The World Cup Refereeing Thread - discuss the latest VARce here!

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I think it’s added to the drama at the WC, but I don’t like it if I’m honest and hope it never gets adopted in our own game outside of cup competitions which is where I think it can help. A lot of decisions have been correct, but it takes away from the referee’s authority and the reason we love the sport is because it’s unpredictable and based on human emotion, error, genius or whatever. Refs make mistakes like players do, but more often than not they get things right or things even themselves out. We may as well replace players with robots who don’t misplace a pass or miss a penalty...

[Infinitely Content]

I think it's working. It's there to assist the ref who can't always get every decision correct, not render them redundant. I can't quite see why people wouldn't want something that means more decisions are made/overturned correctly, allowing for the actual football played to be the primary focus and not a wrong decision as is the case so often. Of course at present VAR is stealing a lot of attention, but once properly embedded I think the result is an improved, purer game; one that cannot be ruined by a refereeing error which is an awful, agonising way to lose a game, particularly for a club like ours which seems to be on the receiving end of poor decisions quite often.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I think it's working. It's there to assist the ref who can't always get every decision correct, not render them redundant. I can't quite see why people wouldn't want something that means more decisions are made/overturned correctly, allowing for the actual football played to be the primary focus and not a wrong decision as is the case so often. Of course at present VAR is stealing a lot of attention, but once properly embedded I think the result is an improved, purer game; one that cannot be ruined by a refereeing error which is an awful, agonising way to lose a game, particularly for a club like ours which seems to be on the receiving end of poor decisions quite often.

 

I get all that and do agree really if we are being idealistic, but football is drama, it’s about thin lines and injustice sometimes, as is life. Refs are part of that. I’d hate to see it used in domestic league football and think it’s just about OK for international tournaments. It’s here to stay though no doubt and is something we will all have to get used to and accept. I just don’t see it as readdressing imbalance and injustice or making things equal. It’s ironic that it’s being pushed by FIFA who have done more than most to create an unequal game that is corrupt, certainly when it comes to nations hosting tournaments.

[DJ_NUFC]

Bar one or two decisions not to consult it, VAR has infinitely improved my enjoyment of the WC. I'm sad it's not being implemented in the PL next season.

 

Yep, this is where I am as well

 

But I'd like to add it has some way to go until it's actually seamless in its implementation. These are growing pains.

[Guest neesy111]

It's certainly working better than I had expected, although my expectations were low after the shambles of the Confederations Cup.

 

Still think it's being used to too many close calls, but South Korea and Spanish offside goals were perfect examples of where it 100% should be used.

[Kaizero]

Bar one or two decisions not to consult it, VAR has infinitely improved my enjoyment of the WC. I'm sad it's not being implemented in the PL next season.

 

Yep, this is where I am as well

 

But I'd like to add it has some way to go until it's actually seamless in its implementation. These are growing pains.

 

To put it in context, without VAR my rage would be tons higher at the many missed calls by the refs than the few missed VARs. I’ve only properly raged twice this WC vs the usual million times.

[DJ_NUFC]

Been great the last couple of games. Decisions overturned by ref in a normal, sane manner, relatively quickly to boot, and in one game VAR wasn't even called upon at all. Hopefully this means a lot of the early creases are being ironed out.

 

Ready for the Prem if you ask me

[George Bailey]

VAR not really the issue for me. Has it's place if used right by the looks of it.

 

It's the largely piss weak officiating.

[thomas]

The dream scenario is still England losing the final on a botched VAR call, Dave going supernova, and the explosion mercifully sparing us all a lifetime of Ashley & Trump

[NEEJ]

The dream scenario is still England losing the final on a botched VAR call, Dave going supernova, and the explosion mercifully sparing us all a lifetime of Ashley & Trump

[Dinho lad]

VAR has been quite quiet in the past week or so. ☹️

[leffe186]

VAR has been quite quiet in the past week or so. ☹️

 

Might be that players are realizing they can't get away with their usual bullshit at corners etc.

[Beren]

VAR has been quite quiet in the past week or so. ☹️

 

Might be that players are realizing they can't get away with their usual bullshit at corners etc.

 

Suspicious lack of penalties awarded in the knockout stages. Well, compared to the frequency in the group stages where you couldn't go 90 minutes without one.

[Kaizero]

VAR has been quite quiet in the past week or so. ☹️

 

Might be that players are realizing they can't get away with their usual bullshit at corners etc.

 

Suspicious lack of penalties awarded in the knockout stages. Well, compared to the frequency in the group stages where you couldn't go 90 minutes without one.

 

Can’t really recall any missed ones in the quarter finals tbh. Also, less games.

[joeyt]

Gabriel Jesus one on Friday looked a clear pel

[Hanshithispantz]

VAR fucking up a World Cup final, who'd have known?

[Kaizero]

VAR fucking up a World Cup final, who'd have known?

 

Ref fucked up. VAR doesn’t make decisions.

[Pata]

Controversial call but in no way ruining it. Common sense regarding handballs has been thrown out in this tournament, would've been shocked if an Argie ref doesn't give a pen from that.

[Unbelievable]

Outrageous that the greatest, most important game of football in four years gets decided in this way. Even with five men watching at it from a dozen different angles they managed to take the blatantly false and above all completely unfair decision.

[Kaizero]

Outrageous that the greatest, most important game of football in four years gets decided in this way. Even with five men watching at it from a dozen different angles they managed to take the blatantly false and above all completely unfair decision.

 

No issue with the call myself. Seen those both given and not given, all up to the individual refs opinion on the matter tbh.

[BlackandWhite]

Mega harsh pen.

 

The law says deliberate handball. How has he deliberately struck the ball with his hand there?

 

5 twats in the studio and 4 on the field and they can’t make the fair and correct decision. And then Griezman with a blatant dive for the first goal, too. Where was VAR there? Embarrassing.

[Pata]

The fact that Matuidi doesn't get a touch means it can be logically seen as a hand to ball. If Matuidi flicks it to Perisic's hand, would've been obvious ball to hand.

[Pata]

Mega harsh pen.

 

The law says deliberate handball. How has he deliberately struck the ball with his hand there?

 

5 twats in the studio and 4 on the field and they can’t make the fair and correct decision. And then Griezman with a blatant dive for the first goal, too. Where was VAR there? Embarrassing.

 

VAR still can't overturn free kicks.

[Unbelievable]

Outrageous that the greatest, most important game of football in four years gets decided in this way. Even with five men watching at it from a dozen different angles they managed to take the blatantly false and above all completely unfair decision.

 

No issue with the call myself. Seen those both given and not given, all up to the individual refs opinion on the matter tbh.

 

Not really how it should be, especially with VAR now introduced, is it? A penalty is such a hard punishment in a game of football; a referee should be damn sure before giving it. They way he came back for another look suggests he was anything but. I’d argue nobody outside of a few Frenchies would have given FIFA or the ref any grief if he said ball to hand. Now though... A world cup win forever tainted.

[joeyt]

VAR fucking up a World Cup final, who'd have known?

 

Ref fucked up. VAR doesn’t make decisions.

 

Pogba was offside for the first goal and the VAR people didn't even tell the ref to look at it