Premier League referees will probably award more fines this season in a more difficult reaction to players who are struggling and keep opponents in the penalty area.
Howard Webb, Chief Operating Officer of the Body of the Referees of the PGMOL, on Thursday, reporters said that feedback from a recent Premier League survey had emphasized that «a few too many» clear holding offenses unpunished.
He said VAR could intervene in situations of «extreme non-football actions», where a player clearly dragged another to the ground, even from the ball.
«I would expect that if we are sitting around this table this time next year, a few fines have been given for holding offenses than what we have seen (last season),» he said.
«But not a huge swing of the pendulum, because that is really difficult to maintain during a certain period,» he added.
Webb said that there would still be «some gray zone situations where the referee’s call is, where the referee says,» No, it is a small touch, it has no influence on his ability to move the ball, it is mutually holding. » That will remain the appeal of the referee. «
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«If there are no considerations to support the referee’s call, we expect VAR to participate,» Webb added.
Nottingham Forest received a penalty, confirmed after a VAR check, last season in a 7-0 thrashing from Brighton & Hove Albion when Tariq Lamptey Forest Captain Morgan Gibbs-White bundled to the ground.
A subsequent Premier League declaration referred to «holding on holding without attempt to play the ball».
The PGMOL has previously tried to reduce holding, but this time Webb said that the approach would be more sustainable.
«This is not intended as a two -week campaign, a campaign of six weeks, August and September and forget about it,» he explained.
«If we were to enter as a steam train and give every bit of contact, it would be a six -week campaign because we told ourselves very quickly to be too easy to do. We have to take the game with us, we must be credible,» he added.
The new season starts on Friday when champion Liverpool organizes Bournemouth.
