Amadou Onana’s shot goes wide but Aston Villa are awarded a corner from which Onana scores against West Ham. Graphic courtesy of ITV Sport.
When match referee, Tim Robinson, awarded Aston Villa a corner from which they equalised against Graham Potter’s West Ham side, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the official had lost his concentration momentarily.
As TV replays would show, Amadou Onana’s wayward shot flew wide and out of play, and was nowhere close to being touched by any Hammers player.
Graham Potter should be furious with Villa ref
“HOW CAN YOU GET THAT ONE WRONG?!” ?
The panel weigh in on Villa’s controversial corner…#ITVFootball | #FACup | @IanWright0 pic.twitter.com/ANJomUSpf4
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) January 10, 2025
There is no VAR in the FA Cup until the fifth round, but it was noted in commentary that even if the technology were available to the officials, it would not have been used in such an instance.
Pundit, Ian Wright, said; “the referee and assistant messing up totally with that corner […] I can’t believe the referee, he’s standing there […] there’s no one near it, how can he get that one wrong,” and it’s certainly a decision that should have repercussions.
Once again there are going to be questions asked about the competency of officials, and how they are going to be made accountable for such errors.
Chelsea ace could be Graham Potter’s first signingUntil that point in the game, West Ham were the better side, and even if you take into account that Villa were putting a little more pressure on at the time, Onana’s goal was only their second shot on target – in the 71st minute.
Hammers fans, who will still have been fuming after Stan Collymore slated West Ham’s trophy-winning capabilities, won’t have had a great journey home from the Midlands.
Out of the FA Cup at the earliest possible moment, the club now need to concentrate on getting themselves as far up the Premier League as possible.
To that end, Graham Potter will sign one of his former Chelsea players in order to beef up West Ham’s defence who have been poor this season.
