December 01, (THEWILL) – Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has urged patience regarding the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, despite facing an FA charge for recent criticism of the technology. Arteta, labelled a controversial VAR decision that cost Arsenal a match versus Newcastle in November as ‘embarrassing’ and a ‘disgrace.’
The Spaniard, has since been charged by the England Football Association, for his comments and will discover next week if he faces punishment. With Arsenal atop the English Premier League before hosting Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, Arteta maintained that VAR needs time to improve.
“I think we can improve it and we are trying to do that,” he remarked. “Technology is taking a huge responsibility in games and it needs time. If we use it the right way, we are listening to people, we are open, we are humble and we are trying to be constructive, I think we will get to a really, really good place.”
Arteta added that recent VAR issues have dominated conversations between managers. His counterpart at Wolves, Gary O’Neil, blasted VAR this week after two disputed penalties cost his club versus Fulham.
Yet Arteta urged patience, believing the technology’s implementation remains a work in progress. “It has been a big change,” he noted. “All those things that are happening I think are probably necessary to improve it and we have to take it that way.”
With a single point lead atop the table, Arsenal expect a stern test Saturday versus Wolves. “They have a lot of quality over there,” Arteta remarked. “It’s not a coincidence what they’re doing.” His side hopes to show progress as they vie to stay first in the standings with defending champions Manchester City and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool hot on their heels.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
