Balanced Piece (Uni Work)

VAR: The debate continues

We are now 28 games into the premier league season and the use of VAR in football is still being debated weekly. 

VAR made its debut in the premier league this season, to help referees make tough decision easier and spot “clear and obvious errors.”

Even as recent as Sunday, VAR once again sparked debate. Everton had a late winner ruled out by VAR that left the home fans the bitterest of tastes in their mouth. 

But even days later, people still can’t agree. On one whether or not it was the right decision and two whether or not VAR should’ve even intervened. 

The first main issue of VAR is, despite its use being to help the referee to make correct decisions, people are still disagreeing on decisions. 

“In no way did Siggurdson affect the vision of De Gea.”

That was what Leeds United fan Jake Mullier, thought about the decision VAR made to rule out Everton’s last gasp winner. 

Gylfi Siggurdson was adjudged to have interfered with play, who was laying prone in an offside position, after Dominic Calvert-Lerwin’s deflected shot hit the back of the net. 

“Decisions like that are really heartbreaking for the game” the Leeds fan added. “That should have been a goal.” 

“I don’t see how Sigurdsson affected the vision of De Gea at all, Ancelotti was fuming about the decision and I don’t blame him at all.” 

The way Jake describes the situation, it would seem hard for anyone to disagree. 

But Liverpool fan Aaron James said: “a player in an offside position that close to goalkeeper is interfering with play.”

He added “it was a strange and unique situation but I do think VAR made the right decision and were right to intervene.”

VAR is certainly fully part of the English game now but unfortunately that doesn’t mean everyone agrees on the decisions it has made. 

Another main debate in VAR, is disagreeing on when it should be used. 

We are now way past the half way point in the season but over the first nine weeks of the season, VAR was criticised for not intervening enough. Such as allowing referees decisions to stand when they were wrong.  

An notable example of this was from the Everton against Tottenham game back in November, where Heung Min-Son was deemed to have been wrongly sent off and VAR did not intervene. As the red card was overturned after the match. 

Jake said: “if we are going to implement VAR than at least use it to intervene more when the referees have made mistakes, rather than sticking up for the referees decisions.” 

VAR had taken a while to finally give a penalty and when they finally intervened there was still complaints. 

Aaron said: “VAR took so long to finally give a penalty this season, and when it finally gave one to Brighton it was for next to nothing!”

It seems like no matter what VAR does it can’t win. 

Football fans may be split on VAR but one thing they can’t deny is VAR has both made correct and incorrect decisions. 

VAR is still in its early stages and I’m sure every football fan will want some clarity going forward with how VAR is used and if it will continue to be used.