Clubs baffled by mixed messages in VAR reports

PREMIER LEAGUE clubs are baffled at the conflicting refereeing reports landing in their inboxes every week — because they are being told the VAR was right not to intervene even when the referee was wrong. An evaluation known as the Key Match Incidents (KMI) report is sent to all 20 sides after each round of fixtures. Set up by the Premier League, which coowns referees’ body the PGMOL, it lists major moments in every match with the verdict of a fiveperson KMI panel which assesses the referee’s on-field decision. It also determines whether the VAR was right to follow up with an intervention or not. Several of this season’s KMI reports have been seen by Mail Sport, with incidents including penalties, red cards and disallowed goals. Yet mixed messages in the verdicts have left some clubs confused by what constitutes a ‘clear and obvious’ error. One example was from Arsenal’s late 2-1 victory at home to Brentford earlier this month. In the 62nd minute, Leandro Trossard claimed he was dragged down by Mads Roerslev while trying to get on the end of a cross by Martin Odegaard.

Referee Rob Jones failed to award a penalty, which was deemed ‘incorrect’ by the panel. However, those same panelists decided it was ‘correct’ that VAR Paul Tierney did not intervene because it was ‘not a clear and obvious error’. There are further examples of referees being told they were wrong in real time and VARs told they were right not to intervene. This conflict is confusing clubs, with one source telling Mail

Sport: ‘It’s puzzling for us. We’re told, “Yes, the referee was wrong, he should have awarded you that penalty”, but then, “No, the VAR was right not to tell the referee he had made a mistake”. ‘Apparently, this is because of a “high bar” for intervention. But surely, if the referee was wrong, then the VAR should correct him. Period. The Premier League is now pure chaos, totally devoid of consistency. We never know when we will or won’t get a decision for us or against us.’ The largely secretive five-person panel is made up of one Premier League representative, one PGMOL representative, and three from a pool of former players or managers. It was previously revealed that Robert Green, Karen Carney, Jonathan Walters, Steven Reid and Terry Burton were among the former players and managers tasked with assessing refereeing performances for KMI reports. The same source said their club is concerned about the lack of experience among Premier League referees. ‘We don’t mind that new referees are being brought in and we know they will make mistakes,’ the source said. ‘But the VARs should be helping them, not sitting idle at Stockley Park and allowing errors to happen because they’re worried there is not enough evidence for them to intervene. ‘Howard Webb (PGMOL chief) needs to improve this because from our point of view, it’s as bad as it’s been.’