How corrupt is football?

[PaulPowersTash]

it’s not just which VAR decisions have been right or wrong though.The match officials have controlled games this season by deciding what does or doesn’t go to VAR. Calvert Lewin foiled by Van Dijk didn’t even get a VAR review. TAA’s tackle against Arsenal got a review but was deemed as confirming the onfield decision which was a yellow despite identical tackles being given as serious foul play and red cards when refs have gone straight to VAR. Mane against Leicester the ref gives a pen and points to the spot and the decision becomes ‘is there any reason why the onfield decision isn’t correct’, as soon as there’s the slightest bit of contact the decision is vindicated even though it doesn’t even look a foul. Countless other times that incident is waved away and a quick VAR check (of it even occurs) confirms that there’s no pen. The game for us against Southampton was a perfect example, Ings is given supported by VAR, Gordon’s isn’t and VAR supported that too although any neutral watching would have said objectively that the incidents were at least equal with Gordon’s if anything more of a penalty. The system is being influenced all the time but afterwards they can say that the margin of error was tiny and it didn’t favour any club more than others.

Salah's goal against City was given by VAR within an instant. It has since transpired that VAR wasn't in action in the match due to a 'technical issue'.
VAR is the instrument that has been used to give positive bias to certain teams.
It's corrupt. No other word for it.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Salah's goal against City was given by VAR within an instant. It has since transpired that VAR wasn't in action in the match due to a 'technical issue'.
VAR is the instrument that has been used to give positive bias to certain teams.
It's corrupt. No other word for it.

that city game was a farce and every player on the pitch knew it. City gave up after that, the game was so absurd they knew there’d be no way they could get ahead over the course of a season.

 

[JordanianEmbassy]

it’s not just which VAR decisions have been right or wrong though.The match officials have controlled games this season by deciding what does or doesn’t go to VAR. Calvert Lewin foiled by Van Dijk didn’t even get a VAR review. TAA’s tackle against Arsenal got a review but was deemed as confirming the onfield decision which was a yellow despite identical tackles being given as serious foul play and red cards when refs have gone straight to VAR. Mane against Leicester the ref gives a pen and points to the spot and the decision becomes ‘is there any reason why the onfield decision isn’t correct’, as soon as there’s the slightest bit of contact the decision is vindicated even though it doesn’t even look a foul. Countless other times that incident is waved away and a quick VAR check (of it even occurs) confirms that there’s no pen. The game for us against Southampton was a perfect example, Ings is given supported by VAR, Gordon’s isn’t and VAR supported that too although any neutral watching would have said objectively that the incidents were at least equal with Gordon’s if anything more of a penalty. The system is being influenced all the time but afterwards they can say that the margin of error was tiny and it didn’t favour any club more than others.

Its not hard to see why the VAR caravan is hidden away near Heathrow is it? (or wherever it is)

Imagine if it was outside the ground! You'd have an angry mob after nearly every game trying to break into it

 

[Mat70s]

The VAR decisions this season have not been 'unconcious bias' (in my opinion for what it is worth). It has been explicit bias.
The 30 year & 7 year gap is the exact reason for explicit bias. The favourable VAR decisions this season for Liverpool
have been nothing but outrageous. VAR has been the method used to assist them. The PL need Liverpool & United to
be successful for their business model.
So they will be successful...

Ok. But that’s not stats, it’s just an opinion. The PL has been incredibly successful without Liverpool being successful and it’s coped pretty well with the midtable version of United.

The reason United won the league loads was because they were the best for ages. Not because of unfair referees. Then their manager retired and they were no longer the best. Liverpool are now the best because they now have a manager who has built a good side over a few seasons. Next season another team might be the best (probably City) and they’ll win the league.

All of the above has happened because of football rather than some dark forces at play.

I’m just reluctant to give too much credence to conspiracy as it’s usually framed around cherrypicked examples and stats. I think the truth is a little more dull.

 

[Mat70s]

it’s not just which VAR decisions have been right or wrong though.The match officials have controlled games this season by deciding what does or doesn’t go to VAR. Calvert Lewin foiled by Van Dijk didn’t even get a VAR review. TAA’s tackle against Arsenal got a review but was deemed as confirming the onfield decision which was a yellow despite identical tackles being given as serious foul play and red cards when refs have gone straight to VAR. Mane against Leicester the ref gives a pen and points to the spot and the decision becomes ‘is there any reason why the onfield decision isn’t correct’, as soon as there’s the slightest bit of contact the decision is vindicated even though it doesn’t even look a foul. Countless other times that incident is waved away and a quick VAR check (of it even occurs) confirms that there’s no pen. The game for us against Southampton was a perfect example, Ings is given supported by VAR, Gordon’s isn’t and VAR supported that too although any neutral watching would have said objectively that the incidents were at least equal with Gordon’s if anything more of a penalty. The system is being influenced all the time but afterwards they can say that the margin of error was tiny and it didn’t favour any club more than others.

Why would VAR favour Southampton? What’s the motive?

 

[toffeejack]

Kyle Walker beat Sergio Aguero to YPOTY back in Aguero's debut season. Yaya Toure was unplayable in 2014 and dragged his team almost single handedly to the title. He came third to a racist and a man whose arrogance and complacency actually cost his team the title. KDB was cheated out of it the year Salah won it and this year, it again looks like he will lose out to a water carrier. Not just managers. Mancini won our first title in 44 years and ended MUFC dominance, they gave MOTY to Alan Pardew. . Manuel Pellegrini won a league and cup double in his first year, he didn't win it either, instead they gave it to Tony Pulis. There's a trend here.

It's because the media is stockpiled with RS ex players who are bitter and jealous of city, just as much as they're bitter of united. They're having a short period of success but can't help themselves being jealous and obsessed with everybody else, they're pathetic.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Why would VAR favour Southampton? What’s the motive?

Betting. On minor games like Everton Southampton it would be betting. We probably benefit from that also when it suits. But in the big games, and over the course of a season, it is better for every party connected to the game if big clubs are winning and even within that that certain big clubs are winning. The media want it, the premier league want it, UEFA want it, the tv companies want it. It’s a billion dollar industry, do people really think that with so much money flowing around that the powers that be will allow the random whims of football to decide the fate of their billions?

 

[toffeejack]

that city game was a farce and every player on the pitch knew it. City gave up after that, the game was so absurd they knew there’d be no way they could get ahead over the course of a season.

Football will soon reach the stage where managers will start calling their players off the pitch. I remember sheff utd doing it when arsenal were unsporting, but the massive incompetence of refs is becoming too much. I wish we would have just left the pitch at some point this season, both games against Brighton and then the other week v soton, we just accept being totally shafted over.

Look, i accept refs will make mistakes, but the pen given v keane was the worst decision I've seen in football, it wasn't a mistake it was knowing absolutely nothing about football. The decision v soton, you have to ask the ref to explain his decision, it goes against everything that's in the rule book and its impossible to defend.

We're constantly shafted and if you saw the RS get the decisions we have had this season alone, never mind over decades, they'd have probably walked off the pitch and made such a fuss that the FA would never to give anything bad against them again.

It's why i give up with football, it's not entertaining anymore, it's not fun, it's not even about the best team winning because the playing field is so uneven now. Its so far from a sport its just not worth the hassle Imo.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Football will soon reach the stage where managers will start calling their players off the pitch. I remember sheff utd doing it when arsenal were unsporting, but the massive incompetence of refs is becoming too much. I wish we would have just left the pitch at some point this season, both games against Brighton and then the other week v soton, we just accept being totally shafted over.

Look, i accept refs will make mistakes, but the pen given v keane was the worst decision I've seen in football, it wasn't a mistake it was knowing absolutely nothing about football. The decision v soton, you have to ask the ref to explain his decision, it goes against everything that's in the rule book and its impossible to defend.

We're constantly shafted and if you saw the RS get the decisions we have had this season alone, never mind over decades, they'd have probably walked off the pitch and made such a fuss that the FA would never to give anything bad against them again.

It's why i give up with football, it's not entertaining anymore, it's not fun, it's not even about the best team winning because the playing field is so uneven now. Its so far from a sport its just not worth the hassle Imo.

Fans of clubs outside the top few are starting to come around to this view. I always think back to the league cup semi v City. We didn’t play that well in the second leg but there’s no doubt the game swung on the decision to allow the City goal when the ball was miles out of play. If that had been United or Liverpool the goal would never have been given, but if it had the media inquest would have lasted months. As it was no one cared immediately after the game because it was Everton. Happy to brush it under the carpet, and what’s worse is that our own club, players, and local media don’t seem bothered by it either.

 

[toffeejack]

Fans of clubs outside the top few are starting to come around to this view. I always think back to the league cup semi v City. We didn’t play that well in the second leg but there’s no doubt the game swung on the decision to allow the City goal when the ball was miles out of play. If that had been United or Liverpool the goal would never have been given, but if it had the media inquest would have lasted months. As it was no one cared immediately after the game because it was Everton. Happy to brush it under the carpet, and what’s worse is that our own club, players, and local media don’t seem bothered by it either.

I know every club's supporters feel they're hard done by because the officiating is so bad, but there's no denyibg we get treated disgustingly, but we just accept it. I hate how small time our club is, we'll always get used as an example by FA and officials to be the first and pretty much only team screwed over by any new law. That's not us moaning, the facts are all there, i don't understand why we put up with it.

Although i don't believe there's a mass amount of corruption on the pitch, i think it's more to do with refs being more scared of the clubs who have the most influence the media, there's no doubt its rife at the top level. All to do with money as well, footy is supposed to be sport and entertainment but everyone is happy for it to be rigged.

 

[Ballly]

19 penalties would take us about 12 years to accrue.

Ha ha! True that and that would include a penalty shootout in a cup tie lol

 

[Paris]

Just from the other day.

 

[Tipp blue]

As far as corruption goes it's quiet obvious that there was a campaign to get Manchester United back to the top 4. Some of the penalty decisions are ludicrous. Not to mention plenty of other dodgy decisions.

 

[twoblue]

Fans of clubs outside the top few are starting to come around to this view. I always think back to the league cup semi v City. We didn’t play that well in the second leg but there’s no doubt the game swung on the decision to allow the City goal when the ball was miles out of play. If that had been United or Liverpool the goal would never have been given, but if it had the media inquest would have lasted months. As it was no one cared immediately after the game because it was Everton. Happy to brush it under the carpet, and what’s worse is that our own club, players, and local media don’t seem bothered by it either.

There is probably some truth in the fact that given decisions against the lesser teams provokes less media scrutiny.
Decision for Liverpool / United casually mentioned in highlights.
Decision against these teams Twitter in meltdown, bullets in post, twenty minutes discussion every hour on SSN

 

[toffeejack]

As far as corruption goes it's quiet obvious that there was a campaign to get Manchester United back to the top 4. Some of the penalty decisions are ludicrous. Not to mention plenty of other dodgy decisions.

We've conceded about 4 pens since lockdown ourselves and similar decisions for us always seem to be given as no pen.