This Weekend's Fixtures & Two Others (30 Sept/01/02/03 Oct)

[HCZ_Reborn]

if 'exploring options' means legal action against the FA/PGMOL then I'm good with it, someone has to make these f*****s accountable for their dreadful decisions

What’s the legal remedy they could realistically pursue?. You can’t really legislate against human error

Neither can a court decide whether someone can carry on in a job if they are a fuck up

[Mac76]

What’s the legal remedy they could realistically pursue?. You can’t really legislate against human error

Neither can a court decide whether someone can carry on in a job if they are a fuck up

No idea, I just thought that's what they were implying by exploring options - if you think it means something else then tell me, I don't know

[HCZ_Reborn]

No idea, I just thought that's what they were implying by exploring options - if you think it means something else then tell me, I don't know

No, I honestly can’t think of what else they might mean, I just fail to see what will come of any such exploration.

[Mac76]

No, I honestly can’t think of what else they might mean, I just fail to see what will come of any such exploration.

sure but i still think that anything that calls the officials into question is fine by me, some of the decisions we see are a total joke

[Letters]

I've been an apologist for VAR. My general thought is it's the "Right Thing To Do". Why keep getting things wrong when you can correct them?
But the implementation of it is shockingly bad. They just need a bit of common sense. One could argue that the offside decision against Spurs, while wrong, wasn't a "clear and obvious error". He was onside but it was fairly tight. So in a sense I'm OK with that wrong decision standing, or would be IF they were consistent. To be consistent, let that Utd goal stand. And was it Fulham we "scored" against a couple of years back but Saka forgot to trim his toenails that morning so was a pixel offside. That sort of thing is bollox and is spoiling the game. It's getting to the point where you almost can't celebrate some goals because the spectre of VAR hangs over everything.

While we're here, the handball rule is bullshit. It's ridiculous that defenders are now forced to play with their arms behind their back lest they give away a penalty when the ball is blasted at them. These problems don't feel that difficult to solve, like I said a bit of common sense is needed.

[Mac76]

I've been an apologist for VAR. My general thought is it's the "Right Thing To Do". Why keep getting things wrong when you can correct them?
But the implementation of it is shockingly bad. They just need a bit of common sense. One could argue that the offside decision against Spurs, while wrong, wasn't a "clear and obvious error". He was onside but it was fairly tight. So in a sense I'm OK with that wrong decision standing, or would be IF they were consistent. To be consistent, let that Utd goal stand. And was it Fulham we "scored" against a couple of years back but Saka forgot to trim his toenails that morning so was a pixel offside. That sort of thing is bollox and is spoiling the game. It's getting to the point where you almost can't celebrate some goals because the spectre of VAR hangs over everything.

While we're here, the handball rule is bullshit. It's ridiculous that defenders are now forced to play with their arms behind their back lest they give away a penalty when the ball is blasted at them. These problems don't feel that difficult to solve, like I said a bit of common sense is needed.

all agreed though i think the arms behind the back thing has gone on for a long time

I cannot fathom those decisions in favour of Man Ure (Rashford) and Citeh (can't remember who) where players were deemd 'not interfering with play' - for me any offside player is interfering as the goalie and defenders have to keep half an eye on them - they should scrap that rule IMO

[HCZ_Reborn]

I've been an apologist for VAR. My general thought is it's the "Right Thing To Do". Why keep getting things wrong when you can correct them?
But the implementation of it is shockingly bad. They just need a bit of common sense. One could argue that the offside decision against Spurs, while wrong, wasn't a "clear and obvious error". He was onside but it was fairly tight. So in a sense I'm OK with that wrong decision standing, or would be IF they were consistent. To be consistent, let that Utd goal stand. And was it Fulham we "scored" against a couple of years back but Saka forgot to trim his toenails that morning so was a pixel offside. That sort of thing is bollox and is spoiling the game. It's getting to the point where you almost can't celebrate some goals because the spectre of VAR hangs over everything.

While we're here, the handball rule is bullshit. It's ridiculous that defenders are now forced to play with their arms behind their back lest they give away a penalty when the ball is blasted at them. These problems don't feel that difficult to solve, like I said a bit of common sense is needed.

I agree RE: you feel like you can’t celebrate a goal in case VAR takes it away.

And clear and obvious error seems to be taking five minutes to look for a needle in a haystack, but at the same time making actually ludicrous decisions. You’d be better off letting a machine algorithm do it and then the decision would be made in seconds and less to argue about.

Perversely though I think with VAR, without it. It’s the imperfections and the controversy that adds to the game rather than detracts from it. It generates discussion, arguments etc but given that it was meant to eliminate all that it’s a bit of a joke.

[HCZ_Reborn]

sure but i still think that anything that calls the officials into question is fine by me, some of the decisions we see are a total joke

I just think a better way to do that would be internally (not within the PGMOL because it feels like they’ll just close ranks) but the premier league as an organisation stating that a VAR mistake should result in a year’s suspension from officiating at this level, and a second error should involve permanent dismissal from the league. There needs to be more diversity in terms of where referees are from in the country to prevent accusations of a Manchester based stitch up.

[Letters]

Perversely though I think with VAR, without it. It’s the imperfections and the controversy that adds to the game rather than detracts from it. It generates discussion, arguments etc but given that it was meant to eliminate all that it’s a bit of a joke.

Aye, this is the thing. You're never going to get this perfect and as you say these talking points are part of the experience.
But when the thing which is supposed to be removing or reducing these controversies that is actually adding to them it's a bit silly.
The main thing which spoils the experience is the hesitance to celebrate goals - there was always a bit of that, you'd sometimes start celebrating and then see the linesman's flag. But now you're having to wait minutes while all this nonsense goes on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Diop, Ream, Robinson, Reed, Palhinha, Pereira, Wilson, Jimenez, Willian.
Subs: Rodak, Bassey, Decordova-Reid, Cairney, Ballo-Toure, Muniz, Iwobi, Vinicius, Lukic.

Chelsea: Sanchez, Disasi, Silva, Colwill, Cucurella, Gallagher, Caicedo, Fernandez, Mudryk, Broja, Palmer.
Subs: Petrovic, Sterling, Ugochukwu, Maatsen, Washington, Gilchrist, Brooking, Matos, Madueke.