I'm glad that the issue of officiating is a hot topic at the moment. Officiating has always been the worst part about following football for me, as this rant will testify as I'm gonna lay it all down.
I understand the argument that the match ref is on the pitch and can see things first hand, and that makes a lot of sense at first glance but a closer inspection reveals that that means he mostly doesn't see the most important facets of a contentious passage of play, whereas in this day and age the VAR ref can look at replays of anything they want and from many different angles and in slow motion even. Ref seeing things first hand is exactly why the guy able to repeatedly review what ref saw once first hand should have the last word.
You will notice that in a lot of these instances, the only person without a clue is the match ref. Viewers, commentators and even players usually know what decision needs to be made. Purely as an example, Mac Allister red card, everyone in the world except the match ref said straight away that a red was harsh, even JA606 was almost unanimous and that's rare, and yet it's the clueless match ref that has the last word.
VAR could have been rescinded the red card immediately to everyone's benefit. Saves Liverpool and the FA time, energy and resources (independent panels are well paid I'm sure) and Mac Allister gets to finish the game. But they hid behind "clear and obvious". Is sticking with the match ref as the last word just people being afraid to change things? Isn't there a argument that VAR should now be the last word? If VAR say it's not a red then there's no way the match ref should be able to overule that decision all things considered.
What are your arguments for or against match ref vs VAR ref? I know it's an unpopular opinion, and many might disagree, but I'd now go for VAR calling the shots.
VAR vs Match Ref
posted on 25/8/23
I can only imagine how difficult it is to ref a game. This nonsense of trying to go with the on field decision as much as possible is not the way forward.
There's been 3 shocking decisions I can think of already this season.
The MacAllister one, all they have to do is view that on VAR and overturn the red card. The fact that it was overturned after the game just shows what a mess this all is. I'm far from a Liverpool fan but against better opposition that could have been unfairly costly.
Onana vs Wolves. Of course I'm glad it wasn't given but that's a penalty all day.
Romero vs United. I don't agree with the current rules on handball. My argument is that you can't play football with your arms down by your side at all times but in the current rules it's a penalty.
There's no excuse for getting so much wrong when you have VAR.
posted on 25/8/23
They're both absolutely useless. Need ex players to be involved as I trust them to apply common sense to decisions.
VAR should only be used for blatant errors such as the hand of god and Henry handball v Ireland. It shouldn't be used to scrutinise absolutely everything. It's not a video assistant, its video interference
Ref should have the final say and shouldn't keep getting told what decision to make by VAR
Replays on the side of the pitch should be for the ref to second check a decision, not to be told what to do by the var lot upstairs.
Football wasn't this bad before VAR
posted on 25/8/23
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66612570
Here you go. We all said it, that var refuse to make correct decisions in case they upset their mates. Absolute joke.
posted on 25/8/23
This was also the guy in studio said macallister was a red card
Still backing up.his mates even though he is no longer in the prof ranks.
posted on 25/8/23
comment by Shaun M - supercalifragilisticOrtaisatrocious (U9955)
posted 12 minutes ago
They're both absolutely useless. Need ex players to be involved as I trust them to apply common sense to decisions.
VAR should only be used for blatant errors such as the hand of god and Henry handball v Ireland. It shouldn't be used to scrutinise absolutely everything. It's not a video assistant, its video interference
Ref should have the final say and shouldn't keep getting told what decision to make by VAR
Replays on the side of the pitch should be for the ref to second check a decision, not to be told what to do by the var lot upstairs.
Football wasn't this bad before VAR
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ex-footballers are the worst when it comes to a lack of partiality.
Former keepers will almost always side with a fellow member of the goalkeeper "union".
Former attacking players tend to defend any attempts at conning the ref as "clever". While former defensive players look the other way when it comes to the dark arts.
posted on 25/8/23
It didn't help that the VAR last weekend was Paul Tierney who seems to have developed a specific dislike of Klopp and/or Liverpool. Liverpool have a statistically significant drop in their win percentage over the last 6 years when Tierney is involved in their games.
https://tomkinstimes.substack.com/p/detailed-analysis-the-alarming-abnormal
posted on 25/8/23
Var should have final say. They have the evidence. Simple
Var should be used to take the pressure off the ref. Likes of fergie back in the day getting in their ears.
David Ellaray admitted in his autobiography adding time at old trafford due to pressure.
Take this away from them get unbiased operators to run VAR its really that simple.
posted on 25/8/23
comment by Rouge (U19907)
posted 5 seconds ago
Var should have final say. They have the evidence. Simple
Var should be used to take the pressure off the ref. Likes of fergie back in the day getting in their ears.
David Ellaray admitted in his autobiography adding time at old trafford due to pressure.
Take this away from them get unbiased operators to run VAR its really that simple.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Exactly.
posted on 25/8/23
comment by The Process (U20671)
posted 1 hour, 43 minutes ago
I can only imagine how difficult it is to ref a game. This nonsense of trying to go with the on field decision as much as possible is not the way forward.
====
Things like that will happen when you're asking dinosaurs to relinquish their authority.
"We'll bring in VAR because of all the errors of on pitch decisions, but at the same time do all we can to stick with on field decisions, which are the reason we are bringing in VAR in the first place, just so we can't stick with them".
posted on 25/8/23
comment by welshpoolfan (U7693)
posted 27 minutes ago
It didn't help that the VAR last weekend was Paul Tierney who seems to have developed a specific dislike of Klopp and/or Liverpool. Liverpool have a statistically significant drop in their win percentage over the last 6 years when Tierney is involved in their games.
https://tomkinstimes.substack.com/p/detailed-analysis-the-alarming-abnormal
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Incredible read. Damning.