The fallout continues from Wolves’ game with West Ham United at the weekend which saw a late goal controversially disallowed for the home side.
Wolves thought they had equalised right at the death when Max Kilman nodded in a corner, and the goal was given on-field.
But referee Tony Harrington was sent to the pitchside monitor by VAR to check the goal, and Tawanda Chirewa was deemed to be interfering with play. The youngster was stood in front of Lukasz Fabianski in an offside position.
The decision to rule the goal out was blasted by Gary O’Neil, who called it ‘terrible’.
Wolves goalkeeper coach Neil Cutler also branded it ‘horrible’, while chairman Jeff Shi even released a statement calling out officiating standards.
This morning, former Premier League referee Mark Halsey gave his take on the decision…
Mark Halsey slams decision to rule out Max Kilman’s goal for Wolves against West Ham
The decision to disallow the goal by Kilman was always going to come up again today, with many publications looking back on the weekend’s action.
Plenty have slammed the decision to disallow the goal, because Fabianski was getting nowhere near the header from Kilman.
He was free to move and could also see the ball.
Many have had sympathy with Wolves, and today on talkSPORT, former referee Mark Halsey also expressed his surprise about the decision of the VAR officials and Harrington at Molineux on Saturday.
The ex-Premier League official also took aim at the PGMOL for defending the decision, accusing them of ‘manipulating the law’ to give justification.
He said: “For me, there was nothing wrong with that goal on Saturday for Wolves. Being in an offside position in itself is not an offence. It’s if you become involved in active play, or interfere with the line of vision of the goalkeeper or an opponent. Fabianski can clearly see, and move if he wants to move.
“That header came at pace. If that player (Chirewa) was six or seven yards away, Fabianski would not have got that ball. He would not have saved it, so he didn’t interfere with his line of vision.
“It’s about knowing the game, they’ve manipulated the law. OK you can say it’s subjective. Well if it’s subjective. If it’s subjective, then why has VAR got involved?!”
“The ball is so far wide. Not one West Ham player complains about him being in that offside position.
“If everybody in football is saying that goal should have been given, and the PGMOL are coming out with these stupid statements to say why it wasn’t given, then there’s something drastically wrong.”
The reaction of the West Ham players said it all
It was appalling that Kilman’s goal was ruled out because Chirewa was deemed to be interfering.
You could even see by the reaction of the West Ham players that there was nothing doing about it.
Fabianski didn’t even kick up a fuss about being impeded, because he wasn’t being.
Too many times this season, both in Wolves games and in plenty of games involving other clubs, referees have not applied common sense over key decisions.
The game is being ruined. VAR could improve the game we all love, but while it is in the hands of the current crop then the game cannot get better.