Two weeks in a row Rangers have dropped points, two weeks in a row we haven’t taken our chances, two weeks in a row we should have done better defensively and two weeks in a row we have been badly let down by officials – if it sounds repetitive, it’s because it is.
I’ve not seen any calls for foreign refs to be brought in or investigations into what school the officials went to, nor have I seen any claims of conspiracy, Rangers fans have blamed the players and management to various extents for not getting the job done – the reality is we should be a point clear at the top of the table.
Speaking to Ibrox News, former referees chief, Keith Hackett, reckons that Motherwell were lucky to escape a red card – never mind the three offside calls that all went in their favour – when Joe Efford went in late and high on Connor Goldson:
“The referee is nowhere near it.
“This is why the referee needs VAR. I don’t like it, I think he’s actually lucky to get away without a red card, the minimum for that would be a yellow card for reckless.
“He’s a lucky boy because I can justify a red. He can’t come out of that without a sanction, the referee is caught short – this is the type of incident where a second look through VAR would give greater clarity.”
Hackett is right, there is an easy way to look at most tackles against Rangers players, would Alfredo Morelos have been sent off if he did the same thing? The answer, invariably being, “yes”.
Referees tend to apply a strange rule in Scotland, because we were 2-0 up and coasting Don Robertson obviously decided that it would have been harsh to make the task even harder for Motherwell, again, refereeing the occasion rather than making a call on the incident in isolation.
Introducing VAR wouldn’t instantly solve all the problems in Scottish football but it would be a start, when you look at what has gone against us over the last two weeks, surely at least one of them would have gone in our favour and in a title race that seems destined to go to the wire, every little helps.