Howard Webb defends VAR officials' use of slo-mo after Jamie Carragher criticism
Howard Webb has defended the use of slow-motion replays in VAR checks after a number of controversial decisions in recent weeks.
Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones was sent off against Tottenham and Chelsea's Malo Gusto saw red against Aston Villa. In both cases, the players in question were initially just booked before the decisions were later upgraded following VAR checks.
Speaking on Premier League Productions' latest edition of "Match Officials Mic'd Up," PGMOL chief refereeing officer Webb was asked by host and former Premier League striker Michael Owen whether is was right to use such replays. Some fans have expressed frustration at slowed-down footage or stills giving an unfair impression of incidents, but the referees chief made his position clear.
"We have to use slo-mo just to see the exact point and nat of contact," Webb said when focusing on the Gusto incident. In a clip shown earlier in the broadcast, we can hear conversations where on-field referee Jarred Gillett is advised to take a look at the pitchside screen after VAR officials slow down footage to identify where the defender catches Villa defender Lucas Digne.
"The referee sees it at full speed on the field so it is a viable use of VAR to look at it in slo-mo and freeze frame. The referee Jarred Gilett asked to look at the Gusto challenge in full speed and we ask them to do that, as that is the way the game is played."
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Chelsea's Malo Gusto was sent off against Aston Villa (AFP via Getty Images)Webb's comments come after former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher said he was "sick of things being slowed down". Some Reds supporters were unhappy with the images shown to on-field referee Simon Hooper before Jones' dismissal.
"I have got no problem with it being a red card - I would have liked to have seen it not given, not because of my Liverpool angle but I always think as a referee, can you keep it 11 vs 11 on the pitch," Carragher said on Monday Night Football. "My big problem was what the referee was shown when he went to the VAR monitor and how he got to that decision.
Curtis Jones' red card against Spurs came after a VAR check (Alex Morton/Tottenham Hotspur FC/REX/Shutterstock)"I have said this for a while, but straight away with the first shot he has seen, people feel as though the referee is going to the monitor to have a second look at an incident - that does not happen, it is not true. What he is doing is he is being taken to the monitor to be shown why he has made a mistake. We have to get that in our heads about VAR.
"That should not be the first shot, I don’t believe that. If the referee is going over to have a look, he should be shown the situation at full speed.
"I am sick of things being slowed down. This was the angle in full speed, watch this and when you watch it at full speed you know it’s a strong challenge, hence why the referee has given a yellow card. Then, you slow it down and get to the actual decision, with Curtis Jones I actually have a bit of sympathy for him."
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