Have you ever felt that your team was damaged by the referee? That your team scored a goal but the referee didn’t see it? Or that your team lost a World cup final because the referee saw a goal that didn’t existed? Or that the ball didn’t cross the line but the referee said it’s a goal and then said “the stand scored that goal”? Well few years ago VAR was introduced to the world of football. It all started in 2010 in Netherlands as an idea. And wasn’t really used until July 2016 when it was used in a friendly game between FC Eindhoven and PSV. The game had little to offer in terms of controversy and VAR didn’t come in play, at all. The next trial came a month later in the United Soccer League (USL), which is MLS’s reserve league. The game between FC Dallas and Philadelphia Union had 2 situations where VAR took part, the referee reviewed two fouls before deciding to issue a yellow and a red card in the incidents. FIFA decided to introduce VAR in 2018 for the World Cup that took place in Russia. That was the ultimate test for the system. The World Cup was a hit and VAR was a real success. The system was introduced to the Premier League in 2019/2020 season. I was one of the people that were 100% for VAR. I was tired of terrible decisions: offside seen were it wasn’t, goals counted where should’ve been an offside. Referees in the EPL desperately needed help from the VAR system. They are bad for years and the culmination of that was the fact that there was not a single English referee at the 2018 World Cup. But did VAR really improved the game? How did it affect the game we love? Was it a good addition or is it used badly? Here is what VAR is allowed to check: if it’s a goal or no goal, if it’s a penalty or not a penalty, is a tackle worth a direct red card (not used for giving a yellow or second card), mistaken identity (referee cautions or sends off wrong player). Since the beginning of the season VAR has allowed 18 goals that were canceled by the referee, disallowed 20 goals, awarded 17 penalties, 9 penalties were overturned, 3 times a penalty was retaken (GK encroach), 10 players were sent off, 1 red card was overturned and 1 identity was mistaken and corrected by VAR. So far it sounds great, so many wrongs were righted. So why the system divides the opinions so much? Where is the problem with it?
It took out our emotion from the game. Nowadays you can’t celebrate a goal properly because it’s always checked, they check for fouls, offsides and anything that can cancel the goal. Goals were disallowed for millimeters offside when the margin of error for the VAR system is 13 cm. So how do they take decisions like this? The Eredivisie found out the solution. The Dutch league gives a margin of error on the assistant referee’s call. We’ve all seen the lines they’re drawing when the situation is tight for an offside. When the lines are touching, VAR won’t intervene – meaning there is a 10cm margin of error for the assistant's decision. So there is a solution if the Premier League wants to find it.
Meaning situations like this will be avoided:
This is from last season’s game between Aston Villa and Liverpool, where Firmino’s armpit was offside and the goal was ruled out.
Or this from the game between Tottenham and Leicester where a great combination between Justin and Madison, where the England international controlled well a 40+ meters pass from the defender and scored past Lloris.
Early this season Henderson’s winner in the Merseyside derby was disallowed because Mane was “Offside”. VAR takes away from us the fans so much emotion, because they look for something that’s not there. Beautiful moments, great goals, winners in tight games. Another disadvantage of the system is that referees lost their courage. Clear fouls, clear situations are being watched over and over again, wasting time no matter that the referee was a meter away from the situation.
Look at the referee’s position, and look at Xhaka’s actions. What the referee couldn’t see, and why he has to give a yellow card first and then go check VAR? Since when grabbing someone’s throat is yellow? Before VAR the referee would’ve given straight red without hesitating, what changed? The rules haven’t.
Another situation from Tottenham’s game with Leicester from earlier this season. Aurier attacks Fofana in the back, clear foul and referee is just a couple of meters away from the situation with great visibility. Yet he doesn’t give penalty straight away, he decided to check VAR. And he’s checking either it’s a foul or not, rather than if it’s inside the area or not. Since VAR’s introduction last season assistant referees lift their flag increasingly rare, because they know that if the team scores VAR will check it and will correct their mistake. It’s really annoying, these people are useless nowadays, just scrap them if they don’t have the balls to make the decision. That’s just a couple of the controversial decisions made by VAR since it’s debut in the Premier league. Of course the system helped the referees a lot, but can it be used better? Can the system improve? It’s all up to the desire of the Premier League to change the way it’s used.
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