RateTheRef

The clubs also enter the number into the board.

Three pages in now, this can’t be what it was designed to be! The idea of VAR is that threads about refereeing decisions didn’t exist.

A clearly wrong decision is corrected by someone with the technology to have another look. That was its sole purpose.

Everything about VAR has been a total disaster. I don’t blame the guys using it or managing it, I just think it’s been proven that’s, at least in its current form, it doesn’t work in football.

Only saw the last 15 mins. What thoroughly depressing viewing. It’s not even the third best league in the country never mind best in the world. As a ref you can just pick up the pieces of the histrionics. Yawn.

Hmmm I’m not sure about the pen. I don’t see comparisons with Onana, who just launched himself and clattered the man and stops an attacker playing the ball. Here the keeper is as committed to play the ball with his hands as the attacker is with his head, a defender gets there first. I get the argument he catches him, but what else is anyone meant to do. If the keeper delays, he might miss the ball completely. If the defender leaves it, the attacker might get there first.

If this was head on head contact defender on attacker (two players legally challenging for the ball but someone else beats them to it), would it be given? I don’t see much difference, given the keeper can legally play the ball with his hands in this situation, therefore I’m not convinced he is CARELESS as the law requires. If he kicks the attacker, of course he is. But what more care can he take other than potentially staying still and letting a goal in?

Of course I see why it’s given, but let’s look at the outcome. The defender had already cleared the ball, this action by the keeper was not impactful. Therefore, is the punishment of an unobstructed shot at goal (penalty) proportionate to the action? Like handball, is the goalkeeper’s action justifiable?

Discuss!!

And the referee in the perfect position to see; it makes one wonder what goes through a referee's mind to make such a spectacularly bad decision. No doubt James Bell will have the opportunity to explain it to an Observer.

No observer at  Championship level, WB. I am convinced the  presence of observers at PL and Championship level ensured a higher standard than their removal.

Spot on. This is the problem of fitting laws to suit VAR rather than fitting VAR to suit law.

When I look at refs from the top to the very bottom of the ladder, I just generally see a confused workforce.

As ever, trying to please everyone has ended up pleasing no one.

My dad (not a football fan) thinks simulation should be a penalty against the simulator….discuss…!

The impossible question!

So many things. So much more scrutiny. There used to be one live game a week (and for many posters on here, before that even less), now there’s probably three that aren’t. That’s bound to give a greater spotlight. Social media is another.

For me it comes down to VAR, I really think it’s a curse. I think because it was expected to make decisions perfect, or that’s pretty much how it was sold, and quite simply it hasn’t, it’s made the perception of referees lower than it’s ever been. I genuinely think this negative perception then spills out on a Sunday too. I’d love to know the stats between a disastrous VAR Saturday and the number of misconduct cases the following Sunday further down the system.

When Whistleblower says they haven’t got any worse, I agree. In fact top level ARs are miles better than 25 years ago when I started reffing. The refs themselves are probably better, but I’d argue probably not better enough. Those 25 years ago had no comms, no GLT, no VAR, a full time job…the most they might have had was a set of buzzer flags. So for all the assistance, yes, maybe not better enough may be fair. However, I’d also argue that’s because the elite back then were performing at the best it’s actually possible to be. There is a finite element to how good any ref can be at getting decisions right, especially with so many subjective ones.

In the past, there was a general acceptance that decisions even themselves out. I still think they do, but not with VAR. And this has led to all sorts of conspiracy theories. When did you ever hear of people saying the ref was corrupt? Barely ever..rubbish yes, but not corrupt. Now it’s a weekly accusation!

But I do think VAR has led to an unnecessary complexity. Laws have changed to suit VAR, rather than the other way round. I genuinely don’t know what a handball is. Laws have got more complex, I used to smash 100% on every law test but now, a sub or a TA occupant can commit a DFK offence, confusing restarts for the sake of it. Potentially three times as many subs in a game. What feels like a fortnight of added on time just to account for all these changes.

In lower levels I don’t think sin bins have helped. Dissent could be one of the most subjective things going, yet the in game punishment is much greater, and so when a team sees an inconsistency they understandably feel injustice. What they were penalised for last week someone else got away with today.

Oh and I think the football is worse too. Sterile beyond belief. A greater disconnect between fan and club. Greater disconnect between elite and grassroots.

Where it goes from here I don’t know but it can’t get much lower for me.