Yahoo News Everything Dermot Gallagher said on Nottingham Forest penalty decisions vs Everton, Stuart Atwell, and Mark Clattenburg rant
Former referee Dermot Gallagher was given plenty to analyse from Nottingham Forest's weekend fixture alone in the latest instalment of Sky Sports' Ref Watch.
The ex-match official-turned-pundit was asked his thoughts on the events that unfolded at Goodison Park on Sunday - and indeed afterwards - after Forest were seemingly denied three penalties. The club itself, manager Nuno Espirito Santo, defender Neco Williams and consultant Mark Clattenburg then subsequently aired their grievances to heavy backlash from the wider footballing world.
For those actions that have occurred, both the Premier League and Football Association have opened investigations into the matter with the possibility of punishments for any wrongdoing. Simultaneously, pundits such as Gary Neville and Alan Shearer have issued explosive responses of their own.
READ MORE: Mark Clattenburg facing backlash from furious former colleagues over Nottingham Forest rant
READ MORE: Nottingham Forest demand Premier League rule change as VAR 'side show' fear raised
In a calmer environment, to begin Gallagher was prompted for expert opinion on the three invidual incidents all involving the Toffees' Ashley Young. How many did he feel the officials got correct?
Penalty incident 1 - Ashley Young on Giovanni Reyna
"I think no. The referee has got the perfect view. There is contact but obviously not all contact is a foul. It is minimal contact and the referee has got the best view," says Gallagher.
"What you would say is once the referee has looked at it and said no, the VAR is never, ever going to intervene."
Pressed on whether Young kicked through the Forest attacker to win the ball, he added: "He makes contact, no doubt about that, but you've got to be very careful that we don't sanitise the game - that every single bit of physical contact becomes a foul."
Pressed for a second time, Gallagher frustratingly finished: "You've asked me twice already, I can't tell you no more. I think there's contact, there is no doubt about that, but I don't think it is enough to give a penalty.
"In the last three or four weeks, we've seen a slight shift in as much as physical contact. There has been a higher threshold, which I think is better. Earlier in the season the tolerance level was too low - there were penalties given that people were like 'is that enough?'
"I think as referees have got used to it, they've gone 'yeah, people are happy with this, people are not happy with this', and I think we're in a better place. That sits in line with what we've seen in the last month, certainly."
Penalty incident 2 - Ashley Young handball
Gallagher believes: "This is the most difficult call, I think. Is his arm there because he's running? Is he too close? All kinds of things [to consider].
"I think he'd be very, very harshly treated if a penalty was given like that, but that said we've seen - certainly in the SPL [Scottish Premier League] - everything like that is given. In the Premier League the referee thinks no, he thinks he's too close, thinks he's running in a natural position.
"I think it is a decision that could have gone either way."
Penalty incident 3 - Ashley Young on Callum Hudson-Odoi
"I think this is a penalty and I think this is a penalty for a couple of reasons," explains Gallagher.
"Firstly, the defender has got the wrong side of the forward. Secondly, if you actually look at the referee he actually signals that the defender plays the ball - well, he doesn't play the ball, that's a certainty.
"I wonder, on that basis, if he's signalled to everybody that he's played the ball, whether the VAR can say 'he hasn't played the ball, go and have a look at this'. If he goes to the screen he could hold his ground, he could say 'there's not enough in it'.
"I get that, and I think we would be happier if he went to the screen and judged that - even if he says no - than looking at that and saying he's got that ball."
Asked whether Premier League officials have become too lenient in their application of VAR, he answered: "I think the VAR probably judged it wasn't a penalty, it wasn't a clear and obvious error, but the clue for me is the referee clearly signals he's got the ball. No, he doesn't get that ball. The images show he doesn't get the ball.
"In my mind, if the referee has told me he's got the ball and I can see he doesn't get the ball, I would say to the referee 'well look, you might want to have a look at this because he doesn't get the ball like you think - go and have a look at it'. That's his choice, he goes and has a look at it and he might still say no penalty, and that would sit better than the referee saying he got the ball and it shows he hasn't."
Forest and Mark Clattenburg criticism of Stuart Atwell's appointment as VAR
In defence of Sunday's VAR, Gallagher responded: "We all had to do it right from the start. It obviously works because referees are put on games week-in, week-out. It's only highlighted today because of the three penalty shouts yesterday.
"It's not easy putting 10 referees, 20 assistants, 10 VARs - there are so many mechanics in it. Where were you last week? How did you perform? It's an intricate mechanism but it does work.
"What I do know, is that Stuart Attwell is one of the VARs used week-in, week-out in the Champions League. He must be regarded as a very integral part of the system.
"You don't do that if you're not capable and making mistakes on a regular basis. People may question his decision but it's not right to question his integrity."
