Like most new scenarios in football, VAR has all the potential to make a crisis out of a drama if we aren’t careful.
After being kept in the dark over some reviews inside the stadium, eople are already deciding the new development is a bad thing.
As a traditionalist I’d probably have sooner kept things the way they were with after match arguments on controversial events very much part of the enjoyment.
But it is of course reasonable to accept that given the amount of money involved in the game now, technology probably had to appear at some stage.
However, right now we are short of where we need to be although that’s not the fault of VAR but rather a lack of communication.
Football needs to take a leaf out of rugby’s book and have the ref explain to the punters from the middle exactly why a situation is being reviewed or why a decision has been made.
Manuel Pellegrini holds a positive view of the decision to introduce the new set up saying: “It’s complicated but I think VAR is fair for both teams.
We used it in the same circumstances for both teams. I think it will improve and maybe we won’t be reviewing every mistake. I think it will improve the games though.”
VAR isn’t going to get it right all the time and I still believe the goal allowed for City during Saturday’s match was offside.
There’ not too much point in getting too excited over it – VAR has arrived and we will live with it as we have all other changes in the game.
But please, can we have more communication – surely it’s not too difficult to let us know what’s going on.
A goal is scored, the reaction from the crowd is instant, elation or deflation depending on which side scored. Now there’s the uncertainty of a VAR decision. Do you not think that it is sucking the passion out of the game?
Really! …….a goal disallowed because Sterling’s arm hair was offside!
Technology works in cricket, tennis & rugby etc but I wonder how much it will detract from the humanity of the game.
Totally agree with Ajay and although the score was correct, I think Sterling’s goal should have stood and I think the original penalty miss shouldn’t have been retaken. Enforcing VAR to the point of anal retentiveness will kill the natural atmosphere. If I were La Liga or the Bundesliga, I’d be bold and scrap VAR because the tag of ‘the best league in the world’ is up for grabs.
Just because it applies to both sides doesn’t necessarily make it right.The penalty in particular pains me.If a player cannot score from 12 yards then he shouldn’t be taking the kick.IIn Aguero’s case, he hits an awful penalty which Fabianski saves and then is rewarded because the keeper has moved one foot a split second before the ball is kicked.This is wrong IMO.If a keeper is good enough to save a penalty it should stand.
VAR is here to stay and it will change the way that we watch football and not always for the best reasons. i was at the WHU v City game on Saturday and like Ajay says, you cannot immediatly celebrate a goal (not that we have any to celebrate) as any goal could well be reviwed and so there is a lot of standing around waiting for a result when you do not know what they are checking. Rice’s penalty infringment? ….. no one knew what they were reviwing so an explanation has to be relayed to the crowd…..doesn’t it?