Head of referees Howard Webb has brushed aside concerns surrounding Callum Wilson’s disallowed goal for West Ham against Arsenal.
As pretty much the entire football world now knows, the Hammers had a late equaliser ruled out following a supposed foul by Pablo on David Raya.
The decision has received widespread criticism, particularly because Arsenal themselves have benefited from very similar situations at set-pieces throughout the season.
New Footage Raises More Questions
To make matters worse, new footage appears to show Leandro Trossard forcing Pablo into goalkeeper Raya before the West Ham striker eventually places an arm across him.
Remarkably, Webb completely ignored the earlier foul on Pablo during his assessment of referee Chris Kavanagh’s performance.
And perhaps most frustratingly of all, Kavanagh himself never appeared to review footage showing the initial rugby-style challenge which forced Pablo into the position he was eventually penalised for occupying.
Pablo was judged to have fouled Raya
Webb Gives “Categorical” Verdict
Speaking to Michael Owen, Webb said:
“Is it a foul on the goalkeeper? Categorically, yes.
“We’ve said all season, including in pre-season briefings with the players, that if a goalkeeper is impeded by an opponent grabbing or holding their arms and therefore they can’t do their job, they’ll be penalised.
“We’re not just talking about contact with goalkeepers, we’re talking about a specific type of contact when the goalkeeper’s arms or hands are being interfered with, stopping them doing their job.
“So when you see the best angle on this, you’ll see that that’s what happens from Pablo, and on the video, it’s clear and it’s obvious, and it happens early.
“And even though it’s not clear and obvious to the referee because he’s got a huge sort of group of players in the penalty area and it’s difficult to see, when the VAR sees this, of course they have to get involved.
“But what we also hear the VAR doing is going through everything else, because the team wants to make sure that this is the only clear and obvious offence that needs intervening upon.”
The Biggest Problem Was Ignored
And therein lies the problem.
Because it appears the most obvious foul in the entire sequence wasn’t properly considered at all.
Only once Trossard had already begun releasing Pablo did the footage seem to start being analysed.
Which leaves many West Ham supporters wondering how VAR can claim to review “everything else” while seemingly ignoring the very action that created the incident in the first place.
The laws of the game are clear, no interpretation what so ever is needed. It’s what suits the premier league best. Here’s how the referee and VAR should have reviewed the so called incident: Considering that VAR intervened, the referee was obliged to review all relevant actions inside the penalty area leading up to the incident. Based on IFAB Law 12, there were at least three offences that should have been penalised before the attacker’s arm was judged to have fouled the goalkeeper.
First, the defender positioned with his back to the ball was clearly interfering with the attacker’s movement. The referee did not consider this at all, despite the fact that the Laws explicitly address such situations.
Under IFAB Law 12, the following interpretations apply:
1. Impeding the Progress of an Opponent (Without Contact)
If a defender moves into the attacker’s path to obstruct, block, or force a change of direction — and the ball is not within playing distance — this constitutes impeding the progress of an opponent without contact.
Sanction: An indirect free kick to the attacking team.
Key point: A player has a right to their position, but moving into the way while ignoring the ball is an offence.
2. Impeding With Contact (Holding, Blocking, Pushing)
If the defender makes physical contact while not attempting to play the ball, the offence becomes more serious.
Sanction: A direct free kick or penalty if it occurs inside the penalty area.
Disciplinary:
• Careless → no card
• Reckless or deliberate → yellow card for unsporting behaviour
—
Given these definitions, the defender’s actions meet the criteria for at least one — and arguably multiple — offences. These should have been reviewed by VAR and penalised accordingly before assessing any potential foul by the attacker.
Seems they are protecting the keeper which has always been the case in football, for obvious and sensible reasons, but it has never meant ignoring all other preceding fouls.
I do not see what other approach would work apart from clamping down and blowing for the 1st clear foul including grappling until teams and managers stop trying to get away with it. Hopefully, somebody with more imagination than me can think of a cleverer solution. Could also consider having in one linesman coming in within 6-12 yards of the box (at the back post) to help out a ref. and make it harder for players to get away with it.
Do think they should consider managers who condone this and at least point out their role in it, because they are standing on the sidelines impassively, as their players go through their orchestrated manoeuvres and fouls but then leaping up and down when one of their players rolls 5m when VAR can show he was never touched.
It does come down to attitude as well and you cannot legislate for this and some won’t change attitude, so maybe just have to ‘clamp down’ & stop the game all the time at corners, till they see no advantage in cheating this way. It’s a real pain in the butt how they are spoiling ‘the beautiful game’ (Pele).
It seems that PGMOL now recognises “the most significant foul” as the one to punish. And according to the transcript of the VAR exchanges the on field referee was happy with everything except the foul on Raya. This tells us firstly that VAR enables officials to pick and choose what to penalise, so they will always be accused of big club bias. Secondly they have accepted goalmouth wrestling matches as part of the game that will go unpunished, except when it’s expedient to pick on the ‘most significant foul’. PGMOL seem unworried about criticism of the generally poor standard of refereeing and of the absurdity of VAR. They are part of the Premier League gravy train and are doing what is expected of them. The Premier League is a big money making racket, with various snouts in the trough who have a vested interest in the biggest clubs winninng everything, prioritising broadcasters and commercial interests over match attending supporters, and exrcising expedient judgment where the rules are concerned. Arguably supporters of clubs outside the so called Big 6 might be better off out of it.
If its a clear and obvious mistake, why did it take 4 minutes and 17 views to “correct it”
The fouls like that by the field players on each other at corners haven’t been given all season (of course they should but cant start just for this game), fooling yourself if you think they would. Just watch any corner including when West Ham are defending and people are pulling/grappling each other without even looking at the ball all the time.
So Pablo ‘accidentally’ held raya’s arm just to steady himself and I assume rayas shirt must have also been pulled just so they didnt fall down too…. come on..
This ‘controversy’ is all confected and just an excuse for being rubbish for so much of the season. Hope you stay up as you are a much better team than league position indicates but if you dont it’s nothing to do with this clearly correct decision.
They have tainted the PL brand and the likely Arsenal winning of the league. Now there will be far more review of the dodgy big team friendly decisions that have gone all of the way back to ‘Fergie time’. Unfortunately we’re the fall guys. As much as they say they are interpreting the rules of the games if Rice wrestles someone while in an England shirt in the World Cup what would be the likely outcome? At least a penalty and maybe even a red card? I listened to a pod cast yesterday where a pundit was suggesting that Arsenal’s tactics of turning the penalty box into a wrestling match were clever and innovative. Really? Arteta ought to be up on charges of bringing the game into disrepute.
Webb can never be trusted to have an independent view when it comes to West Ham. Remember Andy Carroll was sent off by referee Webb against Swansea City for appearing to swing an arm at Swansea’s defender Chico Flores. “Appearing” was enough for a straight red 3 game ban in another relegation battle. It didn’t suit him or all the other ex ref pundits to look at Trossard not facing where the corner was being delivered from just bear hugging and pushing Pablo into Raya. That was the first foul.
Different subject ; congratulations to Pablo Fornals and Adrian, Real Betis will finish at least fifth in La Liga, which I think means Champions League. 2-1 victory tonight Fornals scored one and made the other. I wish he was still at West Ham
Look our Soucek is bundled over before the ball arrives at there keeper CLEAR PENALTY
‘New footage’? I managed to spot this on Match of the Day without being told about it first.
You make an extremely valid point here, Gonzo.
Webby reinforces his position as someone who definitively knows about these things and he is correct with his view of the instant of the foul on the goalkeeper. However you are even more correct to point out how Pablo came to be in that position.
Which came first? The dangerous manhandling of Pablo into the goalkeeper or the resulting foul by Pablo for trying to remain on his feet without damaging himself or others.
I’m with you on this. As are we all.
Exactly right Taffy mate
PGMOL created the problem by never dealing with the WWF rugby grappling at corners to set up a crucial failure like this.
Howard Webb like most people goes for the obvious easy decision “foul on the keeper” which virtually no one denies.
But when was the first foul? It seems from the dialogue like the Referee ignored VAR who was suggesting the Trossard foul and he says ‘that’s nothing’ . A bear hug not looking at the ball pushing Pablo into Raya is nothing! But they didn’t show him a clear angle.
Howard Webb is just going with the easy decision rather than really doing the job and seeing the issues.
Additionally Dec rugby tackled Dinos before any of this happened so at the very least it was a penalty to us.