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[Football] VAR to be used at the World Cup









Falmer Flutter ©

Well-known member
Feb 18, 2004
981
Petts Wood








Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,983
Surrey
I am theoretically in favour of VAR but that is EXACTLY the sort of scenario I dont want to see
You have to accept that on rare occasions, this is what WILL happen. But it is an extreme example, and the correct decision was reached in any case. Remember that VAR should only be used to iron out blatant, game changing mistakes, and that is one such example.


Exactly what I was discussing with a mate the other day. The mantra is "you play to the whistle". So here's a scenario.

A player goes through on goal, and the lino (incorrectly) flags for offside. The whistle goes straight away to stop the game (as it does), but the player sticks the ball in the net anyway. The VAR says "hang on ref, you need to look at this - he was onside".

Whats the call ?
This is exactly the sort of thing that needs to be discussed by the people deciding how VAR should affect the game, but I'd suggest that the call in your well-considered scenario is that VAR simply cannot be used in this scenario, so for games covered by VAR, the ref should NOT blow his whistle for off-side. Instead, he should allow play to continue until a natural break in play. If a goal was scored, then obviously it stands if the player was on-side after VAR review. If it goes out of play or a foul is committed, he checks the offside first before deciding where and how play should resume.

It is also why VAR should have been implemented 2 years ago if WC 2018 was the goal. The refs would need time to get used to such a slight modification in the way the laws are upheld.
 
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Beanstalk

Well-known member
Apr 5, 2017
3,031
London
That's an example of the VAR doing it's job!

You are correct, that is in principle the whole point of VAR, to correct a clear error. However, isn't the whole point of professional football that it is a spectator sport? I have grown closer and closer to being in favour of VAR with some of the ridiculous penalty decisions not given for us, but there has to be a better way of doing things than this? The referee's error is the crux of the problem and surely, as Feyenoord were breaking, the VAR assistant could've told him to stop the play to review the footage like he would have if there was a head injury.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,482
Brighton
Exactly. Getting the call correct is much more important than calling back a play and calling it voided. If it goes against the Albion because Glen Murray uses his arm to stop a shot from going in the goal I'm still all for it even if the Albion score a goal in the time between the hand ball and when the whistle blows. It's very hard to see a hand ball many times. The correctness of a ref's call should be most important.

This. Saying "There's always been mistakes" or "mistakes are a part and parcel of football" is a complete non-argument.

By that logic, let's not even bother training referees. Just get some bloke from down the pub to do it. :ffsparr:
 




Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,983
Surrey
You are correct, that is in principle the whole point of VAR, to correct a clear error. However, isn't the whole point of professional football that it is a spectator sport? I have grown closer and closer to being in favour of VAR with some of the ridiculous penalty decisions not given for us, but there has to be a better way of doing things than this? The referee's error is the crux of the problem and surely, as Feyenoord were breaking, the VAR assistant could've told him to stop the play to review the footage like he would have if there was a head injury.

That doesn't correct the issue though. What if the VAR ref can't see it on the first two angles he reviews it but does spot the foul on the third angle, by which time Feyenoord have scored anyway? Equally, what if it looks like a blatant foul from first angle and the VAR ref orders the on-pitch ref to blow up just as Feyenoord are about to score, only to then decide that it wasn't quite as conclusive as first thought, based on looking at another two angles?

I just think we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that football is a sport where the goal as a commodity is so precious. VAR has to ensure that the big decisions are correct, and if that means this sort of unfortunate incident occurring (incredibly rarely, I might add), then it is a price worth paying.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,482
Brighton
It absolutely IS used in that scenario. Its a VARS call on a goal - see the Leicester one last week vs Fleetwood that was initially ruled out for offside, but subsequently (correctly) reinstated by VARS.

It worked extremely well that time, I'd be the first to admit it. But it ain't always going to play out like that...

I don't think anyone is saying VARS is going to be perfect. But if it makes decisions better and fairer, that's an undeniably good thing. The only potential issue for me is the flow of the game, but for very contentious situations players surround the ref for about half an hour anyway!
 






Beanstalk

Well-known member
Apr 5, 2017
3,031
London
That doesn't correct the issue though. What if the VAR ref can't see it on the first two angles he reviews it but does spot the foul on the third angle, by which time Feyenoord have scored anyway? Equally, what if it looks like a blatant foul from first angle and the VAR ref orders the on-pitch ref to blow up just as Feyenoord are about to score, only to then decide that it wasn't quite as conclusive as first thought, based on looking at another two angles?

I just think we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that football is a sport where the goal as a commodity is so precious. VAR has to ensure that the big decisions are correct, and if that means this sort of unfortunate incident occurring (incredibly rarely, I might add), then it is a price worth paying.

Absolutely, I think you've nailed what I find problematic about it. It's ridiculously complicated and relies on often subjective grievances being seen in an objective fashion. The issues with my poorly thought out solution implies that the system is inherently flawed. Maybe scaled back it could work in that it only can be used in objective matters, e.g. Iheanacho's goal the other night, but that's a lot of technology and money spent for a minuscule amount of decisions. (linesman do get it right the majority of the time).

Interestingly, I was listening to a podcast about its use in Serie A this season and the stats, apologies if slightly incorrect but this is from memory, were that only 60 decisions had been referred in the first half of the season, 49 remained correct, 11 overturned. The big stat however, is that there were 150 fewer yellow cards compared to the same point as last year. The argument is that VAR has a really strong effect on the way in which the game is played as players are more aware of their actions.
 


Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,482
Brighton
Despite being mildly pro-VAR, I do agree that bringing it in at the World Cup is too soon.
 


The Large One

Who's Next?
Jul 7, 2003
52,343
97.2FM
I don't think anyone is saying VARS is going to be perfect. But if it makes decisions better and fairer, that's an undeniably good thing. The only potential issue for me is the flow of the game, but for very contentious situations players surround the ref for about half an hour anyway!

The bigger issue is for the teams to put undue pressure on the referees.

It's supposed to be a yellow-card incident for a player to do the 'TV" gesture, yet Chelsea did that more than once last week v Norwich, and nothing happened. And I suspect Chelsea will only be a mild example going forward.
 




Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
32,482
Brighton
The bigger issue is for the teams to put undue pressure on the referees.

It's supposed to be a yellow-card incident for a player to do the 'TV" gesture, yet Chelsea did that more than once last week v Norwich, and nothing happened. And I suspect Chelsea will only be a mild example going forward.

Well they need to clamp down on that then. Players badger the ref for decisions all the time without VAR.
 


Iggle Piggle

Well-known member
Sep 3, 2010
5,991
That's an example of the VAR doing it's job!

I'm with you. Maradona's handball and Lampard's goal are 2 examples which have fundamentally changed our paths at the WC (well, Germany would have beaten us but anyway). We have video review at Cricket, Rugby, American Football and Tennis amongst others yet there seems to be a reticence at football. We all admit the trail has not been perfect but that's exactly why you have trials to sort teething issues out - If we can put a man on the moon we can think up some workable rules for a video ref.

As for the video, I love the fact you've gone 2-0 down but now have a chance to knock a penalty away for 1-1. Imagine that in a Palace game?
 


BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
Quite spectacularly - I don't know how you do it - you've just agreed with me by disagreeing with me.

The point is - there are faults, and they haven't been ironed out. And yet, FIFA believes VAR is ready for the biggest stage. :facepalm:

I have not agreed with you. If you read it properly I said they WILL iron out the problems if and when they appear, not they have done it. This will be done following use in national leagues this season.
 


Albion my Albion

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Feb 6, 2016
19,700
Indiana, USA
The video assistant referee (VAR) system has been accurate in 98.9% of decisions so far during its two-year worldwide trial, says the International Football Association Board

24% of all matches were positively affected by the involvement of VAR (changing an initial incorrect decision by the referee).




So more accurately before VAR 76% correct, after VAR 98.9% correct.


In my opinion the correctness of ref's calls goes from 75% to 99% with the inclusion of VAR in ref's decisions in sport. I like it in the American sport I have seen it. It's not always correct but it has a much better chance of being correct.
 
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Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,888
West west west Sussex
This afternoon I watched about 10 minutes of Inter v Bologna.

Fella attacking to the edge of the penalty area.
Got closed down by 2 Inter players t'other side of the line.
Fella smacks the ball into one of the defenders arms, the ref correctly waves play on.

Fella and a few others start appealing like only Italians can, and all but stop playing even though the ball is still live.

Inter are now at the halfway line, and then the ref blows his whistle.

He walks over to the pitch side screen.
The commentator had just enough time to say 'the refs have been instructed to not be so fussy about VAR's referrals'.

The 'penalty' is again adjudged to have not been awarded and the game carried on with a 'not' drop ball.

It was all over very quickly, but completely unnecessary .
 


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