VAR… And why you should never slap a sign

Despite the best efforts of the most incompetent referee I have seen at Ewood in many a year, Blackburn came away from the top of the table clash with Shrewsbury with the much needed 3 points to keep the pressure on the top two in League One. On a weekend when VAR (Video Assistant Referee) has been a big talking point – is it the answer to a long-lasting problem, or does it just take the higher echelons of the game even further away from jumpers for goalposts.

Blackburn where by far the better team on Saturday and deserved to be leading by a goal to nil following another superb free-kick from Chico Mulgrew, when the worst decision I have seen at Ewood in a thirteen years was given. A Shrewsbury through ball to Carlton Morris was chased down in to the area when David Raya came off his line, got a firm two hands to the ball pushing it away for a corner kick, before the player followed through, tumbled over Raya and went to ground. The Blackburn End cheered the goalkeeping efforts – the referee, John Brooks, couldn’t wait to put his whistle to his mouth. Raya was booked in the aftermath arguing his innocence. Despite the referee’s poor view of the incident from behind Morris, he seemingly didn’t consult his linesman who was on the touchline on that side – even though he would have had a clear view of the incident. Without doubt it is the worst decision I have seen since Gerald Ashby sent Henning Berg off and awarded a penalty in a 4-2 home defeat to Manchester United in 1994 – despite Berg clearly getting to the ball first.

Brooks’ incompetence didn’t stop (or start) there – Shrewsbury’s full back Beckles looked like the last  man when he brought Dominic Samuel down to award the free-kick Mulgrew scored from, he was given the benefit of the doubt, and then given it again later in the half when he cynically broke up a Rovers attack – if he hadn’t been booked it would definitely have been a yellow, but he was just given a stern word, again. I’m still unsure what Paul Downing’s goal was disallowed for in the second half, and although it’s easy to say when you’ve won the game, I’m not convinced Rovers penalty in the second half should have been awarded. In comparison, the referee took an age to give that decision – the complete opposite of his actions in the first half. Brooks lost complete control of the game with 50/50s seemingly being awarded on the basis of a coin toss, despite neither side claiming a foul. The result of the growing frustration was me open palm slapping a metal sign mounted on a concrete wall – not the brightest of ideas, but at the time I needed a release from the madness that was the referees performance. Evidence of how far the game had slipped in to mayhem was the Shrewsbury keeper Henderson giving grief to the front rows of the Blackburn End when the second goal went – baring in mind the front rows are usually occupied by children – and then returning items thrown from said crowd when the third goal went in, with at least double the venom and force. The referee left it to the players to sort the mess.

I’m not saying that the Blackburn fans are blameless in the Henderson incident, but it would never have escalated to that level had the referee maintained control of the game.

So where does VAR come in to this? Well, at the minute it is being trialled in the cup competitions, and then it will be brought in for the Premier League – it will take some time before it can be used in the leagues below the Premier League, as seen in the fact that the League Cup Semi Final at Ashton Gate can’t use the technology, and it will almost never be used in non-league and Sunday football. Much alike goal-line technology.

The beauty of football is that it is simple and can be played anywhere by anyone – the concept is the same: an even number of players on either side, two sets of goalposts, a field of play, and a ball. You could play it on the beach of Brazil and you could play it on a car park in Grimsby, the game would be the same. Introducing technology takes the game even further away from that played by school children and by pub-goers on playing fields every night and weekend, another reason children would rather watch football on the TV or play it on a games console. Another reason the top leagues are breaking further and further away from the pyramids below them.

It is an inverted approach which doesn’t make sense. The top league in England is home to the best referees – full time, well paid, athletes in their own right. In theory they should be the ones who least need the assistance of VAR and goal line technology. The technology should help those who need it most, further down the divisions – before, if Darren Ferguson gets his way, shoots the lot of them.

On the face of it Ferguson’s comments are outrageous and indefensible – but I have to agree with him to an extent. The standard of officiating below the Premier League and the Championship is often sub-standard and this is where the stakes are the highest with bad decisions ultimately potentially leading to a club going bust, players not being paid, and normal everyday people losing their jobs. To add insult to injury, what happens when a Premier League referee makes a bad call? They are demoted to the lower divisions, further adding to the poor standard of referees down the leagues.

To put this in perspective, lets take the Blackburn Vs Shrewsbury game on Saturday as an example – if Rovers lost the game they would have been 8 points behind Shrewsbury and potentially at the mercy of the play-offs which ultimately, could have resulted in another year in the third tier. Now, yes, Rovers have been mismanaged and that is why they are in this position, but to not go up could be crippling given that investment has been made to get out of this division – especially if the reason for not going up was due to no fault of the players or club, but down to poor refereeing decisions.

This may sound like a rant against referees but it isn’t, it is a rant against the system for introducing the new technology, and ultimately, a rant at the technology itself. If it has to come in, use to help those who need it most, but if it was down to me I would leave football as it is without the technology. What makes the game so brilliant and what makes fans so fanatical is the decisions, right or wrong, and how they affect the outcome of a game. The last week has even shown that the technology isn’t fallible and its implementation isn’t to the benefit of the fans at the ground, whilst it’s also another reason for managers to moan about the referee anyway (“why didn’t he consult the VAR?”). If we look at the NFL, for example, they have got to a stage where every touchdown is reviewed by a group of people sat hundreds of miles away in New York. In some instances, a player may score a touchdown, celebrate and get ready to kick the extra point, before the decision is overturned and the play re-played. Quite often, a touchdown is scored and even the TV commentators don’t know why replays are being shown and what could possibly be being challenged. All goals are being reviewed in football under VAR, so it is only a matter of time before we get to that stage.

“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”, that’s what I say. Unless we are talking about my hand, which has been in agony since the Shrewsbury game – imagine the shame of having to tell a doctor that the reason I’m sat in his A&E ward is because I slapped a sign? She actually asked if I meant punched – “no, slapped”. The shame. Luckily an X-Ray showed no brakes or fractures, just the loss of my dignity.

Onwards to Fleetwood away and hopefully another three points to keep the pressure on.

Mid-Term Review – Blackburn Rovers

The Christmas period can often define a football teams season – propelling them in to the promotion or title challenge, sinking them towards the dreaded drop zone, or sentencing them to a season of mid-season obscurity. Blackburn Rovers went in to the busy Christmas schedule sat in the League 1 promotion places and handily placed to make a push on the automatic promotion spots on the back of an unbeaten league run stretching back to the 14^th October (10 games) – a positive Christmas could well have seen Rovers enter the New Year in the second automatic place.

What followed over the festive period was a frustrating 1-1 draw away at Northampton which saw Marcus Antonsson miss a penalty late on to win the game; a good, although not comfortable, 2-0 win at home to Rochdale; another frustrating draw, this time 2-2 with Scunthorpe at home in a game which Rovers twice led but conceded soft goals and despite pushing could not get a winner; and then a disappointing 1-1 draw away at Rotherham, again conceding late on. This has left Rovers where they started, in third place, but now some 5 points behind second placed Shrewsbury and 7 points behind league leaders Wigan; perhaps more importantly though, we remain 9 points above Rotherham in 7^th place, with a game in hand, and the unbeaten run stretched to 14 games in the league.

To have not picked up more points during the festive period, especially considering the number of times we led in games, is disappointing – 2 extra points would make the league table better reading, placing us 3 points behind Shrewsbury who are the next visitors to Ewood, and who Rovers have a superior goal difference against – but to be in 3^rd place, in touching distance of the teams above us at just past the half-way stage should be seen as a good thing. You would be hard pushed to find anyone leaving the first home game against Doncaster realistically saying that they would be disappointed with this. Consider this, if we had stuck with Coyle, we would be at the opposite end of the table without doubt. We find ourselves in a good position with games on hand on the teams directly below, and with 21 games to mount a challenge, catch and hopefully surpass the teams above us, well, at least one of them.

With the January transfer window looming and the good form of some of our players – Dack and Mulgrew in particular – there is always a worry that this good unbeaten run could be disturbed by departures, but the initial word from Mowbray is that the aim this season is promotion and we won’t be selling anybody who has the ability to help us achieve this goal, which can only be seen as a positive, combined with the rumours of additional reinforcements coming in with Adam Armstrong, Amari’I Bell, and the much maligned at Ewood Jason Lowe (on a free transfer I can think of worse players to bring in, and his time spent away from Ewood coupled with the performances of those who replaced him should give him a much needed reality check and kick up the backside).

So if Rovers are to push on for automatic promotion, what’s needed? For a start, thankfully Mowbray didn’t take my advice and give up on the Bradley Dack experiment as he has been magnificent since bonfire night!

1 – David Raya Martin – the best passer of a ball we have at the club possibly with the exception of Dack and Mulgrew; has been fantastic between the sticks and has probably got us 6-7 points in the process. Should’ve been in the team ahead of Steele last season well before he was.

13 – Jason Leutwiler – not seen enough of him to pass fair judgement, but thought his indecisiveness from a corner helped Hull get the winner yesterday. That said, he hasn’t had much game time.

2 – Ryan Nyambe – much preferred at right back to Caddis. Has pace and strength and looks like he enjoys getting forward. One of the first names on the team-sheet for me. Also played well at centre-half against Hull which gives us options if needed.

3 – Derrick Williams – I don’t think he’s having a great season this year and it’s frustrating to see him push forward and stop most times rather than taking a man on. I do think he has suffered having to do a lot of Antonsson defensive work for him though which has left him exposed at times.

15 – Elliot Ward – hasn’t played much but has looked vulnerable when he has.

16 – Paul Caddis – steady enough but lacks any real quality to set him apart from a standard run-of-the-mill full-back you might see up at Pleasington on a Sunday morning. He doesn’t really have the pace to get forward or to counter pacey wingers which leaves us exposed at times – much prefer Nyambe in the position.

25 – Paul Downing – perhaps the biggest mystery of the season is why MK Dons let this man go on loan to a club in the same division. He has been a revelation at centre half partnering Mulgrew. No nonsense defender who would be the first piece of business for me in this transfer window signing him up to a permanent deal.

34 – Scott Wharton – I haven’t seen enough of him this season to pass comment but I would have expected to see him get game time in the cup competitions which would suggest Mowbray doesn’t fancy him (yet). Looked assured when he played in the Championship last season and had a good eye for a cross-field ball. On the bench is probably right for him at the minute but I would expect/hope he would see game time ahead of Ward and Nyambe at centre-half if injuries or suspensions dictated a change.

6 – Richie Smallwood – I wasn’t sure about him when we signed him and worried he’d be another Hope Akpan who was there but never really contributed much – luckily I was wrong. Very similar to Jason Lowe in many ways but he isn’t afraid to put a tackle in and gets the crowd going; he’s also not afraid to get forward. One of Mowbray’s best acquisitions and another who’s name is one of the first on the team-sheet.

11 – Peter Whittingham – disappointing. I hoped when he signed he would be somewhat of a play-maker in midfield to orchestrate attacks and chip in with a few goals, but he’s yet to get going (probably the reason he’s dropped down a level). At the beginning of the season I thought we’d signed a player who’s legs had gone but I think he is coming to terms with the fact he isn’t the player he once was and is being asked to play in a slightly different role. A good squad player, but others get in before him.

22 – Ben Gladwin – I can’t believe we actually signed him permanently and can’t send him back.

23 – Bradley Dack – I wasn’t too sure about him and where he fit in the side earlier in the season, and wondered whether trying different formations to fit him in was a wise choice but he has made me eat my words and more. We look a far better team with him on the pitch and he offers us a threat every time we go forward. Rightly deserved his nomination for League 1 Player of the Month in October, and will be key to pushing for the automatic spots. To lose him in the window would be a killer.

29 – Corry Evans – he’s struggled with injuries again this season and has been somewhat disappointing when he has played. I’m still not sure what he is – a combatant midfielder to break attacks up, or a creative midfielder. If we received an offer for him in January I’d probably take it as I imagine he’s one of the bigger earners and we have managed without him so far this season. Doesn’t replicate what he does in a Northern Ireland shirt for Rovers.

31 – Elliot Bennett – doesn’t always provide the quality, but his effort and ambition is 100% every week. He would get a starting place for me every week for that alone. He can chip in with the odd goal (usually a belter) but I’m not one hundred percent sure where his best position is – I don’t think he’s a winger, but I also don’t think he’s a central midfielder, somewhere in-between. A good player at this level who will cause team problems and get amongst it.

32 – Craig Conway – see above. Another like Bennett who always gives one hundred percent. He’s struggled to hold down a place in the side so far but when he has played he has provided much needed width and pace, whilst providing defensive cover for Nyambe. Another good player to have in this division.

28 – Willem Tomlinson – there are a few at Ewood who don’t rate him, but I think it is harsh to pass judgement at this stage. In most instances he has been asked to come of the bench and shore up the midfield, not provide that defence splitting pass, and he has done what has been asked. I saw more from him in the FA Cup game against Hull which he started, to suggest that he is capable of more, and is a good squad player.

35 – Lewis Travis – I’ve only seen him once, off the bench against Hull, but he was man of the match for me. Showed lots of enthusiasm and passion and wasn’t afraid to get stuck in, but also was happy asking for the ball and passed well. On that substitute appearance alone he did more for me than Evans, and definitely warrants a place on the bench, if not the starting eleven.

8 – Harry Chapman – showed much promise earlier in the season as a pacey and tricky winger who has unfortunately been lost to injury for the last couple of months. He was a good weapon to have off the bench late on and if we can see him again during the run in he could play a massive part.

9 – Dominic Samuel – started the season with much promise with a run of goals but these have dried up over recent weeks. He puts the effort in but can go overboard at times which has seen him miss games through suspensions. Decent at this level and a good option to have up front.

10 – Danny Graham – I worried about Graham at the start of the season and whether he would accept being a League 1 player, or sulk around for the season, but he can definitely not be accused of that. He has thrown himself in to the promotion fight and although he doesn’t have the little pace he once had, he is a handful up front and always looks likely to score when through on goal. His experience and passion could be key in the run and hopefully he can teach some of the younger players a thing or two (if Nuttall put himself about like Graham he probably wouldn’t be in League 1).

20 – Marcus Antonsson – he hasn’t really played as a striker this season and has been asked to play out-wide which he doesn’t look one hundred percent comfortable with, especially when concerning defensive duties, but you can’t argue with his goalscoring record (7 goals in 19 starts). He offers us some aerial presence and when you start to question whether he should be in the team he usually pops up with a goal. Another who looks good at this level, but I do worry about how the neglect of his defensive duties may impact us in the long run.

 38 – Joe Nuttall – I was so excited when this lad got his chance in the first team and took it, but since then he has definitely gone off the boil. I don’t know if it’s disappointment at being dropped, or because he isn’t happy coming off the bench, but since that early flurry of goals he hasn’t looked interested. We need options in attack and he could play a pivotal part in taking the weight off Graham and Samuel for goals, but he needs to start showing effort to the fans – could learn a thing or two from Graham.

There is room for improvement and additions in January are always welcome, so long as they don’t disrupt what looks to be a harmonious squad. I think another attacker/striker would give us more options and I think Armstrong from Newcastle would be a good addition at this level. We are somewhat light at full-back and I don’t think Hart has proved he is good enough even as a deputy, so someone who can play at both right and left full-back would be a good addition. A decent winger to cover until Chapman is back would give us options and if we could get someone from the higher divisions on loan until the end of the season that would give us options. Not forgetting, Darragh Lenihan is still to come back and he provides options at centre half and central midfield.

 All in all I’m content with the team and optimistic about the rest of the season. The ultimate goal has to be automatic promotion, but it would be somewhat unthinkable to not even make the play-offs given the run we have been on, and we should have the quality to overcome any of the sides which may come up in the play-offs – but let’s hope it doesn’t come to that!