West Ham United: Mark Clattenberg drops ‘so incensed’ verdict amid Wolves controversy
Mark Clattenberg says he can understand why Wolves boss Gary O’Neil was “so incensed” by a late VAR controversy in their defeat to West Ham on Saturday (6 April).
The Hammers ran out 2-1 victors at Molineux but benefitted from a late decision going their way when Max Kilman’s late goal was chalked off.
It was deemed that Tawanda Chirewa was deemed to be blocking the vision of Lukasz Fabianksi while standing in an offside position but former Premier League referee Mark Clattenberg – the Daily Mail Online – disputed the decision as David Moyes’ side earned all three points.
He wrote: “I can see why Gary O’Neil was so incensed by their disallowed goal because, in my opinion, that equaliser should have stood. IFAB’s law 11 states that an attacker should be penalised for ‘preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the goalkeeper’s line of vision’.
“The PGMOL cited this law in a statement afterwards as they defended the decision. Yet West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was never going to save Maximilian Kilman’s header, even with Tawanda Chirewa stood in front of him. Fabianski was moving to his left and the ball went in at his right, and Chirewa’s positioning was not what prevented him from getting to it.”
How did Lukasz Fabianski perform for West Ham United v Wolves?
Despite being the number one for many seasons at the London Stadium, this season the Pole has found himself as second fiddle to Alphonse Areola.
The Frenchman has made 27 Premier League appearances this campaign and has kept just four clean sheets in that time [FotMob].
Following an injury to the first-choice shot-stopper, Fabianski has come back in and has managed to keep a clean sheet in that time.
His moment against Wolves is one that has been spoken about heavily over the weekend following the game (6 April).
Against Wanderers, he registered six saves which saw him face 2.71 xGOT while he only ended up conceding once from a penalty [FotMob].
His performance was largely positive which has been forgotten given the VAR decision that surrounded him in the end. The decision was something that was out of his hands but he has been lumped into the conversation.
With Areola still struggling with injury, it is good to see the 38-year old keeping up some form.
In other West Ham news, Jason Cundy and Jamie O’Hara argued about the latest controversy live on air.
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