SOUTHAMPTON boss Russell Martin was left frustrated again after another VAR decision went against his side, during Friday night’s 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma gave the hosts the lead at the Amex Stadium, before Flynn Downes equalised during the second half.
Saints thought they had taken the lead through Cameron Archer – but after a long VAR check, Adam Armstrong was adjudged to be interfering with goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
Martin’s side were looking for just their second Premier League win of the season, and were no doubt feeling hard done by, following the short trip to their south-coast rivals.
While accepting that referees have a “difficult” job, the Saints boss admitted he is struggling to understand how Archer’s strike was disallowed.
He said: “This is my problem with VAR. I can really accept it from the guys on the pitch, the referee and the assistants, it’s such a difficult job.
“I understand why they would give it in the heat of the moment because Cam maybe looks offside, Arma the same.
“I thought the point of VAR was to take out the subjectivity a little bit and make it clear. And then they set the bar higher this season for the definition of clear and obvious.
“They make the right call with the offside. Then it’s about interpretation again, how much he (Armstrong) affects the goalkeeper, which is the reason we’ve been told has been disallowed.
“If we are disallowing the goal because the goalkeeper is impeded by Armstrong or affected, then it is a clear and obvious error because he hasn’t moved and he can’t get across.”
The 38-year-old insisted that the decision will presumably also be labelled ‘correct’ due to the decision being down to ‘interpretation’.
He continued: “We spend four or five minutes all waiting in the stadium when it’s cold, tensions are high and then that decision gets given because the on-pitch decision carries weight.
“If we want the process to get better, let’s really understand the decision we’re making and why. Let’s be really honest about it.
“I don’t want to sit here being a moaning git about decisions. It’s a tough job. But I thought VAR was brought in to help that.
“I’m sure in a match report, because it is interpretation, it will get given as a correct decision from VAR.”
To make matters worse for Southampton, decisions have seemed to go against them in matches against Leicester City, Arsenal, Wolverhampton Wanderers – while they were denied an Armstrong penalty in last week’s 3-2 defeat to league leaders Liverpool.
Speaking after the game, Verbruggen acknowledged his side got fortunate with the disallowed strike.
The honest Dutchman claimed: “I don’t even know why he gave it offside, I think we got lucky.”
Saints are next in action on Wednesday, as they welcome Chelsea to St Mary’s but they will be without the suspended Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Downes, and Tyler Dibling.
