Seriously, 18 months on, what is the point of VAR?

[CornwallBlade]

It's gone as well as I expected. Granted I expected a disaster. People say it worked in the world cup. Well I thought it was terrible then too. I hate it. Goal line technology is great as it's clear cut and instant. Var is neither.

Except when they forget to turn the sodding GLT on...... I’m still seething that fucking Villa didn’t let us walk one in. I must let it go, I must let it go.......

 

[CornwallBlade]

Rugby, Cricket, Tennis, NFL all use technology to make the game 'better' - in principle VAR should be able to do the same for football, but the implementation has been awful.

Needs something like "Umpire's Call" works in cricket - the Ref makes a decision, and clear and obvious (i.e outside the margin of error) is needed for it to be overturned. I'd mike up the ref as well (and VAR) as in rugby so they are clear what they are checking for (so "I think it's a goal, but can you check there was no handball" or "I don't think it was a penalty").

Mind you, I'd only allow the Captain and player being spoken to by the ref to talk to the ref as well

This. It’s the secrecy that stinks. Let us hear the bloody conversation that way everybody gets an explanation. The fact that it is all concealed just reinforces my belief that it is being used for corrupt reasons. I’d love to think the ref last night blew for our first goal immediately because he knew that if he’d waited the Man U mafia would have it struck off.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

It's shit, I said it would be shit. By TV for TV.

The majority of decisions by a referee in football are opinions. Indeed the majority of the laws included the phrase "In the opinion of the referee". I said at the time of introduction, too many opinions lead to confusion and chaos; and VAR was another layer of committee. Also, my biggest gripe; it was introduced not for the benefit of the game but to enhance and add drama to the TV coverage, to add controversy and debate. It's played out on TV, in the ground minimal information.

For all those advocates, where was the need for this generated? Where did the uproar about bad decisions come from? Who started the forensic examination of decisions?

Football and it's rules and governance is now changed and altered not for the benefit of the game but for the broadcasters of it.

 

[Headshrinker]

For all those advocates, where was the need for this generated? Where did the uproar about bad decisions come from? Who started the forensic examination of decisions?

How do you not know that? Media and especially supporters.

 

[bakeblade]

The way it is currently used there is no point.
1. Keep goal line technology but double check some fucker has actually turned it on and it's working.
2. Sack off the offside decision. Leave it to the lino, you'll win some you'll lose some.
3. Immediately get rid of the rule about not flagging, when it is blatantly offside, until that phase of play is over. It wont be long before an injury occurs as everyone is going full tilt for no reason.
4. Check foul play if it looks like a serious injury has been caused but the ref can only look at the monitor for 45 secs max and it has to be at full speed, none of this slowing it down from every angle and zooming in. If he cant decide in that time go with his original decision.
5. Explain what the fuck the green zone is. Was he actually watching the game or accidentally had his mic turned on while watching a film on the Iraq war.
6. Checking goals should be a 20 second look. If nothing is glaringly obvious you go with on field decision.

Finally, with VAR, what is the point of the linesman? The don't flag for offside until the play is over. If one team scores it gets checked, if they don't who cares play on - so no point in them.
They never seem to flag for fouls. If there is one the ref gives it or if anything significant happens after VAR checks it - so no point.
And I'm sure deciding throw ins can be done without their input 95% of the time.

It was at it again in the WBA city game with the second goal. Very like our Newcastle game last season, the linemans flag rules tweaked to suit VAR. Cue total confusion and a goal given that should never count.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

How do you not know that? Media and especially supporters.

If there was no TV coverage would supporters in grounds be screaming for It? By TV for TV

 

[nicksufc]

Total and utter disaster from start to finish. It cannot and will not ever work. But the suits in charge are far too proud to admit it is a complete mess, so we will keep ploughing on and slowly destroy the beautiful game.

 

[Working Class Hero]

VAR has killed the joy of scoring a goal. As soon as one goes in my first thoughts are, how's that getting cancelled then. Not fuck yes we've scored a fucking goal.

This exactly. And it trumps any argument anyone can come up with for VAR checking goals.

 

[Grey Blade]

It was at it again in the WBA city game with the second goal. Very like our Newcastle game last season, the linemans flag rules tweaked to suit VAR. Cue total confusion and a goal given that should never count.

On that occasion I couldn't understand why the flag was raised before the move had finished. To be fair, that Assistant Referee's decisions are usually spot on so I was surprised when VAR over ruled it. The West Brom defenders had stopped playing but I suppose the moral of the story (yet again) is for players to ignore the flag if there's no whistle and play on.

On the other hand it's farcical when an off side is obvious and the flag isn't raised.

 

[SK10Blade]

The principal works well in Rugby, cricket and to a lesser extent, Tennis. If it can't be made to work properly then we should just get rid apart from crossing the goal line with is a straightforward yes or no (unless it involves Villa).

 

[HillmortonBlade]

VAR has killed the joy of scoring a goal. As soon as one goes in my first thoughts are, how's that getting cancelled then. Not fuck yes we've scored a fucking goal.

Remember jumping about as the ball went in? Just that quick glance to see lino running back to halfway line?

Not now, TV says no.

 

[PokerBlade]

It's not about whether VAR is quicker or slower, or more accurate, or whether it ruins goal celebrations, it's about remembering that I was right all along when I said it would be shit.

Just like when I said that having refs look at the monitor wouldn't make a difference.

What superficial change are we suggesting for next year that also won't make it better? Could we have a bit of the player's arm light up on the replays to show us what a "red zone" is?

 

[Blade56]

Will we rejoice with no VAR next season of bemoan poor and uncertain decissions?


(Assuming we don’t stay up)

 

[Working Class Hero]

Will we rejoice with no VAR next season of bemoan poor and uncertain decissions?


(Assuming we don’t stay up)

Thing is, in the previous 30 years of football with the odd shit refereeing decisions, I never once in all that time said, or heard anyone else say, "it's killing the game".

 

[SB_90]

again tonight another stupid decision. if VAR is staying which i would say is likely because I cant see it going completely

VAR will have to change to cricket/tennis/NFL review system. because currently what we have is a polar opposite from we were sold by premier league. what we told is that we will be "ridding the game of the howler" with arsenal mistaken identity red card or when a linesman missed a offside by a couple of yards. i was in favour. also the 2018 world cup i thought it was implemented well. it almost swung me into the pro VAR camp after staunchly anti VAR from the prior FA cup

but what we have ended up with is a forensic investigation of game that nobody asked for. ive been on the end the big toe gate for & against. i got very little joy from it going for us & alot of anger even as neutral when it goes against. hopefully the challenges 2 a game alot like cricket unless its clear there been a mistake made. leave with the officials. because some of these "wrong" decisions arent mistakes as its impossible to see

 

[FatPaul]

again tonight another stupid decision. if VAR is staying which i would say is likely because I cant see it going completely

VAR will have to change to cricket/tennis/NFL review system. because currently what we have is a polar opposite from we were sold by premier league. what we told is that we will be "ridding the game of the howler" with arsenal mistaken identity red card or when a linesman missed a offside by a couple of yards. i was in favour. also the 2018 world cup i thought it was implemented well. it almost swung me into the pro VAR camp after staunchly anti VAR from the prior FA cup

but what we have ended up with is a forensic investigation of game that nobody asked for. ive been on the end the big toe gate for & against. i got very little joy from it going for us & alot of anger even as neutral when it goes against. hopefully the challenges 2 a game alot like cricket unless its clear there been a mistake made. leave with the officials. because some of these "wrong" decisions arent mistakes as its impossible to see

Agreed, at this point there's no need for the ref or the linesmen. I don't think anyone one here would have seen a replay of the disallowed penalty tonight in real time and thought "that cunt is offside"

 

[Grey Blade]

again tonight another stupid decision. if VAR is staying which i would say is likely because I cant see it going completely

VAR will have to change to cricket/tennis/NFL review system. because currently what we have is a polar opposite from we were sold by premier league. what we told is that we will be "ridding the game of the howler" with arsenal mistaken identity red card or when a linesman missed a offside by a couple of yards. i was in favour. also the 2018 world cup i thought it was implemented well. it almost swung me into the pro VAR camp after staunchly anti VAR from the prior FA cup

but what we have ended up with is a forensic investigation of game that nobody asked for. ive been on the end the big toe gate for & against. i got very little joy from it going for us & alot of anger even as neutral when it goes against. hopefully the challenges 2 a game alot like cricket unless its clear there been a mistake made. leave with the officials. because some of these "wrong" decisions arent mistakes as its impossible to see

The off side decisions should be decided without drawing lines. If it's not obvious to the naked eye that a player is offside, they should be called on side. Also, it's very difficult to stop the film at the exact moment the ball has been played forward and it makes the whole thing a farce when they're drawing lines which are supposed to be accurate and the whole process is possibly being done at the wrong moment.

 

[SB_90]

i understood liverpool frustration for the 1st goal Saturday lunchtime. as consistency. but as you say FatPaul & Grey Blade noone with any passion for football can tell me that this needed checking it was clear it was onside



the premier league surely know something gone badly wrong. when football fans that have for decades called them all the names under sun start. being the referees biggest supporters & defending them. somethings gone wrong. it like if we start siding with Wednesday on an issue

 

[1889]

The trouble with VAR is that it is administered by referees the biggest egotists in the game. They crave the fame and fortune that they see all around them. Their combined ambitions are to make themselves indispensable and ever more influential into every aspect of the game. They’re driven purely by professional self interest not the best interests of the game.
Referees, just don’t get football, look at some of the decisions they make, even with the assistance of VAR

As Bill Shankly famously remarked ‘ They know the rules, but they don’t know the game’ and that is as true now, as it was then.

The problem is, we are now letting these clueless pedants rewrite the rules and regulations of the people’s game and they are absolutely killing it as a spectacle. But what’s more they are so far removed from the emotion and act of actually playing the game, that they can’t see what they’re doing to it?