Ex-FIFA official speaks out on Aston Villa vs Brentford controversy today
Aston Villa feel aggrieved after falling to defeat against Brentford on Sunday.
Brentford secured a 1-0 win over Villa as Keith Andrews got the better of Unai Emery for the second time in the Premier League this season.
Even having welcomed Tammy Abraham and Douglas Luiz into the side to face Brentford, the hosts were unable to get themselves on the scoresheet.
Abraham saw his strike against Brentford ruled out as he converted past Caoimhin Kelleher after the keeper parried a Jadon Sancho effort.
VAR opted to chalk off Abraham’s goal, leaving the Villa Park faithful fuming, but now Keith Hackett has sought to clarify the final decision.
Keith Hackett explains Tammy Abraham ruled out goal decision vs Brentford
Abraham signed for Villa from Besiktas earlier in the week and looked to have got off to the perfect start back in claret and blue.
Referee Tim Robinson had the opportunity to rule out the strike and did so with what he described as a factual decision after Leon Bailey attempted to keep the ball in play at Villa’s corner flag.
That isn’t the case; anyone can argue there is no concrete evidence that the whole ball crossed the line, but to play devil’s advocate, let’s say it did.
Former FIFA official Hackett has suggested that VAR has the ability to look back through the build-up to a goal and rule it out if they see fit.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Hackett said: “This ball is out of play over the touchline, and at that point, the game should stop and restart with a throw-in.
“It is evident that the Assistant Referee did not signal that the ball was out because the players were obscuring the view.
“So play was allowed to continue, and a goal was scored.
“With the game now stopped, VAR can run through the build-up. In play to determine if there is any reason why the goal should be ruled out.
“In interrogating the various camera angle the correct call is made to not allow the goal to stand.“
Aston Villa fans want conclusive evidence of VAR decision vs Brentford
Jamie Carragher may suggest that “there’s absolutely no doubt” the ball went out of play, but is there a still where that is fact? No.
VAR took their time and determined that Bailey had failed to keep it in play and wanted to rule the goal out.
Referee Robinson spoke out inside Villa Park to say: “After review, the ball is factually out of play, so the restart will be a throw-in to Brentford.“
I’m not sure he can say that it is “factually” out of play, unless there is an image somewhere within Stockley Park that fans have yet to see.
Hackett has explained the decision from a former referee’s point of view, but that won’t change the sense of injustice in B6 right now.
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