Aaron Ramsdale slams VAR controversy after Southampton denied Brighton win
Aaron Ramsdale was in disbelief after Southampton were denied a win due to a contentious VAR decision in their 1-1 draw with Brighton.
The former Arsenal goalkeeper is currently sidelined with a finger injury and was replaced in the team by Joe Lumley.
The Saints thought they had secured victory on Friday night (29 November) when Cameron Archer found the back of the net with a close-range finish. However, the goal was controversially overturned following an extended VAR review.
Play was halted for approximately four and a half minutes as the video assistant examined the buildup to the goal. After a lengthy deliberation, officials ruled that Adam Armstrong, positioned in an offside spot, had interfered with Ryan Fraser’s cross into the box before Archer’s strike.
The decision left Southampton’s players and head coach Russell Martin stunned. Their goalkeeper Ramsdale, clearly unimpressed, took to social media to share his thoughts on the incident.
On X, Ramsdale wrote, with a facepalm emoji: “You can not be serious.”
Brighton took the lead after 29 minutes when Kaoru Mitoma gave the hosts the lead. The Saints found a way back into it with a clinical strike from Flynn Downes after 59 minutes. A win for Southampton would have seen the bottom-placed side move to within touching distance of the sides above them.
Russell Martin pressure down to Southampton defence
Russell Martin’s side and their defensive frailties have been a glaring issue this season, with the team conceding 25 goals—the second-highest in the Premier League behind Wolves.
This leaky defence has been a major factor in their struggles, as they’ve managed to keep just one clean sheet so far. Tellingly, that solitary clean sheet came in their only league victory this season, a hard-fought 1-0 win over Everton.
At St Mary’s their defensive lapses, highlighted in their recent clash with Liverpool, continue to prove costly. Yuki Sugawara’s needless handball gifted Mohamed Salah a penalty, while Alex McCarthy’s poor positioning allowed Salah an easy equaliser before his late winner. These moments of concentration loss have been a recurring theme in the Saints’ season.
While their possession-based football shows ambition, it has not translated to success in the Premier League. For a newly promoted side, adopting such a style without defensive solidity appears naive, leaving them exposed to more experienced teams.
And yet they looked to have done enough against Fabian Hurzeler’s Seagulls only to be denied late on, to the displeasure of their injured keeper.
There appear to be signs of improvement through November but without the results to back it up Martin is going to remain under pressure.
In other news, Liverpool fans are fuming over new footage from Sunday’s match with Southampton.
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