No Monday VAR thread for the FA Cup (feel free to ask questions).

Instead, I thought I'd share a taste of the controversy from other leagues. Just to show that, contrary to belief, VAR isn't only problematic in the Premier League.

This all might sound pretty familiar...
Starting with Spain, and a couple of incidents from this weekend.

First, this Barcelona goal was disallowed for a marginal offside. Just like in the Premier League, offside is still given if the two lines do not touch (providing the "benefit of the doubt" to the attacker). Image
And Real Betis went public on social media angry at the standard of refereeing after their 2-2 draw at Rayo Vallecano.

Betis were especially furious with the red card shown to Alex Moreno in the 33rd minute.

Video of that here:

And last weekend, Real Sociedad couldn't believe the VAR did not intervene with a penalty and a red card after Alexander Isak was pushed in the back when through on goal and about to shoot.

From October, Marca's front page of "The VAR sows chaos".

Levante were given a 90th minute penalty to get a 2-2 draw at home to Atletico Madrid. Image
From Italy, AC Milan had an 89th minute equaliser at home to Napoli ruled out by VAR for offside.

Olivier Giroud ruled impacting a defender as he laid on the floor, shortly before the goal was scored.

And here's the reaction to that decision in Gazzetta dello Sport. Image
Here's Lautaro Martinez having a goal ruled out for offside by the VAR in Inter Milan's 2-1 win over Lazio on Sunday night.

Again, the same system in Italy as in England. The lines don't quite touch. Image
And some front pages from the Italian media.

Referee Daniele Chiffi and VAR called "inadequate" by Jose Mourinho in a headline in Corriere dello Sport on Friday. Image
After Inter Milan 1-1 Juventus in October.

"Inter non VAR"

"Inzaghi irate at chaos caused by the way technology is being used"
And "Inter pay for the VAR" ImageImage
Another from October.

Napoli and Inter fume at how VAR is being used Image
From November: "Referees in chaos"

On incidents in Roma 1-2 Milan. Image
And a few bits from German media.

Leverkusen's Rudi Voller calls for ex-players in the VAR room.

"An ex-pro with experience in many situations might help. An ex-pro doesn't even need slow motion to realize that it wasn't a penalty."

sportbild.bild.de/bundesliga/202…
From that same incident. "Schalke rage after joke penalty."

94th minute penalty for a 1-1 draw. FIFA referee Tobias Stieler given the penalty via VAR.

sportbild.bild.de/bundesliga/ver…
"DFB ruffles VAR referees after blatantly wrong decisions"

DFB comment: “The TV pictures here do not provide any evidence that requires that it was clearly and obviously wrong that there was no penalty. Intervention by the VAR was not appropriate."

bild.de/sport/fussball…
Handball penalty given to Stuttgart against RB Leipzig.



Which also leads into this Bild article. "Leipzig's constant trouble with the VAR"

bild.de/sport/fussball…
Headline: "Now everyone is pounding on the referees!"

Gladbach captain Lars Stindl (32) was very upset and complained: “It's crazy that there was no penalty. An impudence!"

bild.de/sport/fussball…
"Again and again trouble with the video referee"

bild.de/sport/fussball…
And onto a few from France.

"Paris 'VAR' better" Image
And on that game

"Angers did not accept the "hazardous use" of VAR during its defeat against PSG"

lequipe.fr/Football/Actua…
A meeting between the LFP, the FFF and the officials responsible for the referees is scheduled for mid-November as they are not satisfied with standards.

"The presidents agree this season on one point: the refereeing is rather deficient."

lequipe.fr/Football/Artic…
Bruno Genesio (Rennes): “What's the point of having VAR? "

Specifically on how two incidents in the same game can be judged differently with VAR.

"Two almost similar faults are not punished in the same way and above all are not even checked."

lequipe.fr/Football/Actua…

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Dale Johnson

Dale Johnson Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @DaleJohnsonESPN

12 Jan
Tunisia v Mali

- VAR review for a penalty, given (pen missed)
- Ref blows for full-time on 85 minutes
- Play does restart
- Player sent off
- VAR tells the ref it's not a red
- Ref rejects the red review (it was never a red card)
- Ref blows for full time on 89.40

Chaos!
HANG ON A MINUTE.

Half an hour later... and CAF is going to restart Tunisia v Mali!

OH NO IT ISN'T

(Yep, this really is a pantomime)

Read 5 tweets
10 Jan
Villa goal was disallowed cos Jacob Ramsey was offside when the cross came in, and then challenged an opponent (Edinson Cavani).

Play restarted with an indirect free-kick for the offside offence.

If disallowed for impeding with contact, restart would have been a DFK. #MUNAVL Image
Not sure why it took the VAR, Darren England, so long to get to the decision.

It seems he wanted to find a factual offside offence, when the subjective offside offence was quicker and more straightforward.

Michael Oliver was excellent in explaining this to Tyrone Mings.
This is the section of the offside law that applies.

Edinson Cavani was tracking the runner who then created the goal. You do not have to think Cavani WILL win the ball, only that it impacts on his ability to challenge for it. Image
Read 8 tweets
3 Jan
It's your Monday VAR thread, and it's not really as controversial as the "noise" may have suggested.

Looking at:
- Penalty incidents in Arsenal v Man City
- Penalty incidents in Watford v Spurs
- Red card incidents in Chelsea v Liverpool
- Overturns
- Quick offside recap
Let's start by making one thing clear.

Saying "if the ref looks at one he has to look at both" or "if one's a penalty they both are" just doesn't make any sense.

People try to put different incidents into the same box. Usually, you can't. It's not about consistency.
On the Arsenal v Man City incidents, it's perfectly acceptable for anyone, individually, to think that one, both, or neither should be penalties.

But whether one, both, or neither are sent to the monitor, the process involved is unique to that incident, and its merits.
Read 32 tweets
20 Dec 21
So, after a false start, here's the Monday VAR thread, looking at:

- Why the high bar causes all the issues
- Differences in application
- Kane & Robertson
- Xhaka & Gelhardt
- Penalties for Liverpool, Newcastle
- Other decisions
PGMOL seems to have tied itself up in knots trying to be something it can never be: VAR at Euro 2020.

Fact is there was a higher frequency of VAR overturns at Euro 2020, compared to the Premier League.

But Euro 2020 seemed to have a light touch, and the PL wanted the same.
The Euros had an average of roughly 1 KMI (Key Match-changing Incident) a game. A light touch was possible, because there aren't that many contentious incidents.

But in domestic league football, the average is up around 3. It means the noise around VAR will always be louder.
Read 29 tweets
17 Dec 21
Are you ready for the UEFA-CONMEBOL Nations League?

All 10 South American nations are planned to join the UEFA Nations League when the competition renews in 2024.

All games would still be played in Europe.
It follows UEFA and CONMEBOL signing a renewed and extended Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the potential organisation of football events, lasting until June 30, 2028.

We can safely file this as a clear tactic in opposition to FIFA and its biennial World Cup.
The top 6 ranked South American teams - so Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, Peru and Chile - would join League A of the UEFA Nations League.

The other 4 - Paraguay, Ecuador, Venezuela and Bolivia - would be added to League B.
Read 11 tweets
16 Dec 21
Wondering when the next edition of the UEFA Nations League is?

- Draw is today at 5pm GMT
- England in pot 3 and face a very strong group
- Games played in June 2022 (x4), September 2022 (x2)
- UNL takes up the six international dates prior to the World Cup
- Finals in June 2023
England will be drawn against one team from each of these three pots to form their group.

POT 1
Belgium
France
Italy
Spain

POT 2
Portugal
Netherlands
Denmark
Germany

POT 4
Wales
Austria
Czech Republic
Hungary
Format for Euro 2024 qualifying will not be confirmed until June, including how teams might earn playoff spots via the Nations League.

It's likely UEFA will want playoff paths via this route, though the same method as 2020 cannot be used as Germany take an auto slot as hosts.
Read 12 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!

:(