Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal in Liverpool's 3-0 loss against Manchester City on Sunday has been heavily debated online and the chief of the PGMOL Howard Webb has now spoken
Virgil van Dijk
Virgil van Dijk's disallowed goal against Manchester City has been a hot topic of debate
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Subjective seems to be a dangerous word when it comes to refereeing decisions. The Oxford dictionary lists the meaning as being “based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.”
So, it’s all about opinions. And, my word, opinion has been split as to whether Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk’s “goal” should have counted against Manchester City on Sunday. For what it's worth, I have been really torn. While watching the match, my immediate reaction was that will be chalked off because Andy Robertson was stood so close to City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
That was the on-field decision and, because it was not a clear and obvious error, it could not be overturned. And isn’t that what people say each week: VAR should not get involved? They certainly do until, of course, it affects their team. Then they want them to step in.
On balance, I think it was the right call but that is at the heart of that word “subjective.” Not every decision is black and white. Never was and still isn’t.
There has to be a degree of subjectivity. That is also why the PGMO chief Howard Webb show Match Officials Mic’d Up is, despite some misgivings and faults, a very valuable resource and a good idea.
It is worth noting that Webb did have dialogue with Liverpool on Monday morning to explain, have a conversation and be open. Webb does have regular conversations with clubs even to the point that there is a great little anecdote about him calling a director to discuss a decision - and a wrong one at that - even before the club official had got into his car after the game.
There can be no doubt everyone wants refereeing standards to be higher - everyone is striving for 100 per cent perfection - but the notion that doing that show is a bad thing is crazy.
Webb tries to ensure that he talks to the clubs involved in each decision before the show airs - just as he did with Liverpool - so they never find out about it on Mic’D Up.
And surely it is a good thing to have transparency and openness. Personally, I wish they would have a different presenter than Michael Owen because an ex-pro is hardly going to be Jeremy Paxman.
Howard Webb speaks
Howard Webb addressed the debate over Van Dijk's disallowed goal on Mic'd Up
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My reaction was why did he not ask questions about Liverpool’s reaction and the idea they had contacted the PGMOL. That's the journalist in me. But then the idea of Mic’D Up is that it is to explain the decision rather than get into the debate here.
We absolutely have to have consistency and clarity. But can any two decisions be exactly the same? I’m not sure. Even that one at Wolves is different to Van Dijk. It really is.
There is a picture of Andy Robertson running away on Sunday where he appears to say: “Is it me?” He probably knows or at least fears the worst that he did not get out quick enough.
This is a long way from a Luis Diaz decision when Liverpool had every right to be outraged. But this time, it really is subjective.
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