A stop-start half, VAR delays, Micky van de Ven's hamstring and one of the most significant moments in Tottenham Hotspur's season.
Plus...would players really go on strike to force Fifa to see sense?
Do VAR delays contribute to injuries? One of the most frustrating, arguably most damaging moments in Tottenham Hotspur’s season came after 44 minutes of their tempestuous Premier League defeat to Chelsea on November 6. Micky van de Ven, who has brought such authority and security to Spurs’ back-line, went down clutching his right hamstring after a high-speed chase with Nicolas Jackson. The Dutchman’s injury occurred in the wake of a series of stoppages, including two for VAR which contributed to 11 minutes of added time before Michael Oliver signalled the interval.
This is not a stick clutched manically to beat VAR with, simply an attempt to understand the proliferation of injuries this season and part of the wider debate over player workload currently taking place in London and throughout clubs. Van de Ven’s injury was preceded by VAR checks on a Raheem Sterling effort ruled out for Jackson offside (21-23 minutes) and then a hiatus following Cristian Romero’s initial foul on Enzo Fernandez to Cole Palmer converting the penalty (27-35). It needs noting that there were subsequent stops for medical attention to Pedro Porro (36-37) and James Maddison (42-44) before Van de Ven’s unfortunate incapacitation.