Not Again and again and again.

[blade too long]

All VAR has done is change it from 1 ref possibly getting it wrong and now it's 8 refs definitely getting it wrong.

what Id like know is how Spurs got 4 major decisions all in their favour in one game, that has the feel of something dodgy about it

considering how we got a goal rubbed out there for Baldock apparently wearing size 16 boots on the photo in one of many VAR choices we fell foul of

 

[Dougie]

The linesman doesn't have a whistle, he has a flag, if he raises it, play stops

except it doesn’t, as Shelvey proved. So naive from the defenders and especially Henderson. You’re taught in the U9s to play to the whistle ffs

 

[Dougie]

Always felt like they weren't looking for "clear and obvious mistakes" but looking for any pretext to disallow a goal against the Premier League elite, and any pretext to give penalties in favour of them, so it increased inequality rather than being a balancing factor.
Someone published a league table in our first PL season of who had benefitted/lost out from a VAR decision. Surprising nobody, Manchester United had benefited most, Sheffield United had been most penalised

Like the VAR decisions at Bramall Lane that went in Sheffield United’s favour against checks notes … those elite clubs Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur?
All VAR has done has given woe-is-me fans another imaginary reason to believe the world is against their club, despite all the evidence to the contrary.

 

[Conroy]

The frustrating thing is they have given them all the tools necessary to do a better job and they still fuck it up! Apart from about five or six penalties we should have been given the Championship refs have on the most been pretty consistent and it generally evens itself out over the season.....apart from us getting a pen of course.

Fuck the VAR room referees, give the ones out there a pitch side screen and let each side have two reviews they can use during the game, this could be implemented at least in Championship too......oh and remember to turn the infallible 'Hawk Eye' on in case the cleaner unplugged it to take the hoover round.

 

[JJBlade]

except it doesn’t, as Shelvey proved. So naive from the defenders and especially Henderson. You’re taught in the U9s to play to the whistle ffs

It's what coaches of children's teams tell them when Uncle Fred is running the line

When the linesman raises his flag defenders stop and clap him

They don't expect a ref to ignore it and let play carry on

 

[Bayingblade]

There's a simple solution for offside and that is if any part of a player is in line, he's onside. It would end all this bollocks of looking to see if his left eyebrow is in front or not. If there's no gap, he's on. They should also try to get ex players involved in the VAR room because, if nothing else has come from the implementation of VAR, it's proved what we all knew about referees, they're fucking useless and while they may know the rules, they don't have the first clue about the game itself.

 

[Shirty Blade]

lf VAR was around years ago one would have thought we stayed up. Gerrard phantom penalty for Morgan intending to foul him, but actually not, Geary's goal vs West Ham, Shelton's penalty vs Man U offset by Webbers offside goal vs Watford. Would have given us three more points and better goal average of 2. This is why I thought VAR would be good. Unfortunately the numpties running it would have ensured it made no difference except chalking off Webber's goal.

 

[Ridgeway Blade]

We all want The Blades to be as successful as possible, absolutely, BUT that fucking VAR in the prem has always been contentious and frustrating but they are no better with it than our last foray in the Prem. Brighton had 2 goals chalked off and 2 deffo penalties denied, to disallow Welbecks goal was appalling.Then Brentfords 2nd pen was a bad decision too. The prem is great for the cash and kudos but never knowing if the team has scored,got a penalty or conceded one just leaves you baffled. Why can`t they get it right. Brighton and Newcastle will be getting an apology from Webb but what consolation is that if its cost your team points.

Totally agree. Watched MOTD on Saturday and started swearing at the thought of us having to put up with VAR next season. It is used so incompetently you wonder how they come to the decisions. Time we heard some of the discussions. It almost smacks of some corruption. I hope I am wrong but it is so bad it does make you wonder. Every other sport that uses technology has used it well and is accepted by player and fans. Even cricket allows for small margins of error by the umpire on LBW calls. With all those decisions on Saturdayu were clear to see on replays so why weren't they given? And the disallowed goal was wrong decison too. Would they have done that if the incidents had happened to Spurs? Also why take so long on the Brentford penalty and then change the refeerees decision. His initial decsion was correct. What did the VAR officias see?

 

[cahill]

I dont like VAR but we’d be a minnow in the Prem and less likely I’d argue to get refs benefit of the doubt against bigger opponents with baying crowds so we might benefit from having VAR which hopefully neutralises the big crowd effect. So maybe a good thing for us

 

[1889]

The fact that such obviously blatant errors are still made consistently, week after week, year after year, suggests to me, that there are other factors being considered, way beyond actual rule infringements, as part of the decision making process.

My whole life has revolved around Football, I was kicking a ball as soon as I could walk, I played all day as a kid and until I was in my mid thirties as an adult and watched the game at every opportunity. Beyond United, I’ve got very little interest in Football now, it’s a totally different game. The unchecked cheating, the micro analysis by pundits, the co commentators and the fucking PGMOL have all but ruined the game and killed my interest.

Football as a pastime is on a steady decline in the UK, I can almost guarantee wherever you live, the number of teams in your local Sunday League will have more than halved in the last 25 years. The FA are seemingly oblivious to this situation or are ambivalent about the consequences, they throw money at the Womens game whilst ignoring the loss of at least 50% of blokes, now not playing the game?

 

[Yoonited]

That sums up my exact thoughts too. Outside of the Blades, I’m not even sure football is my favourite sport anymore.

Its not even VAR that really gets me, its the absolute morons in charge of it. All VAR is doing is shining a spotlight on the complete ineptitude of the officials. They havent even got the excuse of “oh well the game moves fast these days” or “his view might be blocked” there are cameras watching every single thing thats going on and they still struggle to come to consistent decisions.

They’ve made a complete balls up of introducing VAR into the Premier League yet the PGMOL just wash their hands of any responsibility. It’s fucking bonkers how they manage to get it so wrong so often.

And those who continually get it blatantly wrong are vindicated by Dermot fuckin Gallagher cos he doesn't have the bollox to disagree.
Same old authoritarian methods across many sports.
Hidden agendas or we'd have ex footballers running VAR.

 

[YES Blade]

VAR would be better if it was more like the review system in cricket. Each team gets to ask for one review a game and there is an allowable margin of error for offsides to stay as the infield call to account for the fact its never 100% clear. If you get your review right you keep it, if not you lose it.

The difference is that cricket have been using technology to get decisions right for maybe 30 years now, so it’s no surprise that they are far better at using it.

If the dinosaurs who ran football had embraced technology 10 or 15 years earlier, they might be a bit better at using it by now.

 

[jt64]

There's a simple solution for offside and that is if any part of a player is in line, he's onside. It would end all this bollocks of looking to see if his left eyebrow is in front or not.

OK - how is there any different in logic between:

a) Baldock's big toe is a centimetre ahead of the last defender, therefore he is offside, this is so unclear it is bollocks

And under your differing proposal:

b) Kane is breaking through our central defence, but Baldock's big toe overlaps Kane's back heel by a centimetre, therefore he is onside, but somehow this is crystal and not bollocks

 

[YES Blade]

OK - how is there any different in logic between:

a) Baldock's big toe is a centimetre ahead of the last defender, therefore he is offside, this is so unclear it is bollocks

And under your differing proposal:

b) Kane is breaking through our central defence, but Baldock's big toe overlaps Kane's back heel by a centimetre, therefore he is onside, but somehow this is crystal and not bollocks

I never get the VAR moans about offside not being clear and obvious or the players toe nail being offside etc. There is always going to be a definite line where a player is either on or off, which could come down to millimetres. Messing with the rule will never change that.

To me it’s no different to the ball crossing the line, it’s either crossed or it hasn’t. No one ever says “it was nearly over so let’s give the goal” or “it was only just over so let’s not give the goal”. People seem to want the offside line to change depending on which team they support and if it would favour their team.

 

[Selly]

If we have to have VAR - and I'd rather we didn't quite honestly - then they need to stick to the "clear and obvious" ruling.

You can't have VAR looking for over 4 mins at something (as was the case in the Brighton game) - that isn't clear and obvious.

30 seconds, no more - if it isn't obvious stick with the on field decision.

That, or one unsuccessful review per team. Want to try and rule out that goal after 5 mins - fine, tell us the specific thing you want checking, but if you are wrong no reviews for the rest of the game. In thi instance is accept them taking as long as they need to get the right decision.

 

[coaxingstar71]

I have to say I'm ambivalent about the prospect of playing in the Premier League again.
Even watching MOTD annoys me these days. It's become all about VAR. Can anyone really say it has improved the game? It was supposed to make decisions clearer and more accurate. I see it has made it even more controversial. Considering the technology they've got, they still make atrocious decisions.
I still think the Robbo handball in the Blackburn cup game was ridiculous. How can he have deliberately used his hand when a player has smashed it at him from less than 5 yards away? I don't know the rule now (it's changed that often) but if it's that it's handball regardless of deliberate or not, then that in itself is ridiculous.
The stupid one I recall that went for us was when we beat Spurs 3-1 in lockdown and Lucas Moura hit the ball with his hand after falling over during a challenge, with Kane subsequently putting the ball in the net. I was glad at the time, but I'd be livid if that went against us.
On the financial side, I can see that being promoted is apparently going to save us from ruin. I just wonder about what exactly are the advantages of being in the Premier League? When we were promoted in 2018/19, we seemed to be ok financially, not rich by any means but not to the point that not being promoted would have been a financial disaster. We had two seasons there and ok we spent quite a bit on players, though not nearly as much as some clubs have, but now we're fucked if we don't go up. So what happens if the same happens again, won't we be just as equally fucked and then be on a never ending cycle of NEEDING to get promoted back there just to survive? It seems to me we might have been better not getting there in the first place.
I've said it before, but it doesn't matter what League you're in, if you're winning more often than not, then it's enjoyable. Would I rather be a club like Palace that win fuck all and scrape enough wins to stay in the Premier League every season, probably not. How many Blades still remember the 4th Division with fondness? Great memories because we were stuffing teams virtually every week and scoring loads of goals.

 

[Bayingblade]

OK - how is there any different in logic between:

a) Baldock's big toe is a centimetre ahead of the last defender, therefore he is offside, this is so unclear it is bollocks

And under your differing proposal:

b) Kane is breaking through our central defence, but Baldock's big toe overlaps Kane's back heel by a centimetre, therefore he is onside, but somehow this is crystal and not bollocks

Gap = offside. No gap = onside. Simples.

 

[jt64]

Gap = offside. No gap = onside. Simples.

Unlike reading comprehension

 

[Dkc]

I have to say I'm ambivalent about the prospect of playing in the Premier League again.
Even watching MOTD annoys me these days. It's become all about VAR. Can anyone really say it has improved the game? It was supposed to make decisions clearer and more accurate. I see it has made it even more controversial. Considering the technology they've got, they still make atrocious decisions.
I still think the Robbo handball in the Blackburn cup game was ridiculous. How can he have deliberately used his hand when a player has smashed it at him from less than 5 yards away? I don't know the rule now (it's changed that often) but if it's that it's handball regardless of deliberate or not, then that in itself is ridiculous.
The stupid one I recall that went for us was when we beat Spurs 3-1 in lockdown and Lucas Moura hit the ball with his hand after falling over during a challenge, with Kane subsequently putting the ball in the net. I was glad at the time, but I'd be livid if that went against us.
On the financial side, I can see that being promoted is apparently going to save us from ruin. I just wonder about what exactly are the advantages of being in the Premier League? When we were promoted in 2018/19, we seemed to be ok financially, not rich by any means but not to the point that not being promoted would have been a financial disaster. We had two seasons there and ok we spent quite a bit on players, though not nearly as much as some clubs have, but now we're fucked if we don't go up. So what happens if the same happens again, won't we be just as equally fucked and then be on a never ending cycle of NEEDING to get promoted back there just to survive? It seems to me we might have been better not getting there in the first place.
I've said it before, but it doesn't matter what League you're in, if you're winning more often than not, then it's enjoyable. Would I rather be a club like Palace that win fuck all and scrape enough wins to stay in the Premier League every season, probably not. How many Blades still remember the 4th Division with fondness? Great memories because we were stuffing teams virtually every week and scoring loads of goals.

That's my worry, if we get promoted then come back down. Whoever owns the club will be tempted to gamble again. Keep all our PL players, keep paying high wages, and take out loans if necessary. Not all gambles come off, and it's likely that a relegated club will go into admin soon. That club could be us.

I'm sure that before the days of the PL the top flight was less of an exclusive club, and you could get promotion without a squad worth 50-100 million.