Listening back to the audio of [Chris Kavanagh discussing](https://www.claretandhugh.info/why-howard-webbs-explanation-of-the-west-ham-decision-raises-more-questions/) Callum Wilson’s disallowed goal for West Ham against Arsenal with VAR officials has raised far more questions than answers.
PGMOL officials ultimately instructed referee Kavanagh to review the incident on the pitchside monitor after discussions inside the VAR booth.
But the most disturbing part of the entire process is that those reviewing the footage upstairs appeared to have already identified the foul by Leandro Trossard on Pablo — the very challenge which forced the West Ham striker into contact with Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.
That contact, of course, was ultimately the reason Wilson’s equaliser was ruled out.
VAR Officials Clearly Had Concerns
----------------------------------
Listening back to the exchange, it’s obvious at least one person inside the VAR room had significant concerns about several fouls during the sequence — particularly Trossard’s actions towards Pablo.
At one point, the officials said:
“I don’t like Trossard not facing the ball, it is impactful, it’s just everything else that’s going on as well.
“So, let’s say we’re saying that’s a foul, then what we’re saying about Trossard’s actions on the same player, and what we’re saying about [Declan Rice](https://www.claretandhugh.info/declan-rice/).”
Which, frankly, is absolutely correct.
Trossard wasn’t facing the ball.
In reality, he grabs Pablo and physically marches him towards Raya.
Kavanagh Never Saw The Key Angle
--------------------------------
And yet when the responsibility shifted back to Kavanagh for the final on-field decision, the footage shown to him was never rewound far enough to properly view what can only really be described as a rugby tackle on Pablo.
That is the truly baffling part of this whole affair.
Because the VAR officials themselves had already highlighted the foul during their discussion.
Howard Webb Footage Also Incomplete
-----------------------------------
Most disturbingly of all, even when referees’ chief Howard Webb reviewed the incident publicly days later, he still wasn’t looking at the clearest or most complete angle of the sequence.
Even television coverage appeared to begin too late.
So we’re left in this bizarre situation where officials in the VAR booth openly acknowledged concerns over both the contact on David Raya and the foul on Pablo — but somehow only one side of the incident was ultimately considered in the final decision-making process.
And given that the suspected foul on Pablo had already been flagged internally by VAR themselves… you really do have to wonder why.