Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admits it is a “shame” to see the recent VAR controversies and believes football has yet to find the right answer as to how best to combat the mistakes.
Liverpool were the latest victims of a high profile VAR mistake after Luis Diaz’s perfectly legitimate goal was ruled out almost immediately by the video assistant referees in the defeat to Tottenham on Saturday.
The mistake was later acknowledged, with the refereeing body PGMOL issuing an apology minutes after the full-time whistle.
And Arteta believes the pressure is growing after several errors not only in the Premier League, but in other top European leagues as well.
“We had some big discussions before the start of the season,” said the Spaniard. “Everyone had the right intentions to improve the game and find the best way to take it forward.
“But it’s true that with everything that already happened this season, not just in the Premier League but in other countries as well, the pressure is increasing.
“It’s not easy for them. It’s not easy for any club or any manager because that really affects part of the season or a result and that is a dangerous thing to do.”
The Gunners have been on the receiving up of some of their own high profile errors through VAR, most notably during their title challenge last season against Brentford where a clear offside goal scored by Ivan Toney was given.
When asked whether referees need extra training to enforce VAR, Arteta responded: “I don’t know. When they explain all the processes of what they’re trying to do it sounds really logical, but in the heat but when you’re talking about millimetres and interpretation of other things like the frames of the camera it’s very, very different.
“It’s a shame that it’s happening but at the moment we haven’t got the right answers I think.”
The Gunners face last season’s Ligue 1 runners-up RC Lens tomorrow evening in Arsenal’s first Champions League away game since losing 5-1 to Bayern Munich in 2016/17.
Thomas Partey returned to training and joined up with the travelling squad while Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus have also shaken off injury concerns to travel with the team.
