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VAR and the Premier League

One thing to remember with rugby comparisons... Nobody really cares about rugby. Well, hardly anyone. So they may well be making some mistakes or dubious decisions in Bath vs Whoever, but the scrutiny doesn't even come close so everyone just moves on and thinks it's all hunky dory. There are also a lot more points, so one arguable decision is rarely so crucial. In football it will often be all about one goal/moment.
 
Or rugby supporters aren't the emotional wusses that football supporters are. It's one of the two. :)
They just aren't as bothered are they? It's all about the excessive drinking and dubious initiation ceremonies innit. Tossing the pill about with Chuggsy. As long as they can do that who cares if somebody has broken some rule that nobody understands anyway?
 
They just aren't as bothered are they? It's all about the excessive drinking and dubious initiation ceremonies innit. Tossing the pill about with Chuggsy. As long as they can do that who cares if somebody has broken some rule that nobody understands anyway?
some days it's a wonder you can get them to stop playing soggy biscuit long enough to get out on the pitch and roll around with each other.
 
People who play sport: as I understand it you warm up and warm down to prevent muscle injury. What is the likely impact of repeatedly pausing the game for several minutes on a cold autumn night? Asking for one Micky Van der Ven.
 
One thing to remember with rugby comparisons... Nobody really cares about rugby. Well, hardly anyone. So they may well be making some mistakes or dubious decisions in Bath vs Whoever, but the scrutiny doesn't even come close so everyone just moves on and thinks it's all hunky dory. There are also a lot more points, so one arguable decision is rarely so crucial. In football it will often be all about one goal/moment.
I'd suggest it's more about the money and sponsorship deals that are at stake for success.
 
There's a conspiracy against Arsenal as well as Liverpool? Just as I always suspected, it's all a stitch up to benefit Plymouth Argyle and Port Vale really.
I used to listen to five live a lot on the way home for matches. The one thing you could depend on was a Liverpool supporter phoning in to moan by the third call at the latest, quickly followed by arsenal supporters.
 
Atrocious, almost certainly bent penalty may well cost Newcastle progression in the Champions League.

But it's all ok because the VAR official has been 'stood down'. For one match.

Fuck VAR.
 
I've said it time and time again, and it's still an obvious solution going ignored. The ref should ask a direct question, and the VAR should respond. Last night's ref would have said "I'm not sure if it hit his arm or his thigh, can you confirm?" The response would have been "thigh first, onto his arm", and ref would say "cheers for that, no penalty then". VAR should only ever get involved without prompting on off the ball incidents that the ref couldn't have seen; otherwise it's up to the ref to ask for backup because he's not 100% certain, and to say what his on-field decision is and why. E.g. "no penalty because on first viewing I thought the forward left his leg trailing to get the contact", or "penalty because the player had his arms raised and moved towards the ball".

It's supposed to help the ref, the one with ultimate control and authority over the match being played. Instead, it's a 2nd ref in parallel through the match making potentially conflicting decisions over subjective incidents, and the absolute nonsense over going to the monitor = giving way to the VAR is just that, nonsense.
 
I've said it time and time again, and it's still an obvious solution going ignored. The ref should ask a direct question, and the VAR should respond. Last night's ref would have said "I'm not sure if it hit his arm or his thigh, can you confirm?" The response would have been "thigh first, onto his arm", and ref would say "cheers for that, no penalty then". VAR should only ever get involved without prompting on off the ball incidents that the ref couldn't have seen; otherwise it's up to the ref to ask for backup because he's not 100% certain, and to say what his on-field decision is and why. E.g. "no penalty because on first viewing I thought the forward left his leg trailing to get the contact", or "penalty because the player had his arms raised and moved towards the ball".

It's supposed to help the ref, the one with ultimate control and authority over the match being played. Instead, it's a 2nd ref in parallel through the match making potentially conflicting decisions over subjective incidents, and the absolute nonsense over going to the monitor = giving way to the VAR is just that, nonsense.
If only there was a sport that had already adopted that system that football could look at as an example of how to get var right!
 
The big problem with VAR is that it hasn't ended the arguments. It was brought in so we wouldn't have people claiming they'd been robbed. It's failed completely whilst making matches ludicrous. Fuck VAR.
 
The big problem with VAR is that it hasn't ended the arguments. It was brought in so we wouldn't have people claiming they'd been robbed. It's failed completely whilst making matches ludicrous. Fuck VAR.

Ultimately there's a choice of two ways of approaching it isn't there. You accept a degree of subjectivity, and therefore still get the arguments, or you adopt a really hardline approach in the name of consistency and get huge numbers of spendings off, penalties etc etc and the moaning that comes from that. And still arguments too.

I'm still of the view that they should just go back to letting the ref decide and get the fuck on with it tbh.
 
I've said it time and time again, and it's still an obvious solution going ignored. The ref should ask a direct question, and the VAR should respond. Last night's ref would have said "I'm not sure if it hit his arm or his thigh, can you confirm?" The response would have been "thigh first, onto his arm", and ref would say "cheers for that, no penalty then". VAR should only ever get involved without prompting on off the ball incidents that the ref couldn't have seen; otherwise it's up to the ref to ask for backup because he's not 100% certain, and to say what his on-field decision is and why. E.g. "no penalty because on first viewing I thought the forward left his leg trailing to get the contact", or "penalty because the player had his arms raised and moved towards the ball".

It's supposed to help the ref, the one with ultimate control and authority over the match being played. Instead, it's a 2nd ref in parallel through the match making potentially conflicting decisions over subjective incidents, and the absolute nonsense over going to the monitor = giving way to the VAR is just that, nonsense.
Yup I read in some tweet today that was discussing the incident that the referee isn't/wasnt asked if he would like to take a second look, they are told it is a clear and obvious error as that is what VAR is about.

Some interesting stats from ESPN on penalties for handball in different leagues.

1701288679944.png
 
I dunno, I watched some games without VAR and you forget how bad refs are by themselves. Clear offsides not given etc. The problem is the clear and obvious. Let refs do their thing and if it is clearly wrong then tell them. Otherwise let it move.
 
And let everyone hear the discussions going on rather than five minutes of just silence not knowing what the fuck is happening. Should do that generally with the ref, like rugby, makes a real difference.
 
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