‘Livid’ – Rio Ferdinand slams VAR for decision in West Ham United v Chelsea
Rio Ferdinand has admitted he would be “livid” if he was West Ham after the controversial decision during the defeat to Chelsea.
The Hammers were denied a vital point against Chelsea when Jarrod Bowen was judged to have fouled Edouard Mendy in the final minute, seeing Maxwel Cornet’s equaliser ruled out at Stamford Bridge.
But Ferdinand, speaking on his Vibe with Five podcast [5 September, 52:40] said he would “going bananas” if that decision went against him believes VAR didn’t do the job it was supposed to do in that game.
“David Moyes lost hair and gained grey hair at the same time I think after this,” he said.
“I think Moyes is well within his rights to be upset with this decision. I think that they didn’t get the rub of the green and VAR didn’t do the job that it’s there to do.
“I think he’s [Mendy] made a meal of it. If I’m West Ham I’m livid. I’m going bananas. And I guarantee you there would have been players waiting at the referee’s dressing room to give him a piece of their mind.”
Shocking
You can think what you want about the game itself, with Chelsea having plenty of chances but seeing the Hammers robbed of a point because of that decision is just farcical.
Bowen does nothing wrong other than not jump high enough to get over Mendy, who realises he can’t win the ball that has broken to Cornet and instead decides to roll around on the floor like he’d been shot.
The fans were furious, the players were furious, the playing staff were furious and distraught that their hard work had come to nothing over a referee’s decision from miles away watching on a TV screen.
Everyone can see it and only very few people think otherwise of the decision, so it’s nice to see Ferdinand using his platform to shine a light on that and let us know that we’re not crazy for thinking it.
Now though the fans must just get behind the team and they need to keep their heads up ahead of the Europa Conference League clash on Thursday before the Premier League game against Newcastle on Sunday.