Former Sky Sports pundit, Andy Gray, has branded VAR a ‘nonsense’ following the Blades’ draw with Spurs.
Andy Gray was not happy with VAR in the Spurs and Sheffield United game (Photo by John Phillips/UK Press via Getty Images)
Gray was working for beIN Sports and assessing the decision to disallow David McGoldrick’s goal. The Blades striker saw his finished chalked off thanks to what was, essentially, John Lundstram’s toe.
But Gray, after going through the images and shots of the virtual lines drawn between Eric Dier and Lundstram, described VAR as simply not fit for purpose.
“It’s not fit for purpose. This process is destroying football as we know it. Anyone who thinks this is making the game better doesn’t love football”, Gray said.
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“I’m sorry. I hate to use inflammatory words almost. This is not making football better. It’s not, and it never will”.
Both Sheffield United goals were subject to VAR checks (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
The criticism from Gray comes on the back of VAR being under the spotlight for a number of weeks now.
The technology appears to be causing more divide in the game than solving problems. Ironically, Blades manager Chris Wilder had defended the use of VAR earlier in the week.
“They’ve got to bat through with it now, they have to bat through with it, if you have a stop and a rethink, does it punish teams that things have gone against?”, Wilder said before the Spurs match.
Taking over
It’s becoming almost nonsensical. VAR is dominating everything about football on a weekly basis now.
It was brought in to help the referees and increase accuracy of decisions. When used correctly, it serves its purpose for the betterment of the game.
However, situations like this weekend put the trust in the system back. Just when you think things might start improving, VAR makes a tight decision like this and is once again in the spotlight.
David McGoldrick has his goal ruled out (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)
There’s no question it’s here to stay. But the powers that be have simply got to get a grip on the situation.
It’s not just Sheffield United who are being punished either. In it’s current form, Andy Gray is more or less spot on in what he says.
