More VAR talk tonight except this isn’t about Celtic. This is actually about Rangers and how Michael Stewart was left fuming with Bobby Madden’s verdict on a major VAR call the Ibrox club were denied against Motherwell and Kilmarnock.
Rangers’ 2-1 defeat to Motherwell last week saw the Ibrox club slip up in the league but unfortunately, Celtic could not capitalise on it.
There was some VAR controversy surrounding the game and Bobby Madden has given his view on the Dan Casey challenge on the penalty awarded to Kilmarnock for a John Lundstram handball.
Madden said of the John Lundstram handball that gave Kilmarnock a penalty (Scottish Football Podcast), “That’s the handball? For me, it is not. You can see at the point of contact the arm is pinned at the side.”
Dearie me. The hand was nowhere near ‘pinned’ to his side. In fact, I covered this on Born Celtic and you can see exactly where Lundstram’s hand is in the video replay of the incident.
And of the decision not to send off Dan Casey for the challenge on Ross McCausland? Well, Madden’s answer left Michael Stewart feeling very confused.
Madden said, “The McCausland challenge I have watched so many times. I have jumped between yellow and red.
“Eventually I landed on red for serious foul play because I think at the pace he enters that challenge endangers the opponent. Playing the ball is not an excuse. When you enter a challenge at that pace, for me, it is endangering the safety.
“I think when [Dan] Casey makes the challenge that extension of the sole of his boot comes up. For me that is a natural movement. But the pace in that challenge contacting the shin of the opponent is dangerous.”
He watched it so many times, yet comes to the conclusion that not many others have including the match day officials and VAR. Bizarre. And it left the BBC pundit flummoxed.
Stewart replied, “I mean you’re effectively saying that football is going to be a non-contact sport.
“If you listen to Kenny Miller [and his take on the incident] what else is Dan Casey meant to do?
“So if we deal with what actually happened then. I tell you, Ross McAusland got injured for everything that you’ve been told as a player.
“Don’t dangle your leg. And if you take a still of the incident, Ross McCausland’s leg is higher than Dan Casey’s.
“It’s a 70/30 tackle for Dan Casey. There is nothing else that Casey could do other than what he did. He is actually apprehensive about the challenge.
“He is running into the tackle. It is a natural momentum. He doesn’t speed up, he doesn’t lift his leg. He kicks the ball and his leg makes contact with Ross McCausland.”
The most balanced view I’ve seen on this so far but yet, I fear, it was lost on Madden as he stuck to his guns on his VAR review.
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