Not because the system is at fault, far from it.
It is a fantastic piece of technology that can be used to highlight a clear error by the on-field referee.
We have seen this used in other contact sports with no issues whatsoever.
As an example, in rugby, the referee gives an on-field decision to the VAR officials, who then take that into account when determining whether the correct call has been made according to the rule book.
There is no grey area within their regulations, and they are applied consistently.
Inconsistency Between Leagues and Europe
When VAR was introduced into football, it was initially rejected by the authorities in England, as Mr Riley, then head of PGMOL, did not want it.
He believed his officials were good enough without it and claimed they got over 94 percent of major decisions correct.
It was, I believe, two seasons before it was introduced into the Premier League, but not in the same format as in Europe, and that difference remains today.
The PGMOL and Premier League believed they could implement it in a better way.
Hence, we saw the situation in Madrid, where three penalty decisions by the referee were closely examined by VAR officials, applying different interpretations to those used in England.
The first, which led to Arsenal taking the lead, was correctly reviewed, and VAR ensured no clear error had occurred, allowing the referee’s decision to stand.
In this instance, the rules were followed, and VAR was used correctly.
Then Atletico Madrid were awarded a penalty that highlighted the stark contrast in how handball is interpreted between the Premier League and Europe.
This would not have been given in England, where VAR would likely have overturned it for being an obvious error, yet here it was used to confirm the decision.
On this occasion, I believe the Premier League interpretation is more reasonable, but in a European match, the officials applied the correct standard.
The Problem Is Application, Not Technology
We then come to the most contentious decision.
The referee was perfectly positioned to judge the challenge on Eze, standing just two yards away and directly in line with the incident.
He deemed it a clear foul and awarded a penalty, also booking the Atletico Madrid player.
The VAR officials reviewed the incident, as they should, to determine whether a clear error had been made.
Incredibly, they concluded the referee was wrong and instructed him to review the footage.
It reportedly took thirteen replays and several minutes before the referee changed his decision.
This was not an obvious error, and yet VAR is blamed for the failures of officials, both on and off the pitch.
I will not comment on how Atletico Madrid reacted to both Arsenal penalty decisions, or how that may have influenced the referee, but it is something UEFA should consider.
In summary:
- The PGMOL remains out of step with Europe regarding the use of VAR and must either align with UEFA or demonstrate why its approach is superior.
- VAR continues to be used inconsistently across football, but it must be recognised that the issue lies not with the technology, but with officials’ understanding of when and how to use it, while ensuring the on-field referee retains the final decision.
If that does not happen, the integrity of the rules will continue to be undermined, and incidents like the overturned penalty will persist.
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There should be a limit on how long a review should take particularly when overturning the on field decision. It shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds to overturn a clear error, otherwise they are fishing for a reason to overturn the onfield decision.
Great idea Ibrahim.
The used of vAR should be abolished, because only arsenal had been the sacrificial lamb of wrong call from vAR both domestically and in Europe.
The use of VAR should be abolished by fifa because arsenal only had been the sacrificial lamb and badly maltrreated by this so called vAR in England and in Europe
How can it take 13 replays and several minutes or anything close to it to determine there has been a clear and obvious error? The answer to my question is the same regardless of the play being reviewed. How many “considerations” other than the play itself were made? Intolerable whether it be England or the continent.
But he dived so it was the right call ,anyone who says that ,that contact ,made him go down like that is just lying to themselves .
If players did t dive all the time VAR wouldn’t need to be used halve as much .
I’d also have to dive if my foot was stamped.
Would you ?
@Dan kit
Plus, he intentionally trailed his left leg. Which is visible on the replay.
Exactly.👍
What’s that got to do with the original foul?
I don’t think anyone could have stayed up after that challenge.
Spot on Ken.
It is ridiculous to say he wasn’t fouled, because the referee was less than two yards away, looking right at the incident.
He blew immediately and how anyone could suggest he dived or could have stayed upright after having the top of his foot trod on is unbelievable
He dived , I can tell you you do not go down like that after your foot is tapped in tha manner .
And it’s not ridiculous because it was overturned ,so either the ref and VAR were cheating or he dived .
It was much more than a tap and yes, you do go down no matter where you are on the pitch. Is the dramatization, if any, a sufficient excuse for not recognizing the penalty infraction?
IMO yes just like Gyokeres and Diaz (night before )ones .
Talking rubbish as usual…perhaps it would require a leg break or flow of blood for it to deem it a foul.
Lols
Thank you ken1945 for your wonderful timely presentation.
I still wonder how VAR missed Ivan Toney’s clear offside equalizer against Arsenal.
Pleased you enjoyed it Ambachew and sone great suggestions and comments coming in.
The implementation of VAR has been fraught. How on earth are the PGMO allowed to operate under different rules from the rest of Europe? It’s ludicrous. Would an English ref officiating in a European tie abroad follow the rest of UEFA and then revert back on his return to England? It was as plain as the nose on your face that Eze had his foot stamped on and the time to analyse it all made a mockery of the clear and obvious error dictat.
vaR has been poo since it’s inception.
we all see things in real time, give it enough replays and people will find something-always.
food for though, yellow card stood, but no foul?
What????
Agree the real time decision was the right call. Having countless replays at slower and slower speeds , only means that you are looking for the opportunity to overturn the decision.
And that’s exactly what happened with Eze’s penalty decision.
Why would it take the reported thirteen views otherwise?
I think VAR is here to stay but it is not the technology at fault but the users.
The standard of refs have dropped due to the reliability and decision making being encompassed around VAR
The kit is pretty decent and can only enhance the game is used correctly
As for players going down to easy. This has been going on for decades , just more highlighted now by tv coverage and media.
I am not condoning it but at certain times
if when it is a fall and player stays on there feet it is not given. Goes down.and.it.is looked at or given
Onwards and upwards
Agree 100% AB, but we need to have all affiliations using var in the same way.
Good article Ken, which once again shows the inconsistency of the officials.
Regarding the penalty that AM were awarded, it reminded me of the one we conceded in Milan against Inter. A free kick by Inter rebounded off the leg of Merino and hit his arm/hand. Mark Clattenberg said that it would not have been give over here.
As for the Eze one, the AM player stood on the upper part of Eze’s right instep. That is a foul and the ref was right to awarded a penalty and VAR was wrong to tell the ref to go to the screen.
Anyone that thinks it was a dive should go to Spec Savers.
Ps, agree wholeheartedly with the post above by Ibrahim.
Eye sights just fine lad
It’s your interpretation that’s being questioned DK.
Your refusing to acknowledge what your eyes showed you.
Did Eze have his foot trodden on in the penalty area?
Tapped yes
You seem to be defending players diving which is what he did .
How on earth can you know what force was used?
It doesn’t matter anyway, as we both now know it was a foul and a penalty should have been awarded, which it was.
Yes then overturned ,so it wasn’t a penalty which is a fact .
I’m not sure what your argument is against!
We’re discussing the use of VAR in the semi final of the CL and if it was used properly.
We both agreed it was a penalty (soft or not doesn’t matter) as did the referee.
But then VAR was used wrongly and the referee overturned his decision.
That’s what we are discussing – the use of VAR.
I believe you implied it wasn’t a penalty, hence the tangent in the discussion.
And the use of VAR got the call correct as was the final outcome ,like I said I’m not sure what you argument is .
Eze went down ref gave it and VAR overturned it so obviously they deemed it not a penalty ,it couldn’t be any simpler.
Obviously you and HD will come out with any old crap to defend Arteta,he dived ,I cannot stand it ,you must love how the game as gone if a simple brush of a foot rewards a team a penalty,it’s cheating at the end of the day ,Gyokeres also dived ,same as Diaz the night before .
Also whites penalty was also a bullsh1t call .
The game as turned into a woman’s game ,fair play if you like that but some of us don’t .
You obviously don’t know what VAR is all about.
The only time they are supposed to become involved in this kind of issue, is if there is a clear and obvious error.
When it takes thirteen views and around four minutes to decide, it is obviously not a clear and obvious error.
You ignore the fact that the referee was in the perfect position to see and decide that it was a penalty and he awarded that and branded a yellow card.
So VAR did not get it right, as they shouldn’t have got involved and the on field official’s decision should have stood.
.
What rubbish you come out with sometimes .
Who’s defending Arteta for goodness sake!! This is about VAR and the only one who’s mentioned him in these exchanges we’re having is you!!
One minute your saying Eze was tapped and now it’s being called a brush, what’s it going to be next, no contact at all!!
I’m beginning to think you didn’t even watch the game, if you think Gyokeres penalty was a dive.
The opponent had his arms around Gyokeres and man handling him before he he went down and, as according to you, VAR didn’t see the reason to call over the referee, he must have got it right, yes?
The game has evolved from playing on a churned up, grassless pitch come January, to playing on a perfect pitch throughout the season.
Players are not allowed to tackle with intent to injure and the players with flair are protected much more than your trip down memory lane time.
Likewise, if you yearn for those clodhopping days, then fair play to you, but some of us prefer to watch players like Bergkamp, Messi, Ronaldo, Fabregas etc etc share there magic without being kicked off the pitch.
Stopped Reading at “I’m beginning to think “
Before that …🥱
Then you’ll never get educated and remain in the past of which your so fond about 💤
Of course it is Stevie Wonder.
😂
HD
Yes it was a penalty imo. But saying that it was a soft one but a pen nevertheless
Could he have stayed on his feet
100%
If he stays on his feet, it is not even considered. He goes down and now is talked about
If it were out side the box he would have been given a free kicks
If the foul had happened in our box
With the manager antics, with crowd going mad That says a pen
S9me times Life’s not fair but we will di them at our ground
Onwards and upwards
Nothing wrong with the technology, it is used successfully in many other sports, and Ken you cited Rugby as a perfect example.
So what is the problem with VAR in English Football? Accountability and transparency.
Simple; the PGMOL. They are the problem and what is wrong with replay. How many times have they intervened when it was unnecessary or inappropriate?
How many times have they been wrong, corrected later after the game, and then apologized? Remember when they made the wrong call against Arsenal, then apologized a couple days later? Arteta said, don’t need the apology, I need those 3 points.
Accountability and transparency is what is needed, 2 things the PGMOL has yet to address inmy opinion.
Agreed Durand.
It’s a closed shop that will protect its members, make mistakes, apologise and then carry on as if nothing had happened.
Why would we want to play under different VAR rules than the rest of Europe?
How does that benefit English clubs?
As I’ve said many times, interpretation of the rules will, inevitably lead to the corruption within the game.
Sorry for any typos, I’m on my way to the match tomorrow by good old British rail and LNER!!
Ken
How the PGMOL and English refs are allowed to have different rules or “interpretations,” from European competitions is beyond me.
Shocking that refs are permitted to “interpret” rules rather than enforce what is already on the books. Add to that VAR going outside their scope of “Clear and obvious,” yet no consequences just as the PGMOL likes and expects.
That is a huge part of the problem right there. UEFA needs to step in and tell the refs “this is how games are to be officiated, this is how VAR is to be “Properly” utilizied, and any officiating contrary to UEFA procedures is strictly forbidden.
After all, who is the governing body? One may think the PGMOL because they operate outside the lines at times; handball rule is a perfect example.
If you look in Google Durand, it gives enormous information about the differences.
It is all down to Riley and the PGMOL.
I personally like VAR.
VAR isn’t the problem, it’s the people that use it that are the problem. Whether you think the Eze incident was a penalty or not, how can it possibly be right to look at something 13 times if it was a clear and obvious error, as is being stated.
There is nothing wrong with VAR, if the technology is there, then use it. The thing that needs to change, is getting competent officials to both apply the rules in the correct way. Not make things up as they go along.
Exactly what I’m saying Derek, with the added part that all european football shiukd be playing under the same VAR rules.
Ken1945,
Totally agree.
Ken, et al, here are my basic ideas on improving VAR.
On any penalty call (or lack thereof) and for any potential straight red or second yellow card infractions, the on pitch official should be given the opportunity for HIMSELF to review the play on video before making a final decision. No second guessing from someone sitting in a booth.
If the on pitch official has no doubt about the call he made in real time, there should be no replay review. The ref should be held accountable if it is later judged by multiple officials that there was a clear and obvious error.
The only time VAR should be required to be used is when it comes to decisions improved by use of technology without human judgment such as offside.
BB I do believe that was how it started out, but over time, it’s balloned into a off field refereeing tool, that allows referees to fall back on as a safety net…. maybe not their fault entirely it has to be said.
But again, if we had a playing field that players, fans, the media and, most of all those who use VAR played by the same criteria, we wouldn’t have so many disputes.
We wouldn’t have so many disputes,if players stopped diving 😂
Went full circle …nice
Agree Ken that would be a positive common sense step.
Common sense to the educated BB – but some 🤡 ‘s still want to live in the past.
Nice ,call me a clown Ken .
Remembered …..
If it fits mate – your whole argument about var in this article is based on contradiction and bringing in Arteta and the good old days was just deflections.
Keep taking waffle ,I’m sure some will lap it up .. for me 🥱
It was a penalty simple as that and imo if you can’t see what most ex pros see you are either a fool at best or a liar at worse. No offence to anyone but I get the impression that some are just saying it’s not a penalty to just cause ill feeling and act as if they are more intelligent than they actually are