[Football] VAR - Premier League referees set to use pitchside monitors

[Titanic]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51145986

Premier League referees have been told to start using pitchside monitors for red card decisions where it is felt they should have the final say.

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited, the body that manages elite referees, has issued the guidance.

The only time the monitors have been used this season is by Michael Oliver in an FA Cup third-round tie between Crystal Palace and Derby County.

As a result, he upgraded a yellow card for Palace's Luka Milivojevic to a red.

This is the sort of incident where they are now set to be used in top-flight games.

The move was welcomed by Premier League managers. Speaking on Friday Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said "It is a positive move. The referee will be taking responsibility himself. I like that."

One case that could potentially be handled differently in future was that of Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's sending off against Crystal Palace on 11 January.

Aubameyang, 30, was initially given a yellow card by referee Paul Tierney for a tackle on midfielder Max Meyer, but the decision was changed to a red by the video assistant referee.

It is felt by the Premier League that Tierney should probably have made the final call to confirm his authority and make the decision more likely to be accepted by both players and fans inside the stadium.

The Gunners appealed against the decision but that was rejected on Wednesday, meaning Gabon international Aubameyang will miss Premier League games against Sheffield United and Chelsea, and the FA Cup fourth-round tie at Bournemouth.

 

[Swansman]

Great decision, always felt VAR was too smooth, quick and not enough distracting.

 

[Ernest]

Thought they weren’t allowed to change half way through the season

 

[Is it PotG?]

I had one of these back in the day, be quicker if the refs had one on them.



Hopefully the aerials will be a little better now.

 

[Postman Pat]

Thought they weren’t allowed to change half way through the season

I agree, I had no issue with the FA cup as this is a different competition, but they can't start changing the rules now as the previous process could have had very different outcomes.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Maybe they should use pitchside monitors instead of linesmen, seeing as how all the recent ones at the Amex have seemed incapable of making a meaningful call. Pathetic to see them take their cue from the ref for something as simple as a throw. If they can't make that simple call, what are they actually there for?

 

[Wardy's twin]

I agree, I had no issue with the FA cup as this is a different competition, but they can't start changing the rules now as the previous process could have had very different outcomes.

Surely not an issue if it improves the situation.

 

[Postman Pat]

Surely not an issue if it improves the situation.

Not really, Aubameyang is suspended for 3 games because this rule wasn't in place last week, and now it is, the ref may have only given him a yellow card if they had checked the monitor. Everyone has played under one set of rules all season, they can't be changed half way through in the same competition.

And conversely if we have a scenario tomorrow where a player gets a yellow card and then the monitor is checked and he gets sent off that will be wrong too, as he wouldn't have been last week (assuming VAR didn't tell the ref to send him off).

I would have no issue if they said that they will from next season so we at least know common sense has prevailed in this instance.

Anyway this is only for sending offs, the stupid off-side measuring and handball isn't going to change.

 

[Gazwag]

Thought they weren’t allowed to change half way through the season

I don't see it as a change myself as the referees are supposed to have been looking at the monitor from the start of the season anyway

 

[schmunk]

Not really, Aubameyang is suspended for 3 games because this rule wasn't in place last week, and now it is, the ref may have only given him a yellow card if they had checked the monitor.

Given that his appeal for this to be overturned was unsuccesful, I suspect not.

 

[Ernest]

I don't see it as a change myself as the referees are supposed to have been looking at the monitor from the start of the season anyway

But they didn't as they were told not to, could have been several different decisions made if they had done it from the start

 

[SAC]

Not really, Aubameyang is suspended for 3 games because this rule wasn't in place last week, and now it is, the ref may have only given him a yellow card if they had checked the monitor. Everyone has played under one set of rules all season, they can't be changed half way through in the same competition.

Studs up into the leg, I'm amazed that Arse dared to appeal the decision.

Not for it (the monitor being used) myself as it will take even longer.

 

[pasty]

I'm sure Mike Dean is pleased with that decision. Will give him more opportunity to put himself in the limelight

 

[Arthritic Toe]

There are a couple of moronic commentators and pundits who keep moaning about the fact they are not used. What is the point? There are refs-a-plenty at VAR central looking at all the pictures - the last thing we need the on-pitch ref to trot over and look at it as well. Maybe they feel that we don't waste enough time on the VAR decisions at the moment and want to delay it a bit further.

For the record - get rid altogether.

 

[Seasider78]

So one successful usage in the FA cup and now rolled out across the whole league.

Just making it up as they go along aren’t they. We can look forward to another delay whilst the referee watches the tele safe in the knowledge it will not be made up in time added on

 

[Acker79]

IFAB have always said referees should be looking at pitch side screens, the premier league were going against the rules to stop it, because they thought it would be quicker, but as we've seen, reviews still take a long time.

In theory, it shouldn't matter a huge amount - the VAR officials are applying the same laws that the referee applies. They have had the same training and instruction as the referee, so should, on the whole, come to the same decisions. There are some borderline cases where there will be difference of opinions, but that isn't any different to what we've always had where a ref in one game would give something the ref in another game wouldn't give. Even now, there will always be differences based on who the ref or VAR is. We can't realistically do anything about that.

The reason IFAB want referees to view the pitch side, is that it ensures they are making the decisions, in line with the phrase in so many of the laws 'in the opinion of the referee'.

I think it depends how long it takes the VAR to advise the ref to check the video. If the VAR is going to look at multiple angles, slow mo, again and again until he is certain the ref has made a mistake, or just have a quick look so the ref can decide how many reviews he needs to change his mind/confirm his initial decision.

 

[Gazwag]

But they didn't as they were told not to, could have been several different decisions made if they had done it from the start

I hadn't heard that, yes there probably would have bern