Howard Webb believes referee Rob Jones was right not to red card David Brooks for a challenge on Marc Cucurella despite video assistant referee Graham Scott believing the Bournemouth player ‘clotheslined’ his opponent.
Brooks impeded Cucurella with his arm off the ball while Chelsea was about to counterattack after goalkeeper Robert Sanchez caught a Bournemouth free-kick. The Cherries midfielder made contact with the Blues defender around his neck.
As the Premier League Match Centre later explained: “VAR recommended an on-field review for a possible red card to Brooks for violent conduct. Upon review, the referee deemed that the challenge on Cucurella was a reckless action and not violent conduct – and issued a yellow card to Brooks.”
Webb, the PGMOL chief refereeing officer, has further expanded on the process during the latest episode of Match Officials Mic’d Up. “It’s the first time a referee has been sent to the screen for a red card and not produced one,” he said.
“There is a good reason why. This situation is different.
“The referee didn’t see any of it on the field. It was not something he was looking at as they came together.
“When he goes down, and VAR looks at the footage, he is the first official to see it. When he sees the left arm come around the front of Cucurella, he calls it a clothesline.
“He thinks it could be a red and thinks the referee needs to look at that. It has to be something VAR believes could be a red.
“When he gets there, he looks at it and says, based on the footage, he thinks it is not quite a red card. The footage is not clear.
“The arm comes across the chest, and it’s difficult to see the force. I don’t think he pulls Cucurella’s hair.
“The hands touch the hair. On balance, Rob Jones makes the right decision.
“It is reckless and shows a yellow. It was a good use of VAR.”
football.london Chelsea WhatsApp channel
Want to keep up to date with the breaking and important Chelsea stories whilst on the move? Well now you can!
Click this link to follow the football.london Chelsea WhatsApp channel, where you’ll be kept up to date on the latest Blues news wherever you are.
Just remember to turn on the notifications once you’ve followed, and you won’t miss a beat!
