Sheffield United 1-0 West Ham United

Sheffield United 1-0 West Ham United
Premier League
Friday 10th January 2020

With just a few minutes left to play in this game, I had a fleeting, momentary thought which was along the lines of VAR has had a quiet night.

The much-criticised technology hadn’t been used once up to this point and, moreover, there hadn’t been any reason to use it.

Then, deep into injury-time, came the controversial incident which will almost certainly ensure pundits are scathing about VAR for the rest of this weekend.

For anyone who hasn’t yet seen what happened at Bramall Lane, the story is as follows:

Sheffield United were leading 1-0; Ollie McBurnie scoring not long after half-time following a cock-up by substitute ‘keeper David Martin.

It had been a somewhat underwhelming performance by the Blades and though West Ham had had chances to score, a combination of both poor finishing and some excellent saves by Dean Henderson meant they still trailed going into three extra minutes of injury-time.

One of them had passed. Then, Declan Rice won the ball in the centre, squared it to an unmarked Robert Snodgrass who subsequently found the net, via a deflection off the post, with a cleverly-placed low shot.

The Hammers had equalised. Their fans directly behind the goal celebrated wildly, and a few of the Sheffield United players had slumped to the floor, looking dejected, as their counterparts slowly but surely made their way back to their own half in anticipation of the re-start.

Nobody in a red and white protested whatsoever about the goal. It was perfectly fine, in their eyes, and they only had themselves to blame for poor defending.

However, it quickly became apparent that something might be amiss as referee Michael Oliver stood alone looking hapless - receiving information in his ear-piece about a ‘possible handball’ in the build up to the equaliser.

Then came the decision: NO GOAL. Why? Because Rice had, apparently, handled the ball in the build-up.

VAR had snatched a hard-earned, totally well-deserved point from West Ham and given the Blades, whose fans were celebrating the decision euphorically, all three.

Obviously, having watched the goal back on TV (because nobody in the stadium had any remote idea where the ‘offence’ had occurred) there’s no doubting Rice did handle the ball - albeit completely 100% unintentionally. To the nit-picking, letter of the law, which VAR has become renowned for implementing, it was a handball so therefore ‘the goal’ should have been disallowed.

To anyone with an ounce of common sense who realises that football is a sport played in real time and not in millisecond still-frames on a TV screen, it’s absolutely ridiculous. It’s not ‘clear and obvious’ and never should have been ruled out.

The handball rule, just like the offside rule, will now come under scrutiny but the bigger issue is VAR. 

Personally, I’m not against technology and have always favoured a challenge system (similar to tennis).

I didn’t like VAR when I watched bits of the Confederations Cup in 2017. I didn’t like it when it was ‘trialed’ in the FA Cup in the following year. I didn’t like it when I went on trips to see games in Germany and Portugal, either. 

And I don’t like it now!

Lets not forget, if a referee wrongly awards a corner and a team scores from it - something which actually happened twice in Newcastle United games last season (and both times it was a ‘clear and obvious’ mistake), VAR can’t overturn it.

At least a challenge system would mean the technology remains and players/managers would have the opportunity to use it more effectively; thus reducing obvious errors which can occur anywhere on the pitch.

Some people may use a ‘challenge’ to time-waste or stifle things but, really, would it be any worse than a player feigning injury in the closing stages in an effort to run the clock down?

In some ways this contentious decision is almost poetic justice on West Ham for Sheffield United, given the infamous Carlos Tevez saga years ago, but that’s a story for another time.

Aside from all the VAR nonsense, the Blades’ overall performance in this game wasn’t great for large parts. It got better as things progessed but all too often, they stood off, allowed West Ham too much space and too much possession. They’ve done exceptionally well to get to where they are right now but, undoubtedly, this wasn’t one of their better displays.

McBurnie’s goal was predatory though it’s hard not to sympathise with the ‘keeper, who made a mistake. 

Some folk will criticise him for trying to play out from the back (which potentially fits in to that cheesy old phrase of playing the West Ham way) but it’s a mistake, it happens, and he’ll just have to get on with it. Even though it cost his team a goal on this occasion, he should be admired for trying to get a move going through passing football at a goal-kick, as opposed to just lumping it relentlessly out to the wide men.

His opposite number, Dean Henderson, deserves plaudits for a couple of excellent, high-quality saves which kept the Blades infront. Considering his young age, maturity and performances, I’d suspect that sooner or late he’ll work his way into one of Gareth Southgate’s England squads.

Based on this showing, despite the result West Ham should be able to stay up in the Premier League and they probably just need to be more clinical up top.

I If they don’t stay up, you don’t need to be a genius to work out what one of their excuses will be!