VAR

[Northantslad]

Clearly not a pen last night from all the angles we got and presumably all of the angles therefore the ref had (who I thought was very good overall).

That said, VAR just seemed to buy the ref more time to make a wrong decision. Was a fan initially of it, but am quickly going off it and also how rules such as any ball touching an attackers hand, intentional or not will mean no goal, just to make a decision easier. Thought it was there to help get decisions right, although granted, players must take some blame sometimes, as VAR cannot read their minds and only they will know 100% in some situations if they dived/handled the ball intentionally-cheated in other words.

 

[Deleted member 21081]

It’s a problem with no solution.

 

[Neil ofthe nene]

I think it is generally accepted that even with video replays some decisions will still be wrong or a decision cannot be reached, it happens in other sports. But if, overall, the number of wrong decisions are reduced then it has to be a good thing.

Clear errors like this one would be avoided.


(It still hurts!) And yes I know we now have goal line technology for this type of thing but you get the idea.

What is needed is for the football authorities to borrow some bits from other sports so that VAR becomes more acceptable and less intrusive.

1. Managers have one or two challenges within 30 seconds per half. Not used, not carried forward. Kept if successful. One in extra time.
2. Referees given a time limit to watch video and make up their mind. If unable to decide quickly or video inconclusive then onfield decision stands.
3. Referee to explain their decision having seen the video. Either during the match or after. Easy to communicate that to 4th official who tells the managers and press.

It is only right that in a multi million, possibly billion dollar sport that decisions are as right as they can be within the compass of technology and human error.

 

[Tinca Mad]

@Neil ofthe nene It's a long time ago since I saw that clip and still hurts! 3pts at Old Trafford are hard to come by.
If it had been Utd, Sir Alex would have lost it
I agree with your recommendations

 

[Northantslad]

Not sure I understand it fully, where does this 'clear and obvious error' bit come in? Is that the point where the VAR team will alert the ref to check it-if they think an error has been made in the initial decision? Or following the ref checking the footage do they overrule them after consultation but before the final decision is given?

Yes, I am sure Sir Alex would have lost it, but over the line yes or no query problems are fixed now, good too, as there have been plenty of other examples of that over the years. Even in that situation and before goal line technology, many managers would apply the 'get some/don't get some' and it 'balances out' pragmatic view, may be even say their bit, take their fine and move on, I wonder if most managers/players would choose to adopt that viewpoint still for other decisions and do away with VAR?

 

[Dusty]

Is anyone able to clarify how it is decided whether a VAR check will take place?
There was a handball shout the other night that didn’t appear to get reviewed yet upon viewing the replay it looked like more of a penalty than the one given in the champions league final. I’m

 

[mickthestick]

We need a second VAR to check on the first VAR decision

 

[Northantslad]

I think it just seems to be there to take the pressure off refs in a time when more refs are needed, root cause therefore and driving force for it, is the hassle they get. Its not there to make managers happy and avoid that key decision ruining someone's season.

When they introduced officials behind goals and along that touchline I felt that could have worked, but to this day I have never saw a single one of them make a decision or alert a ref to a decision call.

Got to the point now for me of seeing rules applied to make VAR work, that don't suit the game itself.

 

[Deleted member 21081]

I think the ‘all about the result’ culture of modern football is the root cause.

Let’s just hope that they can keep VAR from becoming the a hindrance rather than an aid to the game.

 

[Neil ofthe nene]

I love VAR.

 

[Simon Walsh]

Ha ha I bet you do Neil. I’m at Eye Kettleby Lakes arrived today sat in the awning having a couple of beers, been listening to the game on Talksport. The phone in is going mad about it.... well done Spurs is my pitch?

 

[Total]

@Simon Walsh ......Enjoy the break Simon.

 

[Simon Walsh]

Thank you Mark... meeting up with Scibe on Thursday.

 

[davylad]

It wasn't VAR, it was the ridiculous hand ball rule, in the penalty area, that they've come up with.

 

[kevin o connor]

I think taking the human error element out of the game is silly ! The whole game is about human error and taking advantage of it ! If no defender made a mistake every game would be 0-0. With all the new hi tech checks, it is becoming more like a video game !

 

[Neil ofthe nene]

It wasn't VAR, it was the ridiculous hand ball rule, in the penalty area, that they've come up with.

Maradona, Hand of God, Frannie Lee and the "Handy Header" *. Just two examples of why such a rule and VAR exists.

Since the time many sports but football started using video technology to improve the decision making I have wondered what would happen if, say a Championship side missed promotion due to a referee's mistake that could have been corrected with reference to a video replay. I could envisage a court case against the football governing body seeking compensation for the millions of pounds lost due to their failure to use available technology. The basis being that the technology exists to get the decision right but the authorities failed to utilise it thus costing the unpromoted side tens of millions.

And many goals are not the results of mistakes but of skill and brilliance of the scoring team and player. This being a prime example


* Most will not remember Frannie Lee's handball goal that won the match for Man City at White Hart Lane that he later described as a "handy header".

 

[Deleted member 21081]

As a Liverpool supporter you think I’d be happy with that decision and the goal being ruled out causing City to drop points.

But I’m not comfortable with it as a fan. We want fairness and transparency.

We were told that VAR would be brought in for ‘clear and obvious error’ by the ref.

While you can debate whether this was a handball it certainly wasn’t ‘clear and obvious’ and compared to the Chelsea handball that Guardiola quoted that was not given in the Supercup final in midweek was certainly less clear and less obvious.

What concerns me about the VAR set up is the people making the decisions are hidden away in a room somewhere remote. Why can’t they be in the stadium and accountable for their decisions? The technology exists. The clandestine nature of the way it is set up only points to they have something to hide.

 

[JohnLondon]

VAR isn’t the problem, it’s the ridiculous new handball rule that has been brought in. If the ball strikes the hand of an attacking player in the penalty area, whether intentional or not, it will be deemed as handball. If the referee had spotted it himself, he would have had to have disallowed the goal

 

[Deleted member 21081]

VAR isn’t the problem, it’s the ridiculous new handball rule that has been brought in. If the ball strikes the hand of an attacking player in the penalty area, whether intentional or not, it will be deemed as handball. If the referee had spotted it himself, he would have had to have disallowed the goal

I have to disagree. Players aren’t allowed to use their arms. In my opinion, the ball strikes the arm it’s an offence. Simple. This should be equally applied all over the pitch to all players, with the obvious exception of goalkeepers in their penalty areas. The whole concept of intention creates ambiguity.

Yesterday’s issue was clearly a VAR issue in that the referee, most if not all of the players, the crowd and most of us watching on tv saw what we thought was a perfectly acceptable goal. It clearly wasn’t a ‘clear and obvious’ error.

In my opinion I think it was handball but without VAR would definitely not been given.

The issue is consistency and as Guardiola pointed out it is not being applied consistently.

 

[JohnLondon]

We all know that players are not allowed to use their hands but the new rules, as they are, would deem it handball the ball hits a players hand which is down by his side & he’s got his back to the ball which is nonsense in my book.