Man City v Spurs - VAR

[Northstandboy]

What an entertaining game and a fantastic advertisement for English football.

My question is, did the VAR decision at the end of the game spoil it?

My wife said it did, but I disagreed as it WAS offside.

 

[Cass63]

The laws of the game say disallow it as he was a fraction offside, the same as Man Utd penalty at PSG for handball, it didn’t spoil it for me, I was laughing my bollox off at pep leaping about up and down the touch line one minute and sad faced the next.

 

[Foley]

The laws of the game say disallow it as he was a fraction offside, the same as Man Utd penalty at PSG for handball, it didn’t spoil it for me, I was laughing my bollox off at pep leaping about up and down the touch line one minute and sad faced the next.

I don't agree that the laws of the game suggest that the PSG penalty conceded.
That is the recent VAR interpretation and I actually disagree with that interpretation.
Yesterdays was a fantastic game but Aguero was marginally offside so I am not sure how people cam be against the correct decision being made.

 

[Essexyellows]

So much money involved you can`t have humans making marginal calls................... ruining the joy/elation of the moment IMHO.

 

[Gary Baldi]

The handball for the last Spurs goals rather sums up how inefficient the handball law is at the moment. PSG are correctly (but harshly) punished but Spurs are ok.

 

[Scotchegg]

The offside was marginal but correctly given. The handball was marginal but not given. If both were left to 'live' decisions then I believe the result would have been fairer.

 

[Foley]

The handball for the last Spurs goals rather sums up how inefficient the handball law is at the moment. PSG are correctly (but harshly) punished but Spurs are ok.

Mmm PSG are correctly punished,?
A ball was blasted at a defender. Looks to be going over the bar and is given as a penalty and totally changes the game.
That is correct? The punishment in my view nowhere near fits the 'crime '. Handball decisions have become farcical.
What's wrong with the old 'intentional' handball?

 

[holdsteady]

A great game though, can’t wait to watch the match on Saturday between them now.

All VAR does is change how the situation is controversial, it hasn’t provided any definite answers. TV companies love it as they get more controversy but thank god it doesn’t affect us, it will get like Rugby soon and they will check every goal.

 

[Morris Oxford]

Not a fan of VAR, haven’t been from day one and nothing I have seen so far has changed my mind.

Removing that instant euphoric high for the fan in the stadium, who has likely followed his team through think and thin, travelled the country and actually bothers to buy a ticket to support his team, takes away so much of what watching live sport is all about.

I can see that it’s an attractive feature for TV companies and the neutral arm chair fans.

 

[Oldman159]

VAR Might have helped us right a wrong here.

As for the Lorente goal?. IMHO....there was a double pen shout as the manc defender clearly pushes him onto the ball which then grazes the manc's hand...

But then my 'B' team is Spurs...

 

[Scotchegg]

VAR Might have helped us View attachment 1341right a wrong here.

As for the Lorente goal?. IMHO....there was a double pen shout as the manc defender clearly pushes him onto the ball which then grazes the manc's hand...

But then my 'B' team is Spurs...View attachment 1341

B team w@#ker!!! ?

 

[Oldman159]

Sorry about the double image...fat finger syndrome ?

 

[McVicar]

With regards to the offside goal at the end, am I missing something as I thought if the ball was played from an opposition player, which it was, then it's not offside, even if it deflects off a player on the way? Unless the deflection counted as a pass in this case?

 

[AbbeyOx]

knowing sky they’ll start having adverts before and after every var decision.
var just stops the natural flow of the game. goal line technology is fair enough but should leave it at that

 

[Northstandboy]

knowing sky they’ll start having adverts before and after every var decision.
var just stops the natural flow of the game. goal line technology is fair enough but should leave it at that

"VAR decision brought to you by Specsavers".

I am surprised corners are not sponsored by a company, pretty sure they do that in the US.

 

[Marked Ox]

Just to start VAR is rubbish. That said, how VAR has been used for goals has destroyed that immediate moment of pleasure of a goal. From the games I've watched over both legs it has taken a minute plus after every goal for VAR to check even when there was nothing worth checking. It just kills the spontaneity of celebrating key moments in a game which for me is one of the big things about football.

 

[Northstandboy]

Just to start VAR is rubbish. That said, how VAR has been used for goals has destroyed that immediate moment of pleasure of a goal. From the games I've watched over both legs it has taken a minute plus after every goal for VAR to check even when there was nothing worth checking. It just kills the spontaneity of celebrating key moments in a game which for me is one of the big things about football.

Yes i agree to a point, but in the past there have been calls for video technology where decisions have cost clubs money for incorrect decisions.

Could they do similar to Tennis and Cricket, where clubs have x amount of reviews to use. If the review is un-successful, they lose one.

 

[Briggsy]

With regards to the offside goal at the end, am I missing something as I thought if the ball was played from an opposition player, which it was, then it's not offside, even if it deflects off a player on the way? Unless the deflection counted as a pass in this case?

No, the fact that it came off the City player is what counts. You're thinking back to the old days of 'when the ball was played'. FIFA and IFAB have complicated the offside law so much that it's now ludicrous.

As for the third Spurs goal, with the law as it stands that's simply not handball. as I understand it, it will be next year as any time a ball goes in after touching an attacker's hand/arm it will be ruled out, regardless of whether it's intentional or not. Again, ludicrous.

So VAR got both decisions right. Pretty painful for me as City is my second team.

 

[Briggsy]

Here's the relevant part of the law:

"A player in an offside position at the moment the ball is played or touched* by a team-mate is only penalised on becoming involved in active play by:

interfering with play by playing or touching a ball passed or touched by a team-mate or
interfering with an opponent by:
preventing an opponent from playing or being able to play the ball by clearly obstructing the opponent’s line of vision or
challenging an opponent for the ball or
*The first point of contact of the ‘play’ or ‘touch’ of the ball should be used
clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent or
making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball"

So, when the ball through to Aguero was touched by the City player, Aguero was in an offside position and became active when he went through onto the ball. Therefore, he's committed an offside offence.

 

[McVicar]

Thanks for that, although doesn't that pretty much tie up with what I initially thought, "The first point of contact of the ‘play’ or ‘touch’ of the ball should be used clearly attempting to play a ball " -
ie if Eriksen's pass merely deflected off the City player (can't remember who it was), then, even though it was touched, as it was not deemed a deliberate touch then the forward is not offside. In that case I guess it would come down to the interpretation of whether the touch was deliberate or not, in which case I'm surprised the VAR was not studied.

 

[Briggsy]

Yes, I thought that, too. But I've just watched the replay and Bernardo (for 'twas he) definitely makes a deliberate attempt to play the ball, and it's that deflection which takes it past the defender, so no complaints from me.

Mind you, the more I watch it, the sicker I feel. The merest gnat's todger from being a goal.

 

[Marked Ox]

Thanks for that, although doesn't that pretty much tie up with what I initially thought, "The first point of contact of the ‘play’ or ‘touch’ of the ball should be used clearly attempting to play a ball " -
ie if Eriksen's pass merely deflected off the City player (can't remember who it was), then, even though it was touched, as it was not deemed a deliberate touch then the forward is not offside. In that case I guess it would come down to the interpretation of whether the touch was deliberate or not, in which case I'm surprised the VAR was not studied.

One of the replays showed the Man City player actually played at the ball so it was definitely correct.

 

[Marked Ox]

Yes i agree to a point, but in the past there have been calls for video technology where decisions have cost clubs money for incorrect decisions.

Could they do similar to Tennis and Cricket, where clubs have x amount of reviews to use. If the review is un-successful, they lose one.

The tiniest increase in % of decisions got right is not worth the destruction of the essence of football imo. Goal line technology is instant and doesn't interfere with it whereas VAR tramples all over it. I'm just glad I watch a level of football that isn't going to be affected.

 

[Oldman159]

Yes, I thought that, too. But I've just watched the replay and Bernardo (for 'twas he) definitely makes a deliberate attempt to play the ball, and it's that deflection which takes it past the defender, so no complaints from me.

Mind you, the more I watch it, the sicker I feel. The merest gnat's todger from being a goal.

I'm sure Mr Bernardo (if indeed it was he) will overlook your suggestion that he is not particularly well endowed. Although being a Citeeh fan I guess you have access to such intimate 'little' details.....


IGMC

?

COYYs & COYSs

 

[Johnf]

I don’t like VAR I think the referee and linesmen should have control, yes some decisions go for you and some against but this controversy is what makes our game so exciting. VAR is just for armchair supporters and it won’t add to the experience of watching live football which I believe should be the priority

 

[Gary Baldi]

Mmm PSG are correctly punished,?
A ball was blasted at a defender. Looks to be going over the bar and is given as a penalty and totally changes the game.
That is correct? The punishment in my view nowhere near fits the 'crime '. Handball decisions have become farcical.
What's wrong with the old 'intentional' handball?

By the letter of the law, the decision was correct - the issue as we have seen persistently this year, is that officials have no idea how to apply the rule consistently so seemingly make it up on a game by game basis. Personally, it's not a penalty to PSG as it was just accidental, but having given that via VAR, then last night was handball too.

 

[Peterdev]

Didn’t spoil it all for me. I enjoyed seeing Pep celebrating as though he had won billions on the lottery only to be brought down to earth by the correct decision.VAR bring it on

 

[mooro]

Putting aside the teams involved, which any analysis of the rights and wrongs of VAR has to do at this stage, then it is increasingly clear that the issue is not with the technology, it is with the rules, their specifications and their interpretations. Left to the officials they can (more often than not) make a considered judgement about the "spirit" of each law in each case, whereas technology slaps a black and white judgement on the screen and it is a brave official that overrides it.

What I mean by the 'spirit' is the principle behind the law, rather than the exact mechanics of how it is written - So for instance, the element of intent against unavoidable in terms of handball, and for offside the attacking player actually being in front of the defender in any meaningful way, rather than by the width of bootlace. Similar judgements need to be made in terms of contact/pushing/holding etc where too much emphasis on the black and white will mean football becomes a fully non-contact sport.

Personally, for offside, I feel that how it should be set up should mean that the players (and officials) should be able to judge themselves whether they are offside or not, which has always been the case up until now. But once you introduce precision measurements, then an attacker cannot be certain of being onside when 'level' with the defender without taking a half step backwards to be sure, which goes against the principle of the benefit of the doubt being with the attacker. I would suggest that a buffer zone of say 6 or 12 inches is used and the attacker is only offside if they are further forward than that at the crucial moment.

For the other more subjective issues, then I think most of the time we know what we do and dont want to be given, but struggle to write a set of simple but clear regulations to legislate for that. Without VAR the officials can use their own judgement on these issues, but with it, there is the danger that they will be forced to give decisions that they dont want to be giving, and go against the spirit of the law, because there are a million TV screens around the world demanding that they follow the letter of the law.

Eventually, the principle of VAR will be a benefit to the game, I just worry that not enough thought is going to go into how it is to be used for the games' best interests.

 

[Sarge]

For me its a step too var

If referees instructions or even better the overall rules &regs of football were rejigged to allow assistant referees to assist in all decisions-instead of the subjective way currently, and match officials were consistant .... goal line technology perhaps excepted (? ), as entertainment and a spectator sport imo var only panders to those companies paying loads of money to screen top level matches & no one else

 

[horseman]

Just let the officials get on with it but if that shi* system must be introduced then let the powers that be realize and understand that the "correct" decision being reached is as important to the likes of Accrington,Bury and every other team across the world not just the so called elite teams.
The laws apply to "All" matches so given VAR cannot apparently be used at all games stick it where the sun don't shine.