The impact of the Premier League’s controversial Virtual Assistant Referee system has been a major talking point among soccer fans all season long, and many seem to have hit a breaking point over this disallowed Teemu Pukki goal in Saturday’s Norwich-Tottenham game at Carrow Road.
In the 33rd minute with Norwich up 1-0, Pukki appeared to double the home side’s advantage with a goal off a brilliant cross by Mario Vrancic. The goal was subjected to a VAR review, and after drawing a line from Pukki’s armpit down to the field in an attempt to ascertain his position relative to the defender, it was determined that the striker was offside, apparently by a few millimeters.
Let's talk VAR pic.twitter.com/ZMKCfSFzxv
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) December 28, 2019
Even with the help of VAR technology, it was nearly impossible in this case to conclusively say that Pukki was ahead of the defender at the moment the ball was played in to him, and even if he was, it was by such a microscopic margin that no human referee could ever make a definitive call on in real time. Fans and former players blasted the call on Twitter after the Premier League officially confirmed the decision.
📺 After consulting the VAR, Kevin Friend has overturned the goal because Teemu Pukki was offside in the build-up
Norwich 1-0 Spurs(35 mins) #NORTOT https://t.co/ibjSWU2mU9
— Premier League (@premierleague) December 28, 2019
Here we go again. More nonsense from VAR. Pukki goal ruled out when level. If you have to draw lines and dots and it’s still not clear one way or the other, then please stop undermining the on-field officials. Absurd.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) December 28, 2019
Sorry, but I’m switching off. On no planet in the solar system should that Pukki goal have been judged offside. VAR is a complete joke, a disaster, a self-inflicted catastrophe. And I’m neither pro-Norwich nor anti-Spurs. I just happen to have loved football for 60-odd years.
— Richard Williams (@rwilliams1947) December 28, 2019
Pukki has essentially been ruled offside because his body was showing attacking intent there.
— Duncan Wright (@dwright75) December 28, 2019
VAR rules that Pukki has one really long nose hair which was marginally offside.
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) December 28, 2019
Even with the lines drawn on, Pukki looked onside there. The problem we have now is that there’s a bloke in a van somewhere completely unaccountable for these decisions.
— AFCAMDEN (@AFCAMDEN) December 28, 2019
When you need the Hubble Telescope to see whether or not a strand of Pukki’s armpit hair was past the final defender, then maybe this isn’t the right way to go about things.
— Matteo Bonetti (@BonettiESPN) December 28, 2019
If this Pukki goal is disallowed I’m completely done with VAR.
— Michael Tunstall (@TFWriter) December 28, 2019
as a striker you are taught to lean forward like Pukki is and keep the feet behind you until the ball is played, with the idea that you’ve got your body in the right shape to go full sprint immediately. VAR is changing that https://t.co/XoWNnkVkwW
— Nate Scott (@aNateScott) December 28, 2019
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