Remember that penalty against Bentancur...

[Mulletperm]

For not watching the ball?

 

[Robbo]

I do. Refs don't, or don't care or just doesn't give a fudge as long as they screw us over and give Arse every possible advantage in their title quest.

I'm not really one for conspiracy theories, and want to believe inconsistencies in refereing is largely due to human error, but lately? Not really sure anymore.

There are double standards for handballs, for pushes in the back, for red cards, for holding in the box - even for kicking the ball away after celebrating.

And we always come out on the wrong end of those decisions. I just don't believe it's coincidental anymore.

 

[mudshark]

The greatest lie ever propagated in football: "it all evens out in the end." And that's scarcely been any different, with or without VAR, largely due to the stupid "clear and obvious" get-out clause. Why should questions about fouls in the box have to be subject to a nebulous "clear and obvious" filter with deference to an on-field ref's perceptions, while offsides are scrutinized and pored over with microscopic precision taking minutes at a time, with no such criterion getting a mention? Just have the VAR ref apply the laws of the game, and if the on-field ref is wrong, he's wrong.

Edit: or, better still, bin it off altogether.

 

[parklane1]

The greatest lie ever propagated in football: "it all evens out in the end." And that's scarcely been any different, with or without VAR, largely due to the stupid "clear and obvious" get-out clause. Why should questions about fouls in the box have to be subject to a nebulous "clear and obvious" filter with deference to an on-field ref's perceptions, while offsides are scrutinized and pored over with microscopic precision taking minutes at a time, with no such criterion getting a mention? Just have the VAR ref apply the laws of the game, and if the on-field ref is wrong, he's wrong.

Edit: or, better still, bin it off altogether.

I do wish they would.

 

[Ace Face]

VAR has absolutely ruined the enjoyment of watching the game these days. Players are now flailing around at any form of contact knowing a VAR check may uncover a serious foul. That’s on top of regular 5 minute reviews for “clear and obvious” errors (which cannot then be claimed as neither clear or obvious) and the complete removal of any authentic goal celebrations as we all now have one eye on the ref every time.

For me, any check has to have a maximum allowed time for stoppage of play, say 30 seconds, after which the check is ended if no clear decision (ie. It’s not clear and obvious). Add in penalizing players for grabbing their face in pain when no contact was made. And refereeing set pieces must be addressed in the offseason to say all players, defense or attack, must face play and are not allowed to put arms around the opposition. Maybe even a max # of players allowed in the Six-yard box at any time. And tell the linesmen to put their flags up asap for offside for Christ’s sake!

Something has to be done. The game is brick to watch now.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

The issue is your dont rectify a wrong decision by making the same one next time to compensate
We just need better rest and VAR that’s quick and willing to tell their mate they are wrong

 

[Lost Mango]

The issue is your dint rectify a wrong decision by making the same one next time to compensate
We just need better rest and VAR that’s quick and willing to tell their mate they are wrong

Chris Foy spouting off in defence of his old pals at PGMOL and how they get it all correct because, well, because refs and VAR are doing it right and no one understands.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Chris Foy spouting off in defence of his old pals at PGMOL and how they get it all correct because, well, because refs and VAR are doing it right and no one understands.

They aren’t getting it correct
Even a blind man can see it
But similarly a mistake one week shouldn’t be rectified the next
Maybe I’m a fool but I dint mind crap refs if they are consistent and fair
Treats both teams equally as badly

 

[Lost Mango]

Surely a mistake one week should be rectified the next?

there shouldn't be some sort of compensatory action for the hard done by team by the next week ref to make up for it but if the same thing happens in a game the next week you would hope the refs had talked all the decisions from the previous week over and worked out which ones had been incorrect.

Agree on the final two lines - that is why I don't see a need for VAR particularly. Human error I am quite happy with. Errors after review and still subjective BS is a different matter.

 

[Muttley]

Football is an easy game. You have a ball, goal-posts, a pitch and 22 guys and/or girls with an objective of scoring goals and not conceding them.

To optimise this concept you have a referee who is there to make sure those 22 guys or girls play to the LAWS of the game. They are not guidelines or rules. They are LAWS.

So when referees stop doing that, with or without tech, the entire system breaks down. Those guys and girls on the pitch change their behaviours based on what the officials do. Their coaches encourage this behaviour.

I'd love to get Webb, Cefferin and Infantino and once I've finished beating the crap out of them get them to understand this very simple concept. I'd explain to them what their officials are doing is the equivalent of a police officer treating the 100mph caught on a speed camera as 69mph and letting you go on your merry way. The tech works, but the humans are breaking the entire system.

The current officiating really is a RIP Football moment in the game's history. It is beyond a joke at this point and it seems that the PL is the worst in the world for it under Webb.

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

One thing that needs to change is the almost 100% agreement by the referee to go along with the VAR decision when sent to the screen.

Before going to the screen the ref has only seen it in real time. He then sees all the angles the VAR ref has seen. He needs to stand up for himself if he doesn't see it quite the same way. Remembering he has the added advantage over VAR at this point of seeing it live.

What this also counteracts is onfield refs NOT making a decision, knowing VAR is there as a safety net. Make a decision with belief you're right.

 

[Lemonade Money]

One thing that needs to change is the almost 100% agreement by the referee to go along with the VAR decision when sent to the screen.

Before going to the screen the ref has only seen it in real time. He then sees all the angles the VAR ref has seen. He needs to stand up for himself if he doesn't see it quite the same way. Remembering he has the added advantage over VAR at this point of seeing it live.

What this also counteracts is onfield refs NOT making a decision, knowing VAR is there as a safety net. Make a decision in belief you're right.

It's a nonsense anyway going to the screen. Give the VAR ref the power to overturn if he sees a really clear and really obvious, its that simple. Exclude the onfield ref from VAR altogether. Otherwise just stick to automated offsides and goal line tech.

 

[DaveT316]

Chris Foy spouting off in defence of his old pals at PGMOL and how they get it all correct because, well, because refs and VAR are doing it right and no one understands.

I saw this and thought ‘that performance against Stoke? What the fudge do you know about getting decisions right?!?!’

One of the worst refereeing performances I’ve ever seen - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/16133317

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

It's a nonsense anyway going to the screen. Give the VAR ref the power to overturn if he sees a really clear and really obvious, its that simple. Exclude the onfield ref from VAR altogether. Otherwise just stick to automated offsides and goal line tech.

I think that's where I'm at with it.

Just stick with the tech for offsides and goaline (and probably add the corner or goal kick thing in)....and just leave the rest onfield.

Completely unseen stuff as well...like off the ball violence.

 

[Mr Gogolak]

I'll put my tin foil hat on, but there are indeed some strong signs that the FIFA President is, for lack of a better term, a CIA asset. Much of his work consisted in making football 'compliant' with US standards and redirecting football's resources towards the United States. VAR is part of the process designed to make football similar to other American sports.

The previous FIFA administration did their best to 'conquer' China but, for various reasons, it failed spectacularly. We'll see what happens after the World Cup but, at the moment, I really think they're trying hard to make football acceptable for an American audience + media.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Surely a mistake one week should be rectified the next?

there shouldn't be some sort of compensatory action for the hard done by team by the next week ref to make up for it but if the same thing happens in a game the next week you would hope the refs had talked all the decisions from the previous week over and worked out which ones had been incorrect.

Agree on the final two lines - that is why I don't see a need for VAR particularly. Human error I am quite happy with. Errors after review and still subjective BS is a different matter.

Yep
Vs Arsenal they should have all agreed it’s never a foul
So this week… they dont give it as a foul
Issue is much wider than that
It’s incompetence across the board
And still getting it wrong with VAR because it’s subjective just makes the technology pointless

 

[Gazza Dazzla]

Yep
Vs Arsenal they should have all agreed it’s never a foul
So this week… they dont give it as a foul
Issue is much wider than that
It’s incompetence across the board
And still getting it wrong with VAR because it’s subjective just makes the technology pointless

If that’s what they decided then they need to come out and say that, because at the moment they look incompetent at best and plain corrupt at worst.

 

[Lemonade Money]

I'll put my tin foil hat on, but there are indeed some strong signs that the FIFA President is, for lack of a better term, a CIA asset. Much of his work consisted in making football 'compliant' with US standards and redirecting football's resources towards the United States. VAR is part of the process designed to make football similar to other American sports.

The previous FIFA administration did their best to 'conquer' China but, for various reasons, it failed spectacularly. We'll see what happens after the World Cup but, at the moment, I really think they're trying hard to make football acceptable for an American audience + media.

Fifa are USA's puppet after the FBI stormed their HQ and found all their skeletons. Every decision since has been what Fifa have been told to do.

 

[Muttley]

Fifa are USA's puppet after the FBI stormed their HQ and found all their skeletons. Every decision since has been what Fifa have been told to do.

The USA will get the Russia and Qatar treatment. FIFA licked their arse and gave them a WC in 2018 to bring corrupt money into their coffers. They've now moved on to Trump and ignoring Putin in the process. Don't need him anymore as they wouldn't get away with another WC in Russia yet. Definitely not with the war on.

As soon as the USA WC is over FIFA will drop Trump like a stone. That's their model. They know grass roots football in the US isn't worth waiting for. They can let someone else do the hard work and lap up the riches in a decade.

They know FIFA have the 3 continents WC. Lots of money there then move on to those very nice, rich Sheikh's in Saudi. Next decade's income sown up.

Being FIFA president is a great gig. Doesn't give 2 hoots about FBI, CIA, KGB etc. He plays them all.

 

[Lost Mango]

If that’s what they decided then they need to come out and say that, because at the moment they look incompetent at best and plain corrupt at worst.

This is certainly part of the problem. You have the talking head refs trying to justify the different decisions based on 'intent' or 'the amount of contact' or the 'strength of the push', 'how long the shirt was held for' - all subjective and meaningless.

If Foy, Poll etc came out and said 'we reviewed all the incidents amongst ourselves (not for the benefit of Sky Sports) and we agreed that this decision was a mistake so going forward we will do Y now instead of X' I think most fans would accept that - they would moan about the initial decision but understand what would happen going forward.

Still doesn't require VAR on the pitch side. Automatic offsides, goal line technology, fit and competent officials, and retrospective fines and bans for players and managers for things missed. And a transparent media approach which admits they can make mistakes but shows that they are not intentional or bias.