Son red card rescinded by FA

I'm disappointed by this. Whilst Son didn't intend to cause the injury to Andre, he clearly did a deliberate foul with no intention of going for the ball. If he hadn't then Gomes wouldn't have broken his ankle.

It's impossible to say whether he was looking for revenge, given it happened very soon after he felt he'd been hit in the face, I think the intent to foul is clear.

That being the case, regardless of what those bleating ex pros think, the outcome of the challenge should be taken into account and a lengthy ban is appropriate. Imo.

It's a disgrace. The panel show no understanding of football at all. Sure if you just look at the tackle itself it may not have warranted more than a yellow card, but it was the intent of the tackle that made it worthy of a red. He had no chance at the ball, it was a pure retaliation-tackle from the moment before, when Son got the elbow from Gomes.

The panel haven't seemed to take this into account, and that is very amateurish and unproffessional. It's like they've watched an isolated 5 second clip of the tackle, and decided upon that. Baffling to say the least, but what we've come to expect from the clowns in charge...

Fully agree John. You would think it was Son who was the victim. IMO the ankle was probably damaged in the challenge and the first time he puts weight on it he collapses. Remember Jag's at Wolves last year. Every pundit and ex Ref were adamant it was the correct decision. Now it's a so called big six club, lets all feel sorry for Spurs. I am sick to death of the double standards, and the disrespect to Gomes.

The media gushing over Son has been quite nauseating but that is nothing compared to the crass indifference of Spurs and Pochettino.

"But we cannot change the result. Playing with 10 men opened the game for them and we ended losing the two points." said the Spurs manager.

Gomes is quite clearly a footnote in the awful tragedy of Son's red card and two dropped points. Total prick.

Whilst some justifiable vitriol should be aimed at Spurs for their cynicism and lack of class, this serves to mask the real issue. It's already been said that “if this was one of the big clubs” a similarly poor use of VAR to that seen in a number of our games this season would have been shouted from the rooftops by both their managers and hierarchy. These Clubs have been “victims” of poor decisions too but because they generally end up winning despite VAR it's been less troublesome (added to which they typically get the benefit of decisions from referees too). This is in stark contrast to ourselves, where VAR combined with poor refereeing decisions has cost us dearly this season; we aren't playing well and this creates fine margins as to whether we get anything out of games. Whether it's an obvious goal for Mina, clear penalties or dubious decisions given in favour of the opposition, we have been properly stiffed. The hierarchy at our Club haS a duty to fight our corner with the authorities (from the Manager up to the owners) but the silence is deafening and they need to get out from behind the sofa and start complaining loudly to the Media, FA and Referees association regarding the disproportionate decisions going against us. Possibly sites like this one should write an Open Letter to our Board demanding some action. Others have said it we are too nice and as such are getting trampled underfoot. We go into a critical few months for a Club were all is already not well. The dice are already stacked against us and the Club needs to start fighting its corner over poor refereeing standards and the shit show that is VAR.

The media campaign that Son wasn't to blame started straight after the game. Without his premeditated lunge there would have been no injury. Poor decision.

Well said Steve Guy, unfortunately the club is led by lambs who will do nothing

Well there's a surprise and no mistake, never saw that one coming, you could've knocked me down with a feather. etc, etc.

Utter joke... but no surprise...

Untill this club grows some balls and fights the corruption then as always the fans are left deflated and bemused...

This incident has overshadowed the fact we are still playing rubbish and not winning...

Looser mentality from top to bottom...

Well I remain convinced that it was a red. I think my reasoning has been stated enough over the last few days so I won't carry on with it.

The actual ban doesn't affect us. So I don't care too much.

What does concern me is that that this league is becoming a joke. Guidelines (which are basically rules) being played with and changed day to day. They're taking the game I love (and sometimes hate) and genuinely turning me off it.

If Son had not committed the foul then Gomes would not have suffered the injury ipso facto the red card was deserved. Everton need to speak up and voice at least some displeasure at this decision and ask why then did Niasse receive a suspension, I assume, handed out by this same committee/organization.

Rules are rules and Rule No.1 is that there are rules for some and all other rules read; See Rule No.1.

Also first time that the FA panel has overturned a decision that was checked by VAR.

Bent refs and VAR being used by bent refs. Football is finished.
I thought VAR was there for refs to call on in order to clarify decisions NOT the other way round.

I'm not surprised, but then I've pretty much lost the ability to be surprised by anything to do with football.

Anyway, the red may have been rescinded, but Son will have to live with the fact that his premeditated hack at Gomes led - directly or indirectly - to a player suffering a horrific injury that will keep him out of the game and in the doctor's care for a substantial number of months.

Son was distraught at the time, and to a great extent that was due to him knowing his anger and desire for retribution was responsible for such a sickening injury to a fellow player. Rescinding a red card won't change that.

This was a clear Red Card, aleast Kevin Moran's Red Card was not rescinded, it still riles me his crocodile tears, after his over the ball challenge. This was clearly a professional foul by Son. ( from behind, no attempt to play the ball, no ball contact and intent on causing injury). No wonder VAR is a shambles, because the FA is a shambles. Son is probably having a laugh now.

Regarding Kevin Moran, I had the last laugh. I was in the Four Winds having a coffee with a customer, when in arrives Norman Whiteside with a worried look on his face. He had being doing a football talk the night before and handed round his FA cup medal for those assembled to look at. When he got home realised he hadn't got it back. I consoled him trying to keep a smirk of my face. I have never liked goal mouth cameras ever since.

Pochettino quoted in the Telegraph:
“Sonny was devastated after Sunday, but he is on good form now. After a few days he is in a very good way”.
Insult added to injury, literally.

So Sonny was " After a few days he is in a very good way”??

Same as Gomes. oh wait!!

Sorry, but there was really never a doubt about this.

I thought the only way it would have been upheld was because of all the controversies - VAR - in the game.

Obviously the powers that be took the tackle in isolation and came to the decision.

Unfortunately all these controversies have deflected the real story away from yet another piss poor performance and result

I personally want to see the big 6 f off to a Euro league and let the rest of us get back to playing football without the bias and the spin. Saturdays at 3pm a drink with the lads and Sunday with the family. Vested interests rule the game and have ruined the competition. Only the Championship is a proper competition as no one knows who will be champions come May, whereas, apart from the Leicester blip, the EPL is a closed shop and very much the poorer for it. The way the Gomes situation has been handled proves this - all for Spurs. If that had been Gomes on Mane at Mordor, Klopp and the rest of the RS would have been screaming blue murder and the red for a start would not have been rescinded and they RS would not have settled for a 3 game ban either. Sky would be debating how cynical the tackle was in a football special additional programme on how can we get rid of it out of the game. I'm sick of the EPL sick of football and what it has become. Oh and by the way - Richarlson stop diving and you might actually start to get a penalty or two you're embarrassing the great royal blue shirt you are wearing.

If only that would be the case, Jack. The league and Sky would create another "Big 4/6" to fill the void. And so it goes.

Everton are always going to be picked on or used to set an example where new/revised guidance has been issued. The FA won't dare touch any of the Sky 6 and the next perceived big club is Everton so all the crap falls on us.

VAR was only ever introduced to protect the Sky 6 e.g. as an insurance policy to deliver the RS their required penalties when Salah or Mane go down under pressure from someone farting in the crowd and the ref misses it.

Everton invite being picked on even more by never complaining no matter how big the injustice. Our incompetent referees see Everton as a free hit, especially when the worst they will face is an unintelligible post match whimper from Silva. Like being savaged by a hamster. (Compare with Klopp's post match rants to cancel goals if an alleged free kick was missed a minute earlier!)

If an Everton player had made that challenge on a Sky 6 player resulting in a severe injury then a three month ban would have resulted, followed by a trial for assault.

Just because Pochettino says Son is “in a very good way” it doesn't actually mean that he is. Managers have been known to lie to the media from time to time.

The last few days have really given a platform for us to display the persecution complex that unfortunately seems to have a major hold on our club. I think as long as we are blaming outside forces for our limited success - rather than focusing on why our first team has consistently played drab and predictable football for the last few years, we'll, we're getting distracted by the less important issues and giving even more excuses to those in charge of our club to use to hide their own inadequacies.

Andrew, I don't think many of us fans use the failing of incompetent officials to detract from our own failings. They should be analysed and debated each in their own aspect, and I think they are. However this article/thread is about the failings of the panel/FA/officials and all other things corrupt in the game, so let it be just that. There are plenty of other threads where our team/manager gets slaughtered by us fans from a playing/footballing perspective...

There seem to be a few prevailing schools of thought here. Some feel it was a red card because of the intent of the tackle, the perception around it being payback, and that it was clearly endangering an opponent. I consider myself part of this group.

The other group appear to believe that it was a red because the aforementioned tackle set off a chain of events ending with Gomes's tragic injury, and that should be considered. Except that it isn't considered. Cards are given because of fouls, not because of the outcome of those fouls. As many have noted, if there's no injury, this second group probably thinks differently.

Which leaves it down to a simple interpretation of what does or doesn't deserve a red card. This will never be 100% agreed upon. Those who rigidly believe that it was a yellow no matter what, which is again simply a matter of how one interprets the rulebook.

There is one othee school of thought, the one clouded badly by emotion and who have Blue glasses permanently welded to their face. The belief that Son set out to cause harm or injury, that he's a dirty player, that his punishment should fit the crime, and that he's deserving of not one iota of human empathy. To this group, I would ask you to please check the definitions of sympathy & empathy; change a single letter and the difference is immense. You can feel sympathy for Gomes and empathy for Son at the exact same time! They're not mutually exclusive.

Wait wait wait.

So, Son fouls a player from behind in a sliding challenge, which are practically illegal in football nowadays. This leads to a player badly injuring himself, although potentially it wasn't that exact tackle that did the damage, the challenge still led to the horrendous injury.

Now, Son breaks down in tears and I totally understand this because as a professional and human behind seeing a person screaming on the floor with his foot pointing the other way must be upsetting. But here is what I don't understand.

When did this incident become about Son and Tottenham? What about Gomes and Everton? Because Son has reacted in an emotional manner has this not influenced the panel? Has his reputation as ‘not that type of player' again influenced the FA? What about Gomes and what about Everton?

Everton are now without a player whom in my opinion has shone at our club. We are now without a 25 million pound asset because of this crazy challenge. Yet, the FA have decided ‘no, that challenge was fine and wasn't worthy of a red card'. Now forgive me if I'm wrong but does this not mean this is yet another mistake that Martin Atkinson and Anthony Taylor made at Goodison Park on Sunday?! Let's list these mistakes

37: Gomes is running into the opposition's penalty box. He has his eyes clearly fixed on the ball and is getting into an attacking position. Sanchez stops and drives his elbow into Gomes' chest. Now, personally I hate that I am actually saying this because this isn't how football should be. But, again nowadays has Sanchez not impeded Gomes' run and therefore fouled him. If this was anywhere else on the pitch would it be given as a foul? I think so. Mistake.

50: Mina tackles Son in the penalty area. Son's ankle reminds under Mina as he accidentally falls. Was there contact on the player yes. Was it enough for a penalty, no. But Son wildly throws his legs in the air, a clear jump/dive, trying to con the referee into a penalty. This was a yellow card for Son. Mistake.

59: Richarlison takes the ball down and Sanchez stands behind him. Like any good forward Richarlison knocks the ball past the defender who sticks out his leg and trips the player. This is a clear foul and a penalty for Everton. I don't even think there was a need for VAR with this as it is a clear foul. Jamie Carragher in his commentary says ‘slight touch' are these ‘slight touches' not what obtain Liverpool penalties week in week out? The answer is yes.

68: Alli jumps into the air battling against Mina for a header. Alli uses his arms for leverage but in doing so has his arms raised above his head and clearly in an ‘unnatural position'. Let's go back to the champions league final and Sissoko. A cross from Mane hits the outstretched arm of Sissoko who is pointing where he wants his teammate to go. Mane hits the cross and unluckily the ball hits Mane's out stretched arm. Deliberate handball, no? Penalty in today's rules yes. In this instance I didn't even see the incident in real time and I don't think any players did either, due to the lack of appeals and also the confusion with the VAR call with even Mina speaking to the referee to see what and why was being checked.

The very first replay of VAR confirms this is a penalty to Everton. The arm of Alli is stretched out above his head and although I wouldn't call it a deliberate handball, this is still a handball which gave Tottenham an advantage over Everton. If Mina and Alli were to swop places and it's Mina's arm that the ball hits, then Everton score a goal, VAR would of ruled this out for a handball in the buildup. This is a penalty, no doubt about it. Not given apparently because it wasn't clear and obvious. My argument is, of course it wasn't clear and obvious as nobody saw it. It was the ref's and VAR's decision to review it, therefore something was clear and obvious to them. Mistake.

75: Gomes tries to block off Son's run and his arm hits Son in the face. Again, one could argue that in running and balance this is Gomes' body taking shape to move forward and protect himself from a challenge. Upon the replay you can see that Gomes' arm does catch Son quite clearly in the face. I don't think this is intentional but has he caught him, yes, is it a foul, yes, is it a booking, probably. Regardless it is 100% a foul to Spurs, Atkinson puts the whistle to his mouth but doesn't blow for a foul. Mistake.

77: The icing on the cake for Mr Atkinson's performance. Son slides tackles a player from behind which ultimately leads to a potential career ending injury (it's still an emotional watch even when watching it back). Atkinson brandishes a yellow card. Upon viewing the injury and or receiving information from VAR this is changed to a straight red card. This has now been overturned which means this was yet another mistake from the referee. I disagree with the card being overturned because the tackle obviously was dangerous enough to endanger the safety of the player. It was a sliding tackle from behind. In my opinion once the red card has been given it shouldn't of been overturned, but now it has its yet another mistake from the referee.

86: Sub for Spurs for Aurier. The player is near the Gwladys street end and chooses to walk over as slow as possible to the middle of the field. Atkinson approaches the player and has a word with him which Aurier replies with ‘F*** off'. Player should of been booked for time wasting and or abusive language to an official. Mistake.

98: Sanchez for Tottenham dallies on the ball and Richarlison nicks it off him. Upon doing this Sanchez has already started his motion to kick the ball, much like Aurier against Mane at Anfield. The player has gone to kick the ball but made contact with the player instead. This is a goal scoring opportunity and even Tosun stops running because it's yet again a clear foul and a booking if not red card. VAR check, no foul, no red card. Mistake.

Something isn't right here with Martin Atkinson and Anthony Taylor. I hate to think that referees have agendas and that the ref's in the Premier League aren't the very best but something smells fishy especially with Atkinson. You're telling me that he doesn't hold Everton in a place of hatred after he was banned from officiating at Goodison for years due to bad decisions. Atkinson is not a good referee and HIS clear and obvious mistakes keep being overlooked.

There are so many ex players wanting to be pundits nowadays surly VAR's need to be these guys and not referees. Potentially what is happening now is VAR's are referring games from a studio and decisions are being scrutinised and on field referee's are being found out. There is simply no logic in having referees who are taking control of a game one day and then becoming the VAR the next. This is open to far too much uncertainty with decisions. Also Mike Riley needs to answer some questions why the pitch side monitors aren't being used. The ref's are relying on VAR to make decisions for them rather than use the monitor, take control and make a decision. It's the easier option not to make the decision and wait until someone tells you what the decision is.

All in all, the fact the red has been over turned is a disgrace and I am slowly losing patience for VAR. It was supposed to make it better is it?

I'm cutting and pasting comments from Peter Fearon's submission. Just to vent, and this thread is the actual subject matter.

I am absolutely disgusted with this. Disgusted.

Anything I say will just turn into an incoherent rant, filled with expletives.

This is absolutely disgusting for me. It smacks of crooked favoritism, and a lack of bravery by the FA. They rarely, rarely overturn decisions. To overturn a premeditated tackle where a man was hunted down, from behind, with the ball no where near him (the player executing the filthy tackle), whose end game was only injury and maiming, is absolutely disgusting.

Supremely shameful for me. I read folks a bit older than I, talking about how the game is going down the tubes. This a a perfect example of that for me.

Where in the world is the justice for the outcome of this wicked tackle?

First, the injury to Gomes is unfortunate and I sincerely wish for him to fully and quickly recover.

Second, it is the action that must be judged regarding the foul, not now, not ever the injury itself to determine the type of foul or whether a caution is issued. I have watched the tackle again and again and remain of the same opinion as to when I first observed it, not a red. I know that I am disagreeing with J. Pierce, who has reffed and still probably refs at higher levels than I ever will, but I simply do not see this as anything but a reckless challenge at worst. Under R. 12 (FIFA/FIBA) it is, therefore, a yellow. The three levels of intent are:

• Careless is when a player shows a lack of
attention or consideration when making a
challenge or acts without precaution. No
disciplinary sanction is needed
• Reckless is when a player acts with disregard to
the danger to, or consequences for, an
opponent and must be cautioned
• Using excessive force is when a player exceeds
the necessary use of force and/or endangers
the safety of an opponent and must be sent off

Because it was not excessive force, merely reckless, I do not see this as anything other than a yellow.

This has been debated on our referee forums over here and perhaps the most complete answer that I have seen is this one:

" I don't see anything that warrants a red card
here. The tackle was made with fairly low force in
a manner that wasn't particularly dangerous -
studs were raised, but this is fairly normal - and
that foot went across the front of the leg rather
than making contact studs first. It wasn't overly
high speed, it wasn't jumping in, it wasn't
trapping the leg beneath the body or anything
like that. The injury is simply an unfortunate
outcome of a tackle. The fact that a broken ankle
was the result doesn't mean that the tackle was
using 'excessive force' or 'endangered the safety
of an opponent'. We need to judge the tackle
itself on its merits rather than presume the foul
was worse because of the outcome."

It would be interesting to see the match report as to what reason Atkinson indicates the red card was issued.

I said plenty about this yesterday on the thread about us being linked with another up and coming striker from Argentina.

It beckons what other descisions will happen in the coming weeks, and crucial games.

As John says, the terrible injury and calamities of Atkinson and VAR, masked another rank performance.

You'd like to think, the squad will be mor3 unified than ever to put Soton to the sword this weekend.

But will it happen, will the players be up for it?

If we accept the tackle only warranted a yellow ( and I don't ); it should have been a second anyway following Son's blatant theatrics in our box earlier in the game. for which he should have been booked.

I've been in London today and heartily sickened by the wall to wall comment and story of Son's suffering and the rescinded red. You'd think he was the one recovering from career saving surgery and it's Andre's fault he ( Son ) is ‘traumatised'.

Posichino - whilst acknowledging the injury to Gomes then goes on to ‘ lament' ( ie complain) at the unjustice of Spurs' losing 2pts as a result of the incident and the red card. classless.

The lengthy debate as to whether Son has ‘recovered ‘enough to travel or play tonight or whether the ‘damage' is longer lasting potentially affecting the rest of his season - is mind blowing - to put it politely.

I was at the match on Sunday and irrespective of how many players they had on the field, the entire Spurs team wilted under Everton's collective anger after play resumed - clearly shaken by the incident of their own making.

If it hadn't been for further blindness by Atkinson near the end with the foul on Richarlison preventing a clear run on goal - (another red ?)we'd have had justifiable retribution.

As has been mentioned elsewhere it's about time our club stopped bending over and began raging at the machine instead.

The focus is on the wrong player. Aurier is the villian. Looking at some of the photos he clearly going over the top.

I want the name of Son's shrink, bloody miracle worker.

“If this was against one of the big clubs” sums it up. It's only Everton, you can do what you want to them. This is against Tottenham! Depressing... and it also buys Silva more time too which is a complete waste of it. Grim old Everton!

We are too nice, did you expect anything else when our players are consoling Son, then our club captain goes into their dressing room and says it was an accident and he is not to blame, all done with class and humanity, but in doing so has handed a free appeal pass for Spurs to use to their advantage.

Would any other club had done the decent thing and consoled Son, not a chance, half the team would have surrounded the ref with imaginary Red cards.

It was a certain he would get the card over turned.

It was one of the most amazingly poor refereeing performances I've ever seen:

12 fouls on Richarlison totally ignored
Son's dive in our box should have been a yellow
Dele Alli's handball in the box was a clear penalty
Sanchez's trip on Richarlison in the box was a clear penalty
Richarlison was tripped when clear through – should have been a red

I actually found Atkinson's performance to not be poor, but something more akin to cheating, it was laughable and should be looked at to see if he should even be officiating at Premier League level.

There needs to be further explanation as to why it was given and why it has been rescinded. I then may agree or at least understand and accept it.

What is the point of VAR if referees don't use it properly by checking pitch side monitors and VAR decisions get overturned.

Clear communication needs to be shared to all, not a referee's group who fail to change their process, don't take responsibility and refuse to explain or be held accountable.

The tackle was from behind. Son ran quickly and tripped, tackled, lunged at the legs of Gomes from behind. Is this now allowed, have I missed a rule change?

Also Aurier (?) tackle directly after Son had tripped Gomes was more reckless but has gone unpunished. Why?

Referees make mistakes, they are human. VAR could help, but should not be refereeing the game. I'd rather referees openly communicate with everyone than have VAR.

Referees need to be assessed and rated each week so they can learn and improve from their own mistakes but also from their fellow professionals.

Back to basics. More yellow cards for diving, surrounding referees and general lack of respect. This should be frequently done retrospectively if missed during the game.

Everton more firsts.
Last season Niasse first player retrospectively banned for diving. How many more cheats has this happened too?
From only MOTD highlights it should be at least one a week and I put our own Richarlison in that category. There should have been 50+ players banned for simulation by now.
Why has this stopped? Its going unpunished resulting in an increase in cheating.

This season.
Keane first to concede penalty that the majority agree should never have been. Both players eyes on the ball that is high in the air.
If this accidental clash is a foul then there will be similar fouls in every game. Why are they not given?

First to be denied a clear handball and penalty using VAR. So wrong it's almost unbelievable.

First to have VAR decision over ruled. I thought that was against their own rules. That now opens it up to challenge every in game decision that's gone against us including the apparent 'untouchable and unreversable' stupid yellow card decisions.

I agree with others. We need to be very LOUD and very smart about all of this. Moshiri needs to spend a few million hiring a legal team.

I think we should be looking to challenge these clear and obvious errors in court. We need to stand and fight against injustice if only to make a point and force necessary improvements and communication around the wrongly perceived un-biased technology.

Take it to the European Court whilst we still can!

Over the top yes, but it's the only way people take notice.

Let's have several # and YouTube channels, let's get Trump and Boris to tweet about it, surely we can get some environmentally beneficial news from it too..

Okay, Son. We've all seen your "apology" from last night's game, after scoring and then clasping your hands in a prayer like motion and appearing to say "sorry" in front of the camera.

We all knew you would be eligible to play for Spurs last night, so now let's see you do the honourable thing and tell Pochettino you will sit out the next three league games as a sign of respect towards Gomes.

Nah, won't happen!!

Justin #36. Some good points you make there.

Regarding the point about retrospective bans, such as Niasse, for diving, this ban was only given as we supposedly gained an advantage by the fact we were awarded a penalty, which was scored. It's highly unlikely we will ever see a retrospective ban for diving again, as VAR will overrule a referees decision should he award a penalty, which will be deemed to be a dive, and a yellow card will be given instead.

As I said the other day, Niasse will have his own little piece of top-flight football history, as the only player to receive a retrospective ban for diving.

I can't understand all of the posts implying that Son's cowardly tackle and the red card being rescinded, was okay. The guy deliberately brought Gomes down from behind, Son should have to live with the consequences.

If I were to trip my mate up in the street, no more than a jolly jape, and in the same vein as Son's retaliatory tackle, and my mate falls, hits his head on the kerb stone and dies, am I immune from a charge of manslaughter, because it was only a jolly jape?

I very much doubt it because I am responsible for my actions. Just because it happens on a football pitch, it does not excuse Son from the consequences of his premeditated action.

While I totally agree the officials and VAR as it is being used is a joke, I can't make Son's tackle a red card. The tackle merits a yellow card; because Gomes gets a bad injury doesn't make it a red in my opinion.

We do get a bad deal and have done for years off the officials, the darlings of the League get at least 10 points over the full season. The attitude of the officials is "It's only Everton or the other shall we say 'smaller clubs,' lets favour the big club" – that's the line of least resistance.

By the way, off topic, the betting suggests that 11 other clubs are more likely to be relegated than us, we are 14/1 to go down. I don't actually think that we will be relegated but, with our long-term injuries, I do think we are in serious trouble. Unless we get reinforcements, I can't see us finishing 9th or higher.

This sums it up about as well as I've seen.

Son Heung-min's tackle on Andre Gomes was a reckless act of retribution... he didn't mean to break the Everton star's ankle, but he isn't the innocent victim he's being made out to be

Thanks for some clarification and although I knew VAR had supposedly replaced the goal scoring reviews and clarification of any incidents when a goal has been scored I believe retrospective punishment can and should still be used.

A VAR still frame can attempt to show if contact is made, slow motion can help detect the direction of players movement but it doesnt appear to be used for simulation. It's more a yes or no answer for refereeing errors.

Prehaps due to my lack of education and or general poor communication with VAR, simulation is still frequent and retrospective action should be re-introduced firstly as a deterrent but also to capture 'gaining an unfair advantage' motions above the clinical VAR 'was their contact or not' evidence.

In our last game Sidibe conceded a corner although he was clearly fouled. I honestly have no idea if that unfair advantage from a wrongly awarded corner had led to a goal what the outcome or review process would be.

These incidents happen because a referee can not see everything. I think we all accept that. But can VAR or a referee go back 3 minutes to the build up of play in awarding (or not) a corner, free kick, throw-in and then over rule a goal because of a clear and obvious error?

These errors happen frequently and its only a matter of time before one leads to an important goal. I'd like to know what can be done if anything to over rule such decisions and does length of time, winning back possession or the number of players involved effect the outcome.

On the subject of an act of aggression I don't believe you can apply the same rules to 'in-action sporting events' as general day incidents (but I'm sure that day will come).

Take deaths in boxing, F1 etc. I don't believe they would be taken to court in the same way as a bar brawl, road rage or such incidents would.

There are exceptions and unfortunately our very own big Dunc was heavily and IMO unfairly jailed for an onfield head but against an opponent. Worse incedents happened in Scotland before and since without such harsh punishment.

Eric Cantona's flying kick at an opposition fan is another 1-off but he had left the field of play and targeted a member of the public which crosses certain 'sporting' codes.

Atkinson is either corrupt or incompetent. Yes, I'd say that to his face.
He makes Clattenberg look like a dyed in the wool Evertonian.
A total waste of space.

I just hope Son makes a full recovery. I was gutted for him. He was barely able to play last night.

Pat. Spot on. I wouldn't be surprised if Gomes got a retrospective red card for catching Son with his arm.

Anyone who watched the rugby world cup saw what VAR could be. Several times a referee thought he spotted something but let play go on, even to the point of a try being scored before asking to see a replay of what he saw and discussing it with assistants and the TMO. Other times, during a lull in play the TMO would inform the referee of something that he thought the ref had missed, again the reviewed discussed and decided.

Perhaps most importantly the discussion was audible, at least to the TV watchers, and the referee explained his decision to the captain of the team it went against.

How much better could VAR be with that attitude.

And also have one VAR crew at each game so they can't use the excuse that they were deciding on incident A and missed incident B at another game.