EPL VAR

[Wandering Yellow]

For the first time in ages, I sat down in a pub to watch a Premier League match. I almost completely avoid the Premier League for various reasons.

I cannot believe the state VAR has the game in. Arsenal scored a goal disallowed for offside. It seemed so utterly against the SPIRIT of the game I was in utter disbelief. The "pundits" Sky had on all said it was "the letter of the law" being applied etc.

Does anyone on here think that goal should be disallowed?

In the last match I watched, Arsenal Vs Manchester United, Garnacho had a goal disallowed because his little finger was offside, or something.

Every single goal is checked for a reason to disallow it. It is so anti-sport. A big part of the reason I come to watch us is that fantastic feeling when we score, if that gets taken away, I don't know if I will bother.

I really want us to get promoted, but if this nonsense gets brought in to the Championship, it will be such a sucker punch. They already have it in the "Bundesliga 2" in Germany. Give me a bad refereeing performance such as that Vale ref any day of the week in exchange for being able to live in the moment with football.

People say "It's not VAR it's the refs" but VAR will always be run by humans and subject to human error. I find it genuinely depressing. It certainly makes me not want Oxford to get to the PL. I'd prefer Championship, in a good stadium, community spirit, some local players, to the PL corrupt greedy farce any day.

 

[bashamwonderland]

For the first time in ages, I sat down in a pub to watch a Premier League match. I almost completely avoid the Premier League for various reasons.

I cannot believe the state VAR has the game in. Arsenal scored a goal disallowed for offside. It seemed so utterly against the SPIRIT of the game I was in utter disbelief. The "pundits" Sky had on all said it was "the letter of the law" being applied etc.

Does anyone on here think that goal should be disallowed?

In the last match I watched, Arsenal Vs Manchester United, Garnacho had a goal disallowed because his little finger was offside, or something.

Every single goal is checked for a reason to disallow it. It is so anti-sport. A big part of the reason I come to watch us is that fantastic feeling when we score, if that gets taken away, I don't know if I will bother.

I really want us to get promoted, but if this nonsense gets brought in to the Championship, it will be such a sucker punch. They already have it in the "Bundesliga 2" in Germany. Give me a bad refereeing performance such as that Vale ref any day of the week in exchange for being able to live in the moment with football.

People say "It's not VAR it's the refs" but VAR will always be run by humans and subject to human error. I find it genuinely depressing. It certainly makes me not want Oxford to get to the PL. I'd prefer Championship, in a good stadium, community spirit, some local players, to the PL corrupt greedy farce any day.

I've never understood why people wouldn't want some drama in their sport. We've got the technology to check whether the ball has crossed the line - that's great. That's the most serious issue resolved. But everything else - I actually want to talk to friends at the pub about offside decisions and I want to benefit from the occasional misjudgement by an assistant. It's all part of the fun. Football should be an art, not a science.

 

[SSU Dozer]

I think the gaol should have stood. However if there was no VAR it may have been disallowed, anyway, if the Lino had not played full attention and thought that an Arsenal player had made the pass.
VAR did, correctly, rule out a ‘goal’ for Man U, but did allow a very dodgy penalty for Newcastle and rule out another.

 

[Wandering Yellow]

I've never understood why people wouldn't want some drama in their sport. We've got the technology to check whether the ball has crossed the line - that's great. That's the most serious issue resolved. But everything else - I actually want to talk to friends at the pub about offside decisions and I want to benefit from the occasional misjudgement by an assistant. It's all part of the fun. Football should be an art, not a science.

Could not agree with you any more strongly.

 

[Older Shotts]

I'm anti-VAR. It takes away some of the fun and talking points from games. Might as well get robots playing the game if you dont want mistakes.

Anyhoo, we dont have to worry about VAR until the season after next

 

[werthersoriginal]

Totally agree that VAR ruins games, the way it’s applied at the moment. A lot of the ‘offsides’ aren’t really offside - a fraction of an elbow ahead of the defender isn’t meaningful - and no one seems to know what handball means any more

 

[Manorlounger]

As with so many things now, the technology is pretty much up to the task but, the interpretation of the data is still in the hands of human heads. If the concept of VAR is correctly applied then we should have clear and indisputable decisions. That we don't have that surely indicates that there is something wrong?
If the rules allow ambiguity to the extent that these discussions can rage on, then isn't it the rules that need to change?

 

[WuTang]

Referees get things right and wrong throughout a game, no different to the players. Why? They're human, there will always be human error in life and football, especially refereeing decisions.

Goal line technology works because 1. It's instant, a matter of seconds to come to the decision. 2. It's unarguable, it's scientifically in or out, nothing subjective.

VAR will always be ran by humans, although they get to watch replays it's still down to 3/4 humans making a subjective choice. As long as VAR remains they will always get things wrong.

So how does it actually change our game, why is it here? Does it remove controversy and allow more correct decisions? No.

Does it mean that the ball hitting the net no longer means you've scored? Yes.

Does it take away the instant buzz and euphoria of knowing you've scored? Yes.

Does it slow down the pace and excitement of football? Yes.

Does it ruin iconic moments? Yes.

Just imagine the famous Aguero goal for Man City with VAR? "Have we scored? Was he offside? I'm not celebrating until we know for sure!" *Checking for offside*.

Bin it.

 

[RyanioBirdio]

It only came in as is because the media (primarily SKY and the like) went absolutely bananas over every single wrong decision that was ever made for years and years. Make a mountain out of a molehill and this is what happens eventually. “You didn’t want any wrong decisions what so ever, so here you go. We’re going to spend two full minutes drawing lines to see if someone’s a**e cheek is playing someone onside or not, because it’s very important to us that you aren’t upset.”

Goal line technology was sorely needed and takes literally seconds to make a completely factual decision while the game carries on. Perfect. You should also be able to use camera footage to clear up cases of mistaken identity or play back any off the ball incidents that the referee has missed or wrongly given a red card for (eg someone got punched and it was missed, or someone got accused of throwing a punch when they didn’t), because it’s once again factual and takes seconds to apply. Beyond that it really should be that subjective calls and the odd centimetre decision here and there are just part of the sport, but that became more hassle than it was worth thanks to people prioritising outrage over enjoyment.

 

[Grumpy Git]

I think the big problem is that Managers and players have been on the refs backs for too long. Even now they moan about every bloody decision. Then you get the Sky pundits (tossers) complaining about any decisions the ref and officials make. I feel for the refs, damned if they give a decision, damned if they don’t. What most forget is that they are on the field of play and have to keep up with a fast game, watch for fouls and offences, and make snap decisions.
If they don’t want VAR, then referees need protection. Only the captain can approach the ref, if you get in their face, you’re off.

 

[QR]

For the first time in ages, I sat down in a pub to watch a Premier League match. I almost completely avoid the Premier League for various reasons.

I cannot believe the state VAR has the game in. Arsenal scored a goal disallowed for offside. It seemed so utterly against the SPIRIT of the game I was in utter disbelief. The "pundits" Sky had on all said it was "the letter of the law" being applied etc.

Does anyone on here think that goal should be disallowed?

In the last match I watched, Arsenal Vs Manchester United, Garnacho had a goal disallowed because his little finger was offside, or something.

Every single goal is checked for a reason to disallow it. It is so anti-sport. A big part of the reason I come to watch us is that fantastic feeling when we score, if that gets taken away, I don't know if I will bother.

I really want us to get promoted, but if this nonsense gets brought in to the Championship, it will be such a sucker punch. They already have it in the "Bundesliga 2" in Germany. Give me a bad refereeing performance such as that Vale ref any day of the week in exchange for being able to live in the moment with football.

People say "It's not VAR it's the refs" but VAR will always be run by humans and subject to human error. I find it genuinely depressing. It certainly makes me not want Oxford to get to the PL. I'd prefer Championship, in a good stadium, community spirit, some local players, to the PL corrupt greedy farce any day.

I agree with much of what you say. A simple fix would be to say if part of your body is onside you're onside. And it would result in more goals which can't be bad.

 

[Oufcrealist]

As it stands VAR is farcical.
Offside for an ankle or an elbow is a complete nonsense.
For me, if any part of the attacker is level with the last defender then he should be onside. It should be that the whole body has to be in front for it to be offside. There is then a clear advantage to the attacker . I don't think fractions of a body should be offside.

 

[werthersoriginal]

As it stands VAR is farcical.
Offside for an ankle or an elbow is a complete nonsense.
For me, if any part of the attacker is level with the last defender then he should be onside. It should be that the whole body has to be in front for it to be offside. There is then a clear advantage to the attacker . I don't think fractions of a body should be offside.

Exactly, I thought the benefit of the doubt was meant to be given to attackers regarding offside decisions. And if an offence can’t be detected by the naked eye it shouldn’t be an offence.

 

[Foley]

VAR has got rid of the occasional awful decision- the clear and obvious error, which was I believe the intention.
I agree that the Sky summarisers questioning every decision was to blame.

IF we went back to the old way ( with goal line technology), how long before there were a couple of awful decisions and Sky/ managers were wanting it back?

 

[Lost Marbles]

It's just awful for partisan fans inside the ground (some neutrals probably welcome it or ain't too bothered).

If / when Oxford get in a league with VAR I can see it being the final push for me to choose a cheap, conveniently located non-league game instead. Celebrating our goals at Derby and Barnsley was fantastic, I just cannot see how it can ever be the same with VAR (I know currently there's occasionally a late flag or something that rules a goal out but it's very rare).

 

[bashamwonderland]

It's just awful for partisan fans inside the ground (some neutrals probably welcome it or ain't too bothered).

If / when Oxford get in a league with VAR I can see it being the final push for me to choose a cheap, conveniently located non-league game instead. Celebrating our goals at Derby and Barnsley was fantastic, I just cannot see how it can ever be the same with VAR (I know currently there's occasionally a late flag or something that rules a goal out but it's very rare).

And those quickfire goals against Middlesbrough back in 2017(?)... people rolling around on the floor, falling over seats etc. I wouldn't want to have to hold back in those genuinely special moments you get once every few years.

 

[Jster]

It basically gives primacy to the TV viewer over the spectator in the ground, which isnt that surprising, but is the reverse of what should be true.

 

[BotleyOx]

I'm not pro var myself but if we had it when Maradona's hand of God incident happened, that would have been disallowed and we could have gone on to win the world cup.

 

[Older Shotts]

I'm not pro var myself but if we had it when Maradona's hand of God incident happened, that would have been disallowed and we could have gone on to win the world cup. lose to West Germany instead

There, corrected that for you

 

[RyanioBirdio]

I'm not pro var myself but if we had it when Maradona's hand of God incident happened, that would have been disallowed and we could have gone on to win the world cup.

Sir Geoff Hurst dislikes this.