Arsenal’s upcoming Carabao Cup semi-final match against Newcastle United has been selected as the stage for testing a new enhancement to the VAR system.
VAR has become an integral part of football worldwide, and while it remains imperfect, its presence in the game is now firmly established. Over the years, the technology has undergone continual updates to improve its functionality and effectiveness. The latest innovation will be trialled during Arsenal’s clash with Newcastle, marking another step toward refining the system.
Arsenal, like every other team, has experienced both favourable and unfavourable calls from VAR since its introduction. However, the Gunners have had to adapt to the system as it becomes a permanent feature in football.
This new update introduces an additional layer of transparency: referees will now explain VAR-related decisions to the audience via the stadium’s PA system. As reported by Arsenal Media, this feature will be trialled during the Carabao Cup semi-final, allowing fans both in the stadium and watching at home to gain a clearer understanding of decisions as they happen.
Mikel Arteta’s side is focused on securing a place in the final and ultimately lifting the Carabao Cup trophy. While the introduction of this new VAR feature may impact the game, Arsenal will remain determined to perform at their best regardless of how decisions are explained.
The move to communicate decisions publicly is widely seen as a positive step toward improving transparency and trust in VAR. For many fans and players, understanding the rationale behind decisions in real time could ease frustrations and confusion.
That said, Arsenal’s priority remains winning the match and advancing to the final. While the trial of this updated VAR feature is an important moment for football, the Gunners will hope it has minimal impact on their pursuit of silverware.
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From what I read the other day, all four semi finals will be trialling the new system.
Hopefully the people in charge at Stockley Park improve their performances.
I feel more yellow cards for dissent may be on the way 🤣
in England the only problem with VAR is that it is controlled by the PGMOL who appoint the match referee team.
The biggest region of referees is the London and South East’ There isn’t a single referee in the Premier League. Not one from london.
The much smaller North West Region has 9 Referees.
Try investigate this and you will hit a stubbon brick wall of silence.
Charles, a voice of wisdom!!
Some of us within JA have been asking this question regarding the bias to Northern referees for many seasons.
The secrecy of the PGMOL has also been a subject of scrutiny.
It was under Mike Riley that this weird set up was allowed to spawn and the use of VAR was part of his awful legacy.
Surely we have enough ex professional footballers who, having played the game, understands it more than a referee who hasn’t?
Of course, any criticism of said body is met with, as you say, a brick wall.
I watched the Dundee derby today and a penalty was awarded after the VAR intervention.
I am 100% convinced that no ex player would have even considered it a deliberate handball , but needless to say, a penalty was awarded.
The rest of europe doesn’t have this problem with VAR, just the UK it seems.
I’m in with (ex) professional players being referees
But
I would expect arsenal not to win any match officiated by Jamie Carragher, Roy Keane, , , many others.
I certainly do not think most of those errors are actual mistakes. Those are mostly deliberate calls to suit a certain agenda.
And with the process of succession to being premier league referees and their management board members . . .
I don’t expect the officiating to be reasonably better even if priests were appointed to officiate matches.
. . . . . . . . .
The referees and their bosses are the only reason any team ended a season above Arsenal in the last two and this one possibly. Maybe even the next and the ones following may go that way with many good teams around.
Some teams have better attackers;
some teams have better defenders;
some teams have better squad depth;
some teams have more money;
some teams have better goal keepers;
some have better fans
😉
some have better owners;
some have better lawyers;
some have better coaches;
some teams have referees.
And on the referee aspect . . .
Arsenal is seriously lacking.
We need referees.
Seriously!!!
I don’t know how to go about it.
But we too need to get our own referees on in this league.
I am not expecting Arsenal to win the league ( no matter how well we play as a team ) with the referees playing against us alongside good teams.
On the other hand:
I think VAR has done quite well even with the obvious stunts “they” perform with it sometimes
Because
Without VAR Manchester United wouldn’t be out of the top six by this time for whatever reason. They would have been getting spot kicks from diving 10 meters away from opponents goal area . . . red card . . .
Final note:
Anyone who suggests the referees are neutral is sleeping and should be left that way to enjoy sweet dreams.
Hello Ken
In the days when I had time to follow football much more than I do now, my one true love was Arsenal. I also followed the fortunes of a club in every league. Dundee were my Scot Div 1 club. so sad to learn they were ‘Arsenaled’
Why Dundee? I have long forgotten.
I have seen them play at home at Dens Park It was against Aberden a hot day in August. I rememeber nothing the game but that we were treated to a sample of true Scottish humour.
It was the 2nd half and thegame was going no where, when the lone support on the bench (not seat) decided to get behing his team. He started to chant:
DUN DEE clap clap DUN DEE clap clap.
The lone voice got tired being the lone voice in the Dundee desert so we heard:
‘DUN DEE DUN DEE clap clap. Come on lads the words are in the program’.
January 4, 2025 at 4:28 pm
Hello Ken
In the days when I had time to follow football much more than I do now, my one true love was Arsenal. I also followed the fortunes of a club in every league. Dundee were my Scot Div 1 club. so sad to learn they were ‘Arsenaled’
Why Dundee? I have long forgotten.
I have seen them play at home at Dens Park It was against Aberden a hot day in August. I rememeber nothing the game but that we were treated to a sample of true Scottish humour.
It was the 2nd half and thegame was going no where, when the lone support on the bench (not seat) decided to get behing his team. He started to chant:
DUN DEE clap clap DUN DEE clap clap.
The lone voice got tired being the lone voice in the Dundee desert so we heard:
‘DUN DEE DUN DEE clap clap. Come on lads the words are in the program’.
Of course, it will be trialed for Arsenal aren’t we the guinea pigs for new bogus rules so we may as well be for the tech too
It’s being trialed in all 4 semi final matches.
They didn’t choose to test it with arsenal but semi final of EFL Cup.
Let’s not make a big deal out of nothing,it will be used in the other semi final that doesn’t involve arsenal too
It doesn’t matter how much is explained it all comes down to how the referee and VAR interpret incidents and you will always have different opinions. As was said in a previous comment the penalty given in the Dundee derby was ridiculous what else could the defender do , his arm wasn’t in an unnatural position and the ball just hit his arm but VAR told the referee to look at the screen and he of course changed his mind beause he didn’t want to be seen going against VAR.
As a none match attendee I stand to be challenged, but this looks like another time consuming task, especially in instances of a quick VAR check where the referee doesn’t stop the game. So long as the screens carry enough info for the crowd to see and understand with an PA announcement it should be sufficient.