‘I can see why…’ – Ange Postecoglou’s post-match admission says a lot about Bergvall decision
Ange Postecoglou expressed sympathy for Arne Slot and Liverpool over the major talking point from Tottenham’s victory against the Reds on Wednesday night.
The only goal of the game was scored by Lucas Bergvall in the 86th minute, although the Swedish midfielder was fortunate to escape a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Kostas Tsimikas just before he conjured the match-winning moment.
Virgil van Dijk was adamant that the Spurs youngster ought to have been given his marching orders by Stuart Attwell over the tackle on the Greek defender, who was off the pitch receiving treatment when the goal happened.
What did Postecoglou say about Bergvall avoiding a second yellow?
Speaking to the media after the match, Postecoglou pointed to how he felt his team have been on the wrong end of refereeing decisions of late, with the Tottenham manager particularly livid over a handball from Joelinton in the lead-up to a goal for Newcastle in their 2-1 win over the north Londonders last weekend.
On last night’s controversial moment, the 59-year-old said (via Liverpool Echo): “We have been told consistently that, if you play advantage, the player won’t be cautioned. I was bemoaning that last week some people were being repeatedly fouled and we were getting advantage and no bookings.
“I’m really surprised how people in this country are so easily letting the game change so much so quickly. It’s changed more since VAR has come in than in the last 50 years. We never used to debate offside, handballs, holding in the box.”
Postecoglou then seemed to admit that his team got away with one in terms of Bergvall avoiding a second yellow card, saying: “Today it advantaged us. I can see why Arne would be very disappointed. If that was me I’d be disappointed as well, but apparently they are the rules.”
Postecoglou comments raise wider discussion about refereeing
When even the Spurs manager is suggesting that he’d have been fuming if that particular decision had happened the other way around, that says a lot about Attwell’s failure to reach for his pocket over the Swedish midfielder’s challenge on Tsimikas.
The Tottenham boss, who expressed his disdain for the innovation of VAR decisions being announced at the stadium, has shone the spotlight on refereeing standards in this country with his post-match comments, highlighting the lack of clarity over certain aspects of the rulebook.
One thing we would like to have heard is an explanation from the referee last night as to why he neglected to show a second yellow card to Bergvall, a sentiment that Slot aired when he spoke to the media after the game.
Decisions will go for and against a team over the course of a season (sometimes even within the same match), and the subjectivity of football means that consensus over certain incidents is impossible, but this particular point of contention seemed quite clear-cut to us.
Alas, Liverpool must grin and bear it and seek to overturn the one-goal deficit in the second leg of the semi-final next month.
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