17 Jun 2018 07:17:17
A discussion about VAR.

I know a lot of people here are not convinced by it but it is an idea which is growing on me. What really tipped it for me was a moment in Portugal vs Spain- the first Spain goal.

Sergio Busquets played a long ball to Diego Costa who won it from Pepe in an aeriel duel. In the usually horrific circumstances for Pepe there was slight contact between Costa's arm and his face and naturally, he went down as though he'd been hit by a pellet bomb. Now, had there been no VAR, I am sure the referee would have called a foul, but having the ability to bring the play back to review allowed him to let play go on. Costa got the ball and as he was trying to get his shot away, the fatally decapitated Pepe realised that the play was not stopping and he was alive after all, so he got up and ran to stop Costa. In that moment it became clear to the referee that Pepe was playacting. So in this case, the mere presence of VAR was enough to prevent an act of cheating from having scuppered a great goal from Costa.

I know the system isn't ideal but clearly there are some great benefits to be had from it. In addition to above, it's great to know that the result of a crucial game will not be determined by an opponent's cheating or a mistake by the linesman. Those who are still not convinced, what would you do to fix it given that it's the future of the game.

{Ed001's Note - while I don't like Pepe and he did make far too much of it, that was a foul and it is just as likely to be given under VAR as it would have been without it.}


1.) 17 Jun 2018
17 Jun 2018 08:16:12
I am all for using video to improve refereeing but I still wish they used a review system instead of the current method. I just feel it's going to lead to refs using it as a crutch. I was amazed the ref didn't immediately give Peru a pen against Denmark and, instead, waited for the VAR system to alert him to the fact.

My worry is that the onfield ref will just become a mouthpiece for the video refs with little authority themselves.


2.) 17 Jun 2018
17 Jun 2018 08:47:32
I thought it was a foul too. Detest Pepe tho.


3.) 17 Jun 2018
17 Jun 2018 09:03:14
I thought it was a foul myself and thought that incident was indicative of the flaws of the system: humans are still making the decisions - humans are fallible and humans see things differently from one another. It was a similar story in the Australia game where I thought the defender touched the ball onto Griezman but VAR awarded a pen. It might stop absolute howlers (and even that is not a certainty) but contentious issues will still be rife. Also don't like how players are already clamouring for the VAR in games nor the way it slows games down. I'd rather the referees where just respected much more irrespective of mistakes - it would empower them and give them a platform to referee better.


4.) 17 Jun 2018
17 Jun 2018 09:10:42
We talk about refs decisions now we talk about var, what's changed. A good example is I 100% didn't think Griezmans was a pen yesterday but there will be many who thought it was.


5.) 17 Jun 2018
17 Jun 2018 09:30:29
I was in a bar full of people who didn't think that greizmans was a penalty and we were struggling to see how it was a "clear mistake" allowing VAR to overturn it. Argentina should have had a penalty in the later game that the ref didn't give and VAR didn't intervene, it still doesn't give consistency it's just another guys opinion sat behind a screen. Drogba, Neville and the other pundit on BBC had 3 different opinions on that Greizman pen so it must be difficult but I thought that's why it had to be a clear and obvious mistake for them to get involved. I also think that certain players will learn to initiate contact so that it looks bad under slow motion cameras, France were disgusting for all their play acting yesterday.


6.) 17 Jun 2018
17 Jun 2018 09:41:52
What I like about VAR and other similar systems in rugby and ice hockey is the players cannot wander up to it and influence them like they do with refs on the field.

Unless governing bodies are going to get more strict about players approaching the ref they need to use VAR.


7.) 17 Jun 2018
17 Jun 2018 09:43:48
The one for Australia agaisnt France - the clear handball by umtiti - is how it should be used. It was clear and obvious and they didn't need 3/ 4 looks to see if it was a foul. Just a quick glance and it's a clear pen. The France penalty people are still debating now - the refs decision should stand.
The bit I don't like is what the OP said, letting the play GK as they know they can go back. The refs should make the calls as they see them, not let everything go as they have a chance to review it.


8.) 17 Jun 2018
17 Jun 2018 10:04:14
It was a foul but I'm glad it wasn't given because Pepe is a notorious play actor and I hate the way players roll around.


9.) 17 Jun 2018
17 Jun 2018 10:55:55
It was a stone wall foul and I couldn’t believe people saying it wasn’t a clear and obvious mistake. He didn’t nearly know him out or anything but it was an arm to the face that clearly knocked him off balance having jumped for the ball.


10.) 17 Jun 2018
17 Jun 2018 13:24:00
It was a foul.


11.) 17 Jun 2018
17 Jun 2018 17:41:56
On another occasion the ref would allow his whistle too early.


12.) 17 Jun 2018
17 Jun 2018 17:42:47
The 'clear and obvious error' moniker was coined by Mike Riley and it stuck. It's not actually on the protocol. He used it as a means to explain its use so that people would understand, and true to form, it's all that people focus on.

I have been sceptical of VAR in it's current form in the UK, but seeing how they let the game flow in the World Cup, even when a decision is imminent, has really impressed me. Players will get used to just getting on with it and playing to the whistle. Obviously not all decisions will be 100% correct, but more will be and any improvement is an improvement nonetheless. Also, there is less harassing of the referees, minimum delays (or delays at suitable times) and a consistency can be more easily maintained. So far, the World Cup usage has changed my mind.