Premier League VAR: A Source of Frustration for Southampton Boss

VAR's Impact on Southampton's Season

Saints have had a tough season, with just one win in 13 league games and currently sitting at the bottom of the table. The disallowed goal against Brighton was a major blow, as it denied them a chance to climb up the standings. Martin believes that if VAR is used to correct mistakes, it should be done quickly and accurately. Waiting for such a long time and still getting the wrong decision is a big problem.

After Brighton took the lead through Kaoru Mitoma's 29th-minute goal, Southampton fought back superbly. Flynn Downes equalized in the 59th minute, and Archer thought he had won it with a brilliant turn-in of Ryan Fraser's left-wing cross. But the VAR decision to disallow the goal left the Saints fans disappointed and the team frustrated.

The Laws and VAR's Interpretation

According to the laws of the game, a player is deemed to be offside if they are interfering with an opponent. In this case, although Armstrong did not touch the ball, the VAR officials ruled that his attempt to connect with the ball was significant enough to impact the goalkeeper's ability to play the ball. This led to the goal being chalked off, much to Martin's dismay.

The Premier League's decision to disallow the goal was based on the interpretation of the laws. However, Martin believes that the VAR system needs to be more consistent and accurate in its decisions. There should be clear guidelines on what constitutes interference and how long the VAR officials should take to make a decision.

Managerial Incidents and Respect

Martin and Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler had a heated exchange at the end of the match. Both bosses accused each other of a lack of respect, and the benches became embroiled in arguments. Martin was shown a yellow card for his reaction to Hurzeler's protests, while Hurzeler was already on a caution and will serve a touchline ban when Brighton travels to Fulham in midweek.

Martin was clearly unimpressed with Hurzeler's behavior and responded by saying that he had never known a manager try to get so many players booked. He believes that respect should be mutual, and both managers should conduct themselves in a professional manner.