Matchday Musings: VAR & The Officials… Incompetence Again!
WOLVERHAMPTON, ENGLAND - MAY 02: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland reacts towards referee Paul Tierney after Daniel Ballard of Sunderland (not pictured) received a red card during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sunderland at Molineux on May 02, 2026 in Wolverhampton, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) | Getty Images Most of us are told not to pull hair as children, but we are never taught to caveat that with “But what if I’m focusing completely on the ball, ref? ” How many playground fights would have been pardoned?
How many children have been falsely disciplined, forever tarnished as a dirty hair-puller? Dan Ballard’s sending off against Wolves has me feeling like the parent of a hair-puller — not angry, just disappointed. And not with my child, but rather with the incompetence shown by VAR and officials once again.
I try to counter my disdain for this robotic thing with: “But, would we even be in this position had technology not intervened last May? ” This all-powerful, faceless adjudicator gives with one hand, but takes with the other. There was very little in the incident itself.
Ballard and Tolu Arokodare were tussling, with both players concentrating firmly on the ball. Unfortunately for Ballard, while grasping at the forward’s shirt, he catches a couple of strands of hair inadvertently. There is no intent, and while VAR isn’t obligated to prove or disprove subjective intent, and the letter of the law states that hair pulling will always end in dismissal, like most rules, it is open to interpretation.
As for the game, an apathetic malaise consumed Molineux. After a dismal campaign, the Wolves faithful demonstrated nothing but clear resignation, even ironically Olé-ing when 1-0 down. There were certainly parallels that could be drawn between the Sunderland side relegated in 2016-17 and Saturday’s hosts: a despondent side with precious little quality, a disillusioned fanbase, and a broken ownership model.