Man City v Spurs - VAR

[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.

 

[ZeroTheHero]

I can see the appeal of VAR in that it means that some decisions are now got right when they would have been wrong. But there is still a huge amount of interpretation in some decisions (such as handball - deliberate or not, fouls - strong or 'out of control', etc) and it changes the experience for the supporters. Remember the extended kerfuffle we had about Mackie's goal the other day? Now imagine that happening once or twice a game. It sucks the life out of goal celebrations. And the very fact that it won't be installed in most grounds and some games in some competitions (like the FA Cup, Europa League) might therefore have VAR while others don't means that it's a no from me.

In cricket, tennis and even in the rugby codes it works OK because they have more natural breaks in play and (certainly in the first two) you have a limited amount of times you can use it.

 

[Foley]

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.

Fair enough.
It would help if the managers and pundits on Sky didn't moan about any decision which is wrong.
So get VAR and get decisions right (VAR gets rid of the clearly bad decisions) or stop whinging.

 

[Deleted member 222]

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

Unfortunately the fans in the stadium are at the bottom of the list when it comes to who the TV companies, leagues, governing body care about. TV contracts bring in that much money that all the top people want is to make sure that the 'fans' on the sofa get the best, honest action possible. Screw the real fans who actually spend all the money on going to games.

I bet SKY will be the first to moan when it starts getting too obvious they are playing crowd music during a game when everyone at home can see it is an empty stadium!

 

[Cass63]

Make up a song with loads of swearing in it that the fans sing when there’s a VAR decision being made, all the armchair fans can hear is swearing. Bet sky would love that.