VAR in Football

[GazzaGarratt 11,049]

VAR. Video Assistant Referee.

 

Nope.

 

 

The game is changing and I don't like it. I usually say to anyone in any walk of life embrace change, even if it feels uncomfortable you have to go through it as the world keeps evolving and it won't stop. Sometimes though there's one thing that comes along and you in your gut that it fundamentally doesn't go with whatever it is supposed to. That my friends, is V.A.fucking.R.

 

I'm all for change for the better to support football decisions but its clear that any enhancements need to be crystal clear without spoiling the spectacle of what non-stop 90 minutes gives you. Its a fine balance between human and technology to hit a sweet spot. Take Goal Line technology. That is absolutely perfect. Clear cut, message straight top refs watch, instant goal given, no questions asked.

 

VAR though still has an element of subjectiveness in its calls. The problem also lies with that very little things are happening surrounding penalties shouts more than not which if you slow them down to the nth degree then it could look like it is a deliberate handball or an intentional foul which in reality, it was neither. I'm not sure if people could argue that maybe its the ambiguous handball rules that don't help but i'd argue we weren't that bad before VAR came in.

 

My tip for any betting person for the new Premier League season that has it for the first time is this:

 

• Bet on every single game, in every game weekend that they'll be a penalty awarded
• Bet that certain games will last past 6 o'clock each weekend

 

I promise you that you'll be quids up. TLDR - Football is perfect because of its imperfections. Let it have talking points. Let it be what it needs to be, not a technological video game in real life where we need a break every 5 minutes to go to the loo and a smoke.

[J4MES OX4D 10,033]

I liked the idea of VAR but the way it has been implemented and used is utterly appalling and it really hasn't improved. The concept itself is flawed, it is slow, nit-picky and adds a level of anxiety for very small things. I saw one game recently where a penalty was awarded but then the ref brought it back for a penalty to the other team from 2 minutes before. It's just ridiculous and now even more farcical as in the womens world cup, goalkeepers literally have to now stand behind the line in fear they encroach merely a centimeter and give the ref an excuse to have it retaken.

 

The biggest flaw in VAR so far is how it's made referees forget the basic rules. They see a handball in slow motion and give a penalty on the basis it's hit the hand rather than deliberate handball or ball to hand. Incorrect decisions of this nature have been rife with mistakes made (IMO) in the World Cup Final, Champions League 2nd round, Quater Finals, Semi Finals and Final where penalties for handball (ball hit hand) were given without any consideration of the rules and a decision based off of whether any part of the ball hit the hand in 25% speed. Refs should not be allowed to watch slow-mo close ups to form a decision and it's like they suddenly under pressure forget the rules to formulate their verdict. The amount of referrals is daft and any made should see the ref watch the incident in real time speed from an angle that represented his position (or near enough) on the field at that time. The definition of handball should also appear on the screen to remind them of the rules.  Slow mo should only apply in cases of dubious tackles to determine whether the player or ball was taken first, NOT handballs. 

 

The next flaw is the ref itself. I don't believe the on pitch ref should be be consulted and have the final say on any incidents. A panel of 3 watching the footage should have the final decision and must be unanimously agreed without the game stopping. This decision would then be relayed to the pitch and the match ref would then take the necessary action based off the decision.  With refs getting decisions wrong even after watching video evidence, a larger jury is needed. This will cost the governing body of each match more but it's fairer. 

 

Lastly, the amount of times VAR is used should be reduced to just goal-related aspects. Too many incidents are getting referred and it's getting awfully anal. Potential red cards, yellow cards, offsides, handballs and all the other bullshit. It's just too much and spoils the experience now, made even worse by how they handle it and the level of trust in decisions made even with it right in front of them. 

[GazzaGarratt 11,049]

Agree @J4MES OX4D, the referees standard has took a massive downturn partly because some will start to rely on it and then others are made to look stupid when they don't give clear cut decisions. Even linesman now can't flag a clear offside to allow VAR to call it. Thats when you know its not working when their job is virtually redundant.

 

I suppose we will have to go through the pain of using it for a whole season but unless they reign some of the use of it in, I think all we're going to be talking about this season is VAR rather than the Football itself.

 

Shame football is now about money and this is why Owners and Shareholders alike want it so their team doesn't lose out to millions on small decision.

[J4MES OX4D 10,033]

Cameroon Women have just had a perfectly good goal ruled out for offside against England. Probably the worst decision ever made on a football pitch. The footage was shown on the big screen and I think everyone in the ground including Phil Neville knows that was a goal. How the hell that's been given offside I don't know. The scorer was in tears and everyone else was in shock.  This is nitpicky at its finest

 

Also Cameroon should have been reduced to 10 men...I mean women after a few minutes after blatant elbow to the face. How was a yellow given for that? Should've been two other blatant reds after VAR referrals. 

 

This game should be used as the number one example of how fucking flawed VAR is and how fucking useless the officials are at following the rules from incidents that they have been able to watch. What a ridiculous game of football that was. 

[NCA-Paendrag 2,758]

I've seen this been offside countless times without VAR too. Leg is offside, according to the rules. 

I didn't watch the game though so only have that image to jugde by. 

[GazzaGarratt 11,049]

I think now we've had one given on 'our' side rather than the one against the Netherlands I think this is even more justification to why VAR isn't needed. Like the Holland game, its not that its factually offside based on the rules - its how the concept unravels from that moment - and in both instances the referees and players went with the initial goal decision.

 

I do not want to see the great game of football turn into that one across the seas that tries to call it the same name. With the subjectiveness happening in such a fast-flowing, dynamic sport such as Football I cannot see what they need it for. No other sport has this much hindrance from technology right now. Even the current Cricket World Cup and upcoming Wimbledon has a small amount of 'referrals' on the on-pitch decisions.

[J4MES OX4D 10,033]

I watched the whole of the England game and it was painful as a spectacle as VAR ruined what should've been an exciting game. In the end it was entertaining for all the wrong reasons. There were 15 MINUTES of added time because of all the stoppages and 3 red cards that never were even after VAR referrals.

 

The best solution is for matchday officials to get better at their jobs.  

[J4MES OX4D 10,033]

Another VAR fiasco this evening in the USA v Spain women's match - penalty awarded in the 69th minute and it didn't get taken until the 75th because of VAR.

 

Foul was committed, penalty was given, everything was eventually set up with the ball on the spot and the keeper ready and then the ref went to consult the video footage which took 2-3 minutes before the penalty was confirmed. Finally converted about 6 minutes after initially awarded. If the video refs gave it, and the penalty was set, why did the match ref then want a second opinion? It further slowed down what was already a slow process. As it stands, I'm expecting nothing less than 10 minutes added on. 

[GazzaGarratt 11,049]

FYI, every game yesterday had a penalty. Not all were conclusive imo. Whilst VAR wasnt involved in a couple, it shows how much more focus there will be on the tiniest of infringements. Not sure that's what everyone wants? Or maybe they do.

[J4MES OX4D 10,033]

Another game last night decided on a bullshit penalty award. Point blank shot from the Dutch slammed into the body of the Japan defender and the ref awards a penalty for handball. New rules from this month (only implemented to cover up all the bad penalty decisions made in recent months) say that if it's handball in the area intentional or not, it's a penalty no matter what. It wasn't even clear if it struck any part of the defenders arm at all last night but it's getting to the stage players are gonna have to run around with their arms behind their backs or players are going to have to sign players without arms. 

[phil bottle 9,757]

I love VAR because it gives us the opportunity to moan, and we all love a good moan. Don't you dare say thats not true. Or I'll ask for a review.

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[phil bottle 9,757]

Also, despite winding up Lee about it, I've been watching the women's world cup. What happened with Cameroon? Got a bit emotional there because of VAR.

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[GazzaGarratt 11,049]

1 hour ago, phil bottle said:

Also, despite winding up Lee about it, I've been watching the women's world cup. What happened with Cameroon? Got a bit emotional there because of VAR.
 

You never do, a cockney is always a polite fellow 😜

 

 

And @J4MES OX4D my view of putting a bet on a penalty in every game with VAR should be onto a winner there, yeah?

 

I'd rather moan about a human fuck up that happens instantaneously rather than a fatal system error that has an Service Level Agreement of completing the call in no less than 15 minutes per call.

[phil bottle 9,757]

29 minutes ago, GazzaGarratt said:

 

I'd rather moan about a human fuck up that happens instantaneously rather than a fatal system error that has an Service Level Agreement of completing the call in no less than 15 minutes per call.

 

Metaphors Lee? This forum just went up a notch, quality 🙂

 

[J4MES OX4D 10,033]

VAR ruined yet another game last night. Thank god I only watch the football league😎

[GazzaGarratt 11,049]

VAR ruined yet another game last night. Thank god I only watch the football league[emoji41]

Didn't enjoy both decisions being given. The offside or the penalty.

Funnily enough I was watching the game with @McNasty and we both said she completely hashed the shot.

Dont get me wrong, we all want to see correct decisions. I'm starting to feel though as the way to combat this is more about making the offside and penalty rules extremely clear and non-debatable. A toe offside and a tiny nats hair touching our forward for a pen isn't the way to go.

Still, if I'd have backed my bet of a pen in every game, I'd be a little richer yet again.

[J4MES OX4D 10,033]

41 minutes ago, GazzaGarratt said:

Didn't enjoy both decisions being given. The offside or the penalty.

Funnily enough I was watching the game with @McNasty and we both said she completely hashed the shot..

Definitely not a penalty.  The defenders foot may have slightly touched the strikers but it didn't seem to impact the shot at all. Completely scuffed it before contact I reckon anyway. In terms of the offside, I don't think this should be given offside either as the margins are merely millimeters

 

Another thing I couldn't stand was the commentator yesterday after the disallowed goal - she said it should give us confidence after it was ruled out but actually things like this with VAR can have a dramatically demoralizing and soul-crushing impact on the team and affected player. Not the first time I've heard this bullshit logic in this tournament. 

[phil bottle 9,757]

It was a penalty all day long. Shame the conversion was so weak. Spurs signed Ndombele yesterday so who fucking cares 🤣

[phil bottle 9,757]

Let me just add this, it's not very classy to mock beaten opponents. You need to show good grace in victory as well as defeat. The US team let themselves down on that count.

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[J4MES OX4D 10,033]

Well done Gabriel - it's not much but it's a start

 

[phil bottle 9,757]

Well done Gabriel - it's not much but it's a start
 

To be fair to him he did describe his actions as childish[emoji16]

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