Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw at St James’ Park featured two frustrating but correct VAR calls that played a key role at either end, but the refereeing system has created more confusion than clarity at times this season.
This week, the BBC put out a Twitter post asking fans to name ONE thing they’d like to see change about VAR and why – and it featured some really interesting suggestions, some of which are well worth considering.
Here’s some of the best ones I found in the comments section:
- Minimise the human element to it – which has influenced decisions in the past. FIFA and UEFA use semi-automated offside technology in major tournaments. The Premier League decided AGAINST using it – why do you think that is?
- If not reached a a different decision within 2 minutes then you stick with the original decision. Any longer than that and it can’t be a clear and obvious error.
- Captain can challenge a referee decision to be reviewed by VAR once per half. If successful in overturning the decision, they can keep their challenge. Stops VAR checking every moment which is slowing the game down far too much.
- Only use it for automated offside, throw in, goal kick/corner, and goal line decisions. Similar to line calls in tennis. Everything else left to the referee.
- Use it more sparingly, far too many decisions get overanalysed to the point now where nobody knows what’s a yellow or red card anymore. On top of which, use the offside technology from the World Cup to minimise the level of human error.
- The lines for offside. It should be automatic like other leagues and UCL. It should be the foot only (advantage to forward play) with a clear gap between the defence and attack.
- Live audio, as per cricket, rugby etc. – Greater transparency would massively benefit understanding the decisions taken.
- Make sure the VAR official watches the incident once at real time speed. If he can’t determine an error, play on. It was introduced to remove clear and obvious errors not micromanage the game , which it currently does.
- More cameras in sync with the pitch and grass lines. So many times, the camera angle the VAR uses is skewed and doesn’t reflect the actual view. It’s either the VAR adopts 3D camera system or install more cameras.
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Make VAR also interfere in wrong corner/goal kick decisions.
Some brilliant suggestions here and about time PGMOL took a serious look at the approach currently in place, which takes the fun out of celebrating a ‘goal’, micromanages every moment in a game, draws dubious lines and fails to communicate with fans sat at home or in the stadium.
What would you like to see change?
🤔🤔🤔#BBCFootball #PL #PremierLeague pic.twitter.com/wjwSjSxYzF
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) April 3, 2024
Make the offside rule your whole body has to be offside any part of your body that’s onside goal stands that’s one rule killing the game
Darren Bebb(Quote)
It should be your feet
Porkpie(Quote)
If the lines man gives an off side decision and if the player involved in the offside scores let the lines man decision stand and don’t let var intervien in his decision and over rule him and make him look stupid by saying that’s a wrong decision he a human after all and ok we are only human after all
John(Quote)