VAR

[Risso]

I thought VAR worked pretty well at the world cup. Biggest difference was it wasn't their mates in the VAR room. I would make the 2 completely separate roles, preferably with no bloody contact between them. Then if something needs a second look, there is no talking, it's just signalled to the ref on pitch to have a second look. When they do, it's up to them if they want to change their mind, but it has to be clear, not a 50/50 that on the 19th angle shows something different.

Was a lovely finished film little Phil, hope it gave him a bit of confidence.

It was good see the ref at one of the matches (Michael Oliver?) being sent to the screen by VAR, but then sticking with his original decision. I don't think I've seen a ref do that before.

[chrisw1]

I thought VAR worked pretty well at the world cup. Biggest difference was it wasn't their mates in the VAR room. I would make the 2 completely separate roles, preferably with no bloody contact between them. Then if something needs a second look, there is no talking, it's just signalled to the ref on pitch to have a second look. When they do, it's up to them if they want to change their mind, but it has to be clear, not a 50/50 that on the 19th angle shows something different.

Was a lovely finished film little Phil, hope it gave him a bit of confidence.

It was good see the ref at one of the matches (Michael Oliver?) being sent to the screen by VAR, but then sticking with his original decision. I don't think I've seen a ref do that before.

Agreed.  VAR will only work when refs feel they have the freedom to take a quick look at their decisions without a feeling of obligation or insult.  There should be nothing wrong with a ref saying, "my first instict is that it's a pen, but let me take another quick look to double check."  Extra monitors would make this quick and pretty painless.

[Ad@m]

Again, rugby shows how the screen should work.

Scenario 1 - Ref misses something really obvious and significant - VAR in his ear says "You might want to have a look at something here I think you might've missed"

Scenario 2 - Ref isn't sure so asks the VAR for help

They should be the only times the onfield ref goes to the screen and it should be done in the context of helping the onfield ref, not telling him he's wrong.  The comms should be broadcast live for transparency and those shitty little screens should be ditched in favour of the monstrously big ones already installed at all proper grounds.

[Risso]

Again, rugby shows how the screen should work.

Scenario 1 - Ref misses something really obvious and significant - VAR in his ear says "You might want to have a look at something here I think you might've missed"

Scenario 2 - Ref isn't sure so asks the VAR for help

They should be the only times the onfield ref goes to the screen and it should be done in the context of helping the onfield ref, not telling him he's wrong.  The comms should be broadcast live for transparency and those shitty little screens should be ditched in favour of the monstrously big ones already installed at all proper grounds.

Rugby games are much more sanitised affairs though, with everybody politely accepting the ref's decisions, good or bad. Imagine the crowd in a bad-tempered local derby listening to the ref decide whether to give Man U a penalty against Liverpool in an important game, I think it would get ugly. I'd like to see it, and agree it works well at rugby, I just don't think it would at football.

[chrisw1]

Again, rugby shows how the screen should work.

Scenario 1 - Ref misses something really obvious and significant - VAR in his ear says "You might want to have a look at something here I think you might've missed"

Scenario 2 - Ref isn't sure so asks the VAR for help

They should be the only times the onfield ref goes to the screen and it should be done in the context of helping the onfield ref, not telling him he's wrong.  The comms should be broadcast live for transparency and those shitty little screens should be ditched in favour of the monstrously big ones already installed at all proper grounds.

Rugby games are much more sanitised affairs though, with everybody politely accepting the ref's decisions, good or bad. Imagine the crowd in a bad-tempered local derby listening to the ref decide whether to give Man U a penalty against Liverpool in an important game, I think it would get ugly. I'd like to see it, and agree it works well at rugby, I just don't think it would at football.

They don't pipe the ref discussions in the ground at rugby, they are just available to the tv audience.  Football could easily work the same. 
But I do think the smaller monitors are more advisable than replaying the controversial moments on the big screen whilst the ref makes a decision.

I honestly think the above, together with common sense flagging and the current margin for error would fix the vast majority of VARs problems in one fell swoop. 

[Gareth]

I've never gone to a football match in the hope of seeing a ref watch replays on TV. Just bin it and let refs ref.

100% this….stick the monitors in the bin, get rid of half the cameras so the crap pundits can’t spend ludicrous hours pouring over every decision played at snails pace to spark debate & whilst there take with it all that xG rubbish….it’s a game played by athletes not nerds on spreadsheets

[dave shelley]

I thought VAR worked pretty well at the world cup. Biggest difference was it wasn't their mates in the VAR room. I would make the 2 completely separate roles, preferably with no bloody contact between them. Then if something needs a second look, there is no talking, it's just signalled to the ref on pitch to have a second look. When they do, it's up to them if they want to change their mind, but it has to be clear, not a 50/50 that on the 19th angle shows something different.

Was a lovely finished film little Phil, hope it gave him a bit of confidence.

It was good see the ref at one of the matches (Michael Oliver?) being sent to the screen by VAR, but then sticking with his original decision. I don't think I've seen a ref do that before.

I watched Dermot Gallagher yesterday something I don't normally do because I don't see the point but because of all the contentious issues that had happened over the weekend piqued my interest.  I think when discussing Oliver sticking by his original decision in the Forest Bournemouth game the presenter said he thinks it may have happened once before and it could have been Mike Dean which came as no surprise to me as he would certainly have been arrogant enough to do it.

[Drummond]

They don't pipe the ref discussions in the ground at rugby, they are just available to the tv audience. Football could easily work the same. 
But I do think the smaller monitors are more advisable than replaying the controversial moments on the big screen whilst the ref makes a decision.

I honestly think the above, together with common sense flagging and the current margin for error would fix the vast majority of VARs problems in one fell swoop.

They did do it for those with the Ref Link earpiece thingy (at the 6 Nations), maybe it's changed.

[Risso]

They don't pipe the ref discussions in the ground at rugby, they are just available to the tv audience. Football could easily work the same. 
But I do think the smaller monitors are more advisable than replaying the controversial moments on the big screen whilst the ref makes a decision.

I honestly think the above, together with common sense flagging and the current margin for error would fix the vast majority of VARs problems in one fell swoop.

They did do it for those with the Ref Link earpiece thingy (at the 6 Nations), maybe it's changed.

I was at a Northampton game where it definitely happened as well. One of the Saints players got sent off, and the reasoning was heard over the PA system.

[London Villan]

Works in NFL too.

[paul_e]

The earpieces are available at every ground I've been too for the last 5-6 years. The PA version is less consistent but I think that's ok. I reckon you could pretty easily have a phone app that either plays the audio or provides a transcript in near real time.

I share some of the concerns Risso has with the difference between crowds means football fans are less likely to accept decisions but I'd still like to see the league try a more transparent approach to officiating before saying the concept of VAR is a failure.

[chrisw1]

They don't pipe the ref discussions in the ground at rugby, they are just available to the tv audience. Football could easily work the same. 
But I do think the smaller monitors are more advisable than replaying the controversial moments on the big screen whilst the ref makes a decision.

I honestly think the above, together with common sense flagging and the current margin for error would fix the vast majority of VARs problems in one fell swoop.

They did do it for those with the Ref Link earpiece thingy (at the 6 Nations), maybe it's changed.

I was at a Northampton game where it definitely happened as well. One of the Saints players got sent off, and the reasoning was heard over the PA system.

OK, fair doos.  I think in general they don't and of course there would be no need to for them to do so in football, nor offer a 'ref link' service.  But having it available to the tv audience etc would add a level of scrutiny which I think would help.

[aj2k77]

I don't recall too many massively contentious VAR decisions going against the sky 6 and for a ''lesser'' club. There seems to be spates of dodgy, total bullshit decisions in their favour.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Interesting that most of the talk over the weekend concerning VAR focused on the Chelsea and Newcastle games, they were poor decision, whereas Coutinho’s offside was brushed over.
Listened to Rory Smith (journalist) today who thought it was the worse one of the weekend, considering in most games there’s a blatant offside and the player goes through, has a shot, then the flag goes up and it’s called back as per instructions that are given to the linesman.
It’s quite simple really and should be a level playing field, follow the same rules and implement them in every game for both teams. There was nothing really subjective about our ‘offside’ just let the play develop.

[Rico]

It's a failed experiment. Just get rid!