Match Day Thread Premier League, Cups & Euro Watch

I think its still to much. It should only be used for a very clear **** up. Miles offside, missed serious fouls etc.

The refs where a bit **** before, they are still a bit ****, but now it takes ages for them to get it wrong. Plus so many descions are subjective, 50/50 you might as well go with the first descion than agonise for ages to call it.

 

This is the point - you still have the same idiots who are reffing the game.

The point of VAR was to eliminate daft decisions (think of when Sterling was ruled offside vs Man City in 13/14). Then VAR was introduced and it wouldn't overturn any decision. Now, it's overcompensating massively whilst being inconsistent. It's a complete mess.

Having said that, the rules are sh*t regardless of VAR. I don't even know what handball is these days. And the offside rule penalises the attacker so much whilst also making it incredibly difficult to defend against with the introduction of 'phases of play'

 

All of this is true, but you have to add into it the fact that the tech is not precise enough to do the job asked of it. The margins of error are too great to judge things in millimetres.
If VAR was used as an extra pair of eyes to highlight off the ball incidents that the ref misses then it would be fine, but it just isn't up to the job it's being put to.
Anyway, what is it coming to when we're attempting to judge things like offside by such fine margins? Offside is an arbitrary rule anyway, never intended to be taken to this extreme.

 

And this is why VAR should only be used for clear and obvious errors - which was the original intention. If it's clearly a foul, then call it. If it's clearly offside, then call it.

For the offside, there should be daylight between the attacker and the last man. Keep it simple.

 

And I keep saying that this would just move the lines. Everyone as their own opinion on each and every decision so there needs to be guidelines on what is classed as clear and obvious.

Focus on offside, what's classed as clear and obvious? A foot offside? A couple of inches? If one team is allowed a goal to stand after the former and another the latter, the same arguments will continue.

I think inconsistencies must be accepted as part and parcel of the game unless a more robust system (microchips in boots!!!) can be introduced.

 

that still needs lines or something similar as the camera won't be in line so the picture needs technical adjustment to show the relevant positions of the players .

 

That wouldn't change anything, though. The transition between on and offside is to all intents and purposes instant, so is no easier for that system to detect. Also the cameras aren't in line with the play, so how would they see it?
I'm no Luddite, but innovation needs to be an improvement, and this just isn't.
Just leave it up to the linesman, and we can give him earache.

 

The bottom line is the system was brought in to improve the game and/or the decisions; it's made it worse.

 

It seems strange that in the CL and international matches VAR seems to work generally ok. Not sure what its like around the continent, but it would appear that its only really here it doesnt work.

I would place the blame at the feet of the FA who insisted on their own system and the PGMOL who are in charge of it. English Refs have always been pretty poor, think its time for the PL clubs to demand a change in he PGMOL, personally I'd be bringing in Refs from other countries to do the top tier, you want the best league in the world you need the best officials in the world.

 

Just had a look at the offside from last night's game. To me he's clearly offside, his head is as far forward as his upper arm. However, it's a clear foul and should have been a free kick. VAR only checks the validity of the goal and won't get involved with fouls. Tbf if it did, then that would definitely be a case of re-refereeing and that shouldn't happen.

 

Maybe there needs to be a margin call - for example, the Sadio goal vs Brighton was clearly offside but the Salah one is too close to call and up to ref to make the final call? I think the Eredivise introduced a 10cm margin for error ...

As mentioned earlier, I was hoping that VAR would eliminate the big high profile errors. Any incident that requires the ref or VAR to look at for more than 30 seconds should not be overruled and the game goes on.

 

I agree - VAR is not perfect in other countries but it works a whole lot better than the PL.

I maybe wrong but in the Brighton game, did the ref go to the monitor and look at it for only a few seconds before calling for the penalty? Not sure how he could make that decisions so quickly - makes you think that he was already told that his decision was wrong prior going to the monitor, and therefore his mind was made up.

 

I still don't know what the two lines (red and blue?) are for. As you say the Dutch league widened the lines and (I think I've got this right) if they touch - onside, if there's a gap - offside. It's working very well for them.

 

Yeah I think that's what they've done. As we say, it's not perfect but it's a step in the right direction as it helps to eliminate the 1mm / armpit / pubic hair decisions.

 

Not sure if this was picked up but Jack Grealish clearly dived yesterday. Not much in the media ...

 

So they get these tight calls when it's 10.1cm?

 

Don't know pal - but the league has been praised for introducing. I don't think this was approved by FIFA / UEFA so it's only the Dutch who are using it. But I wouldn't be surprised if other leagues adopt a similar approach.

 

No, there are no tight calls. Everyone knows how wide the lines are 5cm (as opposed to our system with thin wobbly pixel lines) and if the lines touch the player is onside* if the lines don't touch then he's offside.

*Edit: If the lines touch, VAR will not intervene meaning there is effectively 10cm margin for error. So if it's that close that the linesman didn't see it and a goal is scored then the goal stands.

 

That is embarrassing and it's cheating.

 

So by widening the lines and saying there must be a gap it allows for minor errors but no argument when there is a gap because room for error as already been applied. That's feasible in my mind.

Bit like speed cameras allowing 10%, means there is no argument when busted.