So, after a while how would you rate VAR usage in Premier League by the one and only FA?

It's bad but looking back on how they use DRS (VAR) in cricket, it took them 10 years to fix it.

It has good intention and can bring great things. But either the technical team is too damn dumb to execute it properly OR the refs need A LOOOOOTTTT of training to utilize the thing correctly

You still have humans working the technology, and a human ultimately deciding the call. VAR is just fine for its intended purpose. Now, those using it need to really calibrate to help make the right calls.

Remember just before that so many crybabies complaining about not given penalties, goals etc. Everyone wanted VAR. Now everyone cries about VAR. Stop being hypocrites, and accept that it's better than it used to be.

Now everyone cries about VAR.

cos the referees operating it are completely clueless, I bet I'd find more competent people on this forum.

R

We can only be happier about it since it decreases the mistakes made by the premier league referees

Basically this. We went from having basically one seriously wrong, game-changing call in every single game to have one or two seriously wrong, game-changing calls in all the games for the week. But because the expected standard was to have none, people cry foul because they don't like change.

It's made the referees more accountable, and that can only help in the long run. Honestly I expected better based on how it was implemented in MLS, but in North America we are used to replay and in Europe we are not. That might just be the difference tbh.

We cry foul not because we expected none of the wrong decisions. We are crying foul because they are some of the most ridiculously easy decisions that retarded referee without Var would have called correctly, yet these guys replay it 10 times and still get it wrong!

I dont understand why the ref doesnt go to the monitor in the premuer league, the decisions would happen quicker if they did

yeaaaaaah, SURE FA

I'm very curious about the answer to a question I've been mulling for a bit. Do you guys think that the game has become better officiated since VAR was introduced, overall?

I've been working out on a treadmill from home due to torrential rain the last few days, and have amused myself by watching highlights of old games on Youtube, UCL, Prem, Clasicos, title deciders, etc. The sheer amount of obvious PK's that weren't called, dives that were, and (perhaps most surprising to me) off-the ball incidents there were challenged my memories of the time.

Firstly, VAR has basically eliminated off-the-ball issues because it's impossible to hide. If someone gets punched off the ball (see: Pepe, Rooney, Godin, De Jong (Nigel), Dani Alves, etc) the person whacked would go complain and the offender would see red. I honestly had kind of forgot those had existed, let alone in basically every other game.

It's also provided a way out for referees. A good example is the leg-breaking challenge Luke Shaw sustained against PSV that wasn't even called as a foul, and indeed Hector Moreno (who delivered it) was able to score later in the game. The referee immediately waved off any PK shout when Shaw went down, and after about 20 seconds when it became clear that Shaw was f-cked, he couldn't exactly change his decision. It would be nice if referees USED this way out more often instead of clinging to their incorrect decisions, but that's by-the-by. VAR allows decisions to change. They simply did not before, ever, outside of a rare consultation with the assistant.

VAR has also changed the way we perceive fairness. Youtube comments non-withstanding, actual game commentators uttered phrases like "oh x team could've had a PK but the ref didn't see it and that's how it goes sometimes, too bad for them." This attitude, the second VAR was implemented, ended. People don't expect a (retrospectively MASSIVE) margin for error anymore. They expect a fair game. This honestly wasn't even true as recently as two years ago. The referee was like the (literally said by a British commentator) "rub of the green."

Does it need work? Yeah. Compare how MLS uses it with how Europe in general uses it, it's a night and day difference. American refs have no problem admitting they're wrong, they use the screens nearly every time (screens are behind both goals plus at the center for easy access), and the MLS Disciplinary Committee, which does the after-action reports and delivers fines, clearly outlines how things should be called and is (usually) consistent with those outlines. Europe needs work for sure, this is the one soccer-related thing America will beat you guys on any time, but we all grew up with replay, it's normal to us. You have not, and we're seeing that adjustment period now.

But enough about my biases, what do you guys think?

I think it just became more controversial. From my perspective it looks like referees are performing even worse. Why? Cos they think VAR will simply do the decisions for them. Sure, VAR does have all the angles, replays and everything to make 100% correct decision. However it seems like referees are more lazy, they do less decisions and hope VAR will fix it if there was any kind of foul.

On the other side, VAR is only as good as people operating it. How does exactly same challenge have 2 different outcomes? One is red card followed by 5 minutes of replays and decision. And the second one isn't even checked? How in the hell do they miss it?
And if they actually checked it and made the decision, they should probably explain why they did it, for example.

Nketiah dangerous tackle = clear red card.
Arnold dangerous tackle = not even a card.

another example can be.

Bruno Fernandes stamping on defender = United gets penalty (this is example not anything against United)
Gabriel Jesus exactly same stamping on defender = free kick for opposition

my problem with VAR is absolute zero consistency, same things happens week in/week out and the decisions are totally different. you can't have 2 same tackles with 2 different outcomes.

VAR is absolutely necessary. Its pathetic to whine against it as people cried even more before it was introduced. Its almost always the fans of losing teams that find excuses to blame VAR.

Its freaking tiresome...

VAR needs to be better implemented because it is still people working behind those cameras. The human factor needs to have less of a negative effect on it and therefore they need to revise the rules for the sake of the consistency. The technology is on the other hand here to stay!

it's not that we are against it. we are simply calling for consistency, you can't have 2 same tackles with 2 different outcomes. as i said before, var is only as good as people operating it.

Cheers guys, no matter how bad we are, fuck these corrupted cunts in FA.

I'm in favour of us not getting decisions when we don't attack like the Arsenal. Come on Chelsea

Isn’t he tripping on his own leg? And if it was really a penalty, I would have expected the player to complain more.

With that logic Ronaldo´s goal today against Udinese shouldn't have been disallowed for offside, since he was celebrating a lot.. Clear pen imo.

I wouldn't have been mad if they called it penalty as I am used to seeing this kind of penalties called by referees now days. However, if you have ever played football then you know collisions like that happen, and it isn't intentional nor it should be called a penalty when player clearly kicks opposing players foot.

it isn't intentional nor it should be called a penalty when player clearly kicks opposing players foot.

He basically rammed him from behind without intention of going for the ball tho?

Less contact yesterday was called as a foul in Man City game, Dele Alli got penalty for less contact yesterday as well.

Also to remind you David Luiz got red card + conceded a penalty for "this tackle"

Now, being completely objective, putting all the rivalry aside, forget how shit Arsenal is, forget you're Chelsea supporter, David Luiz not even touching the player getting red card + penalty while James first pushes Saka, then trips him and it's not even a penalty? Give me a break...