Mauricio Pochettino says that Premier League managers “cannot complain” about VAR – but insisted he was not talking about Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
The Argentine’s Chelsea side were involved in an eventful clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night that was punctuated by long VAR checks, resulting in two red cards, three disallowed goals, a penalty and, ultimately, a 4-1 win for the Blues.
After the game Pochettino said that “we cannot complain” about video assistant referees after allowing the technology into the game, before clarifying he was not having a dig at Arteta.
The Arsenal manager was incensed after his side lost to Newcastle United thanks to a contentious goal, calling it “embarrassing” and an “absolute disgrace” that the VAR did chalk the goal off. The ball may have gone out of play before the goal, while Joelinton arguably fouled Gabriel in the box before Anthony Gordon, who appeared to be in an offside position, put it in the next.
What Pochettino said
“That is the football that we want or we wanted and we allowed the technology to arrive and now we cannot complain,” Pochettino said in his post-match press conference.
“If I remember, when I was here, when VAR was first implemented and I said I do not agree about the VAR but after I support the VAR and now we need to support, we need to try to find the best way to use.
“We see many, you know, things that are difficult to see, and to check and to check and to check. Today I think we play 110 or 120 minutes. I don’t know if it’s one o’clock in the morning or two o’clock now, you know, it’s really tough.
“But we were open to receive the technology. I don’t want to remember but too many coaches wanted the VAR and then when you say it is against you and it’s a disgrace and that it is, you know, difficult.
“I’m not talking about Arteta!”
The 51-year-old continued: “The balance is really difficult, but it’s the football that we need to try to help altogether to improve this type of thing. In a competitive game like today that I think five goals is disallowed. Yes, but you need to check and then you need to play because, when the time when you check and this time and then you need to come on with the possibility to play. It’s not easy the situation.”
