Another 2 points were dropped in the title race by Rangers yesterday, so you always knew calls for VAR were going to be present in the immediate aftermath.
Yes, once again, Celtic’s rivals have been out moaning about decisions that they feel cost them the game. Giovanni van Bronckhorst appeared to be left fuming with Motherwell’s second goal in the 2-2 draw instead of pointing the finger at his own team for throwing a 2-goal lead away [The Scotsman].
It was the same last week at Tannadice. Their supporters seemed to lose the plot when Celtic extended their margin to 3 points. They were left moaning that Fashion Sakala should’ve had a penalty in their 1-1 draw with Dundee United.
In fairness, he should’ve. But this is now being used to push a narrative that Rangers are being done out of the title by decisions. That it isn’t their fault that they’re so mentally weak they can’t hold on to leads or come back and win after losing the first goal. That if Scottish football had VAR, Rangers would be absolutely bossing it.
As it happens, they’re conveniently forgetting all of the points they would never have even won had VAR been in place in Scottish football.
Where do you even start? What about the last time Motherwell visited Ibrox when Rangers’ goal was offside? That would’ve ensured they failed to pick up a single point. Or how about when they were 2-1 down at home to Aberdeen back in October and were given a ridiculous penalty decision that allowed them to tie things up and steal another point they should never have won?
Rangers would’ve suffered from VAR a lot more than they would’ve benefitted
Let’s not stop there whilst we’re at it. Hibs were 1-0 up and cruising at Ibrox back in October when Ryan Porteous was given a red card in a decision that was way too over-the-top. Rangers faced 10 men for an hour that day and turned it around to earn 3 points.
Even more recently, what about their January trip to Pittodrie? Remember when Allan McGregor came racing out of his goal at 0-0, took out Ryan Hedges, and somehow avoided a red card and the concession of a penalty? Absolutely mental stuff.
Already you’re talking about 6 points less Rangers could’ve had from the decisions mentioned above. Complaining about Alfredo Morelos’ 2 offside goals yesterday makes no sense either. That’s exactly what they were – offside. VAR wouldn’t have done a thing to help Rangers out in that case either.
We’re not saying all decisions VAR would’ve helped make this season would’ve benefitted us. But we’re not the ones crying about it not having yet been introduced. We’re not the ones trying to say that not having it is denting our title hopes. Rangers are struggling due to a lack of backbone and nothing more.
Had VAR been in place, we would likely be a lot higher up the table than we currently are. Ange also had plenty of decisions go against him in the first half of the season in particular. Remember the “offside” Liel Abada goal on opening day at Tynecastle, for example?
There are plans to bring the system into Scottish football of course. There is hope that we could be talking about it being in place after the World Cup in Qatar at the end of the year [Daily Mail].
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