Farcical penalty decision in the Palace V Liverpool game earlier. Are we just accepting VAR is here to stay? Took about 5 minutes with countless replays , ref going to the monitor and still the wrong decision is made!
They've forgotten the question ... not 'Was it a penalty?' ... but 'Did the ref make a clear and obvious error?'.
If it's taking five minutes, with countless replays, then the ref did not make a clear and obvious error.
So, the referee's original decision (even if wrong) should stand.
Poor decision by VAR and ref double act with Jota but a myriad of Correct decisions made with the use of Technology( VAR and Goal line watch) in matches recently.
Blaming the VAR and not just general referee competence is so backwards.
If the refs knew what the rules were and what they're doing, VAR wouldnt be an issue.
The problem is that, even with all the help VAR provides, referees are STILL coming to the wrong decisions constantly.
There will always be borderline decisions ... and different refs (and different fans) will disagree. You cannot expect perfection. And it has been like that since sport began.
VAR is there to pick up the 'clear and obvious error' ... not to decide on the absolute truth of any given situation.
So, we live with the referee's decision knowing that, most times, it will be correct. VAR can help when the referee has clearly got it wrong.
Blaming the VAR and not just general referee competence is so backwards.
If the refs knew what the rules were and what they're doing, VAR wouldnt be an issue.
The problem is that, even with all the help VAR provides, referees are STILL coming to the wrong decisions constantly.
There will always be borderline decisions ... and different refs (and different fans) will disagree. You cannot expect perfection. And it has been like that since sport began.
VAR is there to pick up the 'clear and obvious error' ... not to decide on the absolute truth of any given situation.
So, we live with the referee's decision knowing that, most times, it will be correct. VAR can help when the referee has clearly got it wrong.
They are currently so so far from perfection it's unreal.
the quality of refereeing in the English game is probably at it's worst in a while, across all divisions, made worse by the mentality of PGMOL who seem to think it's all perfect. Honestly don't think Sargents first on Saturday gets given without Goal Line Technology when it's a yard over the line.
The tech is fine, it works well in other leagues but seems to be badly implemented in the PL.
The Liverpool pen was just madness. I kinda get that VAR asked the ref to have another look as sometimes the angle can mean he might miss some contact. But, how the fuck does the ref then have a look on the monitor and decide he was wrong?! It's just incredible. It's not a pen in a million years. Terrible reffing.
Wasn't sure about the Kane one tbh. There's not much in it. If kane had gone down like the Chelsea defender in the box like that then he'd probably be booked for diving!
Bloke on the distant VAR for the palarse/Liverpool game has had a double sketchy run lately both on field and hidden away in the VAR bunker If he watched the angle from behind the goalline that clearly showed Jota swerving into the goalie to make the contact, and then told the onfield ref he needs to look at it again, then he's just a flat out cheat If he didn't look at that angle before referring back to the onfield official then he's critically inadequate.
Then when the onfield ref belatedly goes to the screen and sees the angle which categorically proves he was right all along how does he come up with the notion he made the clear and obvious error and should have given a penalty. It's flat out cheating. But I fail to see who is making out of it, so why do they do it?
VAR is supposed to be there for the howler and line decisions. In English football it starkly highlights the disgracefully low standard of the officials in use. The same twots that fuck things up on pitch match after match are taking it in turns to tell their colleagues they've fucked up from the security of an anonymous bunker. They expose their utter incomprehension of the game, time after time.
Additional video support for filtering out crappy decisions (like DRS in cricket) ought to be fine and broadly uncontroversial. But it is implemented here by inadequate plodders who have zero confidence they even approximately know what they're doing and feel obliged to guess again even when they get a much better view.
Trouble is plenty money got hoovered in by FIFA, UEFA et al from the technology companies to facilitate the "improvement" so it's here to stay for the foreseeable. What can and must be improved is the stumbling bumbling halfwits prancing around with whistles making miserable tits of themselves while ruining far too many matches.
Fatboy Huxtable must be dreading the day VAR gets introduced down in 3rd division, that'll mean having to lug his awesome gut hundreds of yards further across the pitch to review his inadequacies.
I can’t wait for a Tuesday night game up north in February 2026. Monseur Kettle on VAR. game finishes just after 1am.
In serious though, we know the refs are even worse down in the doldrums of league one. I genuinely shudder thinking how long the games would go on if we had VAR.
edit: I just had a horrible thought. Stroud as ref and Kettle on VAR….
The ability to review any incident almost immediately from multiple angles and in much more detail/specific player views etc
I wonder how long until managers can make a challenge to a referees decision. much like other sports (nfl for example). A set number of challenges per match, extra if you’re correct.
The worst part of football has always been the referees. People actually complaining about technology helping us have more correct decisions in the future in a shorter time frame.
Isn't that what you wanted from VAR in the first place?
The worst part of football has always been the referees. People actually complaining about technology helping us have more correct decisions in the future in a shorter time frame.
Isn't that what you wanted from VAR in the first place?
Isn't that what the disciples promised right from the start and what blatantly HASN'T happened?
Now we are being told this new sooper dooper technology is going to make things better. Well forgive me for not hanging out the bunting just yet ....
The worst part of football has always been the referees. People actually complaining about technology helping us have more correct decisions in the future in a shorter time frame.
Isn't that what you wanted from VAR in the first place?
Isn't that what the disciples promised right from the start and what blatantly HASN'T happened?
Now we are being told this new sooper dooper technology is going to make things better. Well forgive me for not hanging out the bunting just yet ....
Why did it work perfectly at the world cup but not here?
Because the referees in this country on the whole are so poor they can't even look at a replay and get things right.
The worst part of football has always been the referees. People actually complaining about technology helping us have more correct decisions in the future in a shorter time frame.
Isn't that what you wanted from VAR in the first place?
Isn't that what the disciples promised right from the start and what blatantly HASN'T happened?
Now we are being told this new sooper dooper technology is going to make things better. Well forgive me for not hanging out the bunting just yet ....
Why did it work perfectly at the world cup but not here?
Because the referees in this country on the whole are so poor they can't even look at a replay and get things right.
So, we are agreed that VAR - the system that introduces the assistance of a referee with access to video - hasn't been working.
Comments
If it's taking five minutes, with countless replays, then the ref did not make a clear and obvious error.
So, the referee's original decision (even if wrong) should stand.
How difficult is it?
If the refs knew what the rules were and what they're doing, VAR wouldnt be an issue.
The problem is that, even with all the help VAR provides, referees are STILL coming to the wrong decisions constantly.
No it's fcking dog shit for everyone involved.
VAR is there to pick up the 'clear and obvious error' ... not to decide on the absolute truth of any given situation.
So, we live with the referee's decision knowing that, most times, it will be correct. VAR can help when the referee has clearly got it wrong.
The tech is fine, it works well in other leagues but seems to be badly implemented in the PL.
the Liverpool penalty was wrong
the Harry Kane goal being ruled out was correct
Wasn't sure about the Kane one tbh. There's not much in it. If kane had gone down like the Chelsea defender in the box like that then he'd probably be booked for diving!
Just look at the evidence:
1. The player was unimpeded by any defender.
2. The player lost control of the ball.
3. It was not a goalscoring opportunity.
but...
4. It was against Palace.
So: penalty, all day long. Correct decision. Move on.
If he watched the angle from behind the goalline that clearly showed Jota swerving into the goalie to make the contact, and then told the onfield ref he needs to look at it again, then he's just a flat out cheat
If he didn't look at that angle before referring back to the onfield official then he's critically inadequate.
Then when the onfield ref belatedly goes to the screen and sees the angle which categorically proves he was right all along how does he come up with the notion he made the clear and obvious error and should have given a penalty. It's flat out cheating. But I fail to see who is making out of it, so why do they do it?
VAR is supposed to be there for the howler and line decisions. In English football it starkly highlights the disgracefully low standard of the officials in use. The same twots that fuck things up on pitch match after match are taking it in turns to tell their colleagues they've fucked up from the security of an anonymous bunker. They expose their utter incomprehension of the game, time after time.
Additional video support for filtering out crappy decisions (like DRS in cricket) ought to be fine and broadly uncontroversial. But it is implemented here by inadequate plodders who have zero confidence they even approximately know what they're doing and feel obliged to guess again even when they get a much better view.
Trouble is plenty money got hoovered in by FIFA, UEFA et al from the technology companies to facilitate the "improvement" so it's here to stay for the foreseeable. What can and must be improved is the stumbling bumbling halfwits prancing around with whistles making miserable tits of themselves while ruining far too many matches.
Fatboy Huxtable must be dreading the day VAR gets introduced down in 3rd division, that'll mean having to lug his awesome gut hundreds of yards further across the pitch to review his inadequacies.
edit: I just had a horrible thought. Stroud as ref and Kettle on VAR….
I wonder how long until managers can make a challenge to a referees decision.
much like other sports (nfl for example). A set number of challenges per match, extra if you’re correct.
I doubt it’s far off.
Isn't that what you wanted from VAR in the first place?
Now we are being told this new sooper dooper technology is going to make things better. Well forgive me for not hanging out the bunting just yet ....
Because the referees in this country on the whole are so poor they can't even look at a replay and get things right.
Glad you've finally got there.
(1930 WC when Uruguay beat Argentina)