General Premier League Thread 2023-24 Mod Note in op 27/6/23 And 21/05/24

They need to make var as if it's being operated by 5 year olds.

Giant green button for goal

Giant red button for no goal

If it's a peno or red card check, they could have other giant buttons.

Maybe give them a treat when they make the correct decision

It's gotten so much coverage because of the Liverpool reaction. Supporters of pretty much every other club are saying "yeah it's a bad call, Liverpool were on the wrong end of it but, as harsh as it is, **** happens. Let's fix the system if we can and move on".

Don't try and put words in my mouth especially when you are wrong. I've repeatedly said a change to the process to ensure that this can't happen again is exactly what should come out of this.

No-one has tried to just brush this under the carpet. PGMOL released a statement within an hour or so of the full-time whistle to say they were investigating where the error occurred. With an investigation will come an explanation and, if the process can be improved, it will be. Those things don't happen in 24-48 hours. They usually take longer. So you've got to be a bit patient for that.

Instead, what we've gotten is an awful statement from Liverpool FC and a load of hysteria from a lot Liverpool fans citing conspiracy theories.

You have a horrible habit of projecting stuff on people to make you think you’ve won an internet argument. Saying posts are “bizarre” because they don’t agree with your viewpoint or people are “upset” because they don’t agree with isn’t isn’t a good way to debate. You’re also making up your own facts to suit a narrative (“new things are coming to light every couple of hours.”)

The statement was poor and has been slammed by the likes of Gary Neville and Simon Jordan. The conspiracy theories go wherever Liverpool fans do…look at the Liverpool thread here or RAWK as just two examples.

I really don’t want to go round in circles with you. Let’s just agree to disagree.

I’m not making anything up - I said the story provoked a continued reaction as it is a continuing story. Which it obviously is. Only yesterday was it revealed that the ref wasn’t told that the goal was good until half time, despite VAR realising within seconds - that’s a bit mad. The latest being the release of the audio today. A story that rumbles on will continue to generate discussion.

The Liverpool thread here has been grand, for every conspiracy post there’s been a good few more saying ‘nah’. Wouldn’t be going near RAWK myself though, not my cup of tea, but easily avoided by not literally seeking it out.

And sure, fair enough, we’ll move on.

Well the audio has finally been released.

Link for the audio

VAR audio released from Liverpool's disallowed goal by Luis Diaz in defeat at Spurs | Football News | Sky Sports

The VAR ref was going by the strict letter of the law according to Sky Sports that due to the game been restarted after the decision he could not go back and say the goal was good. Now why they decided it was okay to say it at half time I do not know did the ref ask them about it or did they decide to just say it

Darren England was absolutely appalling there. Completely froze when he was told by the operator that on-field decision was offside. Absolutely no excuse for him to go silent for a period when he could still have got a message to on-field officials. Shambolic. VAR is in 4 years now - that’s over 1,500 games - and they still can’t get the very basics right.

It’s a mistake and the VAR officials followed the protocol that meant they couldn’t fix the problem when they realised as play had restarted.

Do you not understand that protocol?

The operator even tells Darren England that Oli wants to delay the game and then he does not talk to Oli [Michael Oliver 4th official]. He is so flippant in it as if he is busy doing something else. The scariest part if the non football person, the operator, is light years ahead of them, he spots the error within 1 second and tells VAR who takes about another 6-7 seconds to realise what has happened. Were they back on their phones or what the hell were they watching. Definitely need to have the audio live for these going forward - the operator took about 10 secs to see he was clearly onside, the technology was good.

Referee: Well done, boys. Good process.

Replay operator: Wait, wait, wait, wait. The on-field decision was offside.

Replay operator: Are you happy with this?

Assistant VAR: Yeah.

Replay operator: Are you happy with this?

Assistant VAR: Offside, goal, yeah.

Assistant VAR: That's wrong that, Daz.

VAR: What?

Replay operator: On-field decision was offside. Are you happy with this image? Yeah, it's onside, The image that we gave them is onside.

Assistant VAR: The left-back he's played him, he's gone offside

Stunning. Given the money involved in football how they **** do these two clowns end up being involved in the pinnacle of the game.

"offside, goal, yeah"

That's what the Assistant VAR said just after the play restarted. The game could have been stopped there and then if it wasn't for his incompetence. Quick free kicks are often called back. 2 second job.

Why was the referee not involved in the conversation at any point?

So no conspiracy.

No match fixing.

No middle Eastern malfeasance.

Just a cock up in communication due to human error.

Precisely what was said by PGMOL from the get go.

But also the laying bear of an obvious flaw in the way they communicate that could easily be improved. Like, the way the process unfolded, it's a wonder there aren't more errors. So it's human error, as a result of a nonsensical process.

The request for investigation and audio was to see if there were failings in the process, and if those failings could be addressed. The answer to both is a pretty clear yes.