VAR

[PaulWinch again]

My pedant grumble - when people say something along the lines of “VAR isn’t the problem it’s the people running and operating it.” Like this is some insightful observation that nobody has ever heard. I’m pretty sure it’s well understand that the technology is just that, and therefore isn’t to blame, it’s the process and interpretation that’s the issue. When people say VAR isn’t working I don’t think most literally mean the video technology itself.

[chrisw1]

My pedant grumble - when people say something along the lines of “VAR isn’t the problem it’s the people running and operating it.” Like this is some insightful observation that nobody has ever heard. I’m pretty sure it’s well understand that the technology is just that, and therefore isn’t to blame, it’s the process and interpretation that’s the issue. When people say VAR isn’t working I don’t think most literally mean the video technology itself.

VAR is more than the technology, it's the whole process of having a video assistant referee.  The point is many are calling for it to be scrapped, whereas I think that would be throwing the baby out with the bathwater.  It can and should work well, but christ they're making a pigs ear of it at the moment.

[The Edge]

There is nothing wrong with VAR.

There is everything wrong with the officials.

There's nothing wrong with the theory of var but in practical terms it falls flat on it's face even without the idiots implementing it. Take offside for example. They draw silly lines on the pitch from an angle where it's impossible to be as precise as they are trying to be. It's still guesswork and interpretation just as it was before var was introduced.

I'm not sure I agree.  I think with the margin for error now built in VAR is getting most offside calls correct.  It's the interpretation and implementation that remains a problen in cases such as ours on Saturday.  That's down to human error, not the technology.

I truly think with a few tweaks and a few egos put to one side, it would be possible to massively improve VAR generally and very quickly.  Right now it's the perfect example of a system designed by commitee and implemented by idiots.

The first change - more monitors around the ground.  Let the ref re-watch any marginal / key decisions in his own time, without being called to the sideline like a naughty schoolboy.  Make the ref re-check any penalty call himself, and ask for input / extra angles if required.  Make the converations publically available to the broadcasters in real time.  This alone would probably have stopped the ridulous West Ham and Newcastle decisions.

I realise im in a minority of one but I do think Bowen left a foot in on the keeper which is normally a free kick. It wasn't exactly brutal though and the theatrics from the keeper was comical.

[Exeter 77]

I'm beginning to wonder if PGMOL want VAR to fail because they see it as a challenge to their absolute authority so are operating it in such a way that everyone will be glad to see the back of it.

[cdward]

I also thought Bowen left his leg "in there" on purpose, and can see why they called it a foul.
He could have jumped over Mendy, but was looking for a penalty, justice done i reckon.

[KRS]

If Bowen was looking for a penalty he’d have gone down. His leading leg cleared Mendy as he came flying out but his trailing leg barely skimmed Mendys chest/arm, and his reaction to being brushed was pathetic. These are well built athletic players that can easily take a hit and get up again, and it’s this kind of play acting that has boiled my piss for years. Mendy fucked up, rolled around like a baby and the match officials fell for it.

[Clampy]

Haarland went down really easily from a lame tussle with Mings as well.

[oldtimernow]

More communication between ref and Var officials, need to be publicly available.
Just as RFU does, ref calls for help and the discussion is audible and visual.

[PeterWithesShin]

Goal-line technology rather than VAR, but I look forward to people banging on about this for years to come same as they have about us

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62794705

[PaulWinch again]

My pedant grumble - when people say something along the lines of “VAR isn’t the problem it’s the people running and operating it.” Like this is some insightful observation that nobody has ever heard. I’m pretty sure it’s well understand that the technology is just that, and therefore isn’t to blame, it’s the process and interpretation that’s the issue. When people say VAR isn’t working I don’t think most literally mean the video technology itself.

VAR is more than the technology, it's the whole process of having a video assistant referee.  The point is many are calling for it to be scrapped, whereas I think that would be throwing the baby out with the bathwater.  It can and should work well, but christ they're making a pigs ear of it at the moment.

Quite.

[German James]

VAR was supposed to be about "clear and obvious errors" or "serious missed incidents". Not offside decisions which are theoretically measurable by electron microscope and collisions which another referee, standing somewhere else might have given as a foul (or not).
To paraphrase Alan "Elbows" Shearer: What's needed is for the trigger-happy fuckers watching their free streams in Stockley Park to hold back and ask themselves if the on-pitch decision can be justified. If it can, don't press the button.

[olaftab]

Agreed GJ. It appears that Stockley Park has morphed into some sort of super power base  where decision are made on the outcome of PL games whilst they are chewing their prawn sandwiches and downing copious amount of Espresso Macchiato.  Money for nothing and kicks for free!

Why was VAR  so much better executed during the Euro20 games? I know one reason could be that it wasn't managed at Stockley Park.

[ozzjim]

I thought VAR worked pretty well at the world cup. Biggest difference was it wasn't their mates in the VAR room. I would make the 2 completely separate roles, preferably with no bloody contact between them. Then if something needs a second look, there is no talking, it's just signalled to the ref on pitch to have a second look. When they do, it's up to them if they want to change their mind, but it has to be clear, not a 50/50 that on the 19th angle shows something different.

Was a lovely finished film little Phil, hope it gave him a bit of confidence.

[Drummond]

I've never gone to a football match in the hope of seeing a ref watch replays on TV. Just bin it and let refs ref.

It's just porn for technocrats. It's solved nothing and gets in the way. In any right thinking world it would be scrapped immediately, but I think people are still seduced by the thought that technology can solve every problem.

Have you ever tried Virtual Reality tour of a caravan?

[Drummond]

I've never gone to a football match in the hope of seeing a ref watch replays on TV. Just bin it and let refs ref.

Have you never left a match pissed off with a ridiculous offside or penalty decision?  If they can get VAR right, that's something that they should be able to resolve fairly easily and painlessly.  They are just nowhere near geting it right.

Loads of times. I've also gone out smiling for much the same reason.

I'm not saying people are wrong to want (near) perfection, it's just not something I particularly value in football. I like the randomness, the emotion, the suddenness. I don't want VAR is all, but I totally get that others do.

I think there's nothing better than a Villa crowd on a referee's back. It really gets the atmosphere going. When you bring VAR in to things it a just slows it down and stops the moodiness.