VAR - good or bad for the game?

Is VAR good for football?

  • Yes - once it's settled down it'll be good for the game

    Votes: 10 31.3%
  • No - it's killing the momentum of games for no real benefit

    Votes: 22 68.8%

  • Total voters
    32
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Kempstonian

Has the memory of a goldfish
Location
Bedford
I was in favour of it until last night, when Arsenal's winning goal was ruled out by VAR, despite no protests coming from the Palace players and the referee appearing to give the goal. Chambers was clearly kicked by two defenders, which sent him stumbling int a third defender who was coming in to tackle him. If anything it should have been a penalty to Arsenal but the ball bounced out to Sokratis who scored.

This is what the Sky web page says, answering the question "So who did rule out Arsenal's winner?" :
"Jarred Gillett was the VAR official for Arsenal's clash with Palace. A 32-year-old Australian, Gillett has never taken charge of a Premier League game, with his refereeing experience in England limited to nine Football League fixtures."
Also this VAR guy overruled the ref in the first half to award Palace a penalty.

Having seen many other controversial VAR decisions this season, I don't think its done anything to improve the game.
 

Beebo

Firm and Fruity
Location
Hexleybeef
This just popped up on the BBC.
the decision may be technically correct but it isn’t in the spirit of the game IMO, and would never have been spotted years ago. VAR seems to be searching for ever more tiny issues to inflate.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/50203398
 

nickyboy

Norven Mankey
I'm all for it on the basis that I'd rather the game was slowed down and correct decisions made than not. the idea that poor decisions balance themselves out over the season is nonsense.

However, I think we will see a shift in the rules now that VAR has highlighted just how much goes on that potentially infringes the rules. Stuff on non-deliberate handballs, non-deliberate contact in the penalty box etc. We will also see the continuing evolution of how the game is played to take account of VAR (such as the modern way to defend crosses with hands behind the back to prevent accidental handballs)
 

SpokeyDokey

67, & my GP says I will officially be old at 70!
Moderator
I think it is a huge move in the right direction - anything to ensure the rules are applied correctly and that rules out cheating as far as possible is a bonus in my book.

Too many games in the past have been won/lost due to bad decisions.

It's all very well saying that pre-VAR was great as poor decisions were great for pub conversations but at the end of the day what is better - your club winning a game with a correctly given goal or drawing because it was incorrectly ruled out? Would you prefer the correct result or the wrong as it afforded you a good crack over a pint?

There was a VAR decision at Burnley vs Chelsea on Saturday and it went against us (Chelsea) and it really didn't take long for the decision to be made. The crowd enjoyed it imo doing the raised hands waggly fingers thing whilst VAR was running the check.

It may not be perfect yet, and it really isn't that imperfect, but it works fine for me. For sure some mistakes have been made but there have been a lot more correct decisions made than wrong.

Seems to work well in other top leagues but I think we must be a country populated with a minority of vocal Luddites the way the media, some fans and some managers etc have been bitching about the system but thankfully the pro-VAR voices seem to be louder. I'd hate to turn the clock back and lose it.
 

SpokeyDokey

67, & my GP says I will officially be old at 70!
Moderator
This just popped up on the BBC.
the decision may be technically correct but it isn’t in the spirit of the game IMO, and would never have been spotted years ago. VAR seems to be searching for ever more tiny issues to inflate.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/50203398

I think that that is in the spirit of the game - for too long sub's have been allowed to encroach on the touchline and sometimes over it. Especially annoying when opposition players are warming up very close to a player taking a throw in etc. Players should be aware of the rules (god knows they are paid enough to be professionals and understand the game) and act appropriately - if they transgress the rules then tough; they pay the penalty.
 

Smudge

Veteran
Location
Somerset
I guess nothing is totally infallible, but would VAR make as many bad decisions as a ref ?
I dont believe it would, in fact i reckon bad ref calls would outnumber bad VAR calls by a massive amount.
 

nickyboy

Norven Mankey
I guess nothing is totally infallible, but would VAR make as many bad decisions as a ref ?
I dont believe it would, in fact i reckon bad ref calls would outnumber bad VAR calls by a massive amount.
I guess you can look at the development of decision-making technology in cricket. It has massively improved the game. Previously umpires made plenty of really poor decisions. These are largely out of the game now at the top level. In addition, players have had to adapt their techniques to reflect that fact that they probably were "out" a lot in the past, just the umpires didn't use to give them out
Players are going to have to change how they play in the VAR era. Shirt tugging, diving, violent conduct all will get the treatment they deserve
 
OP
OP
swee'pea99

swee'pea99

Legendary Member
I guess you can look at the development of decision-making technology in cricket. It has massively improved the game.
...Shirt tugging, diving, violent conduct all will get the treatment they deserve

I think 'massively improved the game' is rather overstating the case but I have to admit Hawkeye & 'snicko' have introduced a new fun element - but there is the significant difference that football is, as someone said upthread, a free and fast-flowing game, whereas cricket is stops & starts from kickoff to final whistle - waiting for referral decisions doesn't spoil the momentum, because there's none to spoil. The other big difference of course being that cricket's electronic adjudicators give definitive answers: was there a snick? Yes or no. Judging whether that was a foul or a dive is far less clear-cut, and...
I guess nothing is totally infallible, but would VAR make as many bad decisions as a ref ?
I dont believe it would, in fact i reckon bad ref calls would outnumber bad VAR calls by a massive amount.
...ignores the fact that VAR calls are ref calls - just refs equipped with slow motion video replays, who, as we saw only too clearly this weekend, can still make some really awful calls. (The upthread third Arsenal goal being just one glaring example.)

I do think there's something in the argument that it might ease foul play out of the game, in a way that's healthy for the game, and also the one that says it may shield referees from fans' abuse, but personally I'd prefer to see less interruption and more retrospective action - VAR used to spot and flag up foul play for later retribution, rather than interfering with games during the game.
 
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PK99

Legendary Member
Location
SW19
Players are going to have to change how they play in the VAR era. Shirt tugging, diving, violent conduct all will get the treatment they deserve

I agree whole heatedly with the bits I've bolded.

But the position re offside is surely ridiculous?
The purpose off the offside rule, as introduced, was to stop "goal hanging", not to penalise someone for having a toenail beyond the last defender on the halfway line!

There are similar issues wrt accidental handball by defender and attacker being treated differently - not directly VAR but made worse.
 
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