[Football] How to fix VAR ?

[Commander]

Almost every suggestion on this thread so far would improve VAR. So why is it that the powers that be in football can't work this out?

 

[Change at Barnham]

Get rid of reviewing anything that is subjective, such as fouls and handballs, just leave them to the referee.
The on-field officials will still get plenty of decisions wrong but we will be given back the emotion and joy of the game which the current VAR process has sucked out of us.

Only decide on offsides by using semi-automated VAR.
This would avoid long delays and remove human error in the line placement and make offside decisions much more quickly.

And also keep goal line technology as it is, which is clearly better than leaving the the officials to decide if the ball has crossed the line.

Here is a concise 3 minute long TIFO video that was produced prior to semi-automated offside technology being used in the Qatar World Cup:



There were no VAR offside problems during the Qatar World Cup.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Firstly insist on number of cameras is constant at every ground. Height isn't the issue but we see some awful angles for offsides.

Visual check at normal speed for offside (no sodding lines) only obvious mistakes to change on field decision. The law states level is onside but that has disappeared. Someone a few inches in front of the defender is not attempting to gain advantage. Does it look offside? No. Goal. Yes offside.

Scrap clear and obvious. All subjective decisions replayed only at normal speed. Slow Mo only makes every contact look worse. Max 1 minute to make decision by VAR to ask for pitch side review. Ref only asked to look again at the play and not influenced by VAR so not influenced. Clear communication, ref asked if he was happy he had seen the incident perfectly, yes or no, if no he has no further communication until he has seen the replay and then simply states he is happy with his original decision or wishes to change it. No re-reffing from an office.

Feigning of head injuries checked by VAR is a sending off offence.

 

[Simster]

1) Each captain has 3 challenges and 20 seconds to decide whether to use it. Unless they're used, VAR keeps it's sticky beak out of it completely.
2) VAR for offsides and penalty decisions only. When a challenge is made, it is for clear and obvious errors only in the penalty area. I don't mind offside decisions being made precisely, but we need clarification on the offside LAW as to which part of the body should be measured,
3) VAR not to be used for anything else, including red cards. Challenges always look worse in slow motion. Just let the ref decide on the field.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I was firmly in the 'bin it' camp, but that's almost certainly never going to happen. The trouble is, I don't think it can be fixed anyway. Partly because the people involved don't know how to fix it, but also because there will always been an amount of subjectivity in the decisions that are made.

A time limit – and some common sense – would help with the 'clear and obvious' thing, but to get to the crux of it needs to go back to the start and make the whole process more professional, with more competent people involved.

 

[Jack Straw]

Have they tried turning off and NOT turning it back on?

 

[worthingseagull]

I think it's quite easy - just go with clear and obvious errors only

1/ incident occurs
2/ var room take a quick look and if they immediately find themselves wanting to rerun it a few times as its close - then the on field decision stands
3/ If however, on first viewing, its obviously offside/bad foul/handball etc then VAR gets involved and informs the ref

This will mean a maximum of 30 seconds VAR use per incident

 

[Mellotron]

It should only be used for complete howlers, Henry handball goal against Ireland, Joey Barton stamp on Kayal etc. not every decision in every game

This.

Pull back the amount of usage massively. Give the referees back control of the game - only take it back temporarily when it's an absolute howler they have missed.

Marginal calls on fouls, yellow or red etc should stay with the referee onfield unless the referee him/herself requests a further look via screen - and still, final decision is the refs and the refs only.

Most games shouldn't have any VAR involvement at all.

"Clear and obvious errors", the thing it was MEANT to be brought in for.

 

[mikeyjh]

Off-sides are coming down to cm/inches and GPS technology is still +/- a few metres so currently won't help.

I'd add the question - How do you determine when the ball has been played? The ball will always be in contact with the foot/head for a reasonable fraction of a second.

 

[Kosh]

Surely the FA/PL should be looking to form a cross team fan advisory group to put these ideas forward… I realise the game is more interested in cooperate revenue streams than the fans, but surely this ‘think tank’ idea would shape a more digestible future for VAR… last night was the latest farce…

However… taking a conspiracy route….

maybe just maybe, the powers that be, tv companies, news outlets et al rather like the added drama the seeming ‘incompetence’ is bringing… more viewers, more clicks, more revenue ? Surely not ?!?

 

[El Presidente]

Before VAR referees estimated to get 96% of decisions correct.

As a result of VAR we are probably at 98% of decisions correct. The focus by the media (and fans) is on the decisions that VAR gets wrong, the ones it gets right tend to be forgotten quickly.

If you want errors to be eliminated completely then VAR will never be a success.

 

[Simster]

Before VAR referees estimated to get 96% of decisions correct.

As a result of VAR we are probably at 98% of decisions correct. The focus by the media (and fans) is on the decisions that VAR gets wrong, the ones it gets right tend to be forgotten quickly.

If you want errors to be eliminated completely then VAR will never be a success.

I don't disagree, but the price for that is a delayed game and no more spontaneous celebrating - and it ought really to mean that a game isn't decided because of VAR making a mess of it like it did for Wolves last night (and Albion at Spurs last season).

Bottom line - I expect the sport to get 99.5% decisions correct if VAR has to exist at all.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Fair enough, but it’s not going to happen is it …? the FA/PL would never sanction such a climb down, whilst admitting to such a calamity… I fear we’re stuck with it unless someone with some ‘balls’ comes in at the top of the UK game and stops it overnight… alas, i fear those days belong to a bygone era of yore… much like a game that isn’t a chaotic VAR shambles each and every week.

Not with that attitude it won't

If the fans get together and demand it, it will be gone

 

[beorhthelm]

Before VAR referees estimated to get 96% of decisions correct.

As a result of VAR we are probably at 98% of decisions correct. The focus by the media (and fans) is on the decisions that VAR gets wrong, the ones it gets right tend to be forgotten quickly.

If you want errors to be eliminated completely then VAR will never be a success.

well of course, we aren't go to compain where it applies and works. the largest problem isnt that it still gets a few wrong, its that it takes so long to get there either way.

and the offside reviews are sucking the life out of the game.

 

[dazzer6666]

Let the onfield ref ask for help from the VAR when he wants it, unless it’s something off the ball he hasn’t seen, not be subject to someone not on the field making decisions. Use the AI offside tech that worked well in the WC, and extend goal-line tech all along the byline.

 

[¡Cereal Killer!]

1) Each captain has 3 challenges and 20 seconds to decide whether to use it. Unless they're used, VAR keeps it's sticky beak out of it completely.
2) VAR for offsides and penalty decisions only. When a challenge is made, it is for clear and obvious errors only in the penalty area. I don't mind offside decisions being made precisely, but we need clarification on the offside LAW as to which part of the body should be measured,
3) VAR not to be used for anything else, including red cards. Challenges always look worse in slow motion. Just let the ref decide on the field.

Yes, mostly

1) maybe 30 seconds, but yes, how many times have we seen goals disallowed and not one single opposition player has appealed for a foul or offside etc? Appeals are retained if successful.
2) in line with the first point, simulation for a penalty will either have to be improved or stopped, some players are good at anticipating a touch and can win a player, some players not so good. A player goes down easily, he will tell his captain not to appeal. I agree that the offside rule needs to be improved as well as the handball law (anything below the elbow is a handball unless it was going to hit the players body anyway)
3) yes I agree, unless the on field referee specifically asks to see the challenge again because he didn't get quite a good look at it, no slowing down but different angles ok.
Other than that, howlers or things the on field referees have not seen with their eyes (serious off the ball incidents)
Refs to have mics.
Big screens to show everyone in the stadium what the ref is being shown.

 

[Frankie]

Fan power,it works,unlike VAR in supposedly the best league in the world.
A mass no show on a match day and peaceful protest outside all EPL grounds,on that same match day, endless moaning by millions of fans but little action so perhaps it really is time to do something about it because it's strangling the life out of the game.

 

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Firstly insist on number of cameras is constant at every ground. Height isn't the issue but we see some awful angles for offsides.

Visual check at normal speed for offside (no sodding lines) only obvious mistakes to change on field decision. The law states level is onside but that has disappeared. Someone a few inches in front of the defender is not attempting to gain advantage. Does it look offside? No. Goal. Yes offside.

Scrap clear and obvious. All subjective decisions replayed only at normal speed. Slow Mo only makes every contact look worse. Max 1 minute to make decision by VAR to ask for pitch side review. Ref only asked to look again at the play and not influenced by VAR so not influenced. Clear communication, ref asked if he was happy he had seen the incident perfectly, yes or no, if no he has no further communication until he has seen the replay and then simply states he is happy with his original decision or wishes to change it. No re-reffing from an office.

Feigning of head injuries checked by VAR is a sending off offence.

And a 10 game ban.

The constant crying wolf is endangering the safety of fellow professions. I'm looking at Villa and Fulham in particular here.

 

[fly high]

It could get worse. Being discussed about possibly getting VAR even more involved. In the Mail so could be a load of bollocks but:-

VAR delays at Premier League matches could increase next season

The major change is set to be discussed on Tuesday by Football's lawmakers on the International FA Board at a Heathrow hotel.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I'd add the question - How do you determine when the ball has been played? The ball will always be in contact with the foot/head for a reasonable fraction of a second.

That's why you have to go with the on field decision unless it is obviously wrong. No lines, no slow Mo just a quick look.

Dunk's goal at Everton is a fine example of where the current system is just f***ing shit. No one in the ground or watching on TV would say he was attempting to gain an advantage by creeping forwards a few inches. To be given offside by a gnats cock is killing the game.