VAR

[Jamiednm]

Still early days

This is the first World Cup to use it, of course there's going to be kinks to iron out

The anti-VAR brigade will just never give it a chance

Not at all. I'm in the anti-VAR brigade, because it feels intrinsically wrong and has proven itself to generate just as much controversy as it is supposed to solve. I'm no luddite, and expect it to get better as it is fine-tuned as a system, but it still doesn't sit right in football for me. I maintain that technological refereeing should be limited to goal line technology in Football.

Also, it was clearly the wrong decision to use VAR in this World Cup. The system simply isn't ready for it yet, there is not enough experience with it, and when it effectively knocks a team out of this World Cup, there will be hell to pay.

 

[Jamiednm]

I don't like it at all. Mainly because I think controversy and contentious issues are a big part of what makes football what it is.

Also cant be bothered with knobhead footballers playing charades every time something happens with their little TV hand signals.

And still, it's really inconsistent both in usage and results. The Ronaldo thing last night was mad. I don't think he did anything wrong personally but if the ref deemed him to have swung his arm then its a red card. There is no point having the system in place if there rules are then interpreted in different ways.

Exactly.

VAR will still come down to personal opinions and human error. I thought the Ronaldo incident last night was nothing, and didn't warrant any action. But other people/pundits have been saying it should've been a red card.

I wouldn't be surprised if we eventually get to a stage where teams get 3 appeals per match, and can call on VAR at will. It will change Football.

The use of technology to officiate Football should be strictly limited to the extreme technicalities - i.e. - whether the ball has crossed the goal line. I don't have a problem with that at all, and 100% affects the outcome of the game in the correct way. Judging whether something is a penalty or a red card doesn't 100% affect the outcome, because penalties can be missed, and players getting sent off isn't always detrimental to their team.

Referees should enforce the powers they already have so that players and managers have to respect them (like in Rugby), and the ridiculous rules about retrospective penalties should be changed, so that a player is properly sanctioned after incidents, regardless of what was in the referee's report.

 

[4737carlin]

The World Cup is effectively over now. No one is taking this competition seriously anymore. There are bound to be a lot more sinister decisions in the next rounds of matches and the game has fallen into disrepute. The WC of 2018 has been hijacked by dark forces and its outcome will lack credibility for all time.

Its not over until #WorldCupBobby is out!!

 

[Moomin]

Exactly.

VAR will still come down to personal opinions and human error. I thought the Ronaldo incident last night was nothing, and didn't warrant any action. But other people/pundits have been saying it should've been a red card.

I wouldn't be surprised if we eventually get to a stage where teams get 3 appeals per match, and can call on VAR at will. It will change Football.

The use of technology to officiate Football should be strictly limited to the extreme technicalities - i.e. - whether the ball has crossed the goal line. I don't have a problem with that at all, and 100% affects the outcome of the game in the correct way. Judging whether something is a penalty or a red card doesn't 100% affect the outcome, because penalties can be missed, and players getting sent off isn't always detrimental to their team.

Referees should enforce the powers they already have so that players and managers have to respect them (like in Rugby), and the ridiculous rules about retrospective penalties should be changed, so that a player is properly sanctioned after incidents, regardless of what was in the referee's report.

You mention ( Like in Rugby ) but they use video assistant refs as well.

 

[Zezti]

The World Cup is effectively over now. No one is taking this competition seriously anymore. There are bound to be a lot more sinister decisions in the next rounds of matches and the game has fallen into disrepute. The WC of 2018 has been hijacked by dark forces and its outcome will lack credibility for all time.

You're being overly dramatic (hardly surprising mind). I don't know anyone who thinks this way other than the oldschool brigade. How you lot want incorrect decisions to stand is beyond me.
It's been nothing but beneficial, even in the matches were the ref has used it a lot.

 

[davek]

You're being overly dramatic (hardly surprising mind). I don't know anyone who thinks this way other than the oldschool brigade. How you lot want incorrect decisions to stand is beyond me.
It's been nothing but beneficial, even in the matches were the ref has used it a lot.

It's a circus act for people who see football as "a great spectacle" full of talking points and controversy.

They win. Football has tipped in their direction and away from substance. The makers of Football Manager, Talksport, Sky Sports - it's their game now.

 

[Zezti]

It's a circus act for people who see football as "a great spectacle" full of talking points and controversy.

They win. Football has tipped in their direction and away from substance. The makers of Football Manager, Talksport, Sky Sports - it's their game now.

Yeah because that never happened before, did it?
The difference now is that those controversial decisions can now be scrutinized and remedied on the spot.

 

[davek]

Yeah because that never happened before, did it?
The difference now is that those controversial decisions can now be scrutinized and remedied on the spot.

....scrutinized and scrutinized and then the ref gets told what to do and has to give a ludicrous decision.

Oh Lordy, what would did we do without this fool-proof system?

 

[roydo]

....scrutinized and scrutinized and then the ref gets told what to do and has to give a ludicrous decision.

Oh Lordy, what would did we do without this fool-proof system?

Been far more good decisions made over that inexperienced rabbit of a ref yesterday.

That said, it does feel they have moved away from the "clear and obvious" mandate I thought they followed to reverse/make decisions. Cos that pen was certainly neither.

 

[davek]

Been far more good decisions made over that inexperienced rabbit of a ref yesterday.

That said, it does feel they have moved away from the "clear and obvious" mandate I thought they followed to reverse/make decisions. Cos that pen was certainly neither.

It's out of control. Leaving aside the amount of breaks it brings into the game the technology should be there to aid the referee who ALONE makes the decision. Quite obvioulsy that isn't the case and the game is being run by committee from a room somewhere. That simply cant stand as a way to officiate games. It's sinister and alien to football.

 

[ste d' indica]

Don't like it at all. Introduces more problems than it solves.

Defo. I couldn't get a parking space this morning 'cos of VAR. Shambles.

 

[BornBlue76]

As a big cricket and rugby fan, video ref has made a big improvement as all fans want is the right decision. Football and its fans need to catch up. I don't think the football VAR is anywhere where it should be but you got to start somewhere. All other sports have evolved to where they are now.

Edit: for the record the only time VAR should step in is from a direct request by the ref. So they are not managing the game and only assisting the ref.

One thing it might do is cut down this rugby tackling by defenders on the attackers. How they have got away with this for so long is a mystery but with VAR there have been a lot incidents caught and penalised! All for it!

 

[davek]

VAR in the Argentina game: ball hits hand accidentally = no penalty decision from the ref this time. The "committee" wanted it looked at the way they had seen it because they thought it merited it. So the difference between that one and last night against Portugal was a ref having the self-belief to make their own decision.

I'm pretty sure now that VAR is a problem because most refs are fearing they'll go against the grain of the belief of others sitting elsewhere in a room with monitors and that if they keep doing it they'll be out of big matches.

There's a massive problem here with this system. VAR is toxic for football. Anyone arguing a case for it now has drunk about a gallon of Kool Aid - shoved down their necks by corporate football and their FIFA and media hand rags.

 

[gonetomorrow]

Goal line technology yes.
VAR noooooooooo.
Let the game flow.

 

[Little Ralphy]

VAR in the Argentina game: ball hits hand accidentally = no penalty decision from the ref this time. The "committee" wanted it looked at the way they had seen it because they thought it merited it. So the difference between that one and last night against Portugal was a ref having the self-belief to make their own decision.

I'm pretty sure now that VAR is a problem because most refs are fearing they'll go against the grain of the belief of others sitting elsewhere in a room with monitors and that if they keep doing it they'll be out of big matches.

There's a massive problem here with this system. VAR is toxic for football. Anyone arguing a case for it now has drunk about a gallon of Kool Aid - shoved down their necks by corporate football and their FIFA and media hand rags.

For me though it's the social media debate. People lambast social media, but really it's how people are using it that is the problem. VAR is the same, the system is good and it's given far more good decisions than bad this WC. But the ref in that Portugal-Iran game was poor and VAR just highlighted that even more. But that's not VAR's fault, that's FIFA giving inexperienced refs from poor leagues such a big game.

VAR in previous World Cups would have stopped the maradona handball goal, Lampard's shot would have counted, Ireland would have made the WC finals. It may not be the perfect system yet, but it should stop any massive miscarriages of justice like we've had in the past.