Chelsea coach, Frank Lampard is furious for a number of reasons after his team’s 2-0 loss to Manchester United, including a couple of decisions made by VAR.
Chelsea had two goals disallowed by technology and a possible red card decision in the home team’s favour not given.
These added to the sense of annoyance at another home defeat when the Blues had dominated possession and had good chances to score.
The decisions taken and not taken by VAR were the major talking points afterwards and Lampard had his say, starting with Harry Maguire receiving no punishment for kicking Michy Batshuayi.
“Maguire should get a red and then he scores a second goal,” noted Lampard. “The game changes off that.
“That was a major part of what VAR was brought in for, a second viewing, different angles. The referee can’t see all the angles, and if you’re not going to look at the monitor then you’re definitely not going to see it.
“It’s harder to take with the presence of VAR than it would have been before. That is what it was brought in for. It’s very confusing when all the different angles still bring the wrong decision. It’s universally a wrong decision. It could be my opinion, but everyone I’ve spoken to, not just in our dressing room, but neutrals have said the same.
“The Zouma goal should have stood,” continued the boss. “At first, I didn’t think it should, it looked like a shove from Azpilicueta, but when you see it again he gets shoved in the first place. It certainly wasn’t clear and obvious. And Giroud was offside.”
VAR is right
On the contrary, Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is insisting that VAR was right in all its decisions during the game.
Speaking after the match, Solskjaer said: “You want the right decisions to be made and we’re happy they were made, because they weren’t being made without that help.
“It’s been shown a few times this year that we’ve needed that help. I don’t know why that is. [The Giroud goal], that’s offside. [For Zouma’s goal] I just looked at the screen and it looks like a push in the back. So, for me, that’s not a goal.”
Chelsea not scoring enough
Lapard is even more disappointed with the manner of Chelsea’s defeats this season, blaming the strikers for not converting begging chances.
“I don’t like losing games, I don’t like the way we’re losing games. Particularly at home we’re losing games where we’ve had a big share of possession, big chances, lots of shots, and we’re not finishing them.
“It’s a reality that’s getting clearer all the time. We’re not getting enough goals from striker areas, we’re not getting enough goals from wide areas. Not many teams can keep clean sheets week in, week out. You have to score goals to give you a feeling of superiority in the game.
“We make a lot of chances, as many as any team in the league barring Liverpool, and we’re not finishing them.
“We start a lot of games very well. I can hardly ever look at the team and go ‘we started slow, bit sloppy today’. But if you don’t score you leave teams in the game,” Lampard laments.
