Could soccer be better in the absence of the Video Assistant Referee protocol?
Top-flight supporters, coaches, and players got a reminder of what life was like devoid of VAR during the Football Association Cup fourth round – and it is fair to say this weekend was far from free of its problems.
For this season and the previous FA Cup campaign, VAR has not been implemented until the fifth round, with many fans looking forward to a reversion to football without stoppages from technology.
Following a campaign full of controversy, delayed decisions, and uncertainty driven by VAR, its core purpose has been scrutinized repeatedly, with a vocal contingent arguing the sport would be better if it were scrapped.
Indeed, after a day full of long delays, confusing signals, and furious managers in the start of the month, a former Premier League midfielder stated: "To benefit the game, you'd remove VAR."
"The problem is what it is doing for the games, to the spectacle, with the length of time it takes to get there."
"Do you want increased accuracy or do you want a more free-flowing football experience that is authentic and spur of the moment?"
After a couple of offside goals being permitted to stand, a blatant penalty not being awarded plus several other contentious calls, the recent fixtures certainly brought the subject to the forefront of the public eye.
'A Better Spectacle' or 'More Precise Decisions'?
Everyone is aware of the criticisms of VAR.
Decisions being excessively delayed, goal festivities being put on hold while reviews take place, confusion as goals are given – or ruled out – for extremely close reasons, preventing referees the opportunity to use their own judgment.
But Newcastle's debated win at their opponent's ground on Saturday could scarcely have been more favorable for supporters of VAR – or worse for those who contend football is superior in its absence.
The first goal was obviously offside, a full-back somehow avoided giving away a penalty for handling, and the same player could arguably should have been dismissed for a dangerous challenge as well.
The winning coach commented: "I'm so torn because the game is more exciting without VAR in terms of spontaneity and the spectacle for the fans."
"But it does give correct outcomes. It does make the game fairer in terms of decision making. You have to value those moments."
The opposing manager added, saying "VAR is necessary. It's necessary to assist the referees".
There was also some controversy at a different stadium during a separate match.
A teenage player had a goal wrongly ruled out for offside, while the opposition were furious a penalty was awarded to their opponents.
A leading coach remarked: "Overall, I prefer watching football without VAR because if you then score you're like 'it's a goal'."
"I support VAR only for the clear and obvious things... So let's stay away from that judgment calls and only go to offside checks."
Another esteemed coach was unsure whether football was better with VAR, despite seeing a goal chalked off for a questionable offside in his side's win.
"On occasion before I thought it was better and sometimes I think VAR aids us to have a fairer game," he said. "To be honest I don't know."
Are Officials Become Over-Dependent on VAR Now?
For some, it is straightforward – rather than VAR being a solution for errors, they would contend officials just need to get things right.
When asked whether the errors witnessed made him in support of VAR, a former striker responded: "No. I would like the officials to do their job properly. It is not too much to ask, is it?"
"If you ever needed any evidence of the damage that VAR has done to referees, I think Saturday is a prime illustration of that."
"These guys look terrified to make a decision because they didn't have a comfort blanket."
A retired shot-stopper added: "It shows you why we use VAR. A lot of decisions the officials got wrong... VAR is like a security blanket for referees."
"The decision is removed from the officials. The assistant referee has been told all season not to put their flag up, so their brain has been trained."
When asked whether football had become overly dependent on VAR, a manager had some agreement with the argument.
"There is an argument to say yes," he said. "Because when VAR is there, there is a inclination to think 'oh well I won't give that because VAR is there to check it'."
"Then your decision making isn't as sharp as it would normally have to be. Maybe there is a shift there."
But a former referee believes it is incorrect to claim officials use as a crutch VAR.
"I really don't think that's accurate," he said. "Obviously I work with them closely and I know these guys and they're not like that."
"I spent a portion of my career with VAR and half without it... And your approach essentially stay the same."
"What has changed though is with VAR you don't have that moment in a game where you know you've made a really big error and you now have to recover and go again."
'Superior Without It' or 'A Shambles' – Supporter Perspectives
Opposed to VAR:
- James: Football without VAR is authentic football. Having gone, the last few years have been dreadful in comparison. I don't celebrate goals any more as the officials are far more interested in finding ways of ruling goals out than the enjoyment of the supporter in the stadium.
- Frank: I supported the introduction of VAR, but it was refreshing not having it. It wouldn't be so bad if there weren't so many VAR ridiculous errors.
- Alan: Much, much better [without]. VAR has ruined the game, thankfully I now support grassroots football where there are humans, making human mistakes.
- Stephen: Much better without VAR. No waiting for clear situations that everyone can see immediately but takes VAR forever to decide. Time for return of refs and linesman to start refereeing the game again.
- Mike: Better, even though a goal was probably wrongly disallowed. Right or wrong, its so much better to just know straight away if its a goal or not. VAR is a moment-killer.
- Les: The game is so much better without VAR. It flows without problem like it used to do. The officials are there to make decisions rightly or wrongly. VAR are always making wrong calls so I can't see the point of it.
For VAR:
- Bonnie: As a supporter, that is exactly the decision that VAR doesn't get credit for. VAR gets it right every time.
- Roger: That was so obviously offside, have linesman lost their natural ability to spot stuff like this since the introduction of VAR? Poor decision.
- Peter: There's an easy fix for VAR offsides. If you can watch one TV replay and see the on-field decision is obviously incorrect, you intervene.
- Stephen: That's what you all wanted isn't it? More goals regardless of whether they're actually fair or not?
- Liga: It's these types of situations and these types of situation only where VAR should and needs to be used for offsides. Not those hairline millimetre nonsense situations.
- Callum: This season is proving 2 things. 1) VAR is a necessity. 2) Brave football is dead.
- Ben: What are linesman for exactly? Having no VAR is yet more chaos, who makes these decisions?