These past few games have totally exposed the way VAR is used and how referees are adapting to it.
It should be a system to double check and ensure the correct decisions are made, but increasingly it is being used to back up a referee's decision instead. The referree gives or does not give a decision hoping that VAR will help him, and then VAR just back up the referee more often than not. So, it does help the referee by coveirng his arse, at the expense of incorrect decisions, pulling the game into disrepute, changing match results and even encouraging player injuries.
Even that would be all fine, mostly, if the decisions reached were correct. I can accept I see things with blue tinted spec most of the time, but I can look at most other Premier League games where I have no vested interest, and see poor decisions not corrected by VAR. But recently we've had blatant contradictions in how the rules are interpreted agme to game, even decison to decision in the same game, and it needs explaination.
I have issue enough with VAR as a technology, mainly that it has become painfully apparent that it is unable to pinpoint the exact moments to use for offsides, creating yards of 'wiggle room' for the mysterious VAR operations room to play with, but even putting that aside the way humans are interpreting VAR's data is incosistent and wrong, and it is not a suprise that some teams and fans feel blatantly cheated. That puts into question the credibitity and professionalism of the officials and those behind the scenes, and VAR does not help itself by deliberatly making the process hidden and 'need to know only' basis. Which seems to include the TV broadcasters from what we hear the commentatos saying, yikes!
I'd love to see a nation-wise poll of fans now on VAR. Woudl you 1) Scrap it 2) Keep it or 3) Keep it but change how it is used?
I would be in 3 but only if the changes involved making the conversations of the officials audible real time to all. TV viewers, fans in the stadium, bench, players. Otherwise, just scrap it. I have zero trust in the officials who use teh technology... I mean, we've just seen a player sent off for a 50/50 challenge where the other player intitates the contact, and a player not sent off for an over the ball studs up challnge that injured his opponent, in the same game!
Now is the time for fans to ask questions of the officials. In just the past few games alone we have seen:
United given an offisde goal, arguing that Fernandes touched the ball on the way though depsite VAR showing no conclusive evidence of Fernandes touching the ball. Decision - Uphold referee's decision of goal. Inconsequential is the fact that Fernandes then reportedly denies in a post match interview that he did touch the ball at all.
Penalty not given in the Everton game despite it clearly hitting his hand. VAR shows movement of the hand towards the ball and definite contact, its nealry a full on punch! Decision - uphold referee's decision of no penalty.
Cancelo sent off for bringing down player though on goal. VAR shows Welbeck initiates contact and jumps into the air to get to the ball first so is not in control. Decision: uphold the referee's decision to send Cancelo off.
Brighton player only yellow carded for over the ball challenge on Gundogan, injuring the CIty player in the process. VAR shows challenge was over the ball and studs connect with Gundogan's shin and knee. Decision: uphold referree's original decision of just a yellow.
City denied penalty for challenge on Jesus. VAR shows the Brighton player catches Jesus and takes his ankle just after Jesus flicks the ball to his right to go around the challenge. Decision: uphold referee's decision of no penalty.
Ollie Wakins goes down for Villa undera challenge fomr Lloris. VAR sees that Lloris tocuhes Watkins but not the ball. Decision: uphold the referre's decision of no penalty.
Those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Never have we had a situation where we are talking about 5+ contentious decisions for one round of fixtures, let alone one game. And the above clearly shows how VAR is being used incorrectly from a human point fo view, and thus not giving is the correct and fair deicsions.
If VAR thinks there is not enough to show a clear and obious error, then it does not do anything. But what consitituses a clear and obvious error is down to intepretation, and it does not take into consideration whether the referee's original decision has enough evidence to it to justify it even being given in the first place (i.e. the original problem!) If it is true that VAR cannot overrule the decision, and is merley the tool for the referee to use and decide whether he was correct, then you are asking the referee to admit he was wrong. I can impagine that in the mind of some this errodes any authority he has, but i'd argue not nearly as much as getting decisions so laughably wrong does.
I think I even saw the ref in our game blow for a Brighton foul when their keeper came out to catch the ball and fell over his own player?
Bloody fed up of VAR, and now with the way the referee's are 'adapting' to use VAR. It doesn't make the game more exciting, it doesn't correct the incorrect decisions and it makes celebrating a goal a hesitant affair rather than the outburst of joy and passion that it should be. I applaud Azaa for highlighting this in his social media posts, as highlighting this to the wider footballing community and joining our voices with others who are just a fed up is the only way things will get looked at.
Take it out behind the shed and put it out of its misery. And we shoudl be asking that Atwell never comes anywhere near a City game again in his career. His incompetence directly changes the result of a game and potentially means one of our best players misses a Champions League final. He's not getting decisions right, he's not protecting the players, he's not in control of a game, and seemingly he' not big enough to admit he has made several mistakes.
