After being punished by the English Football Association for his behavior with the match officials during the match against Burnley, Arsene Wenger did not stay silent and publicly criticized the Premier League referees, stating that they are not adapting to modern football.
The Frenchman was dissatisfied with the referee's work in the match that ended in a draw, and was convinced that the referees too often unnecessarily interrupted the game, disrupting the rhythm of the match.
"In my opinion, referees in matches should play the same role as us - try to provide positive emotions to the people in the stands.
These days, it is not normal when the referee calls a player, talks to him for a minute, and then says: 'Look, you have to behave properly.' That shouldn't happen anymore. It doesn't align with the principles of modern society. People want fast, rapid action, and referees should ensure that it doesn't lack. This is not the 1950s anymore, when it was said: 'If you're not good, then I can punish you'. Let's not waste time.
How does this help the game? It doesn't. Nothing happens. People who come to the stadiums don't want to see that. We often hear phrases like: 'Come on, just finish it and continue playing'. It's our responsibility. After all, we don't live in the Middle Ages," Arsene Wenger criticized the delaying tactics of referees.
"Arsenal's" coach is not positively inclined towards the current VAR system, and in his opinion, the referee should not step out of the field to see the incident himself - he should be helped by people working with video review.
"This system is inevitable, as this way the referee can receive assistance and become more effective. If someone from above, watching the match, could quickly say when he made a mistake or acted correctly - that's what we all would want.
But nothing like this happens when the referee has to go beyond the field, look at the screen, and people have to sit and wait for the decision to be made. This is not what we want. If the system remains the same, personally, I will be against its use," said Arsene Wenger.
That evening, at 9:45 p.m., Arsene Wenger's "Arsenal" team will face "Chelsea" at home.
