KANE GETS THE VARTY STARTED
Sarri unhappy with video ref as Harry’s penalty draws first blood
MAURIZIO SARRI last night questioned whether English refs are able to use VAR properly after the technology teed up a Chelsea flop in their cup blockbuster.
Harry Kane drew first blood as his 26th-minute spot-kick gave Spurs a narrow lead going into the second leg.
The story is generally about Kane whether he scores, is involved in controversy or the main talking point.
It was all three at Wembley after he won a penalty awarded by the video assistant referee then converted his 160th Spurs goal, putting him fourth in the club’s all-time scorers list.
Toby Alderweireld’s ball had sent him racing clear only for the linesman’s flag to go up before he was upended by keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Ref Michael Oliver referred the decision to VAR with the wait for a ruling painful and far too long.
But when it came it was the right one as replays showed Kane was onside and it was a penalty, leaving him to smash into the bottom corner. Not that Sarri saw it that way.
The Blues boss said: “I saw a few minutes ago a video from our camera – it was offside. Our camera was in line with Kane, who was offside.
“But it’s not important. Offside with the head and knee – offside.
“It was really important the linesman stopped the run. He didn’t follow the ball so he had a big influence on our defenders.
“At the moment I think English referees are not able to use the system.
“If you are not sure, with this system, you have to follow the ball and at the end of the action you have to decide. But in this case he stopped.
“He didn’t follow the ball so for our defenders it was offside. I don’t know about the goalkeeper but for sure the defenders – but it’s not important.
They have to study the system because in Italy the first period was also very difficult to understand.
“Of course it’s very strange that in the Premier League there isn’t and in the Carabao Cup there is the system. Strange for us, the players and I think also the referees.”
If only Chelsea had a centre-forward worthy of the name then they would surely have got something.
Alvaro Morata was missing with a slight hamstring injury – a convenient sounding sick note ahead of a possible move to Sevilla – while Olivier Giroud was on the bench, leaving Eden Hazard playing as a false nine.
That left them looking a bit lightweight in attack as N’Golo Kante’s close-range shot hit a post before Callum Hudson-Odoi’s deflected strike was clawed on to the woodwork.
Chelsea were better after the break as Mauricio Pochettino threw his arms up in frustration.
But still Chelsea could not find a way through as Kane moved ahead of Cliff Jones in Spurs’ scoring charts.
He said: “I played to the whistle and nicked it round the keeper – it was a clear penalty. VAR is there for a reason and they got it right.”
That said, his boss isn’t all that enamoured by the system.
Pochettino, in his 250th game in charge, said: “To get the benefit is nice but I am unhappy to win like this.
“I prefer the technology but in a different way. I am pro technology because you cannot stop evolution but we are waiting so long – it is not clear what the rules are.”