V.A.R

[hallamblue]

Yeah, the sterling example being a case in point, but if they're not going to be sporting then the refs have to manage the game.

I've enjoyed watching the autumn Internationals on rugby union so much more again. I'm not even a big fan of the sport, but the refs are properly managing the play, they're telling players when they're about to commit a penalty etc. And the players respect them. I heard one say sorry for getting something wrong and the player shook his hand and got on with it.

Why is football so different? Why are the players allowed to constantly harass the ref with no punishment. If they have no respect for the man in charge, they're certainly not going to have any respect for the opposition.

Rugby is so different. The referees manage the game. They demand and command respect. The referees in football are either a joke or too friendly with certain clubs/players. They should buy in some rugby refs and build from the bottom. Maybe they could appoint a recently retired rugby ref to head it up.

 

[summerisle]

As bad as when every single defender raises their arm after a goal is scored against them - on the off-chance their was an infringement of some sort. The defenders have no idea what they are appealing for, but they appeal anyway. Don't want to see a call for VAR review of every decision if there really isn't a need.

Would much rather the captain has three reviews (which aren't decremented if the review is successful)

Same as throw-ins. Every single time.

 

[toffeejack]

Rugby is so different. The referees manage the game. They demand and command respect. The referees in football are either a joke or too friendly with certain clubs/players. They should buy in some rugby refs and build from the bottom. Maybe they could appoint a recently retired rugby ref to head it up.

Totally agree, but I have said it works both ways. There should be laws stopping players do this, I mean that Irish ref being beaten up the other day was disgusting. And it was by players from the team who won!!! But they should take more authority, why don't they just book all the players who verbally abuse them, then start sending them off? I don't understand why they accept it. It does set a bad president, and no wonder nobody wants to do that job.

 

[SteStocksDJ]

This is from that muppet Garth crooks team of the week


Andrew Robertson: He was lucky not to concede a penalty at a crucial time against Watford but the Scot got away with it. I'm not entirely sure even VAR would have changed the referee's mind.



Has anyone seen that incident. Stone wall pen if I’ve ever seen one. Really needs to take off his red tinted specs.

 

[Tel001]

This is from that muppet Garth crooks team of the week


Andrew Robertson: He was lucky not to concede a penalty at a crucial time against Watford but the Scot got away with it. I'm not entirely sure even VAR would have changed the referee's mind.



Has anyone seen that incident. Stone wall pen if I’ve ever seen one. Really needs to take off his red tinted specs.

So they have had two massive decisions for for them that have won them games in the last two home games? Fulham being the other, both for the “big” club both at home . VAR needs to happen because I’m sick of it

 

[TheVelourFog]

no ifs ands or buts, the technology is there it must be used

when everyone can plainly see when an incorrect decision has been made it is no longer acceptable to simply shrug and say "thats football"

 

[tonyhorne]

no ifs ands or buts, the technology is there it must be used

when everyone can plainly see when an incorrect decision has been made it is no longer acceptable to simply shrug and say "thats football"

I agree and along with this is a requirement to make sure referees are up to the job. They need to ensure the rules are adhered to not just be "a part of the game"...

 

[abelard]

good heavens, no

the only thing it will accomplish will be to make whinging about the referee even more time-consuming and abstract, and to further dilute the matchday atmosphere (which, ironically, was one of the main reasons why English football became such a compelling television product)

of course, it will be like ten years' of Christmases all at once for English pundits, as only a select few understand the game well enough to contribute more than bleeting on about the refereeing,

 

[Lord Buckethead]

YES!
the RS will never win a game again.

 

[Lanolin]

I think the issues we've seen with the cricket this week are my biggest fear about the introduction of VAR. Repeated no balls just not being given because the umpires have basically given up on trying to call them, on the basis that if you get out to one it will get overruled anyway. The same thing could very easily happen with offsides, with linesmen just letting play continue for fear of making a wrong call, safe in the knowledge that an offside goal will be disallowed. This of course means that strikers have no idea how well they're timing their runs because they never get flagged, and defending teams don't get the respite and chance to clear their lines that an offside decision brings. I hope that there'll be proper guidelines and training before this comes in.

 

[abelard]

I think the issues we've seen with the cricket this week are my biggest fear about the introduction of VAR. Repeated no balls just not being given because the umpires have basically given up on trying to call them, on the basis that if you get out to one it will get overruled anyway. The same thing could very easily happen with offsides, with linesmen just letting play continue for fear of making a wrong call, safe in the knowledge that an offside goal will be disallowed. This of course means that strikers have no idea how well they're timing their runs because they never get flagged, and defending teams don't get the respite and chance to clear their lines that an offside decision brings. I hope that there'll be proper guidelines and training before this comes in.

wonder if we could ever get to the point where, via sensors in the ball and attached to all the players, a computer could determine offside by calculating where the ball, last defender, and runner all are relative to each other?

i don't mind technology if it can actually be painless and certain, like goal-line technology.

but it's the thought of applying it to the inherently subjective, like fouls or cards, that's so gruesome, because it will mean even more whinging about the refereeing than before, only more abstract, tiresome, and time-consuming.

 

[riddick]

wonder if we could ever get to the point where, via sensors in the ball and attached to all the players, a computer could determine offside by calculating where the ball, last defender, and runner all are relative to each other?

i don't mind technology if it can actually be painless and certain, like goal-line technology.

but it's the thought of applying it to the inherently subjective, like fouls or cards, that's so gruesome, because it will mean even more whinging about the refereeing than before, only more abstract, tiresome, and time-consuming.

The game moves too fast tho these days. FFS, look at Chelsea. The ref couldn't have been in a better position to call the red card and bottled it because "it moves too fast". I think VAR with those cases should be used as well, they can see a two footed lunge taking out an ankle because they have the benefit of hindsight and slower tape.

 

[Lanolin]

The game moves too fast tho these days. FFS, look at Chelsea. The ref couldn't have been in a better position to call the red card and bottled it because "it moves too fast". I think VAR with those cases should be used as well, they can see a two footed lunge taking out an ankle because they have the benefit of hindsight and slower tape.

Slowing it down is a dangerous thing with fouls though. Everything looks a million times worse in slow motion, and it's easy to lose the context of the challenge.

 

[SiEdmo]

As bad as when every single defender raises their arm after a goal is scored against them - on the off-chance their was an infringement of some sort. The defenders have no idea what they are appealing for, but they appeal anyway. Don't want to see a call for VAR review of every decision if there really isn't a need.

Would much rather the captain has three reviews (which aren't decremented if the review is successful)

and one is taken away for a 'spurious' review request

 

[R934]

VAR merely throws it over to the select few in the 'var booth' to make a judgement call and tell the ref to review it.
The ref fundamentally has the final say so nothing changes in that respect.

And for what its worth, do you really feel the 'top sides' will suffer because of VAR?
Personally not a chance, any potential dubious call will just been reviewed with the ref having the final say and/or any VAR call that deems the ref missed something will merely lead to the refs going with VAR.

Only have to look at certain incidents during the World Cup - handballs that the ref brushed aside, were suddenly reviewed and given as pens, same with borderline fouls. It doesn't cut out inconsistency, it merely adds another layer of blame and confusion - end of the day its opinion based calls so it down to however runs the VAR and if the ref chooses to go with them.

For what its worth you only have to look at Danny Murphy being part of the 3 man team regarding Niasse - thats not to suggest someone of clear bias would be involved but you get the idea.

Edit - Offside goals and mistaken identity I can agree with because thats cut and dry -which is a reason why goal-line technology works- you are either offside or not, you are either the right player or not. Easy calls, not open to interpretation.
Its always said too many cooks, and VAR is basically that in my eyes, its too many additional voices and creates this false level of having to make a call because someone else deems you've made a mistake.

And thats all VAR is really, someone checking for potential mistakes, ref reviews it, and then we go again. There is always going to be levels of doubt upon reviews because you've been called out -it takes a strong ref to go against VAR- and for what its worth, that never happened during the World Cup when there were clear times calls were simply made off the back of a VAR shout.