During the Euros, I became close to being persuaded about VAR because it was used discreetly, efficiently and mostly appropriately. This season, though, it is back to being the same ****show it has always been in the Prem, and I'm not saying that just because a couple of decisions have gone against us. No, the problem is that the decisions seem to be utterly random. What is the point of having something that takes away the immediate joy or despair of a goal going in if it adds nothing whatsoever in terms of making the game fairer? I don't expect for a moment that VAR will be scrapped, or even significantly altered because clearly the last thing that footballing authorities in England care about is the opinions of the fans. We are stuck with it, a nasty reality of life which we have to hope won't randomly have negative effects on us personally, a footballing version of chlamydia.
I'm glad you started this thread, Gozo. There were three penalty appeals that I saw yesterday that we didn't hear a peep about; two for us, one for them. When Rashica got plowed under from behind in their box and there was no penalty, I was flabbergasted. I don't think I missed an earlier foul on the play or an off-side call. Even the announcer was convinced it was a stone cold penalty. How can a referee (who was truly ****e) and VAR not call that? Something stinks!
I thought the same for that Rashica pen call. It looked like a clear foul on him to me (from Rose i believe). The thing is when the roles reversed and Watford had a similar call late in the 2nd half the decision was the same from the ref and VAR. In fairness I also thought that was a penalty but at least we had consistency in that game.
That's probably the same one I referred to where they had clear shout for a penalty. I was hoping Dermot G. might talk about the Norwich-Watford game in his Ref Review column for Sky but he didn't.
Apparently there were also very controversial calls/non-calls in the Leicester & Man U games (and maybe others). It seems to me that the only thing that has happened is people now argue about VAR decisions rather than about the on-pitch referee's decisions, and it all feels random and totally opaque, so what is the point? In what way do we, as fans, feel that the game has become fairer to all concerned? (With the added negative that the ref on the pitch may feel less responsibility about making his call because the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain might change his decision anyway, so it arguably leads to poorer refereeing overall.) But we're stuck with it, no matter how much it stinks, because boys love their technological toys.
I had hoped that VAR would be like the American version where the ref views a replay and then decides whether his decision needs changing. The 'Oz' effect of someone in a studio somewhere changing the infield decision is completely alienating.
That equaliser Kenny scored to level 2-2 would have been massive ending our confidence sapping run of losses. It was a ridiculous decision that Cantwell hasn't recovered from still it seems. Penalty shouts still get ignored with V.A.R and on many occasions our players get fouled expecting a free kick as the opposition runs up the other side and scores. The Arsenal goal where they score from a played standing behind our keeper was given was farcical . VAR is a **** show and used mainly to look for things to screw over us so far.
Totally agree. VAR as it is currently operated reduces us fans to the level of gawping spectators staring up at a screen and hoping that the invisible Gods of football will shine on us. I know we have the same helplessness about decisions vis-a-vis the traditional ref, but at least he is there in person and we can boo him and call him names and hope that maybe somewhere inside him he wonders if he made a mistake. The faceless Gods behind VAR aren't answerable to anyone, which, of course, is exactly how football administrators like it to be.
Lineker as the Wizard of Oz? IMO, he's much more like the good fairy Glinda appearing in her pink bubble.
Strange how different sports accept technology. Most fans will agree that the Ball Tracking, Snickometer etc works in cricket, and is impartial. VAR on the other hand seems universally hated, and only liked when it favours your team. I personally have no problem with VAR. If the technology is to be used, we have to accept its decisions. On another point, if players stopped cheating and trying to con the ref, perhaps it might be less devisive.
I have to believe you about cricket because I've always had no interest in it. I can give an opinion on badminton, where technology works very well, but then badminton is not a contact sport, so it comes down to whether the shuttle landed inside the line, on the line, or outside the line. Simple stuff. I am very, very sceptical about the usefulness of technology in a contact sport like football.
Football goal line technology is pretty good. Only that goal against Villa a few years ago that stands out as an error. Basically VAR is great for binary in/out decisions, tricky elsewhere.
