malpractice hanging over them. And have had for some time now.
Sadly, until they have been heard - a verdict reached on every single one of them - with justice not only done, but seen to be done, conspiracy theories are going to abound regarding anything and everything.
What I, and everyone in my trade, has to do, as journalists, is to debunk them.
PGMOL chief referring officer Howard Webb pictured at the Vitality during William Saliba’s sending off.
Which is why I had a private conversation on Saturday with a source at the PGMOL in the aftermath of William Saliba’s sending off at the Vitality on Saturday evening.
With social media - including myself - immediately starting to question why Howard Webb was seen on his phone moments before VAR instructed referee Robert Jones to head to the pitch side monitor, following Saliba’s tangling with Evanilson, that saw Jones initially hand a yellow card to the Arsenal defender, it was important to clarify a fast-changing situation.
A fluid state of affairs which saw the official change his mind once he’d viewed the footage of Saliba tangling with Evanilson, and correctly upgrade the yellow to a straight red card for Arsenal’s French centre-back.
Cue anger and frustration from many, furious that apparently Webb had been involved in the process to change referee Jones’ mind.
However, as my PGMOL source confirmed to me, Webb was simply listening to communications from the match officials, the on-field team, and when the VAR team engaged with them, insisting that the audio between VAR and on-field officials is the same that all broadcasters can listen to.
The source also confirmed Webb had absolutely no input, or option to talk to any of the officials, as per standard protocol with all management and coaches at matches.
So, there was conspiracy as to what Webb was doing - as he had no impact on discussions between the match referee and VAR.
But until those 115 charges are finally heard, we are going to have far more questioning of referees decisions, with darker insinuations abounding.
And more’s the pity.
Bournemouth 2–0 Arsenal: Report by Layth Yousif at the Vitality Stadium
My Bournemouth 2-0 Arsenal match report from the press box at the Vitality Stadium, for the Morning Star newspaper.
………
Conspiracy theories wide of the mark as Bournemouth beat underwhelming Arsenal
Bournemouth 2–0 Arsenal: Report by Layth Yousif at the Vitality Stadium
Conspiracies and controversy raged on the south coast, but as the dust settled on a damaging defeat for Mikel Arteta’s Premier League title chasing team, kudos and credit had to go to Bournemouth, and it must be said, VAR.
Two second half goals, from Ryan Christie, and a Justin Kluivert penalty, were enough to inflict the first defeat of Arsenal’s campaign on a contentious afternoon at the Vitality Stadium.
Wrangling, arguments and strife ignited on Saturday evening after William Saliba was sent off in the first half, making it three red cards in eight games for Arsenal this term.
In a pivotal moment on the half hour, the Gunners French centre-back was initially fortunate to only be handed a yellow when tussling with Cherries No9 Evanilson - prior to VAR instructing referee Robert Jones to check the monitor, with the official changing his mind and correctly expelling the French centre-back, after tangling with the former Porto striker.
While the decision was correct – as was the judgement that the Cherries’ 25-year-old Brazil-born attacker was onside after Leandro Trossard’s poor ball back into his own half - many Arsenal supporters, as well as perplexed neutrals, questioned the process that led to the decision, with Howard Webb shown in the stands on his phone moments before VAR instructed Jones to head to the touchline monitor.
The travelling support certainly let the world know their dissatisfaction with PGMOL, and Webb – who is the body’s chief refereeing officer - aiming a series of angry chants at the beleaguered body.
However, seeking clarity during discussions on Saturday with a well-placed PGMOL source, it was confirmed to this correspondent that Webb was simply listening to communications from the match officials, the on-field team, and when the VAR team engaged with them, insisting that the audio between VAR and on-field officials is the same that all broadcasters can listen to. The source also confirmed Webb had absolutely no input, or option to talk to any of the officials, as per standard protocol with all management and coaches at matches.
Speaking after the match, Arteta wisely chose not to ramp up the fury, reflecting on the defeat by saying: “A very sad evening, very disappointed with the result, it was a really tough context again.
“It’s hard enough to play here 11 against 11, we made life very difficult for ourselves again, playing for 60-70 minutes with 10 men but I cannot fault the effort of the players, how much they wanted, how much they tried.”
Earlier, the Gunners boss selected Raheem Sterling to start on the wing, while Arteta also reinstated Ben White to right-back, with Mikel Merino making his first start, as the visitors also aired their purple and mauve third kit for the first time this season.
After Saliba’s expulsion, the 28-year-old Merino fired narrowly wide on 34 minutes, as Arteta reshuffled his pack, by withdrawing the unfortunate Sterling, in favour of Jakub Kiwior in a bid to shore up the depleted backline.
As the game opened up, Antoine Semenyo tested David Raya with a fierce drive, as the visitors reeled in the aftermath of Saliba’s sending off. Moments later, the Spanish keeper spilt Semenyo's cross, before the ball was eventually cleared, after Raya blocked Marcus Tavernier’s follow-up.
At the half time whistle, a visibly furious Gabriel berated the officials, with many in the away end incandescent at the decision to upgrade Saliba’s yellow to a red.
Yet, while Webb’s optics looked terrible in front of the 11,235 in attendance, not to mention the millions watching on around the world, conspiracy theories were wide of the mark
What had far more veracity, was the fact Andoni Iraola’s side were intent on erasing memories of Arsenal’s 4-0 rout at the same stadium last term, with Arteta’s former Basque schoolfriend, determined to capitalise on the extra man, that saw Semenyo fire over sixty seconds after the restart.
In a keenly-contested match, where fine margins were to make the difference, substitute Gabi Martinelli saw his shot blocked by Kepa, after the former Chelsea keeper lost possession in the box with 22 minutes remaining.
The miss was to prove costly. Two minutes later, Christie steered his left-footed shot past Raya to put the Cherries 1-0 up with 20 minutes remaining, following a superb set-piece move involving substitute Kluivert astutely flicking on Lewis Cook's low ball into the penalty area.
As the Cherries dominated, Semenyo fired over with a powerful drive after Thomas Partey lost possession.
Moments later referee Jones awarded a penalty after Raya brought down an onrushing Evanilson, after Kiwior lost possession.
Up stepped Kluivert to coolly send Raya the wrong way with his spot-kick to double the home side's lead on 79 minutes and seal victory for Iraola’s side.
Speaking after the match, Iraola said: “Evanilson made the difference,” adding: “I think it was a red card.”
With a challenging set of fixtures hurtling towards Arteta, including hosting Liverpool, before tough trips to Newcastle and Chelsea, sandwiched by a Champions League visit to play Inter Milan in the mighty San Siro, Arsenal simply cannot afford any further underwhelming displays.
As for Iraola’s impressive Cherries, who moved up to tenth spot, one ahead of Manchester United no less, Aston Villa and Manchester City await.
The Premier League juggernaut is relentless, as is the drama and excitement.
Just don’t question its honesty - even if, in light of the still unresolved 115 charges hanging over Manchester City, many fans remain steadfastly dubious regarding credibility issues, and will remain so until the verdict is finally handed down.
It’s not the red, or Webb eavesdropping that’s the cause of controversy here - it’s that VAR intervened at all. The attacker was 40 yards from goal with loads still to do & White was in a position to influence. Most sensible fans would suck up a red as the on-field decision despite the subjective nature of it. If anything what yesterday confirms is the so called “high bar for VAR” is a convenient excuse for PGMOL when the VAR could intervene on debatable decisions but chooses not to. The truth is VAR interventions themselves are highly subjective & will vary considerably based on who’s in the chair at Stockley Park.
I don't believe in a conspiracy, but look at Webb on that video and tell me with 100% certainty he is not texting, via whatsapp or other means, someone in that control room. It's how he's rushing like his life depends on it, we've all done it ourselves, messaging a family member, friend, etc, it's his facial expression and body movement that gives it away. He types and listens, it looks like a "did they get that" moment, type, listen, concerned face. You've said Webb didn't talk to them, talk = with his mouth, so that's a truth, but did he message them? different question.
Let's play devils advocate and say he was messaging the VAR control room, why is it so important? why this game? Because the refs have dug themselves a massive hole with how they have been managing Arsenal games, too many borderline and controversial decisions and now all eyes are on them and Arsenal. You can imagine the discussion behind the scenes "guys, we need to be careful here, especially with Arsenal games" they started the season tough on us and that's just going to continue, because this is where the smoke is coming from, the one they created, it's impossible not to say there is a feeling of "let's be consistent against Arsenal at least". I also feel like Arteta is not liked, by refs and pundits, he's been too emotional in the past, got in peoples faces on the touchline and it's rubbed people up the wrong way.
Something isn't quiet right in my eyes, look at all the similar events in other games and how the refs have managed it. Let's take the foul on Jota yesterday as an example. It use to be "if you are the last man you are off", in that regard Saliba should go, I was convinced even before the yellow he was off, but why did Tosin not go? the covering playing was not between goal and foul, he's a couple of meters in the Liverpool half, if he can catch him, why not White coming in from the wing?
All in all, the consistency is shocking, from refs on the field and var, and I don't think they are up to it. It's easy to see why the ideas of conspiracy, dodgy backhanders and refs/var being from the north and making decisions based on biases. I'm a fan of VAR in theory, but in practise the number of inconsistent decisions is shockingly bad. I'd love to be in whatapps groups, one to one chats, these guys have, I guarantee we'd be shocked by some of things that are happening behind the scenes.