Every week, a new video assistant referee (VAR) controversy erupts. The debate over the protocol reached its peak in a fiasco involving Liverpool And Tottenham Hotspur in September. The Reds were wrongly denied a goal due to “human error” and ultimately lost the match.
Following this, the latest VAR debacles have occurred over the past few days. Newcastle scored a winning goal against Arsenal on Saturday despite replays showing defender Gabriel was fouled by Magpies midfielder Joelinton. A confrontation between Chelsea and Spurs were subsequently spoiled by numerous excruciatingly long VAR reviews Monday.
When will the madness end?
More VAR criticism comes to the Premier League
Despite calls to change VAR in the Premier League, officials are unlikely to make any significant changes any time soon. In fact, FA CEO Mark Bullingham recently announcement that video replays could soon expand. This means VAR will be able to review even more incidents. This apparently includes the awarding of corner kicks and free kicks.
Although VAR is one of, if not the most controversial topics in the Premier League, most will agree that more replays is not the answer. For England’s top flight to continue to be called the best league, changes need to take place.
VAR changes in the Premier League: it must start with the rulebook
VAR was first introduced in the Premier League ahead of the 2019/20 season. On paper, the ability to correct poor decisions on the pitch using replay seemed like a positive step forward. Many believed that controversial calls would decrease significantly with the creation of VAR. However, this simply was not the case.
Many professional sports leagues have benefited from the implementation of video replay. Football, however, is significantly different. VAR has apparently not been as successful, in part because of different interpretations of the sport’s rules.
The handball rule, for example, is currently questionable. A specific handball incident can, and usually does, provoke a wide range of opinions. Offside is another law that is not exactly clear-cut. A recent incident involving Manchester United defender Harry Maguire is a perfect example. Maguire, despite not touching the ball, was judged to have affected the game. As a result, the Red Devils were disallowed a potential goal for offside.
A simplification of the current regulations would apparently help limit confusion on certain appeals. Instead of streamlining laws, the Premier League changed the rules to add even more guidelines ahead of the current campaign.
Semi-automated offside technology would allow calls to be made faster
Another key change to VAR is expected to be the introduction of semi-automated offside technology. Today’s offside calls in the Premier League can sometimes take several minutes to complete. There is also human error involved in these decisions.
Former head of VAR Lee Mason actually forgot to draw computerized offside lines on screen during a match between Arsenal and Brentford in February. The Gunners should have won the match, but the Bees were wrongly awarded an equalizer due to this error. Mason has since retired from this position. However, he was quickly hired to train referees by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) this summer.
Semi-automatic offside technology is currently used in UEFA stadiums. Champions League And Europa Leagueas well as series A. The technology is incredibly precise and fast. In fact, offside decisions can be made in seconds. Implementing this technology in the Premier League would help in making good decisions and avoid problems with the atmosphere inside the stadiums.
Although the introduction of technology is desperately needed, it is unlikely to come to the Premier League any time soon. One of the main reasons for the delay is that Nike, the official ball of the English elite, has not even tested the technology yet. Adidas currently supplies soccer balls for the aforementioned UEFA tournaments and the Italian league.
The Premier League must put pressure on PGMOL and IFAB for the good of the game
Even with semi-automated offside technology, the Premier League needs to raise the standard of referees in the league. From hiring referees from other countries to changing VAR protocols, refereeing needs to improve. For a league that is arguably the best in the world, the implementation of VAR has been embarrassing.
The Premier League must intervene to regain control of the situation. Otherwise, it risks losing its global appeal. Fans are tired of the VAR spectacle.
As NBC Sports commentator Jon Champion eloquently said during Monday’s Spurs-Chelsea game: “All we came here for was to see a decent football game, not people playing with it. video machines. This first half was as marked by VAR intervention as any I can remember.
NBC Sports co-commentator Graeme Le Saux added: “Every piece of contact is being reviewed. You might as well remove the referee from the field and let VAR referee the match. Well said.
Photo: IMAGO / PA Images
