VAR

[DavCobb]

VAR…great innit? If you’re a Spurs fan.
They only have one job to do.

[itsme]

I'm all for the correct decisions being made but if VAR isn't doing that what is the point of it

[Buster]

Did the ball cross the line; Yes or No?
Beyond that question there really is no need for technology. If the decision following VAR intervention remains arguable then what is the point of it. Might as well just leave it to the ref…

[DavCobb]

Did the ball cross the line; Yes or No?
Beyond that question there really is no need for technology. If the decision following VAR intervention remains arguable then what is the point of it. Might as well just leave it to the ref…

That one wasn’t questionable. The VAR gave offside and thought it had been given as a goal. It prevents them to bring it back (with the odd exception) once it’s kicked off again. No doubt another rule change. Clearly not the first mistake but must be one of the worst.

[DavCobb]

I also thought the red was very harsh, although more subjective. Didn’t help that the first thing the ref saw was the twisted ankle still. In real time it didn’t look bad and on the slow mo you could see it got the ball and it was so quick and IMO not a dangerous action, just unfortunate. I’d say no chance of being overturned though. 
I just imagine if we were on the end of these, without factoring in they are scousers!   

[Winslow Lee]

I also thought the red was very harsh, although more subjective. Didn’t help that the first thing the ref saw was the twisted ankle still. In real time it didn’t look bad and on the slow mo you could see it got the ball and it was so quick and IMO not a dangerous action, just unfortunate. I’d say no chance of being overturned though. 
I just imagine if we were on the end of these, without factoring in they are scousers!   

Definite red for me and absolutely zero chance of it being overturned. Any tackle where you go in with you studs and initial contact is above the ankle is pretty much always a red card now. Making contact with the ball is almost irrelevant, if you slide off the ball onto an opponents leg it just shows you’re not in control.

[Larry]

I think it was Platini that said that VAR doesn't prevent the error, it just shifts it.
It looks like he is being proved right.

[DavCobb]

I think it was Platini that said that VAR doesn't prevent the error, it just shifts it.
It looks like he is being proved right.

I don’t think he meant that in the context of this one. I don’t think anyone expected them to get the decision right and then not tell the officials/not realise what decision had been given on the game they’re officiating on. 

[DavCobb]

Great audio on this.
I’ll be surprised if the rule isn’t changed by the weekend. If it happens once it’ll probably happen again.
The clear sensible approach is to get in the refs ear and call it back if a game quickly kicks off against what was intended. The bigger change would be to get the VAR on the loudspeaker, which they are talking about but would seriously slow things down. Plus a clear ONSIDE/OFFSIDE on the screen.

I think they need to change the approach to refs replays too. What they showed him on the red card was to get him to show a red card, not to look at the incident again objectively. Show it in real time and then slow mo. He may have still sent him off but they do seem scared to go against things once it goes to VAR.

[Manwork04]

VAR…great innit? If you’re a Spurs fan.
They only have one job to do.

Perfect result, can the same VAR team cover all of Liverpools games.

[Terryfenwickatemyhamster]

Perfect result, can the same VAR team cover all of Liverpools games.

Absolutely..  Can’t fùcking stand the wànkers.

[Larry]

I don’t think he meant that in the context of this one. I don’t think anyone expected them to get the decision right and then not tell the officials/not realise what decision had been given on the game they’re officiating on. 

That's got to be a clear shift of the error. Just let the ref get it wrong. That sounds bad but it's made the game the beauty that it is. Overcomplicating it will ruin it.

[Winslow Lee]

Well all the Liverpool moaning and whining worked a treat as the ref was too scared to send off Konate for one of the most obvious second yellows you’ll ever see.
While in the Chelsea v Arsenal game VAR intervened to award Chelsea a dubious penalty but then doesn’t for Arsenal when the goalkeeper takes out the striker in a far more blatant offence.

[Larry]

Well all the Liverpool moaning and whining worked a treat as the ref was too scared to send off Konate for one of the most obvious second yellows you’ll ever see.
While in the Chelsea v Arsenal game VAR intervened to award Chelsea a dubious penalty but then doesn’t for Arsenal when the goalkeeper takes out the striker in a far more blatant offence.

Exactly, it's the blame shifting we were warned of by those in the game.
We are stuck with it because it benefits the tv companies who supply the video feeds. Sod the supporters in the grounds left waiting with nothing while tv lords it over them

[DavCobb]

Just watched the Man Utd highlights. Two soft pens and an awful red card decision IMO. No one picked up on the event in normal play and then the classic freeze frame to dismiss him.

One thing VAR does ensure is that any teams playing without it are playing an entirely different game these days.
They are going to have to seriously change how it is used or just scrap it.

If they are going to the trouble of using it, watching multiple angles and replays, they may as well take any decision making away from the ref on the field once anything is reviewed and the ref purely administers it.
If speed and tech improves I am sure it will be used for throws and corners etc.

[Terryfenwickatemyhamster]

Just watched the Man Utd highlights. Two soft pens and an awful red card decision IMO. No one picked up on the event in normal play and then the classic freeze frame to dismiss him.

I'm not sticking up for VAR. I'd get rid of it asap. But I'm sure the ref looked at the Rashford decision in real time. Slow motion, and freeze frame. IMO it was a red.

[DavCobb]

One that was up there with the rogue offside last night.

What an awful penalty decision. When one of the best refs in the world gives that after viewing the monitor, it is time to remove that farce of a process and just tell the ref what to give from the studio.
Every time it seems a forgone conclusion when they are asked to look at something. It was a clear example where he should have stuck to his guns.

[TPFKA Marvo]

One way round all this is when a decision reverts to VAR, it should then be done with AI, not another Referee. Should be quite easy to load all the rules and regulations into a computer and rule OUT human flaws. Would end the arguments because every occasion would see the same verdict so no inconsistencies.

I have a bit of experience with this. When I started running a golf society over 20 years ago, we used to do what most societies did back then, cut a couple of shots off the winner, give a shot back to the guy finishing last, that sort of thing. There was always arguments, some quite valid such as taking 2 shots of a single figure handicapper is a far bigger penalty than taking 2 shots off a high handicapper. Anyway, we came up with formulas, adjusted overtime to treat everybody fairly and now we have no arguments at all when handicap adjustments are made as no person makes those adjustments, it's as case of "The computer says".

[DavCobb]

One way round all this is when a decision reverts to VAR, it should then be done with AI, not another Referee. Should be quite easy to load all the rules and regulations into a computer and rule OUT human flaws. Would end the arguments because every occasion would see the same verdict so no inconsistencies.

I have a bit of experience with this. When I started running a golf society over 20 years ago, we used to do what most societies did back then, cut a couple of shots off the winner, give a shot back to the guy finishing last, that sort of thing. There was always arguments, some quite valid such as taking 2 shots of a single figure handicapper is a far bigger penalty than taking 2 shots off a high handicapper. Anyway, we came up with formulas, adjusted overtime to treat everybody fairly and now we have no arguments at all when handicap adjustments are made as no person makes those adjustments, it's as case of "The computer says".

I’m sure AI is the future, of everything. We probably won’t have to actually play and can just download a simulation.

[TPFKA Marvo]

I’m sure AI is the future, of everything. We probably won’t have to actually play and can just download a simulation.

It's just about eliminating human error (opinion).

Another great advance would be if they took away from individual Referees how much time to be added on. Should be done with an electronic clock, stopped every time the ball is not in play, would cut down time wasting almost completely. Probably need to be only 30 minutes a half though.