‘Game is being ruined’: Joey Barton rants about refs and VAR after Arsenal, Crystal Palace controversy

The former Man City and Newcatstle United midfielder wants change to the Premier League’s VAR system
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Joey Barton believes that the Premier League matches should have more transparency with supporters, when the video assistant referee is making a decision.

Howard Webb, the Chief Refereeing Officer, made contact to Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion, following their matches with Brentford and Crystal Palace on the weekend. The Gunners conceded to Ivan Toney’s goal but Christian Norgaard seemed to be offside, whilst Pervis Estupinan was denied a winning goal, with it appearing that the wrong Palace player was used to check an offside decision.

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Webb said that both incidents were due to human error, and related to the analysis of offside situations, which is continuing to be reviewed by the PGMOL. Arsenal are fighting for the title, whilst Patrick Vieira’s side are chasing European football.

Barton, who played in the English top-flight for Burnley, Manchester City and Newcastle United, wants changes to be made, in what he thinks will improve the game. The current situation is that fans can only know a VAR decision is in check, and later the conclusion of it.

The 40-year-old also believes that former players should be part of the decision process, and there should be a pathway from becoming a player into turning into a match official. He used examples from rugby and cricket, as a path for football to follow.

“I cannot understand why they don’t copy the Rugby Union,” said in a tweet posted on his account on Monday morning. “TMO system and big visual and audio of officials in the stadium. Why have officials off site? Lunacy.

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“Baffles me how you can pay for a ticket, watch a game live and be in the dark about what has happened at the game. It’s people who have never played making decisions. Why not invite ex-top, male players to assist VAR officials?

In a response to another tweet, in which twitter user Brendan Fatchett suggested adopting the approach of cricket, where former players have later become umpires, Barton said: “Makes no sense why football doesn’t use all the experience and expertise available to it like the others sports do Brendan. Lunacy.”

Bristol Rovers were on the receiving end of a controversial decision last Saturday, which proved costly. Ryan Loft was red carded in the 42nd-minute after being adjudged to have collided with Lincoln City goalkeeper Carl Rushworth. The Gas played the remainder of the match with one player light, and it made for an uphill task to get back into the match. Despite making two changes at half-time, including in attack they could not find an equalising goal. There were other examples of decisions that Barton thinks went against them such as an apparent elbow from Lewis Montsma on James Connolly.

In what is now a five-game winless run, which has seen them slip out of the top-half in League One and now down to 14th, they have been at the receiving end of contentious decisions. In their defeat to Accrington Stanley, Harvey Rodgers controlled the ball with his hand, which fell into the path of Tommy Leigh to open the scoring. It was a match that Barton removed himself from the dugout for in the final 10 minutes, to avoid himself from earning a caution or a red card.

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“Don’t get me started on officials,” he said. “If you think it’s poor at the top, you should see it down here in League One. Nothing given for the elbow from Montsma on Connolly. No offside given when 4 opposition clearly offside and heads at goal. Our player sent off for armpit contact.

“Football should be about footballers quality and ability. Not about incompetence from officials. The game is being ruined by none footballing people. Why don’t they include the ex-players who have played? Players who understand the nuances of the game at a competitive level.”

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