Assistant referee John McCrossan was well out of step as he attempted to disallow Reo Hatate’s second goal of the day against St Johnstone for offside.
Playing as a right-back the 22-year-old had opened the scoring as Celtic raced into a half-time lead.
St Johnstone had no idea of how to cope with what was effectively a deep lying midfielder giving Celtic an additional option.
In the 52nd minute Hatate ran from deep into the penalty box, holding his run off until Callum McGregor slipped the ball into his path, the control and finish were top drawer.
Why’s it taken VAR so long to simply say this is onside?
Ray Charles can see that’s onside pic.twitter.com/rWmxiNFL3p
— Fitzy (@Fitzy__07) December 24, 2022
McCrossan was clearly ahead of play, for reasons best known to himself he raised his flag for offside.
There was nothing marginal about it, there were two St Johnstone players ahead of Hatate and one in line with the goalscorer. Fortunately VAR Mike Roncone reviewed the incident to give it the all clear with Hatate picking up a well earned double.
Oh dear just look at the HATRED in that linesman’s face when the goal was given.
It has now got to the stage if they want chop the goal off they will.
But the thing is just how is this going to last before these officials are called out properly,because make no mistake about no joke intended or pardon the pun,but these decisions will eventually cost a point in games if not the games itself.
But from what I can the baws definitely burst now the damage is done,and sevco will creep ever closer to us.
What will it take for the club to strap on a pair and call this blatant cheating out? What happened to “not being willing to sit at the back of the bus anymore”???
A wonderful club run by a shower of pathetic weak idiots…oh for a Bunnet to come riding to our rescue…
Blind Lemon Jefferson ,if he was still with us at Celtic Park today would have been completely embarrassed at that blatantly wrong decision today …You know those dudes that work in absolute blackness for experimental reasons … They would have seen the player was onside …
Don’t forget that when the goal is scored the VAR goes back to the point where the phase of play started. This allows the VAR and Ref too consult and hopefully find some sort of infringement. The flag waving idiot on the line,well, waves his flag and hopes for offside. Some they win, (Abada, Jota), some they loose, (Hatate). They’ve worked out our playing the offside rule is pretty effective, so they need to counter with vague interpretations of same.
Celtic should sue each and everyone of them including the referees association put all the incidents together and present it in court. Celtic can’t afford to lose a multimillion package for winning the league and Europe also because of this blatant cheating
I was a bit surprised the linesman raised his flag. However, it was academic as the goal would routinely have been checked by VAR for offside as all goals are. Rather than complaining about the linesman a bigger issue is the time the VAR officials are taking to make decisions. I believe that it is taking so long as they are looking for any obscure reason to find fault with Celtics goals.
ANYTHING to try an stop celtic….MR STEIN ALWAYS SAID WE PLAYED 12 MEN EVERY WEEK…NOW ITS 13,sometimes more inc. VAR…BUT CELTIC FANS ARE PARANOID ????
The first VAR decision we have got and it was ridiculous how far onside it was, these clowns are not fit for purpose. If it had been closer can any Celtic fan say they wouldn’t have found an immaginery line to disallow the goal?
Corruption at its finest ??
Yet another establishment fraud call they’ll try anything wont,THEY!!!!!!!!!!!!