Chris Beesley suggests that Forest shouldn’t expect sympathy from Everton fans or Premier League officials.
Ashley Young made a pointed statement with his choice of “old skool tunes for today,” selecting Justin Timberlake’s ‘Cry Me a River.’
Nottingham Forest’s tweet, expressing discontent over refereeing decisions in their 2-0 loss to Everton, resembled more of an impassioned rant from a fervent fan in a late-night pub setting than an official club communication issued post-match. Moreover, it carried undertones of veiled menace. While the appointment of a VAR official allegedly supporting relegation rivals Luton Town by the Premier League might raise eyebrows, insinuating bias among officials is a significant leap.
Given Everton’s history of contentious refereeing decisions, particularly this season and under the scrutiny of Forest’s “referee analyst” Mark Clattenburg, who infamously mishandled a Merseyside Derby in 2007, leading to his exclusion from officiating at Goodison Park for over six years, the club’s complaints are met with little sympathy from Everton supporters. The timing of Forest’s grievances seems ironic, considering they received a lesser points deduction than Everton for a more blatant financial breach, despite extravagantly investing over a quarter of a billion pounds in player acquisitions after winning promotion, while Everton has been tightening its financial belt in recent years.
Considering that Forest received a relatively lenient four-point deduction for their PSR case, attributed to their cooperative behavior with the Premier League, it’s likely that the authorities will view this recent outburst unfavorably. Additionally, many neutral observers in football may not be inclined to support them in their bid for survival. Given his reverence for referees, it’s conceivable that the legendary Brian Clough, the manager who led Forest to their greatest successes, would disapprove of such unsavory behavior, possibly even turning in his grave.
Matt Jones suggests that while some of Forest’s frustration may be warranted, the involvement of Clattenburg is ludicrous.
It’s Everton, of all teams, who have supposedly reaped the greatest rewards from VAR. At least, that’s the notion Nottingham Forest’s recent outburst and the ensuing reaction would have you believe.
To be fair to the Tricky Trees, there’s a sense of being hard done by in light of yesterday’s match. Personally, the third incident involving Ashley Young seems like a clear penalty, while the first two appear more ambiguous. The non-award of the penalty will undoubtedly sting, and like Everton, Forest may feel besieged by a sense of constant adversity stemming from decisions and deductions.
However, the manner in which Forest reacted post-match was undeniably petulant. The endorsement of the club’s stance by their newly appointed mouthpiece, Mark Clattenburg – a figure infamous for a dismal refereeing display in a Merseyside derby that saw him sidelined from officiating Everton matches for six years – is concerning.
This season, Premier League officials have frequently drawn ire for their subpar performances. Supporters of any club could recount numerous instances of decisions going against them or VAR blunders provoking exasperation.
When such decisions consistently favor opposing teams, fans might call for official statements. While a club standing up against perceived injustices can foster unity among supporters, it must be done tactfully. To insinuate bias after the fact is a bold move, especially when it appears such claims weren’t vehemently expressed prior to the match, as the club or Clattenburg would assert. Barely 36 hours since the match, the situation has become tiresome.
Forest’s statement claiming, “Our patience has been tested,” resonates with a weary Everton fanbase, accustomed to similar frustrations.
Sean Dyche’s perspective on the penalty incidents mirrors what many Everton supporters likely felt upon hearing of Forest’s outburst – a recollection of a season marred by contentious calls. From Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s overturned red card at Crystal Palace to inconsistent penalty decisions against Dejan Kulusevski and Ibrahima Konate, this season has been characterized by erratic officiating. Perhaps, in a twisted sense, the only consistency has been the inconsistency of decisions.