Every season, fans’ patience is seemingly tested by the monstrosity that is VAR wrecking the game – depending upon your viewpoint – or ‘improving the fairness’ of decisions. For the armchair viewer the endless viewing and reviewing, drawing and redrawing of lines has become part of the TV experience: For the spectator at the game it has become the black cloud that rains on the parade of a goal celebration. Spontaneity is dead thanks to the endless worry that goals will be overturned following some minor infringement, real or imagined.
A full review covered by espn.co.uk endeavours to uncover the season winners and losers thanks to VAR’s correct or dodgy decisions. It’s a pretty weighty report far too long to cover in full here. However , several decisions- one which went against West Ham and a couple from which the Irons benefitted – are highlighted – I am sure you will recall them well.
Crysencio Summerville’s incident is highlighted as a clear case of ‘when a penalty should have been awarded but never was’ from the 0-3 loss to Chelsea when Wesley Fofana clearly pulls Summerville back in the box: VAR incorrectly ruled that the contact was insufficient.
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In the same category, Konstantinos Mavropanous‘ challenge on Callum Wilson (main pic) in the 2-0 defeat of Newcastle is deemed a clear error when again, VAR did not award a penalty this time against the Hammers.
Danny Ings falling over like a shot zebra and winning a penalty. Most glaring VAR Hammers error
Plus of course the most glaring mistake made when Danny Ings fell over and got a penalty awarded to allow Jarrod Bowen to score the winner against Manchester United in the game that got Red Devils’ boss Erik Ten Hag sacked.
Whilst the report suggests fewer mistakes are being made therefore the VAR system is improving, I’d rubbish that opinion and suggest that the spectacle is the loser and fans are more and more disillusioned with watching live games.
Ditch the whole system and go back to the man in the middle having the final say: At least we’d be able to celebrate or pour faux hate on the guy with the whistle and get back to enjoying the moment.