Sky Sports pundit Jay Bothroyd has hit out at the Premier League after Tomas Soucek scored a controversial goal to help West Ham United claim a 2-0 win away to Arsenal.
The 28-year-old scored his fifth goal in 18 Premier League appearances so far this season to put the Hammers ahead. But Soucek (13’) had to wait for a lengthy VAR check to confirm he had opened the scoring at Arsenal. Konstantinos Mavropanos (55’) got West Ham’s second.
Arsenal were at sixes and sevens trying to defend West Ham’s early break that led to Soucek scoring. Oleksandr Zinchenko blocked Gabriel Magalhaes’ attempted clearance for Emerson Palmieri’s delivery. Jarrod Bowen then found Soucek unmarked in the box with the rebound.
Tomas Soucek scored a controversial goal against Arsenal
Soucek burst in front of Leandro Trossard inside the area as the Belgian froze, seemingly not aware the Czech Republic international was beside him. Trossard was then too slow to react as Bowen fed Soucek after goalkeeper David Raya desperately flapped at the winger’s cross.
West Ham and Soucek then waited while VAR Craig Pawson reviewed if Bowen kept the ball in play when Zinchenko blocked Arsenal’s first clearance. But Pawson did not find conclusive evidence to see if Bowen kept the ball in play. So, he stuck with Michael Oliver’s on-field call.
West Ham’s goal sparked Jay Bothroyd to slam the Premier League
Footage broadcasted of VAR Pawson checking Soucek’s goal for West Ham only showed the official looking down the byline from behind Bowen. The forward’s leg was, therefore, in the way of the ball. So, he could not conclusively say 100% of the ball definitely crossed the line.
Replays of Soucek’s goal at Arsenal from the far side of the Emirates Stadium pitch and the only high-view angle available to VAR Pawson also gave no conclusive answer to if Bowen’s attempts truly kept the ball in play. So, Oliver’s initial decision to give the goal had to stand.
Yet the manner in which VAR Pawson called Soucek and West Ham’s goal at Arsenal angered Bothroyd. He hit out at the Premier League for not having more camera angles available for checking incidents like this. It is also the second time this season it has happened to Arsenal.
“The Premier League spends so much money on everything about football but then in these situations there’s one view,” Bothroyd explained on Sky Sports News. “There’s no bird’s eye view, no view from the other side – that was too far away and couldn’t zoom in.
“They should have this sorted out already. Those are the details they need to work out. If that was out and you’ve given a goal, that’s a poor decision on what they’ve seen. Those are the things everyone is frustrated with in football right now.”
Arsenal fell foul of an easy-to-fix issue with VAR again this season
Arsenal also fell foul of the Premier League not having more camera angles available for VAR checks at Newcastle United. Anthony Gordon (64’) struck the only goal in November’s game after Joe Willock, questionably, kept the ball in play before Joelinton fouled Gabriel to assist.
VAR Andy Madley, like Pawson this Thursday, could not conclusively prove if Willock kept the ball in play or not. The VAR also could not decisively tell if Gordon was offside when he met Joelinton’s pass. While Madley did not feel Joelinton pushing Gabriel in the neck was a foul.
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