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.
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.