Tottenham Hotspur beat Liverpool 1-0 final night time within the first leg of the semi-final of the League Cup. Nonetheless, there was a second of controversy late within the match when Lucas Bergvall might have been despatched off. Moments later, he went on and scored the one objective of the sport to present Tottenham a objective benefit going into the second leg at Anfield.
Former FIFA referee and Far Put up Header’s Honourary Patron Keith Hackett provides me his tackle the incident:
Liverpool have a proper to be livid. Lucas Bergvall ought to have been despatched off. Plus, the Liverpool captain accuses officers of constructing ‘apparent’ mistake in failing to ship off Tottenham Hotspur goalscorer.
As soon as once more, we’re speaking concerning the high quality and inconsistencies of refereeing on the high stage of the English recreation, on an evening when the Skilled Recreation Match Officers board was purported to be taking a step in direction of higher communication with followers.
Having issued a slightly harsh yellow card to Tottenham Hotspur teenager Lucas Bergvall in Wednesday night time’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg, a transparent reckless problem shortly afterwards totally deserved a second yellow. The truth that Tottenham nonetheless had eleven gamers on the pitch was arduous sufficient for Liverpool to swallow, however add the truth that the participant who ought to have been despatched off was the one who scored.
It was a transparent reckless problem and one which the referee, Stuart Attwell, had a transparent view of. If he required assist, you need to ask the place was the raised flag from the assistant referee, who was near the incident? To make issues worse for Liverpool, Attwell’s determination to wave benefit and never give a foul meant that the participant who was on the receiving finish of Bergvall’s deal with, Konstantinos Tsimikas, needed to depart the pitch.Guidelines state a participant who requires medical remedy not attributable to a foul should depart the sector of play and watch for the referee to wave them again on. Tsimikas did simply that, however was not waved again onto the sector as Tottenham attacked, and Dominic Solanke’s run that led to the objective help got here within the space of the pitch the place you’d count on Tsimikas to be defending. That may be a doubly bitter capsule to swallow, and Liverpool have each proper to be aggrieved.
That was not the one speaking level from North London on Wednesday night time. Earlier within the match, we had heard for the primary time in English soccer a referee asserting a VAR determination over the stadium’s public handle system. Attwell communicated an offside determination ruling out a objective by Solanke, and whereas there was not loads totally different for tv viewers, this was a small step in direction of bettering the system for these watching in particular person.
Within the requirement to maintain followers higher knowledgeable contained in the stadium, PGMOL has been making ready for bulletins to be made after VAR selections are reached, with the Carabao Cup semi-finals designated as a primary trial within the home recreation. Frankly, for us watching at residence, we see the method and the end result. However what I imagine ought to occur is for the large display screen for use within the stadium and the dialog between the referee and VAR to be broadcast reside, so there’s full transparency on what is set, and the way these selections are reached.
By the way, offside selections are taking too lengthy, so I ask when are we going to introduce the semi-automated offside system which is able to assist our officers? It was purported to be launched final 12 months, but nonetheless shouldn’t be able to be deployed.
Keith HackettFormer FIFA Referee Former Boss PGMOL
About Creator
