VAR (sorry!)

Quoted from Rik e B

Once again, not VARs fault at the weekend, that's the new handball ruling, VAR ensured the correct decision was made. And smoothly and promptly too.

It's the rule that's ridiculous.

No it isn’t. The very existence of VAR now means any remotely contentious (or even non-contentious) event on the field has people looking for VAR if they think it can gain them an advantage. It has altered the whole atmosphere of the game. Like Pete says, we immediately shout “goal” while wondering if the eye in the sky will allow it. That is so wrong it is unbelievable. It is football Rik but not as we know it!

Quoted from TheRonRaffertyFanClub

With respect H, that is the problem. Too many people hated it “since” instead of “before”. This is all so very very predictable. It is new and it is super accurate so it MUST be good. People who dislike it are technophobes and luddites who do not understand the modern world .......

VAR is just an example of football jumping at change for the wrong reasons and throwing out the baby with the bath water. VAR does not need tinkering with, it needs to go and let’s get back to football as a human activity played for professional entertainment of other humans.

But that will never happen now it's been introduced to the top European leagues.
Get used to it because no amount of supporter protest etc will have any influence whatsoever with uefa etc.
Interesting article about var in Germany after its introduction there a while ago.


https://www.dw.com/en/var-in-the-bundesliga-completely-fair-football-will-never-exist/a-47124441

This is what happens when lunatics are running the asylum. The people in charge of making the rules have absolutely no idea of the game. The are trying to sanitise the game and take away the spontaneity that makes football what it is.

Quoted from Rik e B

Once again, not VARs fault at the weekend, that's the new handball ruling, VAR ensured the correct decision was made. And smoothly and promptly too.

It's the rule that's ridiculous.

So you would sacrifice the excitement of the game for a "correct decision"?

What about the tens of incorrect decisions that are made during the game that VAR doesn't influence? If there is a foul on the halfway line that the ref gets wrong, just before a goal is scored or disallowed should that be brought back so that a "correct decision" is reached? Why are correct decisions only being made when it involves goalscoring? The answer is that football is a sport not a science.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

So you would sacrifice the excitement of the game for a "correct decision"?

What about the tens of incorrect decisions that are made during the game that VAR doesn't influence? If there is a foul on the halfway line that the ref gets wrong, just before a goal is scored or disallowed should that be brought back so that a "correct decision" is reached? Why are correct decisions only being made when it involves goalscoring? The answer is that football is a sport not a science.

As Gary Lineker said last night....VAR was correct but the law's an behind...both sides should be treat the same ..if the ball "hits" an attackers arm/ hand it's advantage to the defensive side...if it "hits" a defenders arm/ hand it's advantage to the defensive side !?! How can that be right?

VAR is awful. I don't think any of us can actually complain about it getting decisions wrong because, in theory, it shouldn't.

I just think it's a technology not suited to the sport. The governing bodies are trying to shoehorn a piece of tech into a game that is fast and free-flowing and doesn't have time or space for it. They're forcing it to fit.

People may claim I don't mean this but I genuinely, genuinely, don't care about all decisions being 100% correct. There are too many instances in football that could be reviewed. You could review every foul, every throw-in, every corner, every penalty claim, every aerial duel between a centre back and a striker. I mean, where do you stop?

Incidents happen every few seconds in every football match up and down the land. The referee is there to make the call. The only piece of technology I agree with is goal-line technology. That's the most vital area and it's either in or not. It's black and white. It needs no interpretation.

I'm sure someone will call me out and say would I insist on VAR if the Mariners were relegated, or denied promotion, based on an incorrect decision? Well, no I wouldn't. I've spent my whole life watching football knowing that refs get it wrong. But I also know they're not out to deliberately target us.

Well, apart from Carl Boyeson

Well I think the Premier League have gone at it better than Europe and Fifa as its only used in high end decisions and only then 'clear and obvious errors' so the ref still makes his call as usual and only if it a heinous miscarriage of justice will the VAR team intervene.

Where it takes away it can add drama back, I don't think people are going to stop celebrating wildly in case VAR overrules shortly after - for one, some goals you just know nothing wrong with, screamers from outside the box for example. And we already had that egg on face emotion when a linesman would belatedly raise his flag whilst we jumping up and down going wild before finally realising it been chalked off.

Now there is added nail biting moments as we notice the ref pointing out VAR may have spotted a discrepancy and the conceding side and supporters cross their fingers that the goal will not stand. There is also the added elation from the opposite fans if the goal is disallowed -kind of like when a penalty is saved after being gutted that one conceded and adamant about to concede as a result.

VAR did well yesterday (imo) for Man City it rightly pulled up the (ridiculous) new rule about any hitting of an arm being a factor in a goal being scored and quickly too before the players  were taking their places either side of the centre circle again.

And the other major decision it rightly chalked out an offside goal, again reviewed and decided before the match was due to kick off again.

Other than that it runs silent in the background double checking and okaying goals so no glaring travestys of justice take place.

It's goals that change games, that's why they right to just keep it minimal to this crucial area of the game and letting the ref get on with things elsewhere.

Maybe most of you guys are of an older vintage to myself and so have been in love with the game as it was for much longer. Also it is well known that people are resistant to change, the human brain likes things to stay as they are where it feels comfortable and safe (slightly off point).

So long as technology doesn't encroach further and further and is kept to the big game changing decisions and further streamlined instead of going down the road of American football or whatever, I believe it for the greater good. In time it will just be normal, we experiencing that initial resistance right now I feel. Add that to it still being in a somewhat experimental stage, it going to be a contentious issue to start with.

I'm all for VAR at towns games because when we score it nowadays takes me so long to get the knees working to stand up and celebrate that by the time I'm nearly ready VAR has been implemented and probably cancelled the goal. Therefore I'm still sat quite comfortable with my blanket and flask intact.

Quoted from Rik e B

Well I think the Premier League have gone at it better than Europe and Fifa as its only used in high end decisions and only then 'clear and obvious errors' so the ref still makes his call as usual and only if it a heinous miscarriage of justice will the VAR team intervene.

Where it takes away it can add drama back, I don't think people are going to stop celebrating wildly in case VAR overrules shortly after - for one, some goals you just know nothing wrong with, screamers from outside the box for example. And we already had that egg on face emotion when a linesman would belatedly raise his flag whilst we jumping up and down going wild before finally realising it been chalked off.

Now there is added nail biting moments as we notice the ref pointing out VAR may have spotted a discrepancy and the conceding side and supporters cross their fingers that the goal will not stand. There is also the added elation from the opposite fans if the goal is disallowed -kind of like when a penalty is saved after being gutted that one conceded and adamant about to concede as a result.

VAR did well yesterday (imo) for Man City it rightly pulled up the (ridiculous) new rule about any hitting of an arm being a factor in a goal being scored and quickly too before the players  were taking their places either side of the centre circle again.

And the other major decision it rightly chalked out an offside goal, again reviewed and decided before the match was due to kick off again.

Other than that it runs silent in the background double checking and okaying goals so no glaring travestys of justice take place.

It's goals that change games, that's why they right to just keep it minimal to this crucial area of the game and letting the ref get on with things elsewhere.

Maybe most of you guys are of an older vintage to myself and so have been in love with the game as it was for much longer. Also it is well known that people are resistant to change, the human brain likes things to stay as they are where it feels comfortable and safe (slightly off point).

So long as technology doesn't encroach further and further and is kept to the big game changing decisions and further streamlined instead of going down the road of American football or whatever, I believe it for the greater good. In time it will just be normal, we experiencing that initial resistance right now I feel. Add that to it still being in a somewhat experimental stage, it going to be a contentious issue to start with.

I think we all understand that point but you don’t seem to see what really matters Rik. This has nothing to do with age. It is not so much that VAR is right or wrong, it is not even whether VAR runs in the background or the foreground or hyperspace in between.

The problem with VAR is simple - it exists.

By existing it automatically alters the way the game is played, refereed and watched because everyone has this sort of itchy feeling that there is a higher power in charge of the game. It does not matter whether that is true, it does not even matter whether VAR is the most technologically accurate machine since the invention of the slide rule. It changes our perspective.

Quoted from Rik e B

Well I think the Premier League have gone at it better than Europe and Fifa as its only used in high end decisions and only then 'clear and obvious errors' so the ref still makes his call as usual and only if it a heinous miscarriage of justice will the VAR team intervene.

Where it takes away it can add drama back, I don't think people are going to stop celebrating wildly in case VAR overrules shortly after - for one, some goals you just know nothing wrong with, screamers from outside the box for example. And we already had that egg on face emotion when a linesman would belatedly raise his flag whilst we jumping up and down going wild before finally realising it been chalked off.

Now there is added nail biting moments as we notice the ref pointing out VAR may have spotted a discrepancy and the conceding side and supporters cross their fingers that the goal will not stand. There is also the added elation from the opposite fans if the goal is disallowed -kind of like when a penalty is saved after being gutted that one conceded and adamant about to concede as a result.

VAR did well yesterday (imo) for Man City it rightly pulled up the (ridiculous) new rule about any hitting of an arm being a factor in a goal being scored and quickly too before the players  were taking their places either side of the centre circle again.

And the other major decision it rightly chalked out an offside goal, again reviewed and decided before the match was due to kick off again.

Other than that it runs silent in the background double checking and okaying goals so no glaring travestys of justice take place.

It's goals that change games, that's why they right to just keep it minimal to this crucial area of the game and letting the ref get on with things elsewhere.

Maybe most of you guys are of an older vintage to myself and so have been in love with the game as it was for much longer. Also it is well known that people are resistant to change, the human brain likes things to stay as they are where it feels comfortable and safe (slightly off point).

So long as technology doesn't encroach further and further and is kept to the big game changing decisions and further streamlined instead of going down the road of American football or whatever, I believe it for the greater good. In time it will just be normal, we experiencing that initial resistance right now I feel. Add that to it still being in a somewhat experimental stage, it going to be a contentious issue to start with.

I agree entirley with the reply from RRFC.

It is not for the greater good. It is trying to shoehorn a modern system into a fast flowing, unpredictable and mistake ridden game. Every passage of play leads directly or indirectly to something contentious, so where would we draw the line if we wanted every decision to be correct?

The Manchester City disallowed goal was the daftest thing I have ever seen; players having goals ruled out for being 1inch offside is totally and utterly ludicrous - that is not what the spirit of the  laws of the game are there for.

I repeat myself but mistakes are made all over the park but that is part of the fun.