After a few tournaments using VAR, I think there are a couple of tweaks that need to be made for it to really improve the game.
I think the main improvement would be to take the lead from cricket - basically for an LBW call, more that 50% of the ball must be hitting the off stump - so if it’s too fine for the DRS (VAR) umpire to call, then they stick with the umpire's original call.
In a football situation, if an incident is so fine that the VAR refs could watch a replay 100 times and still be unable to decide (like the England Woman's pen decision against USA), then the ruling should be to just go with the on pitch ref's original decision. Not only would this stop the ridiculously lengthy stoppages, including the ref having to watch on a screen, but would also remove pressure from refs where the decision is just too close to call – the only fair way is to go with their instinctive first thought. So a simple process of watching it 4/5 times from all angles – if it's obvious, give the outcome to the ref, if not just stick with on pitch refs original decision – whole process less than 2 mins!
Secondly, regarding offside, I think we need to remember the purpose of the offside rule: to stop players goal hanging. If VAR shows a players big toenail is offside, then just go with the on pitch refs original decision! I’ve seen circumstances where a player is offside but running back onside and is onside by the time they receive the ball – a bit of common sense would suggest that the player has gained no advantage for being offside?!
Anyway, I’m a fan of VAR but it needs to be made far simpler!
VAR improvements
posted on 11/7/19
comment by There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
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I think the current logic is fine. VAR highlights if the referee has made an error, referee watches it then decides.
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If youre happy watching the ref watch TV - Id rather watch football!
posted on 11/7/19
comment by CutMeAndIBleedRed (U7593)
posted 1 hour, 45 minutes ago
comment by There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
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I think the current logic is fine. VAR highlights if the referee has made an error, referee watches it then decides.
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If youre happy watching the ref watch TV - Id rather watch football!
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I don't think it has to be one or the other. I can watch football and watch the ref get help and therefore making the correct decision. I'm good with that. If you don't like it, tough. It has been implemented for the new season, you'll have to bear it.
posted on 11/7/19
comment by There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
posted 3 hours, 22 minutes ago
comment by CutMeAndIBleedRed (U7593)
posted 1 hour, 45 minutes ago
comment by There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
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I think the current logic is fine. VAR highlights if the referee has made an error, referee watches it then decides.
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If youre happy watching the ref watch TV - Id rather watch football!
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I don't think it has to be one or the other. I can watch football and watch the ref get help and therefore making the correct decision. I'm good with that. If you don't like it, tough. It has been implemented for the new season, you'll have to bear it.
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No i do like it - but like most things, it can be improved upon. I want to see used to rectify blatant mistakes - i have no issue when there are very marginal decisions than just go with what was original decided - id rather the game flowed than we review every tiny little issue to the nth degree
posted on 11/7/19
Getting the correct decision for offside goals and penalties are hardly tiny little issues. They are huge, game changing issues. And literally the reason why var exists.
posted on 11/7/19
comment by Ed The King Woodward (U10026)
posted 5 minutes ago
Getting the correct decision for offside goals and penalties are hardly tiny little issues. They are huge, game changing issues. And literally the reason why var exists.
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Exactly. Not only game changing issues but title challenging, relegation changing etc etc. They are massive decisions.
posted on 11/7/19
TOOR
posted on 11/7/19
comment by CutMeAndIBleedRed (U7593)
posted 1 day, 3 hours ago
comment by it was hippo the whole time! it was a trick! - formerly definitely not hippo. (U1301)
posted 15 seconds ago
a bit of common sense would suggest that the player has gained no advantage for being offside?!
..............
?
"onside by the time they receive the ball"
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Yeah - not sure this is even implementable! Basically you are offside when the ball is passed but running back towards an on side position so that you are in an onside position when you receive the ball - there foe have gained no advantage!
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So the player was offside then?
posted on 11/7/19
comment by Ed The King Woodward (U10026)
posted 1 hour, 4 minutes ago
Getting the correct decision for offside goals and penalties are hardly tiny little issues. They are huge, game changing issues. And literally the reason why var exists.
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And wickets are game changing moments in cricket!!!! The point being (again) that there are times when a call is so tight, that there is no issue with going with the original decision rather than wasting 10 minutes watching the same event over and over and over again!
posted on 11/7/19
comment by FishMCFC (U16301)
posted 47 minutes ago
comment by CutMeAndIBleedRed (U7593)
posted 1 day, 3 hours ago
comment by it was hippo the whole time! it was a trick! - formerly definitely not hippo. (U1301)
posted 15 seconds ago
a bit of common sense would suggest that the player has gained no advantage for being offside?!
..............
?
"onside by the time they receive the ball"
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Yeah - not sure this is even implementable! Basically you are offside when the ball is passed but running back towards an on side position so that you are in an onside position when you receive the ball - there foe have gained no advantage!
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So the player was offside then?
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By the current rules yes - just think we've lost sight on what the original rule was for! This is actually a separate issue form VAR but one i think VAR could assist with.
posted on 12/7/19
I agree with OP.
a) make the officals make their decisions before showing any VAR. Then we are testing a decision not wondering what to decide after
b) review based on that decision with the basic question. Is there clear evidence to over turn this decision.
"award a goal", is there evidence to not award it.
"its a pen" is there evidence this is not as pen. aka no contact at all or ball was clearly kicked by defender
"its not a pen" is there CLEAR evidence at this should be over turned.
and so forth.
Most of all I feel that we need a review system. Let each team get one or two reviews per game and unless they USE then no VAR.
I'd rather discuss why did the manager waste his review then have a ref make a bad call than review 8-10 incidents.