A way to improve VAR?

[Dunners]

This is the audio between the players, referee and VAR officials in a Ligue 1 game, which was broadcast for those watching so that they could understand the decision making process.

It appears that, for better or for worse, VAR is here to stay, so this at least makes things more transparent.

[Proposition Joe]

That is actually quite good. Everyone knows where they stand. Except the crowd, obviously.

[CEB]

VAR really is f***ing awful when you’re in the crowd. At spurs last season, even when there was a review of a spurs goal conceded, the consensus of fans around me was “f*** it, let’s just get on with it”

Also, the impact of a VAR review on the match itself - even when the decision is to overrule a goal or penalty - changes the momentum massively. A disallowed goal after a two minute check actually changes the whole atmosphere and creates a sense to the benefiting team of having equalised, which in practice means that being marginally offside for a goal can swing momentum entirely the other way. It ruins it as a spectacle

[Proposition Joe]

Agree with all of that (although have actually been spared seeing VAR in the flesh so far). If it's here to stay, making it more like the Video Ref in rugby is the way forward, but in terms of momentum, as a slower game, rugby can better deal with those breaks in play than football can. It's never going to be apples and apples.

[CEB]

Unless you happen to be well placed for a given incident, a VAR check basically turns the match into “I hope the all powerful footballing gods give us a goal”

[banqo]

Best thing to do improve it is get rid of it!

[CEB]

Yeah that’s not going to happen

[Dunners]

Unless you happen to be well placed for a given incident, a VAR check basically turns the match into “I hope the all powerful footballing gods give us a goal”

I'm with you completely on this, but it would be a bit better if we had the option of listening in to what was being discussed (possibly via an audio channel on an app or something).

[CEB]

Agree - I don’t want it scrapped, but I think that if the incident is shown on screen during review, then everyone at least gets context for the decision

[Proposition Joe]

I do want it scrapped, I just accept it won't be.

Should all be done live on the big screen (if available) or over the public address system if not.

[CEB]

To clarify - I mean that I don’t think it’s feasible enough that it might be scrapped for me to bother calling for it to be, and if it’s improved enough, it has potential to be a legitimate part of the game

[gshaw]

First choice... scrap it
Second choice... only use it as originally intended "clear and obvious errors"

Player stamps on someone and ref misses it... VAR
Blatant handball or foul missed by ref... VAR

Player 2mm offside by their armpit... ignore
Ball brushes hand of player looking in the other direction... ignore
Goalkeeper moves an inch off their line during a pen... ignore

If a decision can't be made in under a minute then VAR shouldn't be intervening.

All this nitpicking and trying to sanitize the game is sucking the life out of it. The likes of FIFA, IFAB, PGMOL etc need to butt out and leave football alone.

[WhetstoneO]

Absolutely this

[Monkey Boy]

Agree with gshaw

[Proposition Joe]

Of course, a lot of VAR reviews other than offsides and handballs wouldn't be necessary if player stayed on their feet in the box, as with the clip above. If players hate it so much, maybe stop trying to con the ref as much. The guy should have been booked once the ref decided to overturn his decision.

[CEB]

Aside from the problems with implementation that need ironing out, my biggest issue with VAR is laws being rewritten to make them the sort of yes/no binary that VAR is good at. The pettiness of handball rules over the last few years has been detrimental to the game

[Max B Gold]

This is the audio between the players, referee and VAR officials in a Ligue 1 game, which was broadcast for those watching so that they could understand the decision making process.

It appears that, for better or for worse, VAR is here to stay, so this at least makes things more transparent.

This level of transparency wouldn't work in Scotland as we would soon learn why Sevco can go a whole season with no penalties awarded against them. The cat would be out the bag.

[Orient_Man_And_Boy]

Improve VAR? Give it to Mr Khan's 'scrappage scheme' !!!!

[banqo]

Yeah that’s not going to happen

Unfortunately not.

[Proposition Joe]

Improve VAR? Give it to Mr Khan's 'scrappage scheme' !!!!

Can one of the dirty air advocates please, please do a decent ULEZ joke at some point? I'm begging you all.

[EliotNes]

Football VAR is c**p compared with the way they handle things in cricket, Rugby Union, Rugby League and track athletics. But IMO that's because FIFA, in their "we know best" way of doing things, didn't want to be seen to be following another sport. As a result, they have not learnt from other sports and ended up with a dog's dinner of a system. And it ain't gonna change, guys & gals.

[Proposition Joe]

How would track athletics be in any way comparable to football? They don't stop a 5000m race to check if someone's bumped another runner or stepped onto the infield before starting up again a few minutes later once the check is complete.