For the most part, I try to avoid these overarching state of the nation type of opinion pieces, especially when it comes to VAR.
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Scott Parker on Burnley's dramatic defeat to Brentford and late VAR controversy](https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/football/scott-parker-on-burnleys-dramatic-defeat-to-brentford-and-late-var-controversy-5615367 "Scott Parker on Burnley's dramatic defeat to Brentford and late VAR controversy")
Firstly, I find writing them intensely boring. But secondly, and more pertinently, it’s my job to write about Burnley.
There’s plenty to be going at on that latter front, namely Scott Parker’s side throwing in a honking first-half display that saw them trail by three goals in a game most considered to be must-win and last-chance saloon territory.
If not that, how about that remarkable fight back from three goals and…for a precious few seconds, into a 4-3 lead, before it was so cruelly taken away from us?
But sometimes, it’s just unavoidable. VAR, like a Gavin Ward type of referee, just begs to be centre of attention.
But before I get into Saturday’s farcical scenes, let me make one thing clear: this isn’t a woe is me type of article where I argue the whole world is against Burnley and how the Clarets definitely would have won if it wasn’t for VAR’s interventions. Who knows if they would have held on had Zian Flemming’s second of the afternoon been allowed to stand, I’m not here to propose and discuss hypothetical situations.
And even if Ashley Barnes’ last-gasp equaliser had stood, we all know at this stage of the season a point does very little for Burnley’s already slim survival hopes. It’s wins they need.
The screen in the stadium shows Ashley Barnes' 'goal' being ruled out for handball (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)placeholder image
The screen in the stadium shows Ashley Barnes' 'goal' being ruled out for handball (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
This is more of a case of: how did we get here? Why have we allowed this cancer to infect our game? And why do we continue to put up with it?
If we’re being fair and equal, the first decision is correct. Jaidon Anthony is offside by the barest of margins, one of those shirt sleeve jobs.
It’s utterly depressing that is deemed to be gaining an advantage, but if we’re employing this technology where we’re having to draw miniscule lines to rule what is offside and what is onside – which is perhaps one of the most depressing sentences I’ve ever written – then I suppose that’s where we’re at and that’s what it comes down to.
But that’s the pertinent point, isn’t it? What’s the whole point of this? Is it an utterly futile bid to try and achieve perfection? Or is it inadvertently sucking the joy and soul out of the game we know and love? Because I know which one of those options is correct and, dare I say it, most genuine, match-going fans are of the same opinion too.
Zian Flemming celebrates his equaliser against Brentford with Jaidon Anthony. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttardplaceholder image
Zian Flemming celebrates his equaliser against Brentford with Jaidon Anthony. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
No longer is VAR there to determine clear and obvious errors – which is something we’ll get onto in a minute – it’s there to seemingly cast its beady eye over every single passage of play, just in case something was 0.1mm offside.
After all, we can’t be having any of those goal thingies, can we? Who wants that? Fun, emotion, elation, joyous, off-the-cuff celebration? No, thank you. This is the way of the world now, men with Artificial Intelligence determining the outcomes of games like it’s a game of FIFA (or whatever it’s now called) – and still getting plenty wrong.
“Minimum interference, maximum benefit” is what IFAB – the game’s rule makers – told us in 2017, and yet we’re now one step away from VAR now getting involved in second yellow cards and incorrect corner decisions. It’s only going to get worse.
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Burnley players thank the fans at full time following the defeat to Brentford. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttardplaceholder image
Burnley players thank the fans at full time following the defeat to Brentford. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard
I recall reading a recent article which states decision-making in the Premier League has improved from 92 per cent correct calls to 96. Well I tell you what, give me that four per cent back, because it’s not worth it. I prefer the old way.
Of course you’d still get some glaring errors, such is the way with human nature, that some would argue can be ill-afforded in a league dominated by finance as much as the Premier League is.
But the next time a Burnley fan encounters a horrible refereeing call go against their side in the Championship – which, let’s be honest, isn’t a million miles away from becoming a reality again – ask them if they’d want VAR to be introduced to the second tier. The response would be almost overwhelming.
Now let’s move onto the second flashpoint which, to only compound Burnley’s frustrations, came with virtually the last kick of the game.
Their comeback had ultimately proven in vain because, despite fighting back from 3-0 down to 3-3, Mikkel Damsgaard scored again in stoppage-time to restore Brentford’s lead. But there was still time for more drama.
Barnes came off the bench to rifle home what he thought was his first league goal of the campaign but also, and more significantly, a potentially crucial point for his side.
Referee Sam Barrott deliberates whether to rule out Ashley Barnes' late equaliser (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)placeholder image
Referee Sam Barrott deliberates whether to rule out Ashley Barnes' late equaliser (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
But no, a VAR delay dragged on and on, for as long as six or seven minutes according to some estimations – and eventually it was chalked off, with Barnes adjudged to have handled the ball as he aimed to chest it down before lashing home.
Now at the time of writing, some five hours after the game has finished, I’m still yet to see one conclusive piece of footage that provides undeniable evidence of the ball hitting Barnes’ arm.
Don’t get me wrong, it looks like it might have done. But can anyone be sure? Referee Sam Barrott – who I actually feel some sympathy for, and not just because he has to make that cringeworthy announcement – saw nothing wrong with the ‘goal’ on the field of play. So was it really a clear and obvious error, given the complete lack of evidence?
It was only after five minutes of constant replaying, different angles and forensic examination that it was determined it should be chalked off. And even then, it appears they still came to the wrong decision.
Or, to be exact, if they did come to the right one, it was by accident rather than design, because there was no evidence to back up their decision.
And this comes back to the very point of this article, it’s all so boring and exhausting. We’re spending minutes at a time inspecting why a dramatic goal that caused so much joy and elation in the dying seconds of an action-packed, dramatic game shouldn’t be awarded.
If it’s an absolute howler and the ref just hasn’t spotted an obvious infringement, fair enough. But that wasn’t the case here. And in any case, why wasn’t Barrott sent to the monitor?
Anyway, that’s enough about VAR. I’ve got just enough left in my word count to sum up the actual game of football: terrible first-half, far better second, but inspired comeback still not enough to claim a positive result. The end.
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