15 Aug 2023 20:22:57
Surprise surprise PGMOL issue an apology today for the robbery which took place yesterday at Old Trafford. Surely this rediculous ’clear and obvious’ rule needs to go. Why can’t the ref just have autonomy to go review the monitor if he feels like he missed something and if VAR officials see something that is a possible foul worth reviewing just flag it and say possible foul etc have a look and see what you think ref…end of the day the on field ref should be making subjective decisions and not someone 100s of miles away. Give them 30 seconds or a few different angles to look back on the incident and move on. If you have to watch something back 20 times from 10 different angles in slow motion then it shouldn’t be given or is an acceptable mistake but Christ how many times have we seen the wrong decision be given because the car official didn’t think the error was clear and obvious…an error is an error!

{Ed025's Note - it’s out and out corruption Dow-ney. No other term for it mate..

1.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 20:56:33
How would the ref know whether he missed something if he missed it?
But I agree with what you are saying; both the ref and VAR couldn't have missed it. The VAR saw it and chose to ignore it because he bottled it. I reckon if it was a foul on a United player the ref would have been told to look at it.

{Ed025's Note - dead right he would have Rigsby..

2.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 20:58:21
Every other sport with video decisions employ an appeal system.

Football always tries to reinvent the wheel and usually fails.

Just have a limited incorrect appeal system. 2 per team and 1 additional appeal in the last 10 mins.

Throw a flag, something like that and when the ball goes out of play you have to state precisely what you are appealing. Handball, offside, whatever. Not “scroll back 5 mins and see if you can find anything to appeal”.

Otherwise VAR stays silent and you go with the ref. Burn your incorrect appeals in the first 10 mins - tough luck if you get a stinker in the 70th minute it’s your own fault.

{Ed025's Note - it works in cricket Ron..

3.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 20:59:02
Ed- completely agree

No-one will ever be able to convince me that it’s not being used to manufacture certain outcomes.

{Ed025's Note - you only have to go back to the hand ball at Everton that won City the league TS, bent as a 9 bob note mate..

4.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 20:59:57
These refs need to be held accountable because an apology after the fact is useless to the teams effected! Is there a genuine and legitimate reason why the VAR review doesn’t happen on the big screen in the stadium and instead go to the pitch side? Because to me they just don’t want the fans to see it. Previously the PGMOL said that players would crowd the ref etc but now that yellow cards are being handed out like sweets to players who voice any concerns to the ref surely this wouldn’t be an issue anymore.

Play the review on the big screen, ref watches it and makes there call…don’t know would this solve the incompetencies or clear bias but at least it takes it lit from behind the curtain.

5.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 21:20:26
Dow-ney, I saw that as well. The season is not even two games old and the PGMOL are already starting with the excuses and apologies for their refs screwing teams out of decisions they earned leading them to lose games. Rmember, Wolves are picked to go down this season. Well with that type of officiating, they will be a shoe in, for sure. Also, the PGMOL have issued directives to make sure that NOBODY gets to criticise them and they don't have to explain a darn thing for their mistakes. To the PGMOL, "The regime shall NOT be challenged. All dissenters must remain silent or we will act". Great show of accountability and transparency.

As for Utd, I saw a lot of their fans beratitng their team and slamming Seven Hag for the perf. while others were taking the mick. I don't want to here a darn thing from this mob when VAR screws them this season cos we all now it will. Also, keep in mind that this bro. has spent 400m plus in the past two summers and got his arse handed to him by the coaching legend that is Gary O'Neil.

6.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 21:25:34
I've never understood this "clear and obvious" thing. Nothing "clear" or "obvious" about so many VAR decisions since it's inception.

7.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 21:40:07
Surely the answer is to have Howard Webb on speed dial for ever game?

8.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 21:57:10
Much easier to apologise than actually do something about the standard of reffing in England.

9.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 22:00:48
Not perfect, but my suggestion is that they should send a ref to the screen if there’s ANY decision within the box where it needs to be looked at’ by VAR? Appreciate it could add time to the game (which has obviously gone up! ) but to miss such clear errors.

10.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 22:06:45
Redflyer, Clear and Obvious means norhing. It is just a ruse for the refs to be protected whenever they screw up and the VAR gives them cover. If the Onana foul on the Wolves player is not a "Clear and Obvious" error by the on filed ref then, nothing will. There is your oroof that it means nothing but a cop out to use when it suites them to deny blatant decisions they screwed up. Just my take.

11.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 22:12:49
I thought Everton’s disallowed goal should have stood. The goalie jumped and landed with his arms around the player and he was adjudged to have been fouled. They blues were robbed I have to admit. And then this ridiculous decision. I think I preferred football in the 80s.

{Ed025's Note - its not the first time we have been stiffed RS, and yes in the 80,s there was a certain honesty and even though refs did make the odd howler you felt it was a genuine mistake, unfortunately the trust has gone now mate and its seen as the latest bit of corruption in a sport thats going downhill for the genuine working guy imo..

12.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 22:21:33
I agree with permitting some sort of VAR appeal from a coach (limited appeals) . I know it's comparing an apples and oranges but they do that in the NFL. Everyone predicted doom and gloom and the game was going to be slowed down blah blah blah. It is actually been rather efficient in my opinion. The call on the field stands unless there's obvious evidence to overturn. I think the wolton man you would be a perfect situation where if the official didn't call it and var did not address it. The coach could get it reviewed and hopefully the numb skulls won't be able to avoid the inevitable call of it being a penalty.

13.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 22:26:58
I agree with Ed25 it has to be corruption. Has to be. There are just too many blatantly obvious calls that VAR gets wrong for it to be anything else.

The handball at Chelsea was bad but that one last night was inexcusable.

Never mind suspending them for a week they should be sacked immediately and a criminal investigation started. Honestly that was that bad corruption is the only explanation.

{Ed025's Note - absolutely BP..

14.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 22:27:54
It’s not incompetence………it’s cheating!

{Ed025's Note - im in that camp as well Tommy..

15.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 22:33:29
The Everton goal couldn't have stood because the ref blew the whistle before the ball went in the net.
It wasn't a foul though and the whistle shouldn't have been blown.
For me, referees too often take the easy option rather than try to do the right thing.

16.) 15 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 22:37:35
Replay the game or re-state it as a draw. An apology does not cut it. Not at this level and when 3 points can have so much riding on them by the end of the season. What if Wolves get relegated by 2 points? Amateurs. ?.

17.) 16 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 23:59:44
Where such vast sums of money are generated greed and corruption will soon follow. In the past dodgy decisions we’re made by one person and so you can blame human error but now they are made by a whole team of refs watching the same game. It’s just too much to accept that these errors are all being missed by what we are led to believe are elite refs in the biggest league in the world WITH the most up to date video technology!

Scrap VAR as we have it, maintain technology for offsides as it’s factual and let the ref just ref the game. give the captains a set number of challenges per game for things like penalties, goals and red card offences. The ref should get to review the video in normal speed to on the big screen, make their decision and explain it to the captain. This would breed respect between players and refs as opposed to the new rules which are akin to North Korea leadership of criticise or question our decision and we will punish you! It’s crazy refs want unconditional respect and frankly inhuman sedate responses from what are passionate players but yet don’t even have the respect to players, fans and coaches to speak after a game and explain their decisions!

18.) 16 Aug 2023
16 Aug 2023 00:05:33
Next time wolves play Utd, let wolves take a penalty, if they score then add it to the score of the game they’re about to play. Not perfect solution but some real justice, better than an apology.

19.) 16 Aug 2023
16 Aug 2023 00:22:38
Perhaps when the betting stops- so ends the corruption. Look at me all pompous and sh*t.

20.) 16 Aug 2023
16 Aug 2023 05:20:50
I’m not sure it’s entirely deliberate or corruption (naive perhaps but I’m an optimist! )

I feel the decision system is just putting too much pressure on one person to make a spur of the moment call under immense pressure. For example it’s pure human nature that makes it harder to call a penalty against Man Utd at home in the last minute, than it is to give a penalty against a smaller club away from home in the 20th minute. That moment of hesitation on a tight call quickly tips into inaction and then nothing in the first case, but is more likely to tip into a penalty in the second due to unconscious bias (they’re likely to lose anyway, I’m impacting the game less, there’s plenty of time for other factors to influence the result etc…) . It’s just human nature.

The PGMOL is naive to think these can be stamped out just through training, so why not give the ref a hand with VAR and give them the option to ask for a replay on close calls (or else give the oppo the right to ask for a review), and then they can take a closer look and make a more considered decision without the time pressure and a split second/ potentially imperfect view of the event.

21.) 16 Aug 2023
15 Aug 2023 23:21:59
Are you really saying there’s corruption? It can’t be surely?!

{Ed025's Note - i think you have to be a bit naive to think the sport is clean Ecogsi, so much money involved and sports betting is a growing problem mate..

22.) 16 Aug 2023
16 Aug 2023 08:11:28
I agree it must be corrupt, United not getting a pen in the first half and the amount of added time was scandalous tbf ?.

23.) 16 Aug 2023
16 Aug 2023 09:23:44
Good post, SG.
A lot of it is human nature, I reckon. Similarly you could get a referee wanting to steal the limelight with a controversial decision against one of the big sides late on.

24.) 16 Aug 2023
16 Aug 2023 11:40:58
Surely given the amount of times issues like this has happened in just the last 2 seasons, the likes of Howard Webb and co would invite the VAR officials at the centre of these decisions in for a meeting, play the footage that they know he reviewed and then ask the official to explain the decision he came to based on that they have all just seen?

If these officials know that these decisions will be investigated and ramifications ensue then they are coached to become better at their jobs? I mean that type of thing is basic management is it not?

Then, if these type of conversations are not happening, surely we must ask why?

I mean, if an employee makes a mistake once fair enough but you would have a conversation with him/ her about that mistake and what issues it caused and your expectations are laid out then going forward

If it happened again, you would have a similar conversation, again highlighting the issues caused and reminding that employee that this is not the first time you have spoken to them regarding such an incident and that if it happens again it could well warrant disciplinary action which could result in.

If several employees are making the same mistake then whilst you would be having the conversations above with each individual involved, the fact that many of your team are making similar errors would lead you to acknowledge there is a systemic problem within your team - this then would lead you to have a wider team meeting with the entire team and clearly explain the role you expect, possibly show examples of incidents during games and get their commitment to improvement going forward

I mean that is basic bloody management of a team - if that is not happening, and given these errors have persisted into a 3rd season now you would think it is not happening - we must surely ask why? The most frustrating aspect of this for me is that whilst such incidents are frustrating, the management of this issue which would then lead to the improvement that all fans wish for, is not a bloody difficult task!