Thread by @DaleJohnsonESPN

SEMI-AUTOMATED OFFSIDE: A THREAD
CAN IT TRANSFORM VAR?

- How it works
- When will it arrive
- The end of the delayed flag
- How it saves the emotional, spontaneous celebration
- What the IFAB says about it

This only fixes part of VAR, as "clear and obvious" remains a subjective problem.

But of 101 PL VAR overturns this season, a THIRD have been for offside.

These are the lengthiest checks, and almost all involve the scoring of a goal.

These should all be removed. Game changer.

And remember, those 101 are only overturns.

Most of the 716 goals scored in the Premier League have had to be checked for offside - to varying lengths of time.

Goals which fans have had to wonder "is this going to be ruled out for offside?"

FIFA set up the Working Group of Innovation Excellence in 2019, featuring representatives from 13 competition organisers around the world, with three primary objectives

- Semi-automated offside
- VAR-lite
- Improved communication to fans.

FIFA's Technical Innovations department has since been working on semi-automated offside.

The first offline tests with limb-tracking and automated ball detection technology were held at the 2019 Club World Cup.

Further trials were held at last month's Club World Cup.

Johannes Holzmuller, FIFA's director of football technology & innovation, said last year:

"The goal is to develop a supportive tool similar to goal-line technology: Not designed to make the decision, but to provide evidence instantly to the referees."

The semi-automated tech trials are driven by ChyronHego, a Sweden-based company using an Emmy Award-winning optical tracking system.

- accurate kick point and ball detection
- tracking using sensor technology and video data
- skeletal modeling precise to tip of a player's boot

Unfortunately, the pandemic has severely affected trials of the tech. The goal remains to have it operational for the 2022 World Cup, but that may be too soon.

Either way, it's unlikely to be available to domestic leagues before the 2023-24 season.

Why is it worth waiting for?

Semi-automated offside will be so important to the fan experience. It will:

- Provide a near-instant decision
- Remove the need for delayed flags by an assistant
- Remove almost all VAR delays on offside

Basically, the fear of a goal being disallowed is all but gone.

Pierluigi Collina, chairman of the FIFA referees' committee:

"We had two matches as a trial during the Club World Cup recently.

"They were very successful but we're still at quite an early stage. But the outcome is clear: It reduces a lot of the time needed for a decision."

That's not to say goals won't be disallowed for offside.

But the VAR will have a decision within around three seconds. That's relayed to the assistant to raise the flag. In most cases, the flag will be up before a goal scored.

No waiting. No line drawing. Instant decision.

The offside tech will tell the VAR that there's an offside offence.

The VAR will judge if this player is active in the move.

The assistant is given a signal to raise the flag for offside, which will usually stop play before it gets the chance to develop.

How will this change the role of the assistant?

Right now, the assistant still has the leading role in every offside not related to a goal/penalty/DOGSO.

Will the tech take over ALL offside decisions? Or only those related to the above, per VAR protocol? We don't know yet.

IFAB technical director David Elleray:

"Will semi-automated offside lead to a removal of the delayed flag for offside? The answer to that would be almost certainly yes."

It should remove the uncertainty that fans currently hate. Is he onside? Can I celebrate? Is it a goal?

Only a foul in the build up, or a handball by the goal scorer, will be a concern.

In the Premier League this season only THREE goals have been disallowed for this via VAR in 275 games with 716 goals.

Almost all offside decisions for goals, penalties and DOGSO would be instant.

Mark Bullingham, CEO at the FA:

"Semi-autonomous offside would be a real step forward. Everyone recognises that the fan experience is negatively impacted by having to wait for the confirmation that a goal has been scored....

"If you have a scenario where you have semi-autonomous offside, where the assistant always knows whether players are offside, they can make an instant decision that doesn't need to be referred, that would be a step forwards. We're always looking to improve the fan experience."

However, one key thing that needs to be resolved is just how good we want this technology to be.

This tech will be more accurate, which actually means it is capable of giving offsides more marginal than we see now.

But Collina is aware that a balance needs to be struck.

Collina: "It will spot all offsides, even smaller than the one we are spotting today with the current technology.

"So it would be more accurate, and ironically we would have more marginal offsides that could be detected.

"It's a matter related to the spirit of football."

There's no doubt semi-automated offside will be a huge improvement to VAR, whatever other issues there are (globally, not just in the UK).

We have to hope Collina's words about the current offside tech are followed up, to remove the unreliable marginal calls we see at present.

Collina on VAR offside with the current technology:

"If the images are not conclusive, then the field decision cannot be overruled. So it is important that what is shown offers something conclusive. Otherwise, I would say, in case of doubt, follow the field decision."

/ends