Offside decisions are set to be overhauled when VAR changes come into effect ahead of the 2021/22 Premier League season.
Decisions that are considered ‘marginal’ will NOT be overturned unlike previous campaigns, a move that follows how other leagues in Europe operate and will prove popular with supporters.
The “drawing the lines” feature – which saw goals get disallowed for the most ridiculous of margins – caused disruption and chaos last season, even causing high profile players to speak out against the technology.
Another change will see players no longer be awarded a decision based purely on contact alone – meaning players will no longer be rewarded for ‘streetwise’ fouls:
Critics have slammed the ruling in recent years, stating that the laws of the game actually encourages diving and foul play inside the area.
Refereeing at Euro 2020 was considered a success and paved the way for the Premier League to reflect on how it uses technology; contact for fouls was one area they identified for improvement, and we can expect to see less “soft” penalties this season.
Everyone knew VAR was going to be a learning curve yet we are set to enter our THIRD season with the new technology.
If we can finally get it right like our friends on the continent, I still believe it should be here to stay and will benefit the game that we love.
“which saw goals get disallowed for the most ridiculous of margins”
So what is the “acceptable” margin for an offside call?
Personally I would have thought that offside is offside, whether it’s a yard, a foot or an inch.
Players are used to the officials not wanting to make the close calls in case the TV cameras play it back and show them to be wrong, so they erred on the side of the player.
The only thing that VAR is guilty of is being able to apply accuracy that the linesman can’t.
If the offside rules are accepted by the clubs, and VAR shows a player to be offside in accordance with those rules, regardless of the margin, the offside should be given.
What’s next? Goal line technology? Goals being disallowed because the ball wasn’t “enough” over the line?
It’s like death and virginity. You either offside or you’re not and there’s no measure of how much.
BiffaDescartes(Quote)