I said last night when watching it that I couldn't understand it. The moment Sky showed the replay, I was waiting for VAR to overturn it. I disagree that the penalty incidents involving us and Spurs were clear and obvious errors (I do think they were both errors, on balance, but not hugely obvious). But the Utd one was as obvious as they come. Hence why I was just waiting for VAR. I believe it was Graham Scott, but I might be wrong - regardless though, what were they looking at? It's all well and good the PL now accepting it was wrong (that's at least better than trying to dig the hole even further), but how does that help Villa?
Agree that the United one was worse but I thought ours was obviously not a penalty too, he fell into him! As clear a dive as you'll see. Fail to see how anyone doesn't see that it clearly wasn't a penalty tbh. Pathetic from Prowsey and the officials. Guaranteed everyone on here would be saying exactly the same if it had been Richarlison winning a penalty for Everton.
James was almost laughing when he started his fall. No pen. And pretty obvious. But eclipsed by that stupid decision at OT.
I think it maybe more comes down to where I would like to see the threshold for VAR being able to overturn. (And I appreciate that my own personal view doesn't dictate how the PL use it!) I've said on here a number of times that I only want the total, absolute howlers being overturned. And for me, the Utd penalty falls into that category, but our one doesn't (as illustrated by all three of us saying that the Utd one was worse). Doesn't change the fact that the on-field referee got it wrong.
And what about the double punishment mistakes we are now seeing. In Spurs previous game they had a player (Moura) fouled, who fell to the ground and subsequently disallowed their goal. They didn't even get a free-kick. Then yesterdays yellow for Jan, goes to var, clearly no foul, but they still had the decision and we still had the card. Shall we just bin off the refs and use the guy watching the monitor? At the moment they are tripping each other up rather than working together, and its so frustrating.
Fair enough, the problem with that is (as I've mentioned before) it's just adding another layer of subjectivity. Instead of 'was it a foul' it's now 'was it enough of a foul'. I'd also argue that ours was still an absolute howler, despite United's being worse that doesn't change that opinion for me.
I'll also throw in my other wish: that the on-field referee makes the final decision for goals and penalties too, rather than just red cards. The monitor is there - use it. Look at the Arsenal red card this week - it took the referee no time at all to check out the monitor and make a (new) decision. The VAR should be there to advise the referee as to whether he might want to have a second look. Not to re-referee the game (or just sit back, and nod through his mates decision!).
I'd say that goes against your previous post though. If you only want it to be used for absolute howlers then the ref shouldn't need to look at it, it should be obvious on first or second viewing from var. If the guy in the booth thinks it's close enough that the ref needs to look himself, then surely by definition it's not clear and obvious, or an absolute howler as you put?
For me, I can accept the mistakes, I just don't want VAR compounding them. Scrap it. Lets just give the power back to the guy in the middle of the park and see if we can squeeze a competent performance out of him for once in a while. Watching the mistakes back while doing nothing feels more criminal than stupid now. Scrap it.
Right, my last post on the Prowsey pen (for now ) as I have to start work. But if that decision had gone against us last season I'd have had ten or so people saying "See Libby, this is why we need VAR to come in", and that's why it's a load of bollocks. The fact is that all the things that people said it would eliminate, such as diving for penalties or big club bias, simply hasn't happened. As I said it wouldn't.
You would like to think that, yes. But as yesterday arguably illustrates, the VAR isn't always choosing to overturn even when the decisions are horrendous. Are they too afraid to call out their colleague as wrong? Are they trying to be too sympathetic? Put the responsibility on the guy in the middle.
I'm with Libby, you can forgive the referee's errors to an extent when in real time. You cant justify either JWPs pen, or Bednarek's yellow and the free kick. I also hate the amount of small decisions we aren't using VAR for which are wrong, like not seeing the ball going out of play, or incorrect corners. These little mistakes all add up to impact the outcome of the game too. It feels like it's down to luck if VAR will go back far enough to see the error and stop a goal.
Different argument perhaps but I've always felt that it shouldn't be the same bunch of officials in the booth. Should be independent from the ones actually in the middle of the pitch. Edit - that was a reply to Brenda Double edit - Or Brendy rather... sorry mate!
A valid point actually is before it was down to luck with the ref, now it is down to luck with who is in the VAR room. So no different.
if using technology then I definitely don’t ant the guy in the middle doing it. I hate the fact the screen is there for them now. It becomes a circus that way. Train the people properly using the system and use it without stopping the game. I said from the start, 10 Seconds max. If they can’t tell in that time with technology then just play on. It won’t be perfect, but it should improve things. (Though yesterday counters that!). Just tell the infield referee via his microphone and that’s it.
