one thing those pundits have proved, without just the right angle the ball can look clearly out, it is far easier to tell when the ball physically crosses the line so that should be the rule..physically as in touching the ground as it crosses the line, otherwise out.
Why can't they use the goal line technology for the whole of the by-line? Throw ins down the sideline as well. Is there tech in the actual goal frame that makes the refs watch ping if its over?
Much as I like this idea, I wonder how practical it would be. Goal Line technology is, apparently, not cheap. How much more would it cost to have the whole perimeter wired up? As far as I can understand it, and that's not very far, there is the chip in the ball, which will already be there for the 'Goal Line system, and a receiving wire in the ground. Then the system would need very regular checking to ensure that Groundsmen had not, accidentally or otherwise, move the white line, and if a club did decide to change the pitch dimensions, the whole system would need to be relayed. All sounds too messy to me, but I'm open to being convinced.
They could just play in a big, clear perspex box and do away with throw ins. It would be like a big game of squash with the ball pinging off the walls.
Could get a bit warm like When the match finishes they could put the tomato plants back in. Cash crop
I think it's all done with cameras as opposed to wiring up the ground? Either way, would likely be way too expensive to install around the entire perimeter of the pitch, unfortunately
Can't we just all go back to letting the match officials make all the decisions, then we can moan about them on the way home like in the olden days. That would put a small army of useless VAR people on the dole, which would be some sort of revenge for cocking up our once magnificent game. The idea of celebrating an actual goal in real time was always great.
I feel sorry for the ref's. In the past they could hide behind human error. We all would lambast a ref but in our heart of hearts we know what a difficult pressurised job it is. Now, with the hindsight of slo mo action replays, lines, change to handball rules to fit VAR etc they must dread going over to the screen to decide on things, with the clock ticking, and the impatience of the whole stadium, and folks at home watching? And after all that the decision he makes can still split opinion. Same with VAR officials. 9 times out of 10 their job is simple. But that 1 in 10 decision they face having to make? They must be sweating as the footballing world waits to pounce. The fear of making an error with the benefit of hindsight must get their pulses racing. I think they should get rid. But if they dont then VAR officials should only have available the one camera that we all see during the live feed. And they should only get involved at the request of the referee if he feels he may have missed something clear and obvious. VAR should not be refereeing the game 10 seconds after the referee on the pitch. Whoever is making up these VAR rules, I get the impression, are mathmeticians and computer bods, and not football fans.
That's never been the rule though. Even 200 yrs ago as a kid, books showed a picture of a ball next to, but not touching the line, then a second picture of the same situation but from above, where the ball overhung the line, and the 2nd picture was the was the boyo. Usually on the same page was a picture of a shoulder charge, and a keeper in a flat cap.
With a great deal of regret, I have to agree with you. I have long been an advocate for VAR, taking the examples of Tennis, Cricket and both Rugby Codes, to show how well it can work. Bur Soccer seems incapable of finding a way to get any benefit from it. Until they do, the only sensible thing to do is to scrap it, and start again from scratch, or not at all. Interestingly, Rugby Union seems less happy with it than they once were. New rules about player safety and a requirement for officials to judge not only judge a player's actions, but his intentions as well, seem to be asking too much of their system.
The only true way of telling if a ball crosses a line is from overhead, and if we dont have satellite tech its too fast a game to be sure,
