VAR Watch

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Here are some interesting numbers concerning VAR:

Tottenham: 1 pen given (tied for second least in the PL), 5 conceded (tied for second most). Fouled 14.6 times per game (most in the PL, and 1.7 more than any other team), fouls: 10.9 (#11th in the PL)
Chelsea: 8 pens given (most in the PL, and 2 more than any other team), 3 conceded (tied for seventh); fouled 11.9 times per game (#6 in the PL), fouls: 12.6 (fourth most)

Spurs also have a large number of fouls committed
against them in the first half before their first
(I will give the exact figures once I can discern how
to "web scrape" the PL website game commentary) .
 
One thing to mention for the compass: last season we got six penalties across the season, but this season we need five in the back half of the season to match that

Now how is it we're playing more attack-minded football yet somehow aren't getting fouled in the opposition area as much in spite being in it far more...?

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One thing to mention for the compass: last season we got six penalties across the season, but this season we need five in the back half of the season to match that

Now how is it we're playing more attack-minded football yet somehow aren't getting fouled in the opposition area as much in spite being in it far more...?

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We could answer that with conspiracy theories or we could take a more educated guess:

We lack the nous of Kane in the box. Richarlison goes down at the slightest hint of contact all over the pitch and referees simply (and correctly) ignore it. His movement in the box isn't smart enough to earn a penalty. Kane on the other hand knew exactly what he was doing 90% of the time and if he could sense that a goal wasn't on, he'd manipulate the situation to make a penalty much more probable. I haven't seen the slightest hint of that kind of intelligence from Richarlison at any point in his career.
 
We could answer that with conspiracy theories or we could take a more educated guess:

We lack the nous of Kane in the box. Richarlison goes down at the slightest hint of contact all over the pitch and referees simply (and correctly) ignore it. His movement in the box isn't smart enough to earn a penalty. Kane on the other hand knew exactly what he was doing 90% of the time and if he could sense that a goal wasn't on, he'd manipulate the situation to make a penalty much more probable. I haven't seen the slightest hint of that kind of intelligence from Richarlison at any point in his career.
On the other hand we've seen Son, Kulusevski and Maddison all bundled over in the box and the ref apparently forget what the rules on being fouled in the box are in various matches this season, so pinning it solely on Richy's inability to get penalties for dives that plenty of other players would doesn't cover everything
 
We could answer that with conspiracy theories or we could take a more educated guess:

We lack the nous of Kane in the box. Richarlison goes down at the slightest hint of contact all over the pitch and referees simply (and correctly) ignore it. His movement in the box isn't smart enough to earn a penalty. Kane on the other hand knew exactly what he was doing 90% of the time and if he could sense that a goal wasn't on, he'd manipulate the situation to make a penalty much more probable. I haven't seen the slightest hint of that kind of intelligence from Richarlison at any point in his career.
Kane got relatively few penalties as well, though.
Chelsea's forwards have all been **** too, yet they've got 8.
We've had a quarter of the penalties awarded that Sheffield United and Luton have.
We've also had the joint most penalties awarded against us.

Quality and attacking ability rarely has anything to do with the awarding of penalties.
In the 2012/13 season we finished 5th and scored as many goals as City, who finished 2nd.
It was Bale's breakout season, which included the Inter hat-trick and Taxi for Maicon return leg.
We received 0 penalties and Chelsea, who finished 3 points ahead of us, got 11.
Arsenal finished a point ahead of us and got 5. QPR got relegated with 25 points and got 4.
 
One thing to mention for the compass: last season we got six penalties across the season, but this season we need five in the back half of the season to match that

Now how is it we're playing more attack-minded football yet somehow aren't getting fouled in the opposition area as much in spite being in it far more...?

You must log in or register to see images
We could answer that with conspiracy theories or we could take a more educated guess:

We lack the nous of Kane in the box. Richarlison goes down at the slightest hint of contact all over the pitch and referees simply (and correctly) ignore it. His movement in the box isn't smart enough to earn a penalty. Kane on the other hand knew exactly what he was doing 90% of the time and if he could sense that a goal wasn't on, he'd manipulate the situation to make a penalty much more probable. I haven't seen the slightest hint of that kind of intelligence from Richarlison at any point in his career.
On the other hand we've seen Son, Kulusevski and Maddison all bundled over in the box and the ref apparently forget what the rules on being fouled in the box are in various matches this season, so pinning it solely on Richy's inability to get penalties for dives that plenty of other players would doesn't cover everything
Kane got relatively few penalties as well, though.
Chelsea's forwards have all been **** too, yet they've got 8.
We've had a quarter of the penalties awarded that Sheffield United and Luton have.
We've also had the joint most penalties awarded against us.

Quality and attacking ability rarely has anything to do with the awarding of penalties.
In the 2012/13 season we finished 5th and scored as many goals as City, who finished 2nd.
It was Bale's breakout season, which included the Inter hat-trick and Taxi for Maicon return leg.
We received 0 penalties and Chelsea, who finished 3 points ahead of us, got 11.
Arsenal finished a point ahead of us and got 5. QPR got relegated with 25 points and got 4.

I think I missed the send notification when I moved these from Season Compass thread, so this is to let you know. I think this is more relevant here in case the compass thread is side-lined. Hope that's ok with all.
 
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Kane got relatively few penalties as well, though.
Chelsea's forwards have all been **** too, yet they've got 8.
We've had a quarter of the penalties awarded that Sheffield United and Luton have.
We've also had the joint most penalties awarded against us.

Quality and attacking ability rarely has anything to do with the awarding of penalties.

Diving does though. :)

I wonder what the distribution is for penalty
foul angles (coming in from front/side/behind etc) .
If there is a significant difference, then you can do
basic coaching to try to exploit that.
 
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The VAR official for their loss to Everton was Stuart Attwell.
Attwell is indeed a Luton fan.

Edit: The penalty claims in question: https://streamin.me/v/63171f56
1 and 3 look a lot like they should've been given. 2 would be very harsh for a handball.
 
Last edited:
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I think he's offside, but it doesn't even look like the pass has been made there.

Which leads me back to a question I'm not sure I've seen officially answered. Which is how do they know when the ball has been kicked. Because unless their method of measuring that is exact, then no lines drawn as a result of that are accurate. You can't claim the result of the process is accurate, with all this measuring of the lines to mm accuracy if the original input isn't accurate.

Edit: I also put something about frame rate, but I now find that VAR has access to much higher frame rates than are broadcast.
 
They are making toenail offside decisions and the technology is not accurate enough, along with clowns operating it who may or may not draw the lines etc wherever they see fit.
 
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They are making toenail offside decisions and the technology is not accurate enough, along with clowns operating it who may or may not draw the lines etc wherever they see fit.
How can they judge the exact point at which the pass leaves the player’s boot? That’s the issue which never seems to be properly analysed when these offside decisions are scrutinised. And the exact drawing of the lines as you say.
When it comes down to fractions, these decisions take on massive importance.
The net effect is that the whole spectacle is ruined by stupidly anal decisions, which are bound to be controversial because they are so impossibly marginal.
Football is a simple game; that is its worldwide appeal. It isn’t complicated or has intricate complexities like some other sport - like cricket, for example. It doesn’t need VAR. it just needs competent and well trained on field officials, who, as in rugby (both codes), are mic’d up, communicate with the players throughout the game and are open and transparent with their decisions and the decision making process.
 
How can they judge the exact point at which the pass leaves the player’s boot? That’s the issue which never seems to be properly analysed when these offside decisions are scrutinised. And the exact drawing of the lines as you say.
When it comes down to fractions, these decisions take on massive importance.
The net effect is that the whole spectacle is ruined by stupidly anal decisions, which are bound to be controversial because they are so impossibly marginal.
Football is a simple game; that is its worldwide appeal. It isn’t complicated or has intricate complexities like some other sport - like cricket, for example. It doesn’t need VAR. it just needs competent and well trained on field officials, who, as in rugby (both codes), are mic’d up, communicate with the players throughout the game and are open and transparent with their decisions and the decision making process.
Spot on
 
How can they judge the exact point at which the pass leaves the player’s boot? That’s the issue which never seems to be properly analysed when these offside decisions are scrutinised. And the exact drawing of the lines as you say.
When it comes down to fractions, these decisions take on massive importance.
The net effect is that the whole spectacle is ruined by stupidly anal decisions, which are bound to be controversial because they are so impossibly marginal.
Football is a simple game; that is its worldwide appeal. It isn’t complicated or has intricate complexities like some other sport - like cricket, for example. It doesn’t need VAR. it just needs competent and well trained on field officials, who, as in rugby (both codes), are mic’d up, communicate with the players throughout the game and are open and transparent with their decisions and the decision making process.
The semi-automated offsides may help with the issues there.
It won't help the ridiculous decisions with VAR, though.
They're suspiciously bad.