VAR

[N'ZMAV]

It seemed to work a lot better at the last world cup than it ever has in the premier league

[Meanwood Villa]

I think we're getting used to the checks as fans, for better or worse. To counter the comments about it ruining the atmosphere re spontaneous celebrations, which I don't completely disagree with, a couple of moments that spring to mind where the VAR decision itself was the cause of celebration. First the Leicester Chelsea cup final where a Chelsea equaliser was ruled out. Huge roar at Wembley and in my living room. Second, the Palace game where the ref still gave the pen after looking at the monitor. It might not have been celebrating a great bit of skill but moments of drama and joy nonetheless.

[OCD]

I think it works better in UEFA/FIFA competitions. They still haven't got it right in this country.

There's definitely times where I haven't celebrated goals, usually because I know it's borderline offside. And it is a shame when the goal counts and I've not been able to enjoy the moment. I still have that spontaneous moment of celebration a lot of time though because often I won't see anything with it.

In the Newcastle-Arsenal game last night, I can't believe they didn't call the ref over to the monitor and collaboratively reach a decision on it.

It's too much of a dark art. In other sports that use a video review, you hear the dialogue. If nothing else, it gives people something to do. When it's just silence, it seems to go on forever and just pisses people off.

[Toronto Villa]

If VAR was being used to adjudicate on actual obvious mistakes made by the on field officials, then no decision would take minutes to review. Most would be done quickly. In the case of offsides the benefit of the doubt would be given to the attacking team unless it caused a very obvious advantage, and we’d all get used to it. Handball for penalties would have show obvious intent versus this whole arm in unnatural position bollocks. The whole thing has gotten completely out of control now. The goal was to make the game better and rule out egregious errors. Instead it’s killed the spirit of the game and now scrutinizes decisions at an unnecessary granular level.

[The Edge]

As much as I enjoy watching Arteta making an absolute tit of himself on TV I have to agree with him about the Newcastle goal. It could have been chalked off for three different things. You just know if that was at Mould Trafford or Scamfield they would have took the easy option and disallowed it for the push in the back. The cynic in me thinks that the Saudi money had an effect on the proceedings but what do I know.

[Somniloquism]

Why not just extend goal line technology so that it covers lines all round the pitch ?

Because it is easier to point multiple cameras at the goals then point multiple cameras at every other area of the pitch?

[OCD]

You have semi-automated offsides in some competitions now where there's a chip in the ball. It's only a matter of time before technology catches up and we instantly know whether a ball has gone out of play or whether it's offside.

[Lastfootstamper]

Nobody ever said that it'd make the game better. At the behest of whining and whinging 'elite' level managers, a demographic measurable in dozens amongst a world of billions, it was brought in to make sure we suffered the 'correct' decisions, which is important because there's millions, billions even, riding on them. Unlike your twee goal celebrations, povos.

[Dave]

It could have been chalked off for three different things.

But also, it *could* not have been. The ball wasn't out of play, and he wasn't offside as he's behind the ball when it's played to him. So while it could have been incorrectly disallowed for either of those, the fact that it wasn't is a good thing not a bad thing.

So that just leaves the "push", which I'd say is 50/50. I'd have been annoyed had it gone against us, I'd have been annoyed if it hadn't gone for us. So once it's deemed not to be a foul on the pitch, there are no VAR grounds to overturn that, given it's not an obvious mistake.

[charlatan]

So that just leaves the "push", which I'd say is 50/50. I'd have been annoyed had it gone against us, I'd have been annoyed if it hadn't gone for us. So once it's deemed not to be a foul on the pitch, there are no VAR grounds to overturn that, given it's not an obvious mistake.

Depends whether it is VAR's job to ensure the laws are applied literally (hands placed on opponent, force exerted, it was clearly a push and therefore clearly an error) or to base decisions on what the ref would likely have done on the spot if he had been able to see all the angles they see simultaneously (er, maybe not enough, it's not like I can give them all [why not? don't want to differetiate myself from the refereeing crowd too much], dunno, not sure, glance at the assistant, no flag, too late to blow now anyway). If they take the latter perspective than it's rarely any good for anything other than offside, tackles where someone gets completely wiped out and things that happen well away from the ball. Anything else is open to interpretation and then VAR can't change the decision.

Was it a foul? All day long. Would you expect it to be given in our favour? Maybe 50/50 as you say, who are we playing against...?

[The Edge]

It seemed to work a lot better at the last world cup than it ever has in the premier league

Yes it did because they embraced the technology available to them. Unlike our lot who think they know best.

[Somniloquism]

It could have been chalked off for three different things.

But also, it *could* not have been. The ball wasn't out of play, and he wasn't offside as he's behind the ball when it's played to him. So while it could have been incorrectly disallowed for either of those, the fact that it wasn't is a good thing not a bad thing.

So that just leaves the "push", which I'd say is 50/50. I'd have been annoyed had it gone against us, I'd have been annoyed if it hadn't gone for us. So once it's deemed not to be a foul on the pitch, there are no VAR grounds to overturn that, given it's not an obvious mistake.

I might be wrong but I thought VAR could not rule on either as they were both inconclusive, the angle couldn't tell if the whole ball was over and the camera angle couldn't be conclusive if the scorer was just ahead of the ball or not due to the only camera angle showing it being blocked by attackers/ defenders bodies. I wonder if both of those could have been approved/disproved by the semi-automated system that wasn't picked up by the PL for this season.

Was the ref sent to the screen for the "push" as to me, when there is contact like that (two hands in the back) they should have sent him to the screen for confirmation what he saw and have the decision on whether it was a foul called by him and not Hut Boy.

[The Edge]

It could have been chalked off for three different things.

But also, it *could* not have been. The ball wasn't out of play, and he wasn't offside as he's behind the ball when it's played to him. So while it could have been incorrectly disallowed for either of those, the fact that it wasn't is a good thing not a bad thing.

So that just leaves the "push", which I'd say is 50/50. I'd have been annoyed had it gone against us, I'd have been annoyed if it hadn't gone for us. So once it's deemed not to be a foul on the pitch, there are no VAR grounds to overturn that, given it's not an obvious mistake.

The ball wasn't out of play? I don't know how you can be so sure because the camera angles were inconclusive at best. I thought it was out but it's nigh on impossible to be certain. Put it this way if it was against us I'd have been jumping around wanting the throw in as would every other villa fan. And I really do think it was a push in the back. The petro-dollar is having an effect in my humble opinion but as I said in my op it's hilarious watching Arteta making a complete tit of himself on national TV. North London will be awash with rattles and dummies this morning.

[Nev]

The day a club, who are in receipt of a favourable refereeing/VAR decision that is clearly incorrect, issue a statement to support their opponents and ask for better standards then the conversation can take place. Anything else is just sour grapes.

[lovejoy]

With so many cameras involved in televised matches I find it incredulous they don't have one covering the goal line or ones enabling the offside decision. All very strange.