Three extremely poor refereeing decisions left Nottingham Forest frustrated and questioning the integrity of the video assistant referee (VAR) system. The club issued a scathing post on social media, accusing the VAR, Stuart Attwell, of bias and stating that they had warned the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) about his alleged support of Luton Town. Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo echoed the club’s sentiments, expressing his unhappiness with the work of referees in general.
The controversy centered around three penalty claims involving Everton’s Ashley Young. Forest believed that Young fouled Gio Reyna in the first incident and handled the ball in the second incident. The third incident involved a challenge between Young and Callum Hudson-Odoi, with the officials ruling in favor of Young.
Forest manager Nuno expressed his frustration, stating that he couldn’t understand the decisions made by referee Anthony Taylor and VAR Stuart Attwell. He argued that there was clear contact in the first incident and a handball in the second incident. Nuno emphasized that Forest simply wanted good decisions and didn’t want to be hindered by poor refereeing.
Mark Clattenburg, Forest’s referee analyst and a retired referee himself, defended the club’s response in a column for The Daily Mail. He described the referee team’s errors as a “hat-trick of howlers” and criticized Attwell for not using the monitor to review the incidents. Clattenburg also mentioned that Forest had previously contacted the PGMOL to express concerns about Attwell’s involvement in a match that could impact the relegation race.
This isn’t the first time Forest has been dissatisfied with refereeing decisions this season. In August, they lodged a complaint with the PGMOL over the officials’ performance in their defeat against Manchester United. In March, Clattenburg criticized the officiating leading up to Liverpool’s winning goal against Forest. The club is currently appealing against the deduction of four points for breaching profit and sustainability rules.
The club’s statement and Clattenburg’s column are sure to spark controversy and discussions about the quality and impartiality of refereeing in football. The Football Association and the PGMOL will undoubtedly address the issue, and their response will be eagerly awaited. Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy expressed surprise at the club’s response, but acknowledged that there have been instances of poor officiating throughout the season.
Overall, Nottingham Forest’s frustrations with refereeing decisions highlight the need for consistent and accurate officiating in football. The VAR system was introduced to eliminate errors, but incidents like these raise questions about its effectiveness. The outcome of Forest’s appeal against point deductions and any action taken by the authorities will determine whether changes are made to prevent similar controversies in the future.