The Video Assistant Referee (VAR)

[KenjiOgiwara]

I like the idea of VAR and technology is here to stay, but there has to be a balance with the human element of football and refereeing. Right now I just feel VAR is used too much. Was the same last season. 

Maybe I'll change my mind as time goes by, but not the biggest fan of it. 

[Lichfield Dean]

So in the Man Utd game the VAR penalty decision happened after the final whistle. What are the rules around this? How far beyond the end of the game can a ref pull the players back onto the pitch? In the changing rooms? On the bus back home?

I realise there is common sense involved here obviously but something doesn't feel right to me that we are seeing VAR decisions happening after the final whistle. We now have a world where not only can we not celebrate when a goal is scored but we can't even celebrate when the final whistle is blown.

[limpid]

49 minutes ago, Lichfield Dean said:

So in the Man Utd game the VAR penalty decision happened after the final whistle. What are the rules around this? How far beyond the end of the game can a ref pull the players back onto the pitch? In the changing rooms? On the bus back home?

I realise there is common sense involved here obviously but something doesn't feel right to me that we are seeing VAR decisions happening after the final whistle. We now have a world where not only can we not celebrate when a goal is scored but we can't even celebrate when the final whistle is blown.

Due to an almost unknown club (Aston Villa) the rules of the game were changed so that the only reason that a game does not finish promptly at time is if there is a penalty to be taken. I guess this is now extended to VAR reviews which can lead to a penalty.

You can still be cautioned or dismissed after the end of the game.

We conceded a penalty in the dying seconds of a game, kicked the ball out of the ground and the ref blew time before it could be returned. Probably apocryphal.

[Amsterdam_Neil_D]

The handball VAR rule.

Surly a tactic is to just boot the ball at defendefeders bodies in the hope it hits there arm,  as opposed to trying to nick a corner or something ?

It pretty much guaranteed to stop the game for a bit as well and break it up etc.

[KenjiOgiwara]

Interesting situation in the Bayern - Hoffenheim match right now. Bayern defender kicks the ball up in his own hand and thus controls it, before smashing it out. The referee was 3 yards away and instantly signals it wasn't a penalty.

Now I agree it's not a penalty, but I've seen so many penalties from that since VAR was introduced. Does anyone actually know the handball rules at all? I'm just sitting with the feeling that it that was a Hoffenheim defender, that would have been ruled a penalty. 

Edited September 27, 2020 by KenjiOgiwara

[Zatman]

3 minutes ago, KenjiOgiwara said:

Interesting situation in the Bayern - Hoffenheim match right now. Bayern defender kicks the ball up in his own hand and thus controls it, before smashing it out. The referee was 3 yards away and instantly signals it wasn't a penalty.

Now I agree it's not a penalty, but I've seen so many penalties from that since VAR was introduced. Does anyone actually know the handball rules at all? I'm just sitting with the feeling that it that was a Hoffenheim defender, that would have been ruled a penalty. 

I think if the ball is struck at the defender arm its a penalty but not if you do it yourself. Was a mess in Spain a few seasons back when they introduced the handball rule

Premier League need to come out and explain this rule

[sidcow]

This handball thing is just a complete joke. 

You're soon going to see players deliberately chipping the ball into people's arms. 

How the hall can you commit handball when you have your back to the play? 

It's just a complete nonsense. It's like they deliberately try to change rules to create controversy.

Jamie Carragher gave it both barrels in the commentary. 

[villalad21]

Why do they have to persist with something that fans, players and managers all hate?

Just get rid of it.

[StefanAVFC]

Nothing to do with VAR lads, sorry.

The technology just lets the same inept officials look at it again.

[sharkyvilla]

1 hour ago, Zatman said:

I think if the ball is struck at the defender arm its a penalty but not if you do it yourself. Was a mess in Spain a few seasons back when they introduced the handball rule

Premier League need to come out and explain this rule

In Spain it was an automatic yellow card as well from what I remember, Thiago got a second yellow for the ball coming off his shoulder in one game.  At least it's not quite gone that far yet.  The essence of the hand ball rule surely is to stop players cheating and gaining an advantage by using their hand, I don't see how jumping under the flight of the ball and getting hit on the back of the arm from a yard away is doing that.

[The_Steve]

The problem is that those officiating VAR are too cowardly to overturn obvious errors. The handball is a discretionary judgement that should have been overturned. It wasn’t because of the above, and the sheer dumb rule change, via how it’s meant to be interpreted. The system is rotten because the standard of officiating is poor from top to bottom. 

[KenjiOgiwara]

2 minutes ago, StefanAVFC said:

Nothing to do with VAR lads, sorry.

The technology just lets the same inept officials look at it again.

Tend to agree. VAR is fine, it's just how they interpret it which is totally fecking bonkers. 

[villalad21]

No. VAR isn't fine.

I can't celebrate goals anymore and i know a lot of fans are feeling the same.

Killing the game.

[VillaChris]

4 hours ago, Amsterdam_Neil_D said:

The handball VAR rule.

Surly a tactic is to just boot the ball at defendefeders bodies in the hope it hits there arm,  as opposed to trying to nick a corner or something ?

It pretty much guaranteed to stop the game for a bit as well and break it up etc.

Was happening a fair bit in Serie A last season, Juventus were getting plenty of penalties in run in for it so depressingly looks like the same interpretation has made it to prem this season.

We've moved away from what handball should be called for e.g. players blocking crosses and shots rather than the ball bobbling around and touching someone's hand.

[sne]

Not offside... Carroll I guess is not but the other guy? Also that line looks a bit slanting

[penguin]

2 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

No. VAR isn't fine.

I can't celebrate goals anymore and i know a lot of fans are feeling the same.

Killing the game.

Gotta agree with this.

There was always that nervous second or so watching the linesman before going fully mental health with any close calls. But now it’s minutes of uncertainty which completely defuses any excitement whilst they look for any possible excuse to disallow it. 

[Mic09]

18 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

No. VAR isn't fine.

I can't celebrate goals anymore and i know a lot of fans are feeling the same.

Killing the game.

You can, you just choose not to.

[Villaphan04]

for me it's hard to blame the refs for enforcing a very very poor rule. believe it was IFAB that took control of the handball rules?

[Villaphan04]

Just now, Villaphan04 said:

for me it's hard to blame the refs for enforcing a very very poor rule. believe it was IFAB that took control of the handball rules?

for clarity (and a lot of Dale Johnson — i generally find him to be one of the more reliable people with rules/var etc) :

 

[Genie]

54 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

No. VAR isn't fine.

I can't celebrate goals anymore and i know a lot of fans are feeling the same.

Killing the game.

I agree, it’s taking a lot of the spontaneous emotion out of the game. Previously if the flag was down it’s a goal.
Now it’s not clear if the linesman knows it’s offside but doesn’t flag because he’s told not too even though it is. Then they check offsides and handballs from 3 attacks ago. Bullshit.