Virgil van Dijk faces an prolonged ban resulting from his purple card coupled with an additional cost, however there may be understandably frustration on the lack of consistency that’s boiling over.
First off, it is very important say that abuse will not be condoned in any approach and it should don’t have any place within the recreation.
Van Dijk was visibly shocked and disgruntled on the resolution made by referee John Brooks to point out him a purple card for his problem on Newcastle‘s Alexander Isak.
The captain may very well be seen telling Brooks his resolution was a “f**king joke” earlier than later telling fourth official Craig Pawson “don’t contact me,” as makes an attempt have been made to maneuver him towards the tunnel.
The sort out itself triggered a one-match ban for denying a transparent goalscoring alternative, however the FA has since charged the Dutchman with a breach of FA Rule E3.1.
“It’s alleged that the defender acted in an improper method and/or used abusive and/or insulting phrases in the direction of a match official,” the FA spokesperson reported.
The cost will doubtless see Van Dijk’s ban prolonged, and in some methods, it opened up a can of worms.
All we would like is consistency
As abovementioned, Van Dijk was unsuitable to abuse the officers and his response has been rightly pulled up.
However it is very important ask, the place is the consistency?
Gamers and managers are being requested to be close to excellent in how they current themselves on the pitch and off it, however questions can’t be requested of officers or one should then face the results.
Whether or not that be a ban or a hefty nice, it usually looks like greater than what an official has to entrance as much as in the event that they decide that prices a staff the possibility of a win or a degree.
All of which might make the distinction between staying within the league, European soccer or lifting the title – the margin for error, as we all know, might be as little as aim distinction.
In Van Dijk’s thoughts, he was sure it was not a purple card offence, and having solely the week prior seen considered one of his team-mates be despatched off after which later have his ban rescinded, he, understandably, has inquiries to ask.
Historical past, in his thoughts, was repeating itself and after simply three rounds, it isn’t like he has been given any confidence within the selections of Premier League officers.
For a lot of, there’ll, rightly, be no subject with punishing abusive language, however it’s the ever-changing guidelines and thresholds that sees one factor punished one week and never the following.
You may settle for human error in a sport that strikes at a speedy tempo, however the addition of VAR know-how – which is managed by the identical on-field referees – is supposed to assist in that regard.
We’ve got seen it doesn’t and former referee Mike Dean has already admitted he as soon as didn’t refer Anthony Taylor to the display as a result of he was a mate, even when the PGMOL insist that it couldn’t have been the case.
Sadly, Van Dijk will not be the primary participant to abuse officers and nor will he be the final, however what number of occasions has the identical cost been handed out to different gamers within the league?
Followers might level to a mess of situations, and but nothing was carried out about it, and all of it comes again to consistency.
The consistency of upholding the principles, of decision-making, and of punishments – not merely selecting and selecting when the guide is thrown.
Nobody desires to be discussing referees after each recreation and pointing to errors, however it’s the present state of play and to date, we don’t see an finish to it.
Van Dijk’s punishment, in isolation, might be argued as honest, however what number of extra occasions this season will we see the identical response?
That there’s little religion it is not going to be punished once more for others is indicative of the place the league requirements at the moment stand.
Can’t have it each methods
On the finish of the day, the PGMOL can not have it each methods. Officers are protected species and once they make a mistake they aren’t held to the identical requirements as gamers and managers.
An apology after the actual fact doesn’t make up for a unsuitable resolution and any outward response to their calls is snuffed out nearly instantly.
An organisation wants to have the ability to pay attention and perceive the considerations of these they oversee, not shut the doorways and switch the music up so to not hear the frustrations that exist.
The Newcastle recreation was the right instance of lacking blatant fouls (Anthony Gordon on Trent Alexander-Arnold) and the sudden resolution to not guide those that ask for a card on a number of events *cough Joelinton*.
If followers are pissed off by this lack of consistency and selecting which guidelines are punished depending on the day, you possibly can solely think about what the gamers assume.
All we would like is consistency, however will we ever get it?
