Two controversial decisions cost Tottenham two points in draw at Saints

A marginal VAR verdict along with a poor decision by Anthony Taylor cost Tottenham two vital points in the 1-1 draw at Southampton.

Like most Premier League matches, results are decided by the narrowest of margins. Each result in silo has an instrumental impact on final placements come the end of the season. And the stakes against Saints couldn’t have been higher for Tottenham, who are in the battle of their lives to secure a Champions League berth.

Harry Kane thought he put Spurs ahead early in the second half, but was eventually adjudged by Martin Atkinson, the VAR official, to be offside, albeit by fractions of an inch. VAR has shown substantial improvement and has made the correct decision this season more often than not. Kane’s left shoulder was purportedly slightly ahead of Jan Bednarek. The angle provided didn’t show conclusive evidence of an offside, though one would assume Atkinson had a more conclusive viewpoint.

Regardless, it felt like a moment of regression for VAR, which has come a long way since being implemented. The goal was given on-field and needed to be overturned by a clear and obvious error, which didn’t seem the case from our angle. Spurs supporters wouldn’t have felt so hard done by if it was just the VAR offside decision keeping them from victory.

Second controversial decision

Fraser Forster made a mess of a cross in the 67th minute, coming out in an attempt to catch the ball in his bread basket rather than collecting at its highest point. Matthew Doherty went up for the ball, turned his back at the last second and, due to his momentum, collided into Forster, albeit lightly and timidly. Forster dropped the ball and inadvertently knocked the ball into his own goal.

The goal should have stood and gone down as a goalkeeper error. Forster needs to be a lot stronger when coming out to claim. He missed the opportunity to catch it above his head and was punished for his indecisiveness and lack of conviction. I’m all for protecting goalkeepers but not at the expense of fair, committed, combative play.

Doherty only turned away from the ball to protect himself from contact and had every right to go airborne and make life difficult for Southampton’s keeper. Enough of this kid-glove treatment for keepers, who used to command respect by taking control of their penalty area.

Both decisions were controversial, the latter even more so. And both decisions could impact Tottenham’s league position come the end of the season. Spurs could have done more to find another decisive moment against Southampton, but sometimes you need the run of the green when margins are so thin.

Hopefully these two lost points won’t determine whether Spurs find themselves in next season’s Champions League.