The FA Cup failure shows the need for VAR, but refereeing standards are also needed for further improvements.

There was some shouting at the referees over the weekend who couldn’t rely on the safety blanket of VAR, but they need to improve their game and hone their sharpness

This is one of the most ridiculous defenses in a weekend of officiating blunders. Apparently, coaches and players don’t get punished for making mistakes, but referees do.

Players and coaches are allowed to make mistakes, but referees cannot overlook such mistakes. Treatment becomes even more demanding. Some former umpires have said it, it’s been said to me several times, and now people actually believe it.

So let’s be clear. That’s complete nonsense. Who on earth would come up with something like this? And do they live on Mars?

You may not have realized it, but when a player misses a big chance, it gets exposed and splashed across the back pages, where it is analyzed over and over again.

read more: Former Premier League referee tells Howard Webb to resign after recent blundersread more: Alan Shearer admits he ‘could have been sacked’ by BBC after FA Cup nightmare for officials

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Look at Cole Palmer’s last-gasp mistake in Chelsea vs. Leeds. One program I listened to described it as one of the worst mistakes in Premier League history.

If a player makes a wrong tackle, he will rightfully be hung out to dry. If he scores an own goal, he becomes public enemy number one.

If a manager makes a wrong decision, they’ll yell, “You’re going to be fired in the morning,” and it’ll be splashed on the back pages.

The pressure Thomas Frank had to deal with as Tottenham manager would have been excruciating. It was painful to watch. And when we talk about mistakes, fans will point out substitutions, signings and deployments as mistakes. That’s how it works.

is that so? Of course not. But that is the harsh reality of top league football. Referees are also part of the game. I’m not saying they should register for abuse. But that’s part of the process.

And the referees are professionals. We’re not talking about stupid mistakes here. We’re talking about a big blunder in a game. Chris Kavanagh at Aston Villa vs Newcastle. Not sure if the handball went into the box?

The offside call against Manchester City’s Omar Marmouche… well, it was so obvious and wrong that it was downright embarrassing.

Now, don’t make excuses. Let me tell you the truth: The safety blanket of VAR has lowered the standards of refereeing.

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Yes, there has been less intervention in the Premier League. But fans can judge for themselves, and this weekend showed that VAR is needed, but also that refereeing standards need to improve.

After all, it is the referees who operate VAR. Equipment is only as good as the person operating it.

Will the manager use the referee and his mistakes as a change-of-direction tactic? Perhaps. The same goes for the players. Will referees enjoy the same luxury? No, of course not. But can we expect that from them? no.

There’s no getting away from the fact that it was a bad weekend for officials. And this time there was no VAR to hide it.

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