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

[worthingseagull]

keep it but only hire officials with two functioning eyes

 

[Simster]

I'm all for it, because I am of the opinion that people forget the countless times that onside moves were wrongly cut short, never mind the more often highlighted issue of offside goals being awarded. This could have cost us a FA Cup semi final place when this happened to us in extra time against Millwall.

But...it does need improving. In fairness, it has done a lot of improving since its inception. We've moved past the absurd handball awards (that are still seen in European competition unfortunately) and actually what it has done is highlight and taken the blame for some of the problematic laws. Handball (as already stated) for one, but also offside. You're either offside or you're not. Currently, one can be offside because a kneecap is 5mm ahead of the last defender. That's not VAR's fault, that's the law's fault. Change it to something fairer or more sensible.

So three things:
* maximum time limit of 60 seconds on a VAR decision please
* maybe add the concept of a captain's challenge once or twice per game (that can be kept if proved correct)
* where VAR highlights a problem with a law, please actually just change the law. This includes making it easy enough to understand so that we don't have the problem of it being inconsistently applied.

 

[herecomesaregular]

One thing I must add is that when I watch a game as a "neutral" I don't mind VAR much and may even applaud the "technically correct" decision. But that's because I'm not invested emotionally in it. And football caters mostly for TV viewers now ....and i'd bet that many millions of those fans around the world really aren't THAT bothered . As usual it's the fan in the ground, who will naturally celebrate most, who loses out.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Keep it. But bin off the PGMOL using it and have it as independent. Currently, VAR officials sometimes seem to look after their mates who are officiating in person. I'll never forget the Attwell/Spurs catastrophe.

 

[veuve]

Some terrible mistakes in the play off games,var would have helped.

 

[withdeanwombat]

Absolutely bin it.

 

[Sorrel]

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.

In which case I’d rather get rid of it. Several minutes hanging around aren’t worth it.

 

[Jeremiah]

Bin it as it kills goal celebrations.

However, if it goes then no post match highlights showing ref and lino errors - which is never going to happen so its here to stay.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I guess sometimes we'd also win because of a dodgy offside

I think you'll find that no football supporter has ever seen their side benefit from a dodgy decision.

 

[Perkino]

It is used badly. Rugby allowance the ref to run the game and only use the TMO to check a try infringement or violent conduct but that is instigated via communication between the TMO and ref.

1) We have goal line technology, seems to work fine.
2) We won't ever move away from looking for an offside in the build up to a goal, however the on field decision should stand unless VAR spot something within 30 seconds.
3) All other decisions should be instigated by the ref. A request of "VAR, Number 2 has commited a foul, can you confirm it is inside the box and is a penalty". This review should be shown on the screen and audio shared around the stadium
4) Possibly...allow each captain to request an incident be reviewed for a specific infringment, however doing so will add 1 minute to additional time at the end of the half and the VAR only have 1 minute to identify and confirm the alleged incident.

 

[Brian Munich]

I'm all for it, because I am of the opinion that people forget the countless times that onside moves were wrongly cut short, never mind the more often highlighted issue of offside goals being awarded. This could have cost us a FA Cup semi final place when this happened to us in extra time against Millwall.

But...it does need improving. In fairness, it has done a lot of improving since its inception. We've moved past the absurd handball awards (that are still seen in European competition unfortunately) and actually what it has done is highlight and taken the blame for some of the problematic laws. Handball (as already stated) for one, but also offside. You're either offside or you're not. Currently, one can be offside because a kneecap is 5mm ahead of the last defender. That's not VAR's fault, that's the law's fault. Change it to something fairer or more sensible.

The offside law is as black and white as whether a ball crosses the goal line or not. I can’t see how it can be changed to be fairer or more sensible.

I actually think that VAR doesn’t deal with it very well seeing as there’s a margin of error dependent on the frame rate of the slo-mo. I’d like to see an umpires-call type rule where a player would need to be 10cm off if the linesman doesn’t flag, and vice-versa if he does.

 

[Brian Munich]

It is used badly. Rugby allowance the ref to run the game and only use the TMO to check a try infringement or violent conduct but that is instigated via communication between the TMO and ref.

Same as VAR in football then?