So, is VAR coming to Argyle? (Video ref)

[Tugboat]

It doesn’t take the decision away from the referee. It aids him if he has any doubt.

I welcome it

 

[Steve_Barrie]

On the other hand, should a player continue after the linesman has raised the flag and put the ball in the net just in case VAR shows he wasn't offside

 

[Lundan Cabbie]

On the other hand, should a player continue after the linesman has raised the flag and put the ball in the net just in case VAR shows he wasn't offside

Play to the whistle as they say. It's interesting to note that had the referee blown for offside on seeing the flag but before the ball went into the goal, the correct call would be offside and no referral to the VAR even though the cameras show it was onside. These trials have a lot of deficiencies to identify.

 

[PAFC94]

Football isn't broke. Don't try and fix it!

 

[ArgyleAndy]

Football isn't broke. Don't try and fix it!

You enjoy referees giving incorrect decisions?

 

[Old Gunner]

Football isn't broke. Don't try and fix it!

Actually football is broke--on many many levels. It's only the fans irrational love of the game that keeps it going.

 

[Biggs]

The core game isn't broke, though. Corruption, financial inequality and cheating are what's breaking it.

I don't have too much of a problem with referee's decisions, and it would be perfect if football fans and managers were mature enough to accept refs can't get everything right. But we don't live in a perfect world, so if VAR can somehow stop the abuse of officials then great.

After its implementation in Italy though, I don't have much hope.

 

[Biggs]

I also have strong views on offside decisions. Quite frankly I couldn't give a squiggly if someone's little finger is two inches offside and he scores against my team.

Offside wasn't brought in so you could get a two or five inch advantage, and the linesman can't possibly make that distinction in real time.

If the player is yards offside and gaining a clear advantage in scoring, then fine. But that so rarely happens that I find the constant moaning about offside decisions completely pathetic, and am rather worried by the prospect of goals constantly being ruled out because a video ref has seen someone's toe was past the last defender.

 

[Old Gunner]

I also have strong views on offside decisions. Quite frankly I couldn't give a squiggly if someone's little finger is two inches offside and he scores against my team.

Offside wasn't brought in so you could get a two or five inch advantage, and the linesman can't possibly make that distinction in real time.

If the player is yards offside and gaining a clear advantage in scoring, then fine. But that so rarely happens that I find the constant moaning about offside decisions completely pathetic, and am rather worried by the prospect of goals constantly being ruled out because a video ref has seen someone's toe was past the last defender.

I kind of understand where you are coming from, but sport has always been about fine margins, particularly at the elite level. It's what athletes train for. If a top striker or defender has timed his run to perfection and beaten or triggered the offside trap by millimetres (and VAR shows this for example), why shouldn't they benefit in the way say a top track athlete, a cyclist, a jockey or a Formula 1 racing driver does?

 

[Biggs]

The answer to that is relatively simple in my view.

The outcomes of those sports are binary compared to football. The sole purpose of a track athlete or Formula 1 driver is to finish first, and thus that outcome is incredibly easy to judge. In that sense, the goal-line technology is the comparison in football. Was it over the line or wasn't it?

That was a no-brainer to introduce, but once you bring it out from the goal-line, you're opening it up to the Pandora's box of events and situations in football and the grey areas and different interpretations that lie within them.

Was that touch enough to make him fall? Was that handball deliberate? How closely do we have to zoom in on an offside to make it offside, and how long does that take? If his knee-cap is a centimetre off, is that offside? Because the rules say the benefit of the doubt is with the attacker, so how does that now work? The list goes on and on and on.

 

[Old Gunner]

The answer to that is relatively simple in my view.

The outcomes of those sports are binary compared to football. The sole purpose of a track athlete or Formula 1 driver is to finish first, and thus that outcome is incredibly easy to judge. In that sense, the goal-line technology is the comparison in football. Was it over the line or wasn't it?

That was a no-brainer to introduce, but once you bring it out from the goal-line, you're opening it up to the Pandora's box of events and situations in football and the grey areas and different interpretations that lie within them.

Was that touch enough to make him fall? Was that handball deliberate? How closely do we have to zoom in on an offside to make it offside, and how long does that take? If his knee-cap is a centimetre off, is that offside? Because the rules say the benefit of the doubt is with the attacker, so how does that now work? The list goes on and on and on.

You make a sensible case--I don't agree with it--but I can see where you are coming from. I believe the use should be limited to a few, match critical areas. It will take time to get this right (penalties, offside, perhaps violent conduct), but there is too much at stake to not give it a try. There is no doubt it will come. Goal line technology took forever to be introduced and I suspect there will be a few iterations of VAR before it works in a way that suits football--but it will come.

 

[dunlop]

The answer to that is relatively simple in my view.

The outcomes of those sports are binary compared to football. The sole purpose of a track athlete or Formula 1 driver is to finish first, and thus that outcome is incredibly easy to judge. In that sense, the goal-line technology is the comparison in football. Was it over the line or wasn't it?

That was a no-brainer to introduce, but once you bring it out from the goal-line, you're opening it up to the Pandora's box of events and situations in football and the grey areas and different interpretations that lie within them.

Was that touch enough to make him fall? Was that handball deliberate? How closely do we have to zoom in on an offside to make it offside, and how long does that take? If his knee-cap is a centimetre off, is that offside? Because the rules say the benefit of the doubt is with the attacker, so how does that now work? The list goes on and on and on.

Spot on with that post, unfortunately we know it won't end there.

 

[Tugboat]

Football isn't broke. Don't try and fix it!

Actually football is broke--on many many levels. It's only the fans irrational love of the game that keeps it going.

Absolutely

 

[Tugboat]

The answer to that is relatively simple in my view.

The outcomes of those sports are binary compared to football. The sole purpose of a track athlete or Formula 1 driver is to finish first, and thus that outcome is incredibly easy to judge. In that sense, the goal-line technology is the comparison in football. Was it over the line or wasn't it?

That was a no-brainer to introduce, but once you bring it out from the goal-line, you're opening it up to the Pandora's box of events and situations in football and the grey areas and different interpretations that lie within them.

Was that touch enough to make him fall? Was that handball deliberate? How closely do we have to zoom in on an offside to make it offside, and how long does that take? If his knee-cap is a centimetre off, is that offside? Because the rules say the benefit of the doubt is with the attacker, so how does that now work? The list goes on and on and on.

Spot on with that post, unfortunately we know it won't end there.

That’s where the Referee still maintains control. It’s ultimately his decision based on further assurances via video evidence.

 

[Biggs]

The answer to that is relatively simple in my view.

The outcomes of those sports are binary compared to football. The sole purpose of a track athlete or Formula 1 driver is to finish first, and thus that outcome is incredibly easy to judge. In that sense, the goal-line technology is the comparison in football. Was it over the line or wasn't it?

That was a no-brainer to introduce, but once you bring it out from the goal-line, you're opening it up to the Pandora's box of events and situations in football and the grey areas and different interpretations that lie within them.

Was that touch enough to make him fall? Was that handball deliberate? How closely do we have to zoom in on an offside to make it offside, and how long does that take? If his knee-cap is a centimetre off, is that offside? Because the rules say the benefit of the doubt is with the attacker, so how does that now work? The list goes on and on and on.

You make a sensible case--I don't agree with it--but I can see where you are coming from. I believe the use should be limited to a few, match critical areas. It will take time to get this right (penalties, offside, perhaps violent conduct), but there is too much at stake to not give it a try. There is no doubt it will come. Goal line technology took forever to be introduced and I suspect there will be a few iterations of VAR before it works in a way that suits football--but it will come.

You too make a sensible case, with which I mostly agree bar the reservations above.

And how nice to have a reasonable discussion!