The “clear and obvious” rule effectively renders VAR inert, though, and allows for nearly the same opportunity for human error or manipulation that existed prior to it’s implementation.
The bar is so high that barring something being so egregiously wrong that it would cause a scandal if it wasn’t overturned, VAR will almost always go with the referee’s ruling on the pitch based on Webb’s new guidance. That includes many errors that are obvious to everyone viewing replays of the incident, commentators, pundits, fans, club staff, and beyond. And even blindingly obvious, scandal-inducing errors are not immune to VAR’s deference to the referees, as we saw many times last season and this season.
That rule, more than anything else (including the deeply flawed system for assessing offside), contributes to VAR falling quite short of its stated purpose. And contributes to the general frustration and distrust from the fans.
VAR, in its current state, largely serves as merely a mechanism for gas lighting.