Andoni Iraola was left seething with the fourth official after being left waiting for his first win as Liverpool boss against Nottingham Forest at Anfield
Andoni Iraola during Liverpool's draw with Nottingham Forest
Andoni Iraola was furious after Liverpool's draw with Nottingham Forest (Image: (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
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A former Premier League referee has waded in on Andoni Iraola's complaints after he was unable to make substitutions before Nottingham Forest were awarded a penalty. With the score locked at 1-1, Iraola wanted to bring on Ryan Gravenberch, Kostas Tsimikas and Rio Ngumoha to refresh his side.
However, despite the ball going out of play on three separate occasions, the trio were forced to wait on the touchline as fourth official Tim Robinson struggled with an electronic board failure. And then to make matters worse, referee Sam Barrott awarded the penalty after Neco Williams raced on to a quickly-taken throw-in from Liam Delap and was brought down by goalkeeper Alisson Becker before the changes could be made.
Former Premier League referee Graham Scott addressed Iraola’s complaints as he wrote on X: “The subs boards are not fit for purpose. Each number has to be entered manually, and they only count up one at a time. Entering number 38 on its own could take several seconds and there are six numbers to plug in here (cont).
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“Also, the sponsors’ advertising makes them heavy and unwieldy, which is why the 4th has them on the ground. In UEFA comps the clubs have to enter the numbers themselves, which means they can get the subs done quicker. The PL only did this during Covid.
“The 4th official would have had to check and double check the names and numbers of all six players involved in the substitutions against the official team sheet in case the club has made an error, which happens frequently enough to make such checks necessary.”
When a supporter suggested that it should not take the three minutes Iraola alleged it took for a change to be made, Scott replied: “It shouldn’t take three minutes, agreed. But we have no evidence that it did, only Iraola’s word for it.
"I’ve stood next to him many times and say there’s just a chance he’s exaggerating for effect and to deflect from his goalkeeper’s rash challenge. I could be wrong, obvs (sic).”
Speaking after the game, Iraola fumed: “I don’t have an explanation. I wanted to make those subs about three minutes before.
“I think there were three or four times the ball has gone out and I still don’t know the reason why we haven’t made the subs.
“He was definitely having some problems with the board or something. It (play) definitely would have stopped because I wanted to sub, but it didn’t happen.
Andoni Iraola
Andoni Iraola was angry after Liverpool's draw with Nottingham Forest
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“There was a quick throw-in because we were waiting for the sub. I asked for the subs and I complained the previous time the ball went out and even the supporters were shouting.
"Everyone was aware of the situation, but I don’t know the reason why they haven’t done it. For the penalty, I leave you to decide if it was a penalty or not.”
Victor Munoz secured Liverpool’s point with an equaliser eight minutes from time on his debut after the Reds had replied to Dan Ndoye’s first-half opener with a 60th-minute equaliser from Alexander Isak.
“I think it has been clear, the first half has been poor from our side," Iraola said on the game. "We haven’t been good enough, we haven’t controlled the game.
“We improved a lot in the second half. We were much more intense, much quicker on the ball, had more sense of urgency, much better, but it hasn’t been good enough to win the game and we have to blame the first half. I am frustrated because we want to win, especially at home.”