Football
PGMOL Chief Howard Webb Defends VAR Technology Despite Costly Mistakes
James is a sports writer specialising in football news, betting, and statistics. He also writes about various other sports, including tennis, boxing, and MMA. His work has been featured on multiple online sports platforms, including Sports Lens and Breaking The Lines. James holds a Master's degree in Sport & Exercise Physiology and currently works as a Video Scout for 360 Scouting.
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Howard Webb has defended the use of VAR in the Premier League, claiming that the technology has only made two significant errors so far this season.
The head of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) was this week’s guest on the Stick to Football podcast and swiftly came to the defence of the divisive technology.
Webb’s comments come amid growing criticism from fans and pundits alike, who have pointed to a number of controversial VAR decisions in recent matches.
Howard Webb Addresses Fernandes and Rice Red Cards
One of the most high-profile incidents involving VAR this season was the red card shown to Bruno Fernandes during Manchester United’s defeat to Tottenham.
Despite the initial on-pitch decision being confirmed by the VAR official, the red card was later rescinded by a disciplinary review panel. Webb admitted that this was a clear mistake on the part of the VAR team.
“I was frustrated that we didn’t step in to rectify because it was clearly wrong in my opinion,” Webb said. “We’ve been better at hitting the mark, but that can change, and we’re not going to get complacent.”
Webb also acknowledged that Joao Pedro should have been booked for kicking the ball away during Brighton’s match against Arsenal, a decision that was inconsistent with the red card shown to Declan Rice for a similar offence.
“We missed the mark on that one,” Webb admitted. “We have to be as consistent as we can.”
Howard Webb Still Confident VAR Is A Success
Despite these errors, Webb remains confident in the overall effectiveness of VAR.
He highlighted the fact that the average delay caused by VAR has been reduced from 70 seconds per game last season to just 25 seconds this year.
He also praised the work of the independent panel that reviews VAR decisions each week.
“According to the panel, there have only been two VAR errors this season compared to 10 at the same time last year,” Webb said.
Webb also revealed that the PGMOL is monitoring FIFA’s trial of managers challenging VAR verdicts, suggesting that this could be a potential future development in the Premier League.
While Webb’s defence of VAR may not convince everyone, it is clear that the technology is here to stay.