VAR, the second goal, Jota goal and Starfelt challenge. It’s complicated

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Let’s start with what the other side think.  Motherwell manager, Steven Hammell, complained about Celtic’s second goal.  Matt Penney took a throw-in and hit Sead Haksabanovic, who was returning to the field having run off with Penney.  Hammell wrongly claimed VAR did not look at the incident, when in fact, they scrutinised it before the goal was confirmed.

See below.  The ball is in play the instant any part of it goes above the line.  What you have to consider is, where is the ball when it hits Haksabanovic on the head?

Penney is well behind the line, Haksabanovic’s foot looks to be on the line, a football is 22cm.  The image is inconclusive.  Motherwell may have a case for a good moan, but even though we don’t know for sure what happened on this occasion, VAR was correct, it is only there to change clear mistakes, which this was not.

The challenge on Carl Starfelt by Josh Morris was studs up, caught the Celtic player on the foot (by definition, therefore, out of control) and dangerous.  Carl saw it coming and escaped more serious consequences.

There were mitigating circumstances.  Carl hesitated, inviting Morris into the challenge, so there was no intent.  I suspect that mitigation and the fact that Carl escaped injury led referee Willie Collum to caution the player.  We then revert to VAR’s role as an arbiter of a clear mistake.  On this occasion, they decided that threshold was not breached.  The referee should have awarded a red card first, or waited on guidance from VAR, before issuing a caution.

VAR takes the heat on this one, but it was a ref decision.  You may also like to consider an incident at Ibrox last month, when VAR upgraded a caution issued to a Livingston player, advising the referee a red was in order.  Personally, I’m happy for VAR to adjudicate either way on these decisions but would really prefer the same interpretation applied to teams in green and white, as to teams in blue.

For my money, the Jota goal was onside.  From what we saw on TV, VAR was provided inconclusive evidence.  Is it possible they do not have a camera at both ends of the ground?  Otherwise, why show us inconclusive pictures from 60 yards away?

My understanding is that VAR have access to their own cameras and to TV (the game was on PPV) at both sides of the ground.  I’m a tad suspicious we didn’t see the better freeze-frame.  The assistant flagged an offside and we have no clear evidence either way, so I have no case to argue.

I’m happy we have VAR, it provides scrutiny, which is welcome.  This has already made clear that we need better ‘trained’ referees.  Vilifying them at every turn (I get the irony here) will not help.  We also need better VAR.  Scotland has an entry level product.  England has better, the Champions League has best.  Football must find the money and press on.

My main concern for the technology is how ball-to-arm incidents are judged when we visit Ibrox on 2 January.  The portents on this one are not encouraging.

Matt O’Riley continues to grow as a player.  His ball-winning tackle inside the box before crossing for Kyogo to open the scoring was a measured treat.

 

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  1. VAR will kill football as a spectacle stone dead if it is allowed to continue. It’s a cheats paradise and this lot have cheating in their DNA. 11/4 fro Tavpen to score anytime on Saturday. Get your money on, I’m amazed it didn’t happen last night but the diets were making no attempt to score whatsoever so it wasn’t neccessary.

  2. CELTIC MAC @ 5:15 PM,

     

     

    Still – rather have a pint in the Railway Tavern with some good aul’ bhoys than the twisters by the pool…

     

     

    Hail Hail

  3. GILMAT on 10TH NOVEMBER 2022 5:47 PM

     

    Jota not in the 26 for the WC

     

     

     

    they must have some team. I think he will be gutted, he wanted it.

     

     

    I watched reruns of the goal last night, it is a think of wonderous beauty.

     

     

    Maybe the best goal never given.

     

     

    Up there with Cadete at Ibrox or Andy Ritchie for Morton at Celtic park.

  4. chairbhoy

     

     

    Wonder if we’ll stop off there en route to OZ?

     

    Would make sense to me. And Bobby McGhee

     

     

    Hail hail

  5. var is clearly being used (so far) to benefit rangers and hurt celtic. My overall gripe was with will colum – celtic were getting hacked all over the place last night and the ref didnt blow for fouls (see the honest Matt o’reily constantly looking at him in disgust with arms out pleading). in contrast , the slightest touch on a Motherwell player saw a foul against celtic – see the well goal coming from a non foul imo.

     

     

    sooner or later these decisions and “honest mistakes” will come back to hurt us and kill our momentum and give them the shot in the arm they desperately need.

     

     

    we should speak out NOW before its too late and sour grapes!!

  6. Some posts have asked what the Board are doing about the VAR situation especially re. the number of times it has been used against Celtic. Normally when I wish to know what the Board think or have done, I ask a Board member. I did so after the Dundee United game and I received the following answer on Tuesday.

     

     

    “We have raised our concerns regarding the application of VAR in matches involving Celtic since its introduction in Scotland. We have also raised them with the SPL, to raise with the Scottish FA on behalf of clubs.”

  7. Just saw the huns goal , where the fk did Gordon think the ball was going…..it was no more than a firm pass back to the centre of the goal……..

  8. Celtic F.C. v Ross County F.C.

     

    cinch Premiership

     

    12/11/2022 3:00pm Celtic Park

     

    Referee:David Munro

     

    AR1

     

    Ross Macleod

     

    AR2

     

    David Doig

     

    Fourth Official

     

    Matthew MacDermid

     

    VAR

     

    Euan Anderson

     

    AVAR

     

    David McGeachie

  9. St. Mirren F.C. v Thems.

     

    cinch Premiership

     

    12/11/2022 12:30pm The SMiSA Stadium

     

    Referee:Kevin Clancy

     

    AR1

     

    Frank Connor

     

    AR2

     

    Sean Carr

     

    Fourth Official

     

    Ross Hardie

     

    VAR

     

    Andrew Dallas

     

    AVAR

     

    Gary Hilland

  10. RC ….Defo .

     

     

    Which makes it so important now to concentrate on doing our jobs well , better finishing on chances

     

    created , take more care when in possession of the ball and that should eradicate VARs errors (cheating).

  11. Long time reader, very intermittent poster. Great win last night, if a bit nervy.

     

    Was wondering if anyone knows of any ticket exchanges for Home tickets? I am originally from Greenock and moved to Tennessee many years ago. Back in Greenock for a week and had tried to get 2 tickets for Saturday’s game but they were sold out. Went on a ticket exchange and the prices were circa 100 GBP per ticket and the website did not fill me with confidence that I would get the tickets after paying the monies. If anyone knows of any reputable ticket exchanges I would be very grateful of any info?

  12. Ross County won’t be a slam dunk but i am very confident we have the squad to put them away over 90+ minutes

     

     

    Massive game at this pivotal point in the season

  13. bournesouprecipe on

    Teatime TV football coverage …………… headlining Rainjurz ease pressure on Gio by staying seven points behind leaders Celtic.

     

     

    Did they Aye.CSC

  14. Connaire12 – yeah that was next stop. Going to go into Greenock Celtic Club for a beer tomorrow and ask the question! Thanks for the info.

  15. GREEN NINJA on 10TH NOVEMBER 2022 6:51 PM

     

    Long time reader, very intermittent poster. Great win last night, if a bit nervy.

     

     

     

     

    Was wondering if anyone knows of any ticket exchanges for Home tickets? I am originally from Greenock and moved to Tennessee many years ago. Back in Greenock for a week and had tried to get 2 tickets for Saturday’s game but they were sold out.

     

     

     

    ——————-

     

     

    get down to the greenock celtic club, tell them your predicament, if there are any spares they will pass them on.

     

     

    if no spares, get on the bus and go up to the park, every game this season i have seen people with cards or paper tickets outside,

  16. MARSPAPA on 10TH NOVEMBER 2022 7:05 PM

     

    .

     

    So Motherwell Chief Alan Burrows says there was more angles / cameras for the VAR room to look at …..

     

     

     

    Of course there is Marspapa..

     

    You see the analysis Maeda got in beeb for our second odd how that camera can’t look at Jota…instead of that one they use one from the end of your street .:-)

     

    Good 3 points last night,

     

     

    HH

  17. bigrailroadblues on

    Green Ninja 6.51

     

    And be sure to pop into the Sports bar and meet the bhoys. After the game we can go for a modicum of ale.

  18. This nonsense needs to be dealt with promptly.

     

     

    This has nothing to do with Ange. This is not his issue.

     

     

    The Celtic Hierarchy have to deal with this as it feels like they, that run/officiate the game in Scotland, are totally at it.

     

     

    Ange is the Celtic Football Manager and he is a Genius that scares the Sh!t out of the Establishment that He wants to Build something Special @ Celtic.

  19. Rags reporting Celtic want talks SFA/SPFL re Jota’s goal,Motherwell Chief Exec Alan Burrows said there were more angles available, rather than the one from outer space

  20. I only post these early evening reminders as invariably 2 or 3 of the later voters do say ‘thanks for the reminder, I nearly forgot…’. 2 and a half hours to the result, Ant n Dec permitting ;-)

     

    SENCELPOTY@GMAIL.COM

  21. I think Johnson and goodwin talk too much of a game but won’t deliver

     

     

    I had Aberdeen down as relegation strugglers with Hibs after the first weekend. I look wrong right now but I think the slide is coming

  22. VAR seems a godsend for Celtic’s opponents. Match officials now have abundant time to torture even the most trivial piece of evidence. So far, VAR decisions in Celtic fixtures have changed the game in favour of our opponents. (Yes. There was that time when VAR did benefit Celtic. But that match was already won.)

     

    VAR must give teams playing Celtic a real confidence boost. They may be out-played but there’s always the technology.

  23. Celtic Mac @ 6:12,

     

     

    If thr first stop on a 10,000 mile pub crawl from Glasgow is Motherwell you can count me in, hic:))

     

     

    MARSPAPA @ 7:05 PM,

     

     

    Well, based on the aul’ time space continuum,

     

    and while birling around at the micro-second Kyogo hit the ball, Stephen O’Donnell was freeze framed, directly on the circumference of the centre circle.

     

     

    As he turned he was slightly in front of the advancing Jota.

     

     

    No evidence can prove anything apart from the fact Jota was onside.

     

     

    So, either the technology, despite how many cameras there are, can’t identify when players are this close, whether the attacker is offside or not.

     

     

    Or it can and they are cheating.

     

     

    Either way they are BSing us.

     

     

    Hail Hail

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