Has VAR been fair to Arsenal?

Morning all.

VAR. Has it helped Arsenal at all this season? I don’t mean giving decisions our way when they are not justified, totally the opposite in fact. Has its introduction ensured we as a club have decisions overturned when the on-field referee has clearly got it wrong?

The offside against Aubameyang was correctly overturned but then he was so far onside, the linesman shouldn’t have raised  his flag in the first place but this time last season, the decision he made would have stood.

 

 

The other incidents which stick in my mind are Sokratis not being awarded a penalty when he was being tugged all over the place and the penalty awarded against us by VAR on review after Mike Dean had originally booked Zaha for diving. That particular decision, regardless of how poor we are at the moment, gave Palace the belief to come back an earn a draw. In the same game, VAR against hit us hard after Sokratis scored a very late winner. Dean awarded us the goal, rightly so in my opinion and nearly everyone else, but no, the VAR official searched long and hard before disallowing for an imaginary foul by Chambers.

So, here’s the question.

 

28 thoughts on “Has VAR been fair to Arsenal?

  1. Aussie Geoff says:

    Hi Rico I don’t think it has help us at all, I except it is new and we have to give it a chance but. The issue I have with the VAR from what I have read is the fact that the current referees are the one monitoring the VAR screen and it does not matter what teams are playing if the referees in the VAR room does not like a certain club they will never give a decision in your favour.
    I would prefer the VAR was monitored by ex officials picked by the clubs before each season starts.

  2. potter says:

    Finding ex referees could be difficult , since 2010 we have lost 5 through age retirement and that includes Clattenburg who left for personal reasons . ( could’nt stand Riley )
    The premise that was sold to the public was that it would only be used when the on the pitch referee’s team made a clear and obvious mistake , but this is not how it’s being operated . In my humble opinion the Riley method undermines the on pitch officials as their decisions are monitored by a faceless individual who in the case of our Palace match was an inexperienced referee from Australia who although one of their best had never had to perform in the intensity of a Premierleague match. For him to undermine Atkinson was wrong , he should have requested the ref to go the monitor and take a second look.
    Until the on pitch referee’s decision is final then there will be no accountability as Riley can hide behind the system and claim that his team is completely accurate.

  3. rico says:

    Hi Geoff, all.

    In principle I think VAR is a huge positive but the way it’s been implemented by Riley and co has been disappointing.

    Riley must be nearing retirement age by now surely….

  4. ScottfromOz says:

    Rico, it’s never been an issue with the technology here in Oz, it’s always been the way it’s used and that’s why I’ve always been against it.
    They tinker with it every year and still can’t get it right so again I ask why bother?
    It wastes time and still, incorrect decisions are made regularly.

  5. rico says:

    Do ex referees need to monitor var though Potter? Why not break away from that and go for independent people who learn the same rules in the same teaching environment.

  6. Cicero says:

    G’day to you all.

    VAR could be a positive influence on football in general if it was used the way it was originally “sold” to the fans. The prime stipulation was it should only be used to correct a clear and obvious error by the on-field referee.

    I see no reason why the VAR should not “suggest” that the on-field referee review a possible error by looking at the pitch-side monitor. By taking decisions away from the referees just goes to undermine their authority.

    The worst example of a “bad” decision was when the VAR took 3 minutes forty-seven seconds looking at a call which he finally decided was a fraction of an inch offside. If it was that close, by definition it was not a clear and obvious error. Line calls such as offside can be inaccurate due to the width of the line superimposed on the screen.

    In answer to the question posed, I don’t know.

  7. ScottfromOz says:

    Imo, the best opinion I heard on Video ref/VAR was that the game is played at normal speed, so reviews and replays should also be played at normal speed.
    If an obvious error shows up at normal speed, then it’s an obvious error.
    If not, and the footage is slowed down, stopped, re started etc etc it ain’t obvious.

  8. Aussie Geoff says:

    keep the VAR system for goals only ( eg: players pulling of jumpers ) and then get rid of THE off side rule and keep the game flowing but it never will happen.

  9. Richard says:

    Hi Rico,
    What you should be concentrating on is why mike dean pgmol and premier league have decide against use of pitchside monitors taking agency away from on field referee. And why they are doing everything in their power to ruin a very good tool for referees.

  10. Uwot? says:

    As long as mike “ I luv Manure” Riley is running the show.were shafted.end of.It should be operated under similar rules to rugby union.& ref explain loudly ,as in American football ,reason for final decision based on advice from var.

  11. Potter says:

    I don’t think that looking for ex refs is viable ,as there are not enough to cover the weekend programme . We already have a small selection of referees and this has been the case for many years.
    VAR should be used to assist the match referee not to replace him.

  12. ScottfromOz says:

    Rico, my belief is it’s been about finding those obvious errors.
    I guess we all need to see what happens but experience tells me we will be having nearly the same conversation in 10
    Years time.
    Almost everyone I know in England supported it, most now hate it, and it seems we spend more time talking about it than any other single topic in the game.
    The way it’s used just needs to be simplified, imo because there is no doubt it could be great.

  13. rico says:

    Scott, I reckon there’s been teething problems, plenty of them but perhaps now so many of them have been highlighted, things will shape up a bit better next season.

  14. Aussie Goeff says:

    VAR problem solved Tell Mike Dean to stop refereeing and become Arsenals senior coach we are bound to win with him and his mates on our side unless he is hated more by the other referees than we think that case we are bugged.

  15. Aussie Geofff says:

    VAR problem solved as I said before Tell Mike Dean to quit refereeing and become Arsenal’s head coach then his mates will all ways see things in our favour we can not loose, unless the other referees hate him more than us that case we are bugged or option 2 we get Josh Kroenke to stand out side of VAR room with cash That’s not going to happen either looks like back to the drawing board

  16. Aussie Geoff says:

    Hi Rico sorry for same post twice as it is would not show first post so I posted it again then both come up

  17. Cicero says:

    G’day to anyone who happens to log on.

    I see the Arsenal propaganda machine has clunked into operation. This time with Hector Bellerin as it’s mouthpiece, calling for togetherness and support for all the team including the outlaw Granit Xhaka.

    Meanwhile Unai Emery continues on his not merry way, is he the only person at The Emirates that can’t see the massive elephant in the room behind him? Other allusions spring to mind, The Sword of Damocles hanging over him. The Hand of Nemesis on his shoulder.

    Right, I’m off to watch the Hammers, hopefully, mash the Spuds.

  18. Cicero says:

    Today’s line-up.

    Leno, Bellerin, Chambers, Luiz, Sokratis, Tierney, Torreira, Guendouzi, Ozil, Aubameyang, Lacazette.

    Subs, Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, Pepe, Nelson, Willock, Matinez, Martinelli.

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