I don't like VAR and I don't like Kevin Friend, so I've surprised myself by defending both in this incident. IMO Grealish's fall wasn't a natural reaction at all, he went down with stiff legs just as a diver would do, Friend saw it like that and blew the whistle. At that point VAR doesn't come into it, the game has stopped. VAR is not in place to check every decision. Up above Osvaldorama said " Imagine if villa go down by one point this year", I'd be ok about that too.
And that can't really be argued against (again, it goes back to (a) the high threshold which is being applied by the PL, and (b) the replays looked at by VAR all being viewed in real-time, not slowed down like on TV). But I'm struggling to see why that is necessarily a bad thing. Yes, for some people having lots of decisions overturned would be a good thing. But not for me. That sounds like VAR ruining the game. If VAR's involvement is limited in the extreme, that sounds good to me. We get rid of the absolute howlers, whilst retaining everything else.
But it's not the same as before....some decisions are changed and some missed incidents are being noted. They are backing the ref where the incident isn't clear to the VAR officials.
VAR is helping with this as it is improving the quality of officiating as it has overturned incorrect decisions and not made any wrong ones. Maybe less than you would like but it is certainly doing it.
I think people are expecting VAR to be perfect straight away. It won't be. These VAR incidents will be reviewed in referee's meetings and they'll be analysed with a fine toothcomb. A bit of patience is required during the early stages.
Wasn't it you who told me earlier this year that I shouldn't make comparisons to last year cos the PL are using it in a completely different way? Apologies if I'm mistaken and it was someone else but it does sound like something you'd say.
Yeah, im happy they are going in the direction of being very careful not to overturn any correct decisions, rather than, trying to correct everything and making mistakes. I would rather the former: less intrusive, bigger role of the ref and less change, but still more correct decisions. They can slowly use it for more over time as they get the hang of it. I'm confused by the people who don't want VAR complaining about VAR being used too little.
I said not to compare it with the way it has been used by FIFA and UEFA in Champions League/World Cups.
As said last week, and think this is where our main disagreement lies, my issue with such a high threshold in some aspects while completely re-refereeing others to the nearest millimetre. The problem with using it like this is that it ultimate leaves a lot of wiggle room so there's no chance of any consistency. And even with that threshold I think there's still things they've got blatantly wrong, the City one v Spurs probably the best example. A player being manhandled in the box from a set piece, while the ref was looking in the opposite direction. That is exactly the sort of incident var was supposedly brought in for, not to spend over a minute trying to decide if someone's armpit hair is offside. In my opinion the damage is done to the game as soon as it's brought in any capacity so you may as well go the whole way and review the lot. If we lose a cup final/go down due to a goal from a corner that clearly wasn't will it still feel like we have a fairer game?
Okay apologies then mate as I got that wrong If we get through today without one though that will be 40 matches without a referee's decision being overturned.
Had Friend just let play continue, we wouldn't be having this discussion. The ball would have gone in, var would have looked at it, no controversy. They did say they would allow play to continue, then bring it back when the balls dead, so if they just stick to that it makes the whole thing more simple. But blowing the whistle whilst a dangerous attack is in progress is just stupid. I knew last week at Brighton was a blip..............Kevin is a moron.
Not if he thought it was a dive, like he did. If you think an offence has occurred you blow up. VAR is NOT here to referee games.
That is true but I do think at the moment there's a lot refs not giving things cos they think var will and then var doesn't want to overturn the ref...
You are right, if he certain he has to blow. I suppose that's the frustration. Had play continued, the goal could have been chalked off, but if nothing came of it, no punishment would have been issued for a dive. God, its so complicated. I still don't like VAR, and I still don't like Kevin.
Don't care about Watford haha (just saying - I only care about Saints). Apart from that - the main thing it's going to overturn is clear errors (99% of the time anyway) which can only be a good thing. The officials are still allowed to make mistakes, they are humans. Fortunately it's just a sport, I try not to get upset about anything football related these days - there's no point (imo)
