The Ref Stop

VAR England v Italy

The Ref Stop
When I teach people that are becoming referees, I always joke that if they're lucky, they'll get 4O, if they move to UEFA or CONEMBOL, they might be lucky enough to use AARs, super lucky, they'll get RARs, but not to worry, they'll have lots of VARs at each of their games. :)
 
santa sangria said:
I'm trying to imagine 19 players in the centre circle attempting to encroach into the penalty area... Peter Crouch loping across the acres perhaps?!?!
Click to expand...
Very good point.
In my mind, I had a GK making a save and the referee missing him coming off his line too early.
Then you get the GK's team charging up the field to 'embrace' him and to celebrate, the defeated team collapse to the floor. But what's this, the referee is drawing a screen!?
 
I actually got to see this real time. I didn't get to see the whole game but saw this bit. Full disclosure - even though I'm American, I was all for England in this game (wearing my England jersey at the time) and will be England/Germany as my two favorites for the cup since we made a complete hash out of our qualifying.

In real time... tough to see the trip (and yes upon watching the replay... yep... that is a trip and a penalty) for certain and I would have been in the same position as the CR. On the replay... first thing I noticed was Young making contact with his hip into the back of the Italian player. I would have to go slow motion to tell if Young's contact came before (affecting the Italian causing loss of balance and affecting play) or after (ball already which I might consider trifling). While watching second showing of the replay, I noticed the clear trip and yes I would have called it if I had had the angle the camera had.

Now to the VAR. I appreciate One doing the process chart and even looked up the VAR guidelines. I had initially thought VAR was a good idea with offside, foul in/out of PA, mis-identification of offender and RC's not seen being huge benefits. Now think that there needs to be revisions as the application is uneven and causing issues. It seems to specifically relate to PK decisions. Here are my thoughts
  • VAR should be just like an certified AR. They are eyes and ears of the CR when I work.
  • I think it is a VERY valid point that VAR is splitting hairs at times while ignoring other PK fouls that are common (holding/pushing) on corner kicks. I don't advocate for calling all of these at this level BUT there is hardly a corner at this level without SOMETHING occurring in the box that technically would result in a PK so we examine some fouls to an extreme level but not others in the PA
  • When the VAR spots something in the PA that is technically a foul, the CR is very unlikely to overrule although the CR is the ultimate decider
  • VAR brings multiple angles to the officiating team. This is good if done properly
Possible solution/improvement
  • VAR has the ability to watch something several times in super slow motion which is MUCH different than how the laws are applied anywhere else. This results in two different standards and seems to not be applied to all KMI causing further heartache
  • My idea would be this - Restrict VAR's usage of slow motion to ONLY offside, identity of offenders and RC.
  • PK decisions - if you have to watch it repeatedly or in slow motion then it is not OBVIOUS. Restrict the VAR to watching a camera angle only at real speed and probably restrict them to only watching it 2 or 3 times. If you have to watch it 3 or 4 times then it is not CLEAR or OBVIOUS
    • Another possibility is eliminate VAR in PK decisions except for location of foul
I'm with the majority here and am not a fan of VAR. I think if it were dialed back or taken out of the PK decision making altogether could be the way to go.
 
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