We have seen some terrible howlers again since the restart and today our ClaretandHugh poll asks what precisely is the answer to this hugely controversial issue.
Chairman can vote to scrap it or make changes once the issue is put on their agenda so long as they achieve a majority of 14
So today we ask whether it should be scrapped and we return to the referee and his assistant being solely responsible for decisions.
[crowdsignal poll=10575231]
All very well scrapping it but as soon as an obvious decision goes against us (and it will) you will be up in arms moaning about poor refs.
The system needs modifying not scrapping.
I’d vote to keep VAR. We all need to think back to the incredible and constant number of mistakes before VAR came in, it was an endless conveyor belt! Much much fewer now with VAR.
If your offside your offside, doesn’t matter by how much. That’s the rule, not VARs fault.
If you touch the ball with your hand intentionally or unintentionally in the build up to a goal then the goal is disallowed. It’s either that or we go back to a massive grey area again.
My guess is the same people that moan or blame VAR will be the same people moaning if we scrap it and go back to blatant offside goals being disallowed and onside goals being ruled out regularly.
This is an excellent question and the decision should quite simply be driven by the clients of football (ie the spectators and football fans). Football fans pay for the product of football either directly (eg season ticket holders,, buying merchandise etc.) or indirectly ( e.g Sky subscription). It is muli million pound industry and the paying clients should have the final decision as to whether VAR should be continued or not.
Please please, please. Doesn’t matter that we have been on the wrong end of decisions. I want to cheer a goal and not look stupid when it ruled out. Better referees will help. but enough is enough… Money is killing the game, agents too (related); but this has been dire all round. I wonder what ALL fans from ALL clubs feel. don’t like spuds, but felt a travesty of justice went against them the other night too. Rant over, need more beer
VAR needs to be “seen” to be fair, all goals that have a possible offside need to be shown. The Man Utd goal v Bournemouth the other night a case in point, no visible VAR check and no SKY scrutiny either! Even though the goal helps us it didn’t seem right. VAR needs to be applied consistently and at the moment it isn’t.
I wouldn’t scrap it, I think it’s the application that’s flawed rather than the principle. But something needs to change.
A couple of things I’d consider if I had the influence….
Open mic between VAR and onfield ref so we can hear the logic and conversation (like rugby). For us this week the conversation around whether Antonio was active would have been interesting.
Also an ‘umpires call’ like cricket – if it’s marginal then stick with the onfield decision.
And a time limit. If the purpose is to fix ‘clear and obvious errors’ then a 60 or 90 second review limit should be adequate. Otherwise by definition it isn’t clear and obvious.
Just my tuppence worth, but a couple of things that feel simple and could improve the use of it
Absolutely. If they’re keeping the definition “clear and obvious” they need to apply a time limit, or a panel decision like boxing. Either that, or they need to use VAR for everything and be 100% correct 100% of the time. The FA rushed bringing it in and there have been some howlers. Spurs handball aside, the goal in the Villa v Sheff U Game?