Chelsea emerged as the villains of the football world over the weekend, defeating a spirited Wrexham side in an intense FA Cup fifth-round match that required extra time to determine a winner. The Blues were not at their best for most of the 90-minute game, but Josh Acheampong’s goal managed to push them into extra time against a ten-man team.
The turning point came when Alejandro Garnacho and Joao Pedro scored goals after being introduced into the game. This proved to be a significant difference between both sides. However, this additional 30 minutes of play was seen as detrimental by some, particularly for Championship side Wrexham.
Gary Lineker, renowned football pundit and former England striker, has expressed his desire for a rule change in such situations during his appearance on 'The Rest is Football'. He suggested that if FA Cup ties are still level after 90 minutes, they should proceed directly to penalties instead of going into extra time.
Gary Lineker, Premier League legend, said:
“Yeah. I mean, extra time in these FA Cup ties. I always think, just go straight to penalties.
“Particularly when you’re broadcasting, because obviously the time is ticking on, you need to, you only get home at some point. And generally, extra time, you know, well, it did sort it out, obviously, in the Wrexham vs Chelsea game that we’ll come to in a while. But I don’t know about extra time.’’
Controversy surrounding VAR usage
In addition to concerns about extended playtime, there was also criticism regarding the use of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology during this match. Critics argue that VAR unduly favored Chelsea; George Dobson was sent off following VAR intervention and Lewis Brunt had a goal disallowed due to an offside call made possible by VAR review.
Lineker's proposed rule change could potentially reduce controversy surrounding decisions like these by eliminating extra-time altogether. However, it remains uncertain whether such changes would be welcomed or resisted by players and fans alike.
While Chelsea's victory over Wrexham has sparked debate about potential changes in FA Cup rules and raised questions about fairness in using technologies like VAR during matches; it also highlights how every game can bring unexpected twists and turns. Whether or not the FA Cup will consider Lineker's suggestion for rule change is yet to be seen, but it certainly adds another layer of intrigue to this beloved sport.
