On Monday morning BBC match of the day host Gary Lineker gave his thoughts on Twitter about the opening weekend of the Premier League season by saying “First thoughts of the opening weekend of the season. All fairly predictable: Manchester City once again the team to beat. Liverpool will be the chief threat. VAR should’ve been introduced.”
Hammer Pablo Zabaleta who was an unused substitute at Anfield on Sunday replied: “Totally agree with you Gary”
The VAR system, under which refereeing decisions can be reviewed and overturned by TV replays, will not be used in this season’s (2018/19) Premier League after clubs voted against its inclusion back in April, instead opting for a ‘testing’ period. A two-thirds majority voted to defer the technology’s inclusion, instead deciding that trials in English competitions should be extended another year. The system was used in selected matches of the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup last season.
In a statement on the matter, the Premier League said: “The decision came after comprehensive discussions regarding the progress made in VAR trials in English football and key learnings from the many competitions elsewhere using it.”
Liverpool’s third goal would have been ruled offside if VAR technology had been in place on Sunday.
We use it very effectively in other sports, not only should they introduce it, they should also mic up the referee to explain how he came to the decision just as they do in Rugby or American Football, every goal should be reviewed, if offences take place off the ball and the fourth official spots them, he should notify ref to stop game and offending player booked or sent off as appropriate with free kick awarded to offended team. They can also set up an appeal process similar to Tennis with captains or managers able to appeal decisions, win and you keep the appeal, lose and a direct free kick is awarded just outside your own penalty box at a place decided by your opposition (that would liven things up).
More gobbledegook from the FA. What does that statement actually tell us about the reasons it was voted down? I really cannot see any drawbacks to introducing it. What can they possibly learn in another year of testing that they don’t already know? Given that bad decisions usually seem to favour the bigger teams, I wonder if this could have something to do with it.
They say the mistakes even up by the seasons end but I find us short on that,it always seems we have to work like Trojans to score and then concede a clear offside or a cheeky handball etc. no luck and West Ham United don’t go in the same sentence.COYI
I agree Fan 32. THE big clubs seem to be able to exert pressure on the officials I remember Jimmy Greaves saying you never get a penalty at Liverpool & the same applies to Man U also when Ferguson was the manager whenever they were losing there was always ten minutes added. it seems that the VAR system would even up the odds & the big clubs do not like that
I wonder if VAR could even up the fixture generator as well? Obviously, after Tin Pots (H) Chelski (A) Arsenal (A) Manu (A) Liverpool (A) we are due Man C (A) next year! Pure coincidence and nothing to do with the announcement of the LS Deal all those years ago of course. Dermot Gallagher identified two ‘incorrect’ decisions on gameweek one on Sky’s Ref Watch, the recipients? Man City and Liverpool, the two teams least in need of the help. Anyone fancy keeping score of teams benefitting and losing out throughout the season because I’m pretty sure which side of ‘average’ we would sit.