I wasn’t surprised that Dundee United lost their appeal against Ryan Edwards’ red card against Hearts.
It crystallised something I’ve increasingly thought since VAR’s introduction; that players now need to be much smarter in winning the ball, rather than using the traditional meaty challenge beloved of fans.
Despite both managers agreeing the card was harsh, Edwards will miss two games, including this week’s Scottish Cup tie v Kilmarnock.
I think increasingly, many players will need to tailor their game to jockey, badger and hustle opponents more than make full-blooded contact, unless absolutely imperative.
I saw a very similar red card in Serie A in the Sassuolo game the night after Butcher’s dismissal, when Atalanta had Mæhle sent off on 30 minutes for dangerous play.
A tackle where the ball is won but the follow through catches the opponent now, more than ever, runs the risk of being nabbed as serious foul play by using excessive force and it’s always going to attract the referee’s attention.
That’s because, as we saw with ref Nick Walsh initially playing the game on, but then having his attention called to the matter, VAR then gave him several extra bites at the cherry in deciding the United man’s fate.
It’s not worth giving officials the opportunity to enjoy several reviews of an incident.
Multiple angles
Edwards’ challenge was ten yards inside Hearts half and losing possession there shouldn’t have proven fatal, with plenty of opportunities to win the ball back.
I think players now need to be much cuter and more circumspect in how and where they try to dispossess opponents.
Where once refs got perhaps only a glancing look at a tackle, they can now dwell on multiple angles of replays on the monitor, and any dubiety which might’ve existed before VAR, when they only had a cursory glimpse has ,now gone.
This will change the way more robust players approach the game and they’ll need to adapt or face the obvious consequences.
Dundee could’ve done without a draining 120 minutes and penalties in their SPFL Trust Trophy semi-final.
At this stage, maintaining physical and mental energy levels and fitness for the task of winning promotion is their only target.
Clubs are professionally obliged to insist all games are important, but some are more crucial than others and Sunday’s league fixture against Cove is in that category.
This season’s Championship is tighter than a ducks rear end, so it’s crucial that Bowyer’s men are fully focussed on bagging every available point.
I think the manager’s judicious strengthening in the window will pay dividends come the season’s end but, with Queens Park four points ahead of Dundee, every point is gold-dust.
In beating Owen Coyle’s promotion rivals at Dens recently, the pace and punch shown by Gary Bowyer’s team, particularly in the second half, was impressive, but drawing at Hamilton undid some of their good work.
In adding to their strike force Dundee’s Championship credentials look seriously reinforced.
There are now no further calls on their focus except league business, so everyone – including new signings – must step up to the plate fully concentrated on the big prize of promotion.
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