Still Not Sold On VAR

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If these guys aren't good enough to be refereeing in the Premiership then they have no place behind these screens.

The virtual assistant referee or VAR has been operating in the English Premiership and a few months in is raising a few questions. Actually more than a few as it was meant to remove any mistakes and make sure the right decision is made. I am not someone who sticks to the television watching every single game, but the ones I have watched have all had instances of confusion which surely is the opposite of why it was introduced in the first place. It has left more questions than answers and it has become a hit and miss experience for everyone involved.

The problem I have with it is it shouldn't matter who is refereeing the game and if someone back behind the screen overturns their decision or not. It is more important to get the right decision for the game than damage someones ego who is holding a whistle. If I was refereeing a game and was informed I had made a mistake I would appreciate the input making sure the right decision is made. There is nothing wrong with that and it shouldn't effect the person running the match. From what I have seen the person controlling the VAR is too scared to overturn a decision and show the on field referee up. If it carries on like this then what is the point.

Where it has made a huge difference is when a player is offside or onside as that can be given in error and the double check gets this one right. This is where I think I can find the only real positive and where the overturns come into play. Then again it isn't against the referee, but against the poor linesman who is normally a junior official much like the guy behind the television screen calling the shots.

The stats so far are very interesting to look at to see who has benefited the most from the first 10 games played by the teams. So far 26 goals or decisions have been effected by the VAR system.

Total reversals on original decision 26
Goals awarded 6
Goals Disallowed 16
Penalties given 4 (2 in United's last game and both missed lol)
Disallowed penalties 1
Sending Off via Red Card 1

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This table was current until the 18th October so doesn't include last weekends games.

There are strict guidelines what the VAR can review and what it can't review. Goal or no goal is the main one, penalty or no penalty and a red card offence. It isn't allowed to rule in yellow card offences even if it leads to a red for a second yellow plus any free kicks outside the box or penalty area.

The VAR could have given loads more goals or penalties from what I have seen so far yet they are reluctant to give them even though it was fairly obvious. The obvious answer is to have more experienced officials behind the cameras and not junior officials. I would also like to hear the reasoning when the referees are talking much along the same lines as how the rugby officials operate. That would help to clear things up very quickly as everyone can see if he is talking rubbish or making sense.

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Aston Villa fans not happy as they feel they are getting screwed over and will most likely celebrate when one goes in their favor. Why is it in replays everyone can see what the referees can't?

The biggest winners so far this season through VAR decisions is Crystal Palace who have had 3 VAR checks and have all gone in their favor. Leicester City have had 5 VAR checks with 3 going in their favor and 2 against so in reality they are plus one decision really. Chelsea have been the biggest losers under VAR so far with 3 decisions going against them,one was a penalty decision overturned for a dive,another was a disallowed goal for a foul and the other was an off side so another goal disallowed.

I think the FA can get the system right but they need to put the right people behind the monitors and not "YES" men. Everyone wants the right decision and if the people that are running it can't then they need to be replaced by ones that can. The Premier League is worth millions in value to the teams and it would be wrong if a side was relegated due to someone not making the right call for whatever reason.