VAR. It’s an acronym which is likely to raise the blood temperature of Premier League followers by its mere mention.
When it was introduced to the English top flight five years ago, it looked as though many of the controversies which dogged the division would be a thing of the past. Instead, it’s compounded the ire of fans throughout the country (and indeed the world) because of its often baffling implementation.
No-KYC casinos are known for prioritising privacy, something that VAR also seems to do with its cloak-and-dagger operation as match-going spectators and TV viewers are kept in the dark as to the discussions which take place between the officials tasked with making crucial in-game decisions.
For a prime example of how it can infuriate followers of the sport, you need only look back at Liverpool’s recent win over Leicester City at Anfield.
On two occasions, the home side had the ball in the Foxes’ net before VAR was called upon. In the first instance, Curtis Jones’ close-range finish was allowed to stand, although Cody Gakpo was denied a second goal of the night later on as the on-field offside decision was upheld.
Both calls merited a closer look from VAR, but not a cumulative five minutes of poring over numerous replays and rewinding so far back that, as some budding online comedians observed, it may have been Emile Heskey who was on the pitch.
The unnecessarily lengthy delays left fans at Anfield venting their displeasure and also saw talkSPORT presenter Adrian Durham bemoan the ‘incompetence‘ of the ‘rubbish’ operation.
Let’s go back to 2019 and recall why VAR was introduced to the Premier League. It was brought in with the objective of eradicating ‘clear and obvious’ errors; but far from accomplishing that mission, it’s instead given officials in Stockley Park the scope to butt in and influence the game when their input isn’t needed.
Also, why have fans at the ground and watching on TV been in the dark as to the conversations which take place when an incident is being reviewed? What justification is there for not relaying the discussion in realtime? Don’t try telling us the technology isn’t there, because it is.
It’ll be interesting to see how the trial of in-stadium VAR announcements for the Carabao Cup semi-finals next week will work out – at least it’s a small step towards the ideal level of transparency.
VAR has succeeded in correcting some on-field errors and has a place in the sport, but in England especially, it needs to be operated with far more professionalism and efficiency. If a clear mistake can’t be seen within 40-45 seconds, there isn’t a clear mistake and so the on-field decision should stand.
We’re not asking for perfection, as many decisions will inevitably be subjective, but we just want the whole process to be smoother and less controversial.
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