[Football] VAR, 6 years in - Keep it or bin it?

[Giraffe]

I was shocked to realise that we have now had VAR for six seasons in the Premier League so it seems like a good opportunity to review it.

If you had the decision would you keep it or bin it. No fence option because if you can't decide after six years how many more years do you want?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I think it has actually improved this year, automated off sides seem to have sped it up slightly as well

Still given the choice I would bin it

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I do not have an issue with it per se, more how it's used.

 

[drew]

I do not have an issue with it per se, more how it's used.

Agree, it's not VAR that is the problem, it's the PGMOL!

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Keep it.
Anyway, it is going nowhere.

But tweak the rubric.
I won't bore on yet again about clear blue daylight and a 20 second rule.....
eventually the world of football will catch up......

(I respect the view of @Guinness Boy and he will doubtless explain his position shortly).

 

[superseagull1994]

Agree, it's not VAR that is the problem, it's the PGMOL!

Can we vote to bin PGMOL instead?

 

[El Presidente]

Can we vote to bin PGMOL instead?

If you have a better alternative, absolutely.

 

[Shins]

Get rid except for goal line technology and video assistant for off the ball incidents not seen by the refs, only. Use the money to reinvest in better pathway programmes for refs and potentially additional assistants (not sure what that would look like).

Give us back the agony and ecstasy of instant decisions.

 

[Sorrel]

Either a strict time limit for reviews: 1 minute only - or get rid of it.

The presumption of on-field decisions as correct unless obviously wrong for that minute.

 

[brighton_tom]

The problem is that currently we have controversy where VAR gets things wrong and pundits/press/fans jump on pointing that out. The press and pundits love it as it gives them so much to talk about. But if we bin off VAR now every game will be filled with offside goals, & fouls/handballs in the build up to goals that the on field refs havent caught, and the press/pundits will just switch from commenting on how VAR got things wrong to saying 'well if we'd been using VAR that goal wouldnt have stood, as it was offside/a foul/handball'. And then that resentment at not having the technology involved will build as team by team loses games to goals that shouldnt have stood. Imagine if we'd lost 3-1 to Newcastle because that dive for penalty, and the foul outside the box had counted.... So basically now we've let VAR out of the box, we're f***ed either way!

Overall I think we now kind of have to keep it, but its use needs to be quicker, maybe limit what it can get involved in, but more importantly the refs themselves need to be better!

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Agree, it's not VAR that is the problem, it's the PGMOL!

So we have this set of officials. They aren't going to get much better. In fact they are more likely to get worse as fewer are taking the roles at grass roots, so the talent pool shrinks.

So given that improving the standard of officiating is unlikely in the short term, do you think VAR should be kept?

 

[superseagull1994]

If you have a better alternative, absolutely.

I'll get back to you

 

[Hotchilidog]

I'd keep it, but I would like the offside rule changed. I think it is improving.

 

[Marshy]

Keep it

 

[herecomesaregular]

Bin it purely because I have lost some of the joy of celebrating a goal. I preferred being annoyed about a "wrong" decision after the event.

I expect AI will go on to ruin the human game of football further.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

VAR is incompatible with football fan culture.

At the centre of this culture is the wild hedonistic celebrations of a massive goal, the screaming into the face of a complete stranger at an away game, the high that you can't recreate in any other part of life.

Think of some of the greatest ones you've had as an Albion fan. There's been a few over the years.

But we're wounded now. Goals have been chalked off from nowhere, MacAllister v Leicester, Estupinan v Palace. No opposition fans or players were appealing for a those decisions. VAR found those from nowhere. And if they can chalk those off from nowhere, what can you really celebrate at full throttle? Those wild highs have been diluted.

 

[southstandandy]

Even though I accept it's unlikely now to be binned, it was and still is a major reason why 2 years ago I gave up my ST at the Amex and went and watched non-league football. I personally find the whole experience far more enjoyable being able to support my 'true' local side on Saturdays at 3pm - plus I can walk there! Bonus.

I will always be an Albion fan and go to a few games a season but as I've got older the experience of just trying to get to and from the Amex without being crushed together with VAR taking the spontaneity out of the game made my decision to support non-league. I love the Albion but I don't regret my move one bit.

 

[SouthSaxon]

Can we bin off PGMOL instead? I’m in the camp of being ok with technology, but unhappy with how it’s used.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Can we bin off PGMOL instead? I’m in the camp of being ok with technology, but unhappy with how it’s used.

The Premier League should just go online to some Amazon of referee company's and do a deal with a different company, that have a different set of officials waiting in the wings somewhere who are just much better than the ones we have, right?

 

[jordanseagull]

Either a strict time limit for reviews: 1 minute only - or get rid of it.

The presumption of on-field decisions as correct unless obviously wrong for that minute.

This wouldn’t do anything to reduce the controversy surrounding VAR’s use. I get the principle, but in reality it’d make things even worse.

First, ‘obvious’ is subjective. Second, incorrect decisions that were not ‘obvious’ during the review would generate outcry. And third, it’s likely the time pressure would lead to even worse decision-making. It’s unworkable.