´It´s killing the game´ – Postecoglou fumes at VAR in Chelsea defeat

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Ange Postecoglou did not mince his words pursuing Tottenham’s 1-0 decision to Chelsea connected Thursday, suggesting that VAR is “killing the game”.

Postecoglou watched connected arsenic Enzo Fernandez’s second-half header proved the difference, sending Chelsea backmost into the Premier League’s apical four.

The effect saw Spurs’ winless streak agelong to 4 Premier League games. They person mislaid 3 times and fought backmost for a 2-2 gully with Bournemouth successful that time.

But determination were moments successful the contention erstwhile VAR intervened for some sides aft Fernandez’s opener.

Moises Caicedo thought helium had enactment Chelsea 2 goals up with a stunning volley from extracurricular the box, but it was ruled retired for an offside against Levi Colwill successful the build-up.

Then Spurs substitute Pape Sarr managed to compression an effort nether the palms of Robert Sanchez, with the onslaught primitively fixed on-field by referee Craig Pawson.

However, helium was sent to the show to reappraisal the decision, and yet disallowed the extremity aft ruling Sarr had fouled Caicedo earlier unleashing from 25 yards out.

14 – Tonight’s 1-0 triumph was the 14th clip Chelsea person beaten Tottenham Hotspur to nil astatine Stamford Bridge successful the Premier League, lone winning much location matches without conceding against Newcastle United (15). Clean. pic.twitter.com/YFJyfNR3zp

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 3, 2025

It was yet different frustrating evening for Spurs and Postecoglou, with their Europa League quarter-final clash with Eintracht Frankfurt looking adjacent much important now.

Tottenham supporters chanted ‘You don’t cognize what you’re doing’ astatine Postecoglou astatine full-time astatine Stamford Bridge.

Postecoglou’s determination to power Lucas Bergvall for Sarr drew boos from the travelling fans, with the Spurs brag appearing to respond by cupping his ears aft his substitute scored soon after, though that onslaught was yet ruled out.

And emotions appeared to instrumentality implicit during a fractious post-match interrogation by the Spurs boss, who besides referred to the nonaccomplishment to nonstop disconnected Everton’s James Tarkowski successful the Merseyside derby conscionable 24 hours earlier.

“It’s sidesplitting the crippled mate, it’s not the aforesaid crippled it utilized to be,” Postecoglou began.

“We each sat connected our couches past nighttime and watched TV [when Everton’s Tarkowski was not sent disconnected for a precocious situation connected Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister] and I warrant you if Jarred Gillett was VAR past nighttime it would’ve been a antithetic outcome, truthful you conscionable don’t cognize what we’re going to get.

“You are lasting astir for 12 minutes. It’s conscionable sidesplitting the game, but no-one cares astir that, they conscionable emotion the play and contention and I’m definite determination volition beryllium 24 hours of treatment astir it and that’s what everyone wants – they’re not truly funny that it’s sidesplitting the spectacle of the game.

“If a referee sees that and helium needs to spot it for six minutes, what’s wide and evident astir it?

“Last nighttime we were each sat connected our couches and saw 1 replay and thought, ‘oh my god’.

“Tonight we sat determination and were waiting for six minutes for thing that VAR authoritative Jarred Gillett thought was wide and evident – it’s crazy, it’s madness.

“We judge it and person to instrumentality the fallout from it. Clear and obvious? What does that suggest, that it’s connected the archetypal replay. That’s wherefore the crippled is going the mode it is.”