VAR Expert Explains Difference Between Jurrien Timber and Curtis Jones Incidents

The image of Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber controlling the ball before slipping into a crunching tackle on Pedro Porro during Sunday afternoon’s north London derby is one that struck a familiar chord among Liverpool fans. It’s almost exactly a year since Reds’ midfielder Curtis Jones was sent off at Tottenham through a VAR intervention for a similar challenge on Yves Bissouma

Porro’s Tottenham teammates reacted furiously, sparking a scuffle between the two sides. However, after a review, Ange Postecoglou’s side’s appeals to upgrade Timber’s initial yellow card to a red were dismissed, as Arsenal went on to claim all three points over their fierce rivals, thanks to a second-half header from Gabriel.

It wasn’t only Tottenham supporters who found the decision unjust. Liverpool fans also voiced their concerns on social media, questioning the consistency between Jones’ red card and Timber’s reprieve. However, VAR expert Dale Johnson from ESPN has now provided an explanation, shedding light on the controversy.

VAR Expert Provides Explanation

Dale Johnson has brought clarity to the ruling

VAR causing controversy is by no means a new thing for Premier League fans. So much so that there are now a handful of VAR experts, with ESPN’s Johnson arguably being the best of them. In his column, he has since vindicated Jarred Gillett and Stuart Attwell’s decision.

“There were crucial differences to explain why one was a yellow card and the other a red,” he wrote about the comparisons being made by Liverpool fans. “There are a number of factors that a referee, and the VAR, will take into account. Primarily, it’s about force, but also the way a player is making the tackle and how they make contact with the other player.

“Jones was stretching into the tackle, and the angle he went into it meant he caught his opponent with studs leading into his shin, which created a buckle effect on Bissouma’s leg — and that’s one possible indicator of level of force. The buckle doesn’t need to be present for a red card, nor is it necessarily a smoking gun — it’s one possible aspect that might be used to come to a decision.

“It might appear to be a subtle difference, but it’s a textbook comparison between yellow and red card situations when a player has gone over the top of the ball and caught an opponent with the follow-through.”

Criticisms Of The Decision

Rival fans still don’t feel the law is black and white

The primary frustration among Premier League viewers is the apparent lack of clarity in the rules. Another notable critic of Sunday’s decision was renowned journalist Henry Winter, who also asked on Twitter, “Why does he need to put his foot over the ball, why does he have to be three inches higher?”

“It’s an unusual action because he definitely goes over the top of the ball, with his studs on it,” added former Tottenham midfielder Redknapp on Sky Sports. “His foot then bounces on the ball. Timber is very, very lucky. Has he gone in with excessive force to do him like in the olden day? No, but he’s given the referee a decision to make. Other referees would have sent him off.”

Timber’s reprieve came at a pivotal moment for Arsenal, as the club faces mounting challenges with injuries and suspensions to key players. Martin Odegaard, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Ricardo Calafiori all sustained injuries during their international commitments.

Before the early-season break, Declan Rice’s dismissal against Brighton stirred controversy after he was shown two yellow cards. Adding to Tottenham’s frustration, Timber avoided a similar fate despite committing two questionable actions – his foul on Porro and a shirt grab on Vicario, the latter of which saw the Spurs goalkeeper penalized instead.