The VAR Thread

[PCozzie]

This is not what we need, it should be scaled back

Mission creep.

It should have been obvious from the start that when technology was brought in for A, B and C that it would eventually be used for D, E and F. A whole industry has sprung up around matchday technology - they're hardly going to accept a scaling back, it's their entire business.

 

[cwy21]

This is not what we need, it should be scaled back

Replay powers always expand in every sport over time. They almost never get scaled back.

 

[neogenisis]

Its just beyond shit now. Its killed/killing the game. Less mistakes were made when it wasnt in use.

 

[Nebby]

Its just beyond shit now. Its killed/killing the game. Less mistakes were made when it wasnt in use.

Not sure if the number of mistakes being made has gone up or gone down, but these errors somehow feel worse. Why anybody thought adding more humans into the mix was going to make things better is a mystery to me... and now we have possible red card offences going unpunished because the tech between Stockley Park and the ground isn't reliable. It's a farce and it has killed the spectator experience in the stadiums. But it's too late now. So thank you Sky Sports, BT Sport, MOTD and others for your constant criticism of referees, which did so much to encourage the introduction of VAR. You've done the game you supposedly cherish a monumental disservice.

 

[glacierSpurs]

I still think the refs and VAR officials must be held accountable for whatever wrong decisions they have made or overlooked. They shouldn't be embarrassed like the demand from Liverpool/Klopp for those audio records to be put out for the world to hear, but there must be something of a responsibility they have to live up to so they are more prudent in making those final decisions.

They can't just be going home and live without a consequence of bad performance in their job. There must be some kind of warning, fine, sack or whatever. Their KPI should be based of the satisfaction of the league - from clubs, managers, players, fans etc. Base from the current state of affairs in just 13 games in, their appraisals are far from fair at all. And yet they are still going to work, making the same mistakes literally every week, and go home without any worry of job security. At the most they would be swear at for a day or two. That's it. And then the cycle of eroding quality in work continues.

I'm not saying they are corrupted, but with no consequences to their errors, it's really not difficult at all to buy their favours.. Just the elbow to Gil's head alone was ridiculous enough. If it's not a red, it should be a pen. If scummy Cash's tackle on Bentancur was not a red, at least the second challenge from Cash later had to be the 2nd yellow.

 

[Marty]

Not sure if the number of mistakes being made has gone up or gone down, but these errors somehow feel worse. Why anybody thought adding more humans into the mix was going to make things better is a mystery to me... and now we have possible red card offences going unpunished because the tech between Stockley Park and the ground isn't reliable. It's a farce and it has killed the spectator experience in the stadiums. But it's too late now. So thank you Sky Sports, BT Sport, MOTD and others for your constant criticism of referees, which did so much to encourage the introduction of VAR. You've done the game you supposedly cherish a monumental disservice.

If I remember the figures right correct decisions in the top leagues have increased from 92 to 95% with VAR or something like that. But I agree, the 5% feel so much worse than they used to.

Nearly all wrong decisions pre-VAR could be explained by variants of the ref had a bad angle, he didn't see it, it looked worse in slo-mo than real time, it was just a split second decision. Constant debate was reduced to just the absolute worst howlers that are inexplicable even in real time, and that is just a small % of the already small % of wrong decisions.

Now there are more human eyes on the game, with screens where they can replay situations over and over again. That completely removes all the margin for error that we accepted when decisions were made in a split second and that was that. As I said in a previous post in this thread, VAR simply isn't working as intended or as it was pitched during the trials pre-2018, and FIFA and IFAB have to recognise that instead of doubling down. Instead they're going the wrong way, as we could all have predicted, and opening up for VAR to get more involved. That fills me with dread.

 

[BehindEnemyLines]

If Bayern had played yesterday then they'd have had a penalty in their match against Copenhagen......it doesn't sit comfortably with me that they basically changed the rules overnight because everyone complained at how shit the handball rule is. They should all be playing with the same rules consistently throughout the competition, or at least wait until they're all on the same round of games.

 

[mightyspur]

Its just beyond shit now. Its killed/killing the game. Less mistakes were made when it wasnt in use.

More mistakes were made when it wasn't in use. However, it seems the mistakes that are now being made seem even worse, as I suspect the ref will avoid giving a decision on something he would have in the past because he feels if it's a proper mistake VAR will let him know.

VAR needs to stop with the 'clear and obvious error' nonsense e.g. if there is minimal contact in the penalty area and the ref gives a penalty we should be saying, there is contact but it shouldn't be a pen, rather than you gave a pen, I can see why therefore it's not a clear and obvious error.

They also need to improve the experience inside the stadium. Show on the screens what VAR are analysing, get the audio between the refs played on the speakers. At least then the crowd will see what is going on, as will the players. Fans might not agree with it, but it stops the 3 or 4 mins of silence where no one seems to know what is going on.

 

[Marty]

Mike Dean expressing what we're all thinking

 

[tototoner]

 

[WhiteStripe]

Can we all just take a minute to consider that in the Chelsea game, our season was completely derailed by VAR making the decision that Romero, after winning a tackle followed through dangerously and deserved a red card. It was also a penalty against us. We were winning the game at the time and had 11 men on the pitch. We then lost VDV (potentially due to the VAR stoppages) we lost Udogie and Madisson also. Who knows what would have happened had Romero stayed on the pitch.

Howard Webb, the majority of pundits and many on here thought it was a clear red.

So why the fuck was this only a yellow after review? It’s farcical how inconsistent the people using the systems are. Why do we still have to put up with this shit?

 

[SixtyFour]

The rules are subjective, and thank goodness for that. So the choice is instantaneous inconsistency or a bit less inconsistency with a bonus 3 minute delay. I know which I would prefer.

 

[muppetman]

Not really VAR, but this article about "growing" new refs was quite interesting I thought.

https://archive.is/SGdBzhttps://inews.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league-ref-school-stop-abusing-2859553

 

[cwy21]

La Liga now puts out the VAR audio by the end of the day the match occurs. So now we can hear Almeria getting screwed immediately instead of waiting a month like in England.







1) PK for handball despite a pretty obvious foul from Real Madrid on the other defender.
2) I guess the hand to Bellingham's face is pretty consistently called in Spain so it's not really a surprise.
3) Ball comes off Vini Jrs bicep but the ref isn't shown the angle from behind the goal until it's too late.

 

[Westmorlandspur]

VAR arrived because we were all fed up with ref mistakes , but was only supposed to be used for howlers.
Games without VAR are far more enjoyable. The VAR lines for offside are a pain but at least they are fair to both sides . How many dodgy offsides were let go over the years at Anfield and Old Trafford, plenty I think. I’ve seen a few of them.
The managers just argue their own case all the time. Nuno wants Toney moving the ball checked, but ignores the wall creeping forward .
If it’s your team it’s clever, the opposition …should be disallowed.
Nice to hear Moyes moaning again, does he do anything else

 

[IfiHadTheWings]

I'm not sure how VAR cannot intervene when Toney moved the ball.

surely that has to be in the remit, he has not only moved the ball over but he's conned the ref by moving the foam too.

it was funny to see back but i'd but fuming if i were Forest.

 

[MR_BEN]

I'm not sure how VAR cannot intervene when Toney moved the ball.

surely that has to be in the remit, he has not only moved the ball over but he's conned the ref by moving the foam too.

it was funny to see back but i'd but fuming if i were Forest.

And a joke from Webb that it’s not in VAR’s remit as it wasn’t related to a goal, a penalty or a red card.

How is it not related to a bloody goal? He scored by moving the ball from where it was supposed to be, and conning the ref by moving the foam.

 

[muppetman]

And a joke from Webb that it’s not in VAR’s remit as it wasn’t related to a goal, a penalty or a red card.

How is it not related to a bloody goal? He scored by moving the ball from where it was supposed to be, and conning the ref by moving the foam.

Because that way lies madness, VAR is already far too involved as it is?

If there is blame to be had it, it's that nobody on the pitch at the time noticed - very poor.

 

[spurmin]

Because that way lies madness, VAR is already far too involved as it is?

If there is blame to be had it, it's that nobody on the pitch at the time noticed - very poor.

Including the players and on field officials

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Great - if Liverpool fans did not already have enough on their plate, now there will be new petitions: