Premier League VAR Lee Mason will not be on normal duties in upcoming EPL matches. This weekend, Mason drew attention due to a pair of controversial decisions from two games. Recently, the 50-year-old former referee retired from on-pitch duties to transition to a VAR official.
Controversial Calls
Both of Mason’s recent questionable decisions disallowed goals that were originally given. The first incident involved a supposed foul on Crystal Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita just as the ball went into the back of the net. Replays clearly showed Palace defender Tyrick Mitchell, the player who scored the own-goal, pushed Newcastle midfielder Joe Willock into Guaita. Despite this, Mason advised referee Michael Salisbury to take a second look at the incident.
Not only was Mason’s involvement in the play unnecessary, but replays shown on screen were focusing on the wrong angle. There was a clear view of the push by Mitchell that was barely seen by Salisbury.
Mason was then again on VAR duties the following day as Manchester United hosted Arsenal. The Gunners were seemingly ahead early in the match thanks to a goal from Gabriel Martinelli. Nevertheless, Mason advised referee Paul Tierney to review a possible foul by Martin Ødegaard leading up to the goal. Tierney went on to disallow the opening goal of the game. The foul in question occurred within 10 yards of where Tierney was on the pitch.
Arsenal hit on the counter and Gabriel Martinelli scores. But the goal is disallowed due to a foul by Martin Odegaard on Eriksen.
📺: @USA_Network & @TelemundoSports #MyPLMorning | #MUNARS pic.twitter.com/2DT9f77wOC
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) September 4, 2022
Lee Mason suspended from VAR spot
These two controversial calls involving Mason were not the only VAR headlines of the weekend. West Ham also had a goal chalked off in the 90th minute of the match to deny them a point at Chelsea. VAR official Jarred Gillett directed referee Andrew Madley to take a look at a possible foul on the Blues keeper. Replays of this incident showed that the contact was fairly tame.
Despite the Premier League condemning the call in the Chelsea match, as well as the Newcastle-Crystal Palace incident, both Gillett and Madley will be on the pitch to referee matches at the weekend.
PHOTO: IMAGO / PRiME Media Images
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Daniel
September 17, 2022 at 10:27 pm
Referee Paul Tierney should not officiate any Machester-based games for clear fairness to other clubs. It looks biased in all ramifications…
Vasil
September 6, 2022 at 5:59 pm
Not only L. Mason should be removed from VAR, but P. Tierney should be removed from refereeing, especially Arsenal games. (It is the same referee that gave a controversial penalty in the last game between Arsenal and Spurs). Why did he overturn his decision in the Martinelli goal, when it was not a clear error not to give the foul in the first place? Accepting the foul was so controversial. He shamed himself with that behavior.
dave
September 6, 2022 at 6:29 pm
Reversing on-field decisions “when it was not a clear error not to give the foul in the first place” is a main problem with VAR in soccer. VAR seem to have a standard of “this could have been called differently, take a second look” but too many on-field soccer officials seem to interpret as “you must reverse your call”
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In no other sport that I watch do on-field officials reverse their judgment calls 90%+ of the time something is flagged by replay for a second look
Vasil
September 8, 2022 at 11:58 am
I totally agree, accepting a mistake you did not commit is shameful.
dave
September 6, 2022 at 3:16 pm
There are issues with VAR to be sure. I put more blame with on-field officials, who should be confident and willing to stick with their initial call. Only once this campaign (early days, of course) have I watched live as an on-field ref waved off something flagged by VAR
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A good on-field official should always request the extended (at least several seconds before the key moment), full-speed, wide-angle replay before reversing their call. Zoom, freeze frame, and cherry-picked angles can create impressions that are wildly out of context