Could soccer benefit if we removed the Video Assistant Referee protocol?
Premier League supporters, managers, and players were given a taste of what the game was like without VAR during the FA Cup fourth-round stage – and it is fair to say this weekend was not without its problems.
For this season and the prior FA Cup tournament, VAR has not been brought in until the fifth round, with many fans looking forward to a reversion to football free from stoppages from technology.
Following a campaign full of controversy, delayed decisions, and uncertainty fuelled by VAR, its very existence has been scrutinized repeatedly, with many claiming the game would be more enjoyable if it were scrapped.
Indeed, after a day full of extensive stoppages, mixed messages, and irate managers in the start of the month, a former Tottenham midfielder commented: "To benefit the game, you'd remove VAR."
"The issue is what it is doing for the games, to the spectacle, with the length of time it takes to reach a decision."
"Do you want more right decisions or do you want a more fluid football experience that is authentic and spontaneous?"
Following a couple of offside goals being permitted to stand, a obvious penalty not being awarded plus several other contentious calls, the weekend certainly thrust the topic back into the public eye.
'Improved Entertainment' or 'Greater Accuracy'?
The arguments against VAR are familiar the arguments against VAR.
Decisions being excessively delayed, goal festivities being halted while reviews take place, bewilderment as goals are given – or ruled out – for marginal reasons, preventing referees the ability to use their own common sense.
But Newcastle's controversial victory at their opponent's ground on Saturday could hardly have gone better for supporters of VAR – or more damaging for those who argue football is superior in its absence.
The first goal was obviously offside, a defender inexplicably escaped giving away a penalty for handling, and the same player could easily have been sent off for a reckless tackle as well.
The winning coach commented: "I'm so torn because the game is more exciting without VAR in terms of spontaneity and the spectacle for the supporters."
"But it does give correct outcomes. It does make the game more precise in terms of decision making. You have to value those moments."
The opposing manager went further, saying "VAR is necessary. It's necessary to help the referees".
Additionally, there was some controversy at another ground during a different fixture.
A teenage player had a goal incorrectly disallowed for offside, while the opposition were furious a penalty was awarded against them.
Another top manager remarked: "Overall, I enjoy watching football without VAR because if you then score you're like 'it's a goal'."
"I support VAR only for the definitive and unmistakable things... So let's stay away from that subjective calls and only go to offside decisions."
Another esteemed coach was uncertain whether football was better with VAR, despite witnessing a goal denied for a questionable offside in his side's win.
"Sometimes before I thought it was better and sometimes I think VAR aids us to have a more fair game," he said. "To be honest I don't know."
Are Officials Too Reliant on VAR Now?
According to some pundits, it is straightforward – rather than VAR being a solution for wrong decisions, they would contend officials just need to make correct calls.
When asked whether the mistakes witnessed made him in favour of VAR, a legendary forward responded: "No. I would like the officials to do their job properly. It is not an unreasonable request, is it?"
"If you ever needed any proof of the damage that VAR has done to referees, I think that match is a prime illustration of that."
"These guys look terrified to make a decision because they didn't have a safety net."
A retired shot-stopper commented: "It shows you why we use VAR. A lot of decisions the officials got wrong... VAR is like a security blanket for referees."
"The decision is taken away from the officials. The linesman has been told all season not to put their flag up, so their instinct has been re-trained."
When asked whether football had become overly dependent on VAR, a head coach had some agreement with the argument.
"There is an argument to say yes," he said. "Because when VAR is there, there is a inclination to think 'oh well I won't give that because VAR is there to check it'."
"Then your ability to make a call isn't as sharp as it would otherwise need to be. Maybe there is a shift there."
But a former referee believes it is unfair to claim officials use as a crutch VAR.
"I really don't think that's fair," he said. "Obviously I work with them closely and I know these guys and they're not like that."
"I spent half my career with VAR and half without it... And your processes essentially stay the same."
"What has changed though is with VAR you don't have that spell in a game where you know you've made a really big error and you now have to reset and go again."
'Superior Without It' or 'Chaotic' – Supporter Perspectives
Against VAR:
- James: Football without VAR is authentic football. Having gone, the last few years have been dreadful in comparison. I don't celebrate goals any more as the officials are far more interested in finding ways of disallowing goals than the entertainment of the match-going fan.
- Frank: I backed the introduction of VAR, but it was great not having it. It wouldn't be so bad if there weren't so many absurd VAR errors.
- Alan: Much, much better [without]. VAR has ruined the game, thankfully I now support grassroots football where there are humans, making human mistakes.
- Stephen: Much better without VAR. No waiting for obvious incidents that everyone can see immediately but takes VAR forever to decide. Time for return of refs and linesman to start refereeing the game again.
- Mike: Better, even though a goal was probably wrongly disallowed. Right or wrong, its so much better to just know straight away if its a goal or not. VAR is a joy-killer.
- Les: The game is so much better without VAR. It flows without problem like it used to do. The officials are there to make decisions rightly or wrongly. VAR are always making wrong calls so I can't see the point of it.
For VAR:
- Bonnie: As a supporter, that is exactly the decision that VAR doesn't get credit for. VAR gets it right every time.
- Roger: That was so blatantly offside, have linesman lost their natural ability to spot stuff like this since the introduction of VAR? Bad call.
- Peter: There's an easy fix for VAR offsides. If you can watch one TV replay and see the on-field decision is obviously incorrect, you intervene.
- Stephen: That's what you all wanted isn't it? More goals irrespective of whether they're actually legitimate or not?
- Liga: It's these types of situations and these types of situation only where VAR should and needs to be used for offsides. Not those hairline millimetre nonsense situations.
- Callum: This season is proving 2 things. 1) VAR is a must. 2) Brave football is under threat.
- Ben: What are linesman for exactly? Having no VAR is yet more chaos, who makes these decisions?
